, "these are rather
alarming prolocutions; and if there are in your story any little jostles
to the law, I would beg you to bear in mind that I am a lawyer, and pass
lightly."

Thereupon I told him my story from the first, he listening with his
spectacles thrust up and his eyes closed, so that I sometimes feared
he was asleep. But no such matter! he heard every word (as I found
afterward) with such quickness of hearing and precision of memory as
often surprised me. Even strange outlandish Gaelic names, heard for that
time only, he remembered and would remind me of, years after. Yet when I
called Alan Breck in full, we had an odd scene. The name of Alan had of
course rung through Scotland, with the news of the Appin murder and the
offer of the reward; and it had no sooner escaped me than the lawyer
moved in his seat and opened his eyes.

"I would name no unnecessary names, Mr. Balfour," said he; "above all of
Highlanders, many of whom are obnoxious to the law."

"Well, it might have been better not," said I, "but since I have let it
slip, I may as well continue."

"Not at all," said Mr. Rankeillor. "I am somewhat dull of hearing, as
you may have remarked; and I am far from sure I caught the name exactly.
We will call your friend, if you please, Mr. Thomson--that there may
be no reflections. And in future, I would take some such way with any
Highlander that you may have to mention--dead or alive."

By this, I saw he must have heard the name all too clearly, and had
already guessed I might be coming to the murder. If he chose to play
this part of ignorance, it was no matter of mine; so I smiled, said it
was no very Highland-sounding name, and consented. Through all the rest
of my story Alan was Mr. Thomson; which amused me the more, as it was a
piece of policy after his own heart. James Stewart, in like manner,
was mentioned under the style of Mr. Thomson's kinsman; Colin Campbell
passed as a Mr. Glen; and to Cluny, when I came to that part of my tale,
I gave the name of "Mr. Jameson, a Highland chief." It was truly the
most open farce, and I wondered that the lawyer should care to keep it
up; but, after all, it was quite in the taste of that age, when there
were two parties in the state, and quiet persons, with no very high
opinions of their own, sought out every cranny to avoid offence to
either.

"Well, well," said the lawyer, when I had quite done, "this is a great
epic, a great Odyssey of yours. You must tell i