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'Indeed； he's all that； and more too；' said the school…master。
'There's naething 'ull du but the college noo！' said MacGregor； whom
nobody heeded； for fear of again rousing his anger。
'Hoo 'ill she manage that； honest woman？ She maun hae but little to
spare frae the cleedin' o' 'm。'
'She's a gude manager； Mistress Faukner。 And； ye see； she has the
bleachgreen yet。'
'She doesna weir cotton sarks；' growled MacGregor。 'Mony's the wob
o' mine she's bleached and boucht tu！'
Nobody heeding him yet； he began to feel insulted； and broke in upon
the conversation with intent。
'Ye haena telt 's yet； Cocker；' he said； 'what that maister o' yours
is duin' here at this time o' the year。 I wad ken that； gin ye
please。'
'How should I know； Mr。 MacGregor？' returned the factor； taking no
notice of the offensive manner in which the question was put。
'He's no a hair better nor ane o' thae Algerine pirates 'at Lord
Exmooth's het the hips o'and that's my opingon。'
'He's nae amo' your feet； MacGregor；' said the banker。 'Ye micht
jist lat him lie。'
'Gin I had him doon； faith gin I wadna lat him lie！ I'll jist tell
ye ae thing； gentlemen； that cam' to my knowledge no a hunner year
ago。 An' it's a' as true 's gospel； though I hae aye held my tongue
aboot it till this verra nicht。 Ay！ ye'll a' hearken noo； but it's
no lauchin'； though there was sculduddery eneuch； nae doobt； afore
it cam' that len'th。 And mony a het drap did the puir lassie greet；
I can tell ye。 Faith！ it was no lauchin' to her。 She was a servan'
o' oors； an' a ticht bonnie lass she was。 They ca'd her the
weyver's bonny Marythat's the name she gaed by。 Weel； ye see'
MacGregor was interrupted by a sound from the further end of the
room。 The stranger； whom most of them had by this time forgotten；
had risen； and was approaching the table where they sat。
'Guid guide us！' interrupted several under their breaths； as all
rose； 'it's Lord Sandy himsel'！'
'I thank you； gentleman；' he said； with a mixture of irony and
contempt； 'for the interest you take in my private history。 I
should have thought it had been as little to the taste as it is to
the honour of some of you to listen to such a farrago of lies。'
'Lees！ my lord；' said MacGregor； starting to his feet。 Mr。 Cocker
looked dismayed； and Mr。 Lammie sheepishall of them dazed and
dumbfoundered； except the old weaver； who； as his lordship turned to
leave the room； added：
'Lang lugs （ears） suld be made o' leather； my lord； for fear they
grow het wi' what they hear。'
Lord Rothie turned in a rage。 He too had been drinking。
'Kick that toad into the street； or； by heaven！ it's the last drop
any of you drink in this house！' he cried。
'The taed may tell the poddock （frog） what the rottan （rat） did i'
the taed's hole； my lord；' said MacGregor； whom independence；
honesty； bile； and drink combined to render fearless。
Lord Sandy left the room without another word。 His factor took his
hat and followed him。 The rest dropped into their seats in silence。
Mr。 Lammie was the first to speak。
'There's a pliskie！' he said。
'I cud jist say the word efter auld Simeon；' said MacGregor。
'I never thocht to be sae favoured！ Eh！ but I hae langed； and noo I
hae spoken！' with which words he sat down； contented。
When Mr。 Cocker overtook his master； as MacGregor had not unfitly
styled him； he only got a damning for his pains； and went home
considerably crestfallen。
Lord Rothie returned to the landlady in her parlour。
'What's the maitter wi' ye； my lord？ What's vexed ye？' asked Miss
Napier； with a twinkle in her eyes； for she thought； from the
baron's mortification； he must have received some rebuff； and now
that the bonnie leddy was safe at Captain Forsyth's； enjoyed the
idea of it。
'Ye keep an ill…tongued hoose； Miss Naper；' answered his lordship。
Miss Napier guessed at the truth at oncethat he had overheard some
free remarks on his well…known licence of behaviour。
'Weel； my lord； I do my best。 A body canna keep an inn and speir
the carritchis （catechism） at the door o' 't。 But I believe ye're
i' the richt； my lord； for I heard an awfu' aff…gang o' sweirin' i'
the yard； jist afore yer lordship cam' in。 An' noo' 'at I think o'
't； it wasna that onlike yer lordship's ain word。'
Lord Sandy broke into a loud laugh。 He could enjoy a joke against
himself when it came from a woman； and was founded on such a trifle
as a personal vice。
'I think I'll go to bed；' he said when his laugh was over。 'I
believe it's the only safe place from your tongue； Miss Naper。'
'Letty；' cried Miss Napier； 'fess a can'le； and show his lordship to
the reid room。'
Till Miss Letty appeared； the baron sat and stretched himself。 He
then rose and followed her into the archway； and up an outside stair
to a door which opened immediately upon a handsome old…fashioned
room； where a blazing fire lighted up the red hangings。 Miss Letty
set down the candle； and bidding his lordship good night； turned and
left the room； shutting the door； and locking it behind hera
proceeding of which his lordship took no notice； for； however
especially suitable it might be in his case； it was only； from
whatever ancient source derived； the custom of the house in regard
to this particular room and a corresponding chamber on the opposite
side of the archway。
Meantime the consternation amongst the members of the club was not
so great as not to be talked over； or to prevent the call for more
whisky and hot water。 All but MacGregor； however； regretted what
had occurred。 He was so elevated with his victory and a sense of
courage and prowess； that he became more and more facetious and
overbearing。
'It's all very well for you； Mr。 MacGregor；' said the dominie； with
dignity： 'you have nothing to lose。'
'Troth！ he canna brak the bankeh； Mr。 Tamson？'
'He may give me a hint to make you withdraw your money； though； Mr。
MacGregor。'
'De'il care gin I do！' returned the weaver。 'I can mak' better o' 't
ony day。'
'But there's yer hoose an' kailyard；' suggested Peddie。
'They're ma ain！a' ma ain！ He canna lay 's finger on onything o'
mine but my servan' lass；' cried the weaver； slapping his
thigh…bonefor there was little else to slap。
Meg； at the moment； was taking her exit…glance。 She went straight
to Miss Napier。
'Willie MacGregor's had eneuch； mem； an' a drappy ower。'
'Sen' Caumill doon to Mrs。 MacGregor to say wi' my compliments that
she wad do weel to sen' for him；' was the response。
Meantime he grew more than troublesome。 Ever on the outlook； when
sober； after the foibles of others； he laid himself open to endless
ridicule when in drink； which； to tell the truth； was a rare
occurrence。 He was in the midst of a prophetic denunciation of the
vices of the nobility； and especially of Lord Rothie； when Meg；
entering the room； went quietly behind his chair and whispered：
'Maister MacGregor； there's a lassie come for ye。'
'I'm nae in；' he answered； magnificently。
'But it's the mistress 'at's sent for ye。 Somebody's wantin' ye。'
'Somebody maun want me； than。As I was sayin'； Mr。 Cheerman and
gentlemen'
'Mistress MacGregor 'll be efter ye hersel'； gin ye dinna gang；'
said Meg。
'Let her come。 Duv ye think I'm fleyt at her？ De'il a step 'll I
gang till I please。 Tell her that； Meg。'
Meg left the room； with a broad grin on her good…humoured face。
'What's the bitch lauchin' at？' exclaimed MacGregor； starting to his
feet。
The whole company rose likewise； using their endeavour to persuade
him to go home。
'Duv ye think I'm drunk； sirs？ I'll lat ye ken I'm no drunk。 I hae
a wull o' mine ain yet。 Am I to gang hame wi' a lassie to haud me
oot o' the gutters？ Gin ye daur to alloo that I'm drunk； ye ken hoo
ye'll fare； for de'il a fit 'll I gang oot o' this till I hae
anither tum'ler。'
'I'm thinkin' there's mair o' 's jist want ane mair；' said Peddie。
A confirmatory murmur arose as each looked into the bottom of his
tumbler； and the bell was instantly rung。 But it only brought Meg
back with the message that it was time for them all to go home。
Every eye turned upon MacGregor reproachfully。
'Ye needna luik at me that gait； sirs。 I'm no fou；' said he。
''Deed no。 Naebody taks ye to be；' answered the chairman。 'Meggie；
there's naebody's had ower muckle yet； and twa or three o' 's hasna
had freely eneuch。 Jist gang an' fess a mutchkin mair。 An'
there'll be a shillin' to yersel'； lass。'
Meg retired； but straightway returned。
'Miss Naper says there's no a drap mair drink to be had i' this
hoose the nicht。'
'Here； Meggie；' said the chairman； 'there's yer shillin'； and ye
jist gang to Miss Lettie； and gie her my compliments； and say that
Mr。 Lammie's h