human
Oh, so you're Saxpence! she cried, with a very sneering manner.
gpt
A braw gift, a bonny gentleman. And hae ye ony ither name and designation, or were ye bapteesed Saxpence?
human
Preserve me! she cried.
gpt
Has Ebenezer gotten a son?
human
No, ma'am, said I.
gpt
I am a son of Alexander's. It's I that am the Laird of Shaws.
human
Ye'll find your work cut out for ye to establish that,
gpt
I perceive you know my uncle, said I;
human
And what brings ye here after Miss Drummond?
gpt
I'm come after my saxpence, mem, said I.
human
It's to be thought, being my uncle's nephew, I would be found a careful lad.
gpt
So ye have a spark of sleeness in ye, observed the old lady, with some approval.
human
I thought ye had just been a cuif--you and your saxpence, and your _lucky day_ and your _sake of Balwhidder_ --from which I was gratified to learn that Catriona had not forgotten some of our talk.
gpt
But all this is by the purpose, she resumed.
human
Am I to understand that ye come here keeping company?
gpt
This is surely rather an early question, said I.
human
The maid is young, so am I, worse fortune. I have but seen her the once. I'll not deny, I added, making up my mind to try her with some frankness,
gpt
I'll not deny but she has run in my head a good deal since I met in with her. That is one thing; but it would be quite another, and I think I would look very like a fool, to commit myself.
human
You can speak out of your mouth, I see, said the old lady.
gpt
Praise God, and so can I! I was fool enough to take charge of this rogue's daughter: a fine charge I have gotten; but it's mine, and I'll carry it the way I want to. Do ye mean to tell me, Mr. Balfour of Shaws, that you would marry James More's daughter, and him hanged? Well, then, where there's no possible marriage there shall be no manner of carryings on, and take that for said. Lasses are bruckle things, she added, with a nod;
human
Lady Allardyce, said I,
gpt
I have heard this kind of talk before ye were born, said Mrs. Ogilvy,
human
Spoke with her but the once, I should have said, I interrupted.
gpt
I saw her again this morning from a window at Prestongrange's.
human
What's this of it? cries the old lady, with a sudden pucker of her face.
gpt
I think it was at the Advocate's door-cheek that ye met her first.
human
H'm, she said; and then suddenly, upon rather a scolding tone,
gpt
I have your bare word for it, she cries,
human
says she, suiting the action to the word,
gpt
If you think me a spy,
human
Here! Hoots! The callant's in a creel! she cried.
gpt
Think ye a spy? what else would I think ye--me that kens naething by ye? But I see that I was wrong; and as I cannot fight, I'll have to apologise. A bonny figure I would be with a broadsword. Ay! ay! she went on,