"They are over, and he shall die conform to the Act."
"Driveller!" cried Clermistonlee in a towering passion; "'tis like thee; your head is as empty as my purse----"
"Hee, hee, ye seem a bonnie temper to-night. But what detained you frae the board, when ye knew you were principal witness?"
"The sudden indisposition of Lady Clermistonlee made it impossible for me to leave Bruntisfield--but I have this moment galloped in from The Place."
"You are a kind and considerate gudeman," said Mersington drily.
"His hatred of the present government, and his weariness o' this life. He spoke unco dreich and sadly, puir callant,--and sae I fell fast asleep and dozed like a top."
"And did not that goosecap, the King's Advocate, give him a twinge or two of the torture?"
"We brought some braw things to light without the help o' rack or screw. The tails o' his coat were as fu' o' treason as an egg's fu' o' meat. There were five and twenty autograph letters frae the bluidy and papistical Duke James----"
"Stuff! But lately he was styled His most Sacred Majesty, by the grace of God, and so forth."
"I speak as we wrote it in the council minutes. Five and twenty letters to the cut-throat Hieland chiefs, to the Murrays of Stormont, the Drummonds and others, some slee tod lowries we have long had our een on. But maist of a' was a notable plot of that d----ned jaud Madame Maintenon to assassinate King William."
"From a paper found, it appears that a certain Monsieur Dumont is now disguised as a soldier in our confederate army in Flanders, watching an opportunity to shoot the King and escape."
"By St. George, I hope the aforesaid Monsieur Dumont is a good shot--a regular candle-snuffer!"
"Our culprit, Fenton, knew not of Maintenon's plot, or of her papers being among those on his person. He looked black dumbfoundered when Maclutchy drew them frae a neuk in his coat tail."
"To one _Widow Douglas_, whilk the King's advocate avers to be no other than the Lady Dunbarton. Fenton grew red with anger on their being read, and smote his forehead, saying, '_Dupe that I have been! the noble Duc de Chartres warned me to beware of De Maintenon; but let it pass:_' and here, as I said, I fell fast asleep, until a minute ago. But come, let us have a pint of sack; I am clean brainbraised wi' drouth, and I warrant Lucky Dreep, in the Kirk-o'-field Wynd, keeps open door yet."