Guy Mannering.

124 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
Of the Laird's people who knew the country, and by a
party of military, poured down upon the kegs, bales, and
bags, and after a desperate affray, in which severe wounds
were given and received, succeeded in clapping the broad
arrow upon the articles, and bearing them off in triumph
to the next custom-house. Dirk Hatteraick vowed, in
I)utch, German, and English, a deep and full revenge,
both against the gauger and his abettors; and all who
knew him thought it likely he would keep his word.
A few days after the departure of the gipsy tribe, Mr.
Bertram asked his lady one morning at breakfast, whether
this was not little Harry's birth-day?
" Five years auld, exactly, this blessed day," answered
the lady; "so we may look into the English Gentleman's
paper."
Mr. Bertram liked to show his authority in trifles.
" No, my dear, not till to-morrow. The last time I was
at quarter-sessions, the sheriff told us that dies-that dies
inceptus-in short-you don't understand Latin-but it
means that a term day is not begun till it's ended."
" That sounds like nonsense, my dear."
" _May be so, my dear; but it may be very good law
for all that. I am sure, speaking of term-days, I wish, as
Frank Kennedy says, that Whitsunday would kill Martinmas, and be hanged for the murder-for there I have
got a letter about that interest of Jenny Cairns's, and
deil a tenant's been at the Place yet wi' a boddle of rent,
-nor will not till Candlemas —but, speaking of Frank
Kennedy, I dare say he'll be here the day, for he was
way round to Wigton to warn a king's ship that's lying
in the bay about Dirk Hatteraick's lugger being on the
coast again, and he'll be back this day; so we'll have a
bottle of claret, and drink little Harry's health."