The Waverley novels, by Sir Walter Scott, complete in 12 vol., printed from the latest English ed., embracing the author's last corrections, prefaces & notes.

THE ANTIQUARY. 215
robbery, wi' ae fit in the grave!"-And the children congratulated the officers, objects of their alteinate dread and sport, Puggie Orrock and Jock
Ormston, on having a prisoner as old as themselves.
Thus marshalled forward, Edie was presented (by no means for the first
time) before the worshipful Bailie Littlejohn, who, contrary to what his
name expressed, was a tall portly magistrate, on whom corporation crusts
had not been conferred in vain. He was a zealous loyalist of that zealous
time, somewhat rigorous and peremptory in the execution of his duty, and
a good deal inflated with the sense of his own power and importance;otherwise an honest, well-meaning, and useful citizen.
" Bring him in! bring him in!" he exclaimed. " Upon my word those
are awful and unnatural times! the very bedesmen and retainers of his
Majesty are the first to break his laws. Here has been an old Blue-Gown
committing robbery-I suppose the next will reward the royal charity which
supplies him with his garb, pension, and begging license, by engaging in
high treason, or sedition at least.- But bring him in."
Edie made his obeisance, and then stood, as usual, firm and erect, with
the side of his face turned a little upward, as if to catch every word which
the magistrate might address to him. To the first general questions, which
respected only his name and calling, the mendicant answered with readiness and accuracy; but when the magistrate, having caused his clerk to
take down these particulars, began to inquire whereabout the mendicant
was on the night when Dousterswivel met with his misfortune, Edie demnurred to the motion. "Can ye tell me now, Bailie, you that understands
the law, what gude will it do me to answer ony o' your questions?"
" Good?-no good certainly, my friend, except that giving a true account
of yourself, if you are innocent, may entitle me to set you at liberty."
" But it seems mair reasonable to me now, that you, Bailie, or onybody
that has onything to say against me, should prove my guilt, and no to be
bidding me prove my innocence."
"I don't sit here," answered the magistrate, "to dispute points of law
with you. I ask you, if you choose to answer my question, whether you
were at Ringan Aikwood, the forester's, upon the day I have specified:?"
"Really, sir, I dinna feel myself called on to remember," replied the
cautious bedesman.
" Or whether, in the course of that day or night," continued the magistrate, "you saw Steven, or Steenie, Mucklebackit? -you knew him, I
suppose?"
" 0, brawlie did I ken Steenie, puir fallow," replied the prisoner;-" but
I canna condeshend on ony particular time I have seen him lately."
"Were you at the ruins of St. Ruth any time in the course of that
evening?"
"Bailie Littlejohn," said the mendicant, "if it be your honour's pleasure, we'll cut a lang tale short, and I'll just tell ye, I am no minded to
answer ony o' thae questions - I'm ower auld a traveller to let my tm.ngue
bring me into trouble."
"Write down," said the magistrate, "that he declines to answer all
interrogatories, in respect that by telling the truth he might be brought to
trouble."
" Na, na," said Ochiltree, " I'll no hae that set down as ony part o' my
answer-but I just meant to say, that in a' my memory and practice, I never
saw ony gude come o' answering idle questions."
"Write down," said the Bailie, "that, being acquainted with judicial
interrogatories by long practice, and having sustained injury by answering
questions put to him on such occasions, the declarant refuses"" Na, na, Bailie," reiterated Edie, " ye are no to come in on me that gait
neither."