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.

:454 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
shall hear what Ian Roy Cean* says for himsell. My correspondent bought
it in the Palace yard, that's like just under the king's nose — I think he
claws up their mittans!-It came in a letter about a foolish bill of exchange
that the man wanted me to renew for him. I wish ye wad see about it,
Mrs. Saddletree."
Honest Mrs. Saddletree had hitherto been so sincerely distressed about
the situation of her unfortunate prot6g6e, that she had suffered her husband
to proceed in his own way, without attending to what he was saying. The
words bill and renew had, however, an awakening sound in them; and she
snatched the letter which her husband held towards her, and wiping her
eyes, and putting on her spectacles, endeavoured, as fast as the dew which
collected on her glasses would permit, to get at the meaning of the needful
part of the epistle; while her husband, with pompous elevation, read an
extract from the speech.
" I am no minister, I never was a minister, and I never will be one "
" I didna ken his grace was ever designed for the ministry," interrupted
Mrs. Howden.
" He disna mean a minister of the gospel, Mrs. Howden, but a minister
of state," said Saddletree, with condescending goodness, and then proceeded: "The time was when I might have been a piece of a minister, but
I was too sensible of my'own incapacity to engage in any state affair. And
I thank God that I had always too great a value for those few abilities which
Nature has given me, to employ them in doing any drudgery, or any job of
what kind soever. I have, ever since I set out in the world, (and I believe
few have set out more early,) served my prince with my tongue; I have
served him with any little interest I had, and I have served him with my
sword, and in my profession of arms. I have held employments which I
have lost, and were I to be to-morrow deprived of those which still remain
to me, and which I have endeavoured honestly to deserve, I would still
serve him to the last acre of my inheritance, and to the last drop of my
blood. "
Mrs. Saddletree here broke in upon the orator:- "Mr. Saddletree, what
is the meaning of a' this? Here are ye clavering about the Duke of Argyle, and this man Martingale gaun to break on our hands, and lose us gude
sixty pounds-I wonder what duke will pay that, quotha —I wish the Duke
of Argyle would pay his ain accounts —He is in a thousand punds Scots on
thae very books when he was last at Roystoun - I'm no saying but he's a
just nobleman, and that it's gude siller —but it wad drive ane daft to be
confused wi' deukes and drakes, and thae distressed folk up stairs, that's
Jeanie Deans and her father. And then, putting the very callant that was
sewing the curpel out o' the shop, to play wi' blackguards in the close-Sit
still, neighbours, it's no that I mean to.disturb you; but what between
courts o' law and courts o' state, and upper and under parliaments, and
parlianlent-houses, here and in London, the gudeman's gane clean gyte, I
think."
The gossips understood civility, and the rule of doing as they would be
done by, too well, to tarry upon the slight invitation implied in the conclusion of this speech, and therefore made their farewells and departure as fast
as possible, Saddletree whispering to Plumdamas that he would "meet him
at MacCroskie's," (tlhe low-browed shop in the Luckenbooths, already mentioned,) "in the hour of cause, and put MacCullummore's speech in his
pocket, for a' the gudewife's din."
When Mrs. Saddletree saw the house freed of her importunate visiters,
and the little boy reclaimed from the pastimes of the wynd to the exercise
of the awl, she went to visit her unhappy relative, David Deans, and his
elder daughter, who had found in her house the nearest place of friendly
refuge., Red John the Warrior, a name personal and proper in the Highlands to John Duke of Argyle and Greenwich, ats MacCummin was that of his race or dignity.