Page:Scott - Tales of my Landlord - 3rd series, vol. 2 - 1819.djvu/83

Rh served baith your father and good-sire, and mind to have seen Lord Randal, your great-grandfather—but that was when I was a bairn."

"And what of all this, Balderstone?" answered the Master; "what can it possibly have to do with my paying some ordinary civility to a neighbour?"

"O Mr Edgar,—that is, my lord!"— answered the Butler, "your ain conscience tells you it isna for your father's son to be neighbouring wi' the like o' him—it isna for the credit of the family. An he were ance come to terms, and to gi'e ye back your ain, e'en though you suld honour his house wi' your alliance, I suldna say na—for the young leddy is a winsome sweet creature—But keep your ain state wi' them—I ken the race o' them weel—they will think the mair o' ye."

"Why, now, you go farther than I do, Caleb," said the Master, drowning a certain degree of consciousness in a forced laugh; "you are for marrying me into a family