the parish, and accounted for the other four to the abbot and chapter,—that in his time the wives' hens always laid eggs, and devil thank them, if they got one-fifth of the abbey rents; and that honest men's hearths were never unblessed with an offspring,--an addition to the miracle, which they, as well as I, must have considered as perfectly unaccountable. But come on-leave we Jock o' the Girnell, and let us jog on to the yellow sands, where the sea, like a repulsed enemy, is now retreating from the ground on which he gave us battle last night.» Thus saying, he led the way to the sands. Upon the links or downs close to them, were seen four or five huts inhabited by fishers, whose boats, drawn high upon the beach, lent the odoriferous vapours of pitch melting under a burning sun, to contend with those of the offals of fish and other nuisances usually collected round Scottish cottages, Undisturbed by these complicated steams of abomination, a middle-aged woman, with a face which had defied a thousand storms, sat mending a net at the door of one of the cottages. A handkerchief close bound about her head, and a coat, which had formerly been that of a man, gave her a masculine air, which was increased by her strength, uncommon stature, and harsh voice. << What are ye for the day, your honour ?» she said, or rather screamed, to Oldbuck, « caller haddocks and whitings-a bannock-fluke and a cock-padle.» « How much for the bannock-fluke and cockpadle?»> demanded the Antiquary. « Four white shillings and saxpence,» answered the Naiad. « Four devils and six of their imps,” retorted the Antiquary; « Do ye think I am mad, Maggie?» « And div ye think,» rejoined the virago, setting her arms a-kimbo, « that my man and my sons are to gae to the sea in weather like yestreen and the day—sic a sea as it's yet outbye-- and get naething for their fish, and be misca'd into the bargain, Monkbarns? It's no fish ye're buying-it's men's lives." « Well, Maggie, I'll bid you fair—I'll bid you a shilling for the fluke and the cock-padle, or sixpence separately-and if all your fish is as well paid, I think your man, as you call him, and your sons, will make a good voyage.» « De'il gin their boat were knockit against the Bell-Rock rather! it wad be better, and the bonnier voyage o' the twa. A shilling for thae twa bonny fish! Odd, that's ane indeed!» " Well, well, you old beldam, carry your fish up to Monkbarns, and see what my sister will give you for them.»> " Na, na, Monkbarns, de'il a fit - I'll rather deal wi' yoursel; for, though you're near aneugh, yet Miss Grizel has an unco close grip-I'll gie ye them (in a softened tone) for three-and-saxpence." Eighteen-pence!!!» (in a loud tone of astonishment, which declined into a sort of rueful whine, when the dealer turned as if to walk away)- « Ye'll no be for the fish then?»-(then louder, as she saw him moving off) -- I'll gie them-and-and-and a half-a-dozen o' partans to make the sauce, for three shillings and a dram.» << Half-a-crown then, Maggie, and a dram.» Aweel, your honour maun hae't your ain gate, nae doubt; but a dram's worth siller now -the distillery's no working.» << And I hope they'll never work again in my time," said Oldbuck. Aye, aye-it's easy for your honour, and the like o' you gentle folks, to say sae, that hae stouth and routh, and fire and fending, and meat and claith, and sit dry and canny by the fire-side-But an ye wanted fire, and meat and dry claise, and were deeing o' cauld, and bad a sair heart, whilk is warst ava', wi' just tippence in your pouch, wadna ye be glad to buy a dram wi't, to be eilding and claise, and a supper and heart's ease into the bargain, till the morn's morning?» «< It's even too true an apology, Maggie. Is your goodman off to sea this morning, after his exertions last night?» << In troth is he, Monkbarns; he was awa this morning by four o'clock, when the sea was working like barm wi' yestreen's wind, and our bit coble dancing in't like a cork.» Well, he's an industrious fellow. Carry the fish up to Monkbarns. >> << That I will--- or I'll send little Jenny, she'll rin faster; but I'll ca' on Miss Grizzy for the dram mysel, and say ye sent me.» A non-descript animal, which might have passed for a mermaid, as it was paddling in a pool among the rocks, was summoned ashore by the shrill screams of its dam; and having been made decent, as her mother called it, which was performed by adding a short red cloak to a petticoat, which was at first her sole covering, and which reached scantly below her knee, the child was dismissed with the fish in a basket, and a request, on the part of Monkbarns, that they might be prepared for dinner. « It would have been long," said Oldbuck with much self-complacency, << ere my womankind could have made such a reasonable bargain with that old skinflint, though they sometimes wrangle with her for an hour together under my study window, like three sea-gulls screaming and sputtering in a gale of wind. But, come, wend we on our way to Knockwinnock.» CHAPTER XII. Beggar? the only freeman of your commonwealth; Obey no governor, use no religion But what they draw from their own ancient custom, BROME. WITH our readers' permission, we will outstep the slow, though sturdy pace of the Antiquary, whose halts, as he turned round to his companion at every moment to point out something remarkable in the landscape, or to enforce some favourite topic more emphatically than the exercise of walking permitted, delayed their progress considerably. Notwithstanding the fatigues and dangers of the preceding evening, Miss Wardour was able to rise at her usual hour, and to apply herself to her usual occupations, after she had first satisfied her anxiety concerning her father's state of health. Sir Arthur was no farther indisposed than by the effect of great agitation and unusual fatigue, but these were sufficient to induce him to keep his bed-chamber. To look back on the events of the preceding |