The Heart of Mid-Lothian - Penn State University

“You are,” said Butler, “what you have always been—
wiser, better, and less selfish in your native feelings, than
I can be, with all the helps philosophy can give to a Christian—But
why—why will you persevere in an undertaking
so desperate? Why will you not let me be your
assistant—your protector, or at least your adviser?”
“Just because I cannot, and I dare not,” answered
Jeanie.— “But hark, what’s that? Surely my father is
no weel?”
In fact, the voices in the next room became obstreperously
loud of a sudden, the cause of which vociferation
it is necessary to explain before we go farther.
When Jeanie and Butler retired, Mr. Saddletree entered
upon the business which chiefly interested the family.
In the commencement of their conversation he found
old Deans, who in his usual state of mind, was no granter
of propositions, so much subdued by a deep sense of his
daughter’s danger and disgrace, that he heard without
replying to, or perhaps without understanding, one or
two learned disquisitions on the nature of the crime
imputed to her charge, and on the steps which ought to
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be taken in consequence. His only answer at each pause
was, “I am no misdoubting that you wuss us weel—
your wife’s our far-awa cousin.”
Encouraged by these symptoms of acquiescence,
Saddletree, who, as an amateur of the law, had a supreme
deference for all constituted authorities, again
recurred to his other topic of interest, the murder,
namely, of Porteous, and pronounced a severe censure
on the parties concerned.
“These are kittle times—kittle times, Mr. Deans, when
the people take the power of life and death out of the
hands of the rightful magistrate into their ain rough
grip. I am of opinion, and so I believe will Mr.
Crossmyloof and the Privy Council, that this rising in
effeir of war, to take away the life of a reprieved man,
will prove little better than perduellion.”
“If I hadna that on my mind whilk is ill to bear, Mr.
Saddletree,” said Deans, “I wad make bold to dispute
that point wi’ you.”
“How could you dispute what’s plain law, man?” said
Saddletree, somewhat contemptuously; “there’s no a