The Heart of Mid-Lothian - Penn State University

son horse, doubtless he shall be bound to show that there
is sic ane animal in rerum natura. No man can be bound
to plead to nonsense—that is to say, to a charge which
cannot be explained or understood’—(he’s wrang
there—the better the pleadings the fewer understand
them),— ‘and so the reference unto this undefined and
unintelligible measure of land is, as if a penalty was
inflicted by statute for any man who suld hunt or hawk,
or use lying-dogs, and wearing a sky-blue pair of
breeches, without having—’But I am wearying you, Mr.
Deans,—we’ll pass to your ain business,—though this
cue of Marsport against Lackland has made an unco
din in the Outer House. Weel, here’s the dittay against
puir Effie: ‘Whereas it is humbly meant and shown to
us,’ etc. (they are words of mere style), ‘that whereas,
by the laws of this and every other well-regulated realm,
the murder of any one, more especially of an infant
child, is a crime of ane high nature, and severely punishable:
And whereas, without prejudice to the foresaid
generality, it was, by ane act made in the second session
of the First Parliament of our most High and Dread
Sir Walter Scott
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Sovereigns William and Mary, especially enacted, that
ane woman who shall have concealed her condition, and
shall not be able to show that she hath called for help at
the birth in case that the child shall be found dead or
amissing, shall be deemed and held guilty of the murder
thereof; and the said facts of concealment and pregnancy
being found proven or confessed, shall sustain the
pains of law accordingly; yet, nevertheless, you, Effie,
or Euphemia Deans—’”
“Read no farther!” said Deans, raising his head up; “I
would rather ye thrust a sword into my heart than read
a word farther!”
“Weel, neighbour,” said Saddletree, “I thought it wad
hae comforted ye to ken the best and the warst o’t. But
the question is, what’s to be dune?”
“Nothing,” answered Deans firmly, “but to abide the
dispensation that the Lord sees meet to send us. Oh, if
it had been His will to take the grey head to rest before
this awful visitation on my house and name! But His
will be done. I can say that yet, though I can say little
mair.”