The Heart of Mid-Lothian - Penn State University

Mr. Butler,” said he, “ken ye if Mr. Saddletree’s a great
lawyer?”
“I have no person’s word for it but his own,” answered
Butler, drily; “but undoubtedly he best understands his
own qualities.”
“Umph!” replied the taciturn Dumbiedikes, in a tone
which seemed to say, “Mr. Butler, I take your meaning.”
“In that case,” he pursued, “I’ll employ my ain man o’
business, Nichil Novit (auld Nichil’s son, and amaist as
gleg as his father), to agent Effie’s plea.”
And having thus displayed more sagacity than Butler
expected from him, he courteously touched his goldlaced
cocked hat, and by a punch on the ribs, conveyed
to Rory Bean, it was his rider’s pleasure that he should
forthwith proceed homewards; a hint which the quadruped
obeyed with that degree of alacrity with which
men and animals interpret and obey suggestions that
entirely correspond with their own inclinations.
Butler resumed his pace, not without a momentary
revival of that jealousy which the honest Laird’s attention
to the family of Deans had at different times ex-
The Heart of Mid-Lothian
174
cited in his bosom. But he was too generous long to nurse
any feeling which was allied to selfishness. “He is,” said
Butler to himself, “rich in what I want; why should I
feel vexed that he has the heart to dedicate some of his
pelf to render them services, which I can only form the
empty wish of executing? In God’s name, let us each do
what we can. May she be but happy!—saved from the
misery and disgrace that seems impending—Let me but
find the means of preventing the fearful experiment of
this evening, and farewell to other thoughts, though my
heart-strings break in parting with them!”
He redoubled his pace, and soon stood before the door
of the Tolbooth, or rather before the entrance where
the door had formerly been placed. His interview with
the mysterious stranger, the message to Jeanie, his agitating
conversation with her on the subject of breaking
off their mutual engagements, and the interesting scene
with old Deans, had so entirely occupied his mind as to
drown even recollection of the tragical event which he
had witnessed the preceding evening. His attention was
not recalled to it by the groups who stood scattered on