The Heart of Mid-Lothian - Penn State University

heard his name yet—Come now, Jeanie, ye are but
queering us—I am no trowing that there is sic a ane in
the warld—ye are but making fashion—What is he?—
wha is he?”
“Just Reuben Butler, that’s schulemaster at Liberton,”
said Jeanie.
“Reuben Butler! Reuben Butler!” echoed the Laird
of Dumbiedikes, pacing the apartment in high disdain,—
“Reuben Butler, the dominie at Liberton—and
a dominie depute too!—Reuben, the son of my cottar!—
Very weel, Jeanie lass,
wilfu’ woman will hae her
way—Reuben Butler! he
hasna in his pouch the
value o’ the auld black
coat he wears—But it
disna signify.” And as he
spoke, he shut successively
and with vehemence
the drawers of his
treasury. “A fair offer,
Sir Walter Scott
325
Jeanie, is nae cause of feud—Ae man may bring a horse
to the water, but twenty winna gar him drink—And as
for wasting my substance on other folk’s joes—”
There was something in the last hint that nettled
Jeanie’s honest pride.— “I was begging nane frae your
honour,” she said; “least of a’ on sic a score as ye pit it
on.—Gude morning to ye, sir; ye hae been kind to my
father, and it isna in my heart to think otherwise than
kindly of you.”
So saying, she left the room without listening to a faint
“But, Jeanie—Jeanie—stay, woman!” and traversing the
courtyard with a quick step, she set out on her forward
journey, her bosom glowing with that natural indignation
and shame, which an honest mind feels at having
subjected itself to ask a favour, which had been unexpectedly
refused. When out of the Laird’s ground, and
once more upon the public road, her pace slackened, her
anger cooled, and anxious anticipations of the consequence
of this unexpected disappointment began to influence
her with other feelings. Must she then actually
beg her way to London? for such seemed the alterna-