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As soon as they arrived in Edinburgh, and were established at the George I
The period was near the end of the American war. The desire of room, of air, and of decent accommodation had not as yet made very much progress in the capital of Scotland. Some efforts had been made on the south side of the town towards building houses WITHIN THEMSELVES, as they are emphatically termed; and the New Town on the north, since so much extended, was then just commenced. But the great bulk of the better classes, and particularly those co
Under the guidance of his trusty attendant, Colonel Ma
Ma
'Lord preserve us!' said the female voice, 'an he had worried our cat, Mr. Pleydell would ne'er hae forgi'en me!'
'Aweel, my doo, the cat's no a prin the waur. So he's no in, ye say?'
'Na, Mr. Pleydell's ne'er in the house on Saturday at e'en,' answered the female voice.
'And the morn's Sabbath too,' said the querist. 'I di
By this time Ma
'So Mr. Pleydell is not at home, my good girl?' said Ma
'Ay, sir, he's at hame, but he's no in the house; he's aye out on Saturday at e'en.'
'But, my good girl, I am a stranger, and my business express. Will you tell me where I can find him?'
'His honour,' said the chairman, 'will be at Clerihugh's about this time. Hersell could hae tell'd ye that, but she thought ye wanted to see his house.'
'Well, then, show me to this tavern. I suppose he will see me, as I come on business of some consequence?'
'I di
'I'll gang to the tavern too,' said our friend Dinmont, 'for I am a stranger also, and on business e'en sic like.'
'Na,' said the handmaiden, 'an he see the gentleman, he'll see the simple body too; but, Lord's sake, di
'Atweel, I am a simple body, that's true, hi
His shrewd augury, however, was not fulfilled. Those who recoiled from the colossal weight of Dinmont, on looking up at his size and strength, apparently judged him too heavy metal to be rashly encountered, and suffered him to pursue his course unchallenged. Following in the wake of this first-rate, Ma
'Ay, ay,' replied Donald, 'tat's ta close.'
Dinmont descended confidently, then turned into a dark alley, then up a dark stair, and then into an open door. While he was whistling shrilly for the waiter, as if he had been one of his collie dogs, Ma