if I were to tell you my whole story the way it fell
out, it's my opinion (and it was Rankeillor's before me) that you would be very
little made up with it.«
    »I am sorry to hear this of you, kinsman,« says he.
    »I must not take that at your hands, Mr. Balfour,« said I; »I have nothing
to my charge to make me sorry; or you for me, but just the common infirmities of
mankind. The guilt of Adam's first sin, the want of original righteousness, and
the corruption of my whole nature, so much I must answer for, and I hope I have
been taught where to look for help,« I said; for I judged from the look of the
man he would think the better of me if I knew my Questions.11 »But in the way of
worldly honour I have no great stumble to reproach myself with; and my
difficulties have befallen me very much against my will and (by all that I can
see) without my fault. My trouble is, to have become dipped in a political
complication, which it is judged you would be blithe to avoid a knowledge of.«
    »Why, very well, Mr. David,« he replied, »I am pleased to see you are all
that Rankeillor represented. And for what you say of political complications,
you do me no more than justice. It is my study to be beyond suspicion, and
indeed outside the field of it. The question is,« says he, »how, if I am to know
nothing of the matter, I can very well assist you?«
    »Why, sir,« said I, »I propose you should write to his lordship, that I am a
young man of reasonable good family and of good means: both of which I believe
to be the case.«
    »I have Rankeillor's word for it,« said Mr. Balfour, »and I count that a
warrandice against all deadly.«
    »To which you might add (if you will take my word for so much) that I am a
good churchman, loyal to King George, and so brought up,« I went on.
    »None of which will do you any harm,« said Mr. Balfour.
    »Then you might go on to say that I sought his lordship on a matter of great
moment, connected with his Majesty's service and the administration of justice,«
I suggested.
    »As I am
