»That Nichil Novit of yours is but a raw hand at leading evidence,
I'm thinking. What signified his bringing a woman here to snotter and snivel,
and bather their Lordships? He should hae ceeted me, sir, and I should hae gien
them sic a screed o' testimony, they shouldna hae touched a hair o' her head.«
    »Hadna ye better get up and try't yet?« said the Laird. »I'll mak a sign to
Novit.«
    »Na, na,« said Saddletree, »thank ye for naething, neighbour - that would be
ultroneous evidence, and I ken what belangs to that; but Nichil Novit suld hae
had me ceeted debito tempore.« And wiping his mouth with his silk handkerchief
with great importance, he resumed the port and manner of an edified and
intelligent auditor.
    Mr. Fairbrother now premised, in a few words, »that he meant to bring
forward his most important witness, upon whose evidence the cause must in a
great measure depend. What his client was, they had learned from the preceding
witnesses; and so far as general character, given in the most forcible terms,
and even with tears, could interest every one in her fate, she had already
gained that advantage. It was necessary, he admitted, that he should produce
more positive testimony of her innocence than what arose out of general
character, and this he undertook to do by the mouth of the person to whom she
had communicated her situation - by the mouth of her natural counsellor and
guardian - her sister. -Macer, call into court, Jean, or Jeanie Deans, daughter
of David Deans, cowfeeder, at Saint Leonard's Crags.«
    When he uttered these words, the poor prisoner instantly started up, and
stretched herself half-way over the bar, towards the side at which her sister
was to enter. And when, slowly following the officer, the witness advanced to
the foot of the table, Effie, with the whole expression of her countenance
altered, from that of confused shame and dismay, to an eager, imploring, and
almost ecstatic earnestness of entreaty, with outstretched hands, hair streaming
back, eyes raised eagerly to her sister's face, and glistening through tears,
exclaimed in a tone which went through the heart of all who heard her, - »O
Jeanie, Jeanie, save me, save me!«
    With a different feeling, yet equally appropriated to his proud and
self-dependent character, old Deans drew himself back still farther under the
cover of the bench