names, heard for that time only, he remembered, and would
remind me of, years after. Yet when I called Alan Breck in full, we had an odd
scene. The name of Alan had of course rung through Scotland, with the news of
the Appin murder and the offer of the reward; and it had no sooner escaped me
than the lawyer moved in his seat and opened his eyes.
    »I would name no unnecessary names, Mr. Balfour,« said he; »above all of
Highlanders, many of whom are obnoxious to the law.«
    »Well, it might have been better not,« said I, »but, since I have let it
slip, I may as well continue.«
    »Not at all,« said Mr. Rankeillor. »I am somewhat dull of hearing, as you
may have remarked; and I am far from sure I caught the name exactly. We will
call your friend, if you please, Mr. Thomson - that there may be no reflections.
And in future, I would take some such way with any Highlander that you may have
to mention - dead or alive.«
    By this I saw he must have heard the name all too clearly, and had already
guessed I might be coming to the murder. If he chose to play this part of
ignorance, it was no matter of mine; so I smiled, said it was no very
Highland-sounding name, and consented. Through all the rest of my story Alan was
Mr. Thomson; which amused me the more, as it was a piece of policy after his own
heart. James Stewart, in like manner, was mentioned under the style of Mr.
Thomson's kinsman; Colin Campbell passed as a Mr. Glen; and to Cluny, when I
came to that part of my tale, I gave the name of Mr. Jameson, a Highland chief.
It was truly the most open farce, and I wondered that the lawyer should care to
keep it up; but, after all, it was quite in the taste of that age, when there
were two parties in the State, and quiet persons, with no very high opinions of
their own, sought out every cranny to avoid offence to either.
    »Well, well,« said the lawyer, when I had quite done, »this is a great epic,
a great Odyssey of yours. You must tell it, sir, in a sound Latinity when your
scholarship is riper; or in English if you please, though for my part I prefer
the