, she went and stood by the music-case, and picking out
a tune, sang to it on a high key - »He that will not when he may, When he will
he shall have nay.« But this was the end of her rigours, and presently, after
making some excuse of which I have no mind, she carried me away in private to
her father's library. I should not fail to say that she was dressed to the
nines, and appeared extraordinary handsome.
    »Now, Mr. David, sit ye down here, and let us have a two-handed crack,« said
she. »For I have much to tell you, and it appears besides that I have been
grossly unjust to your good taste.«
    »In what manner, Mistress Grant?« I asked. »I trust I have never seemed to
fail in due respect.«
    »I will be your surety, Mr. David,« said she. »Your respect, whether to
yourself or your poor neighbours, has been always and most fortunately beyond
imitation. But that is by the question. - You got a note from me?« she asked.
    »I was so bold as to suppose so upon inference,« said I, »and it was kindly
thought upon.«
    »It must have prodigiously surprised you,« said she. »But let us begin with
the beginning. You have not perhaps forgot a day when you were so kind as to
escort three very tedious misses to Hope Park? I have the less cause to forget
it myself, because you were so particular obliging as to introduce me to some of
the principles of the Latin grammar, a thing which wrote itself profoundly on my
gratitude.«
    »I fear I was sadly pedantical,« said I, overcome with confusion at the
memory. »You are only to consider I am quite unused with the society of ladies.«
    »I will say the less about the grammar then,« she replied. »But how came you
to desert your charge? He has thrown her out, overboard, his ain, dear Annie!«
she hummed; »and his ain dear Annie and her two sisters had to taigle home by
theirselves like a string of green geese! It seems you returned to my papa's,
where you showed yourself excessively martial, and then on to realms unknown,
with an eye (it appears) to the Bass Rock; solan geese being perhaps more to
your mind than bonny lasses.«
    Through all this raillery there was something indulgent in