"Oh—oh, Mr. Gourlay!" protested Allardyce, head flung back, and palms in air, to keep the thought of self-interest away, "oh—oh, Mr. Gourlay! We're thinking of noathing but the common good, I do assure ye."
"Ay, man! You're dis-in-ter-ested!" said Gourlay, but he stumbled on the big word and spoiled the sneer. That angered him, and, "It's likely," he rapped out, "that I'll allow the land round my house to be howked and trenched and made a mudhole of to oblige a wheen things like you!"
"Oh—oh, but think of the convenience to uth—eh—eh—I mean to the common good," said Allardyce.
"I howked wells for myself," snapped Gourlay. "Let others do the like."
"Oh, but we haven't all the enterprithe of you, Mr. Gourlay. You'll surely accommodate the town!"
"I'll see the town damned first," said Gourlay, and passed on his steady way.
FOOTNOTE:
[3] Trauchle, a poor trollop who trails about; smeddum, grit.