The lawyer, rejoicing in so speedy and fortunate a settlement, as soon as he left the office, went to the Leddy, exulting in his address.
‘Twa hundred pounds!’ said she,—‘but the fifth part o’ my thousand! I’ll ne’er tak ony sic payment. Ye’ll carry it back to Mr. Milrookit, and tell him I’ll no faik a plack o’ my just debt; and what’s mair, if he does na pay me the whole tot down at once, he shall be put to the horn without a moment’s delay.’
‘I assure you,’ replied the lawyer, ‘that this is a result far beyond hope—you ought not for a moment to make a word about it; for you must be quite aware that he owes you no such sum as this. You said yourself that ten pounds would have satisfied you.’
‘And so it would—but that was before I gaed to law wi’ him,’ cried the Leddy; ‘but seeing now how I hae the rights o’ the plea, I’ll hae my thousand pounds if the hide be on his snout. Whatna better proof could ye hae o’ the justice o’ my demand, than that he should hae come down in terror at once wi’ two hundred pounds? I hae known my father law for seven years, and even when he won, he had money to pay out of his own pocket—so, wi’ sic eres o’ victory as ye hae gotten, I would be waur than mad no to stand out. Just gang till him, and come na back to me without the thousand pound—every farthing, Mr. Pitwinnoch—and your own costs besides; or, if ye dinna, maybe I’ll get another man o’ business that will do my turn better—for, in an extremity like a lawsuit, folk maunna stand on friendships. Had Mr. Keelevin been noo to the fore, I wouldna needed to be put to my peremptors; but, honest man, he’s gone. Howsever, there’s one Thomas Whitteret, that was his clerk when my friend that’s awa’ made his deed o’ settlement—and I hae heard he has a nerve o’ ability; so, if ye bring na me the thousand pounds this very afternoon, I’ll apply to him to be my agent.’
Mr. Pitwinnoch said not a word to this, but left the house, and, running to the Black Bull Inn, ordered a post-chaise, and was at Kittlestonheugh almost as soon as his client. A short conversation settled the business—the very name of Thomas Whitteret, an old clerk of Keelevin, and probably acquainted with the whole affair, was worth five thousand pounds, and, in consequence, in much less time than the Leddy expected, she did receive full payment of her thousand pounds; but, instead of expressing any pleasure at her success, she regretted that she should have made a charge of such moderation, being persuaded, that, had she stood out, the law would have given her double the money.
CHAPTER XCIII
Mr. Pitwinnoch was instructed to lay out the money at five per cent. interest to pay Mrs. Charles the annuity; and one of his clerks mentioned the circumstance to a companion in Mr. Whitteret’s office. This led to an application from him for the loan, on account of a country gentleman in the neighbourhood, who, having obtained a considerable increase of his rental, was intending to enlarge his mansion, and extend his style of living,—a very common thing at that period, the effects of which are beginning to show themselves,—but, as the Leddy said on another occasion, that’s none of our concern at present.
The security offered being unexceptionable, an arrangement was speedily concluded, and an heritable bond for the amount prepared. As the party borrowing the money lived at some distance from the town, Mr. Whitteret sent one of his young men to get it signed, and to deliver it to the Leddy. It happened that the youth employed in this business was a little acquainted with the Leddy, and knowing her whimsical humour, when he carried it home he stopped, and fell into conversation with her about Walkinshaw, whom he knew.
‘I maun gar his mother write to him,’ said the Leddy, ‘to tell him what a victory I hae gotten;—for ye maun ken, Willy Keckle, that I hae overcome principalities and powers in this controversy.—Wha ever heard o’ thousands o’ pounds gotten for sax weeks’ bed, board, and washing, like mine? But it was a rightous judgement on the Nabal Milrookit,—whom I’ll never speak to again in this world, and no in the next either, I doot, unless he mends his manners. He made an absolute refuse to gie a continuality o’ Jamie’s mother’s ’nuity, which was the because o’ my going to law with him for a thousand pounds, value received in bed, board, and washing, for six weeks.—And the case, Willy,—you that’s breeding for a limb o’ the law,—ye should ken, was sic an absolute fact, that he was obligated by a judicature to pay me down the money.’