“Leave the room, young woman!” was the indignant response, “your mistress shall hear of your insolence.”
“Nae offence, mem,” insisted the lassie, “it was my mistress that bad me speir: and I’m sure she meant it a’ in kindness.”
The lady looked in the girl’s face, and now satisfied that no insult was intended, said, in a milder tone, “Is it common in this country, my girl, for ladies to have pigs in their beds?”
“Ay, and gentlemen ha’e them too, mem, when the weather’s cauld.”
“But you would not surely put the pig between the sheets?”
“If you please, mem, it would do maist gude there.”
“Between the sheets? It would dirty them, girl. I could never sleep with a pig between the sheets.”
“Nae fear o’ that, mem! You’ll sleep far mair comfortable. I’ll steek the mouth o’t tightly, and tie it up in a poke.”
“Do you sleep with a pig yourself in cold weather?”
“Na, mem, pigs are only for gentry like yersel’ wha lie on feather beds.”