“It is not so easy to repeat what he says, for he has sae mony lang-nebbit words. But he said, though it was only a supposition, yet it was easily made manifest by positive demonstration.”
“Did you ever hear the like o’ that? Now, have we no reason to be thankfu’ that we are as we are? Did he say it was by poison that he was taken off, or that he was strangled?”
“Na; I thought he said it was by a collar, or collary, or something to that purpose.”
“Then it wad appear there is no doubt of the horrid transaction? I think the doctor has reason to be thankfu’ that he’s no taken up. Is no that strange?”
“O, ye ken, it just beats the world.”
“He deserves to be torn at young horses’ tails,” said the ploughman.
“Ay, or nippit to death with red-hot pinchers,” quoth the smith.
“Or harrowed to death, like the children of Ammon,” said the ploughman.
“Na, I’ll tell you what should be done wi’ him—he should just be docked, and fired like a farcied horse,” quoth the smith. “’Od help ye, man, I could beat the world for laying on a proper punishment!”
John Broadcast went home full of terror and dismay. He told his wife the story in a secret—she told the dairymaid with a tenfold degree of secrecy; and as Dr Davington, or the New Laird, as he was called, sometimes kissed the pretty dairymaid for amusement, it gave her a great deal of freedom with her master, so she went straight and told him the whole story to his face. He was unusually affected at hearing such a terrible accusation against himself, and changed colour again and again; and as pretty Martha, the dairymaid, supposed it was from anger, she fell to abusing the dominie without mercy—for he was session-clerk, and had been giving her some hints about her morality of which she did not approve. She therefore threw the whole blame upon him, assuring her master that he was the most spiteful and malicious man on the face of the earth; “and to show you that, sir”, added Martha, wiping her eyes, “he has spread it through the hale parish that you and I baith deserve to sit wi’ the sacking-gown on us.”