‘Very well!’
‘Now, our Scottish legislature, for the joke’s sake I suppose, have constituted those men of no knowledge into a peculiar court for trying questions of relationship and descent, such as this business of Bertram, which often involve the most nice and complicated questions of evidence.’
‘The devil they have! I should think that rather inconvenient,’ said Mannering.
‘O, we have a practical remedy for the theoretical absurdity. One or two of the judges act upon such occasions as prompters and assessors to their own doorkeepers. But you know what Cujacius says, “Multa sunt in moribus dissentanea, multa sine ratione.” [Footnote: The singular inconsistency hinted at is now, in a great degree, removed.] However, this Saturnalian court has done our business; and a glorious batch of claret we had afterwards at Walker’s. Mac-Morlan will stare when he sees the bill.’
‘Never fear,’ said the Colonel, ‘we’ll face the shock, and entertain the county at my friend Mrs. Mac-Candlish’s to boot.’
‘And choose Jock Jabos for your master of horse?’ replied the lawyer.
‘Perhaps I may.’
‘And where is Dandie, the redoubted Lord of Liddesdale?’ demanded the advocate.
‘Returned to his mountains; but he has promised Julia to make a descent in summer, with the goodwife, as he calls her, and I don’t know how many children.’
‘O, the curly-headed varlets! I must come to play at Blind Harry and Hy Spy with them. But what is all this?’ added Pleydell, taking up the plans. ‘Tower in the centre to be an imitation of the Eagle Tower at Caernarvon--corps de logis--the devil! Wings--wings! Why, the house will take the estate of Ellangowan on its back and fly away with it!’