“You don’t consider what you ask,” said the Bailie; “the offence is assault and robbery.”
“Hush! not a word about it,” said the Antiquary. “I gave you a hint before—I will possess you more fully hereafter—I promise you, there is a secret.”
“But, Mr. Oldbuck, if the state is concerned, I, who do the whole drudgery business here, really have a title to be consulted, and until I am”—
“Hush! hush!” said the Antiquary, winking and putting his finger to his nose,—“you shall have the full credit, the entire management, whenever matters are ripe. But this is an obstinate old fellow, who will not hear of two people being as yet let into his mystery, and he has not fully acquainted me with the clew to Dousterswivel’s devices.”
“Aha! so we must tip that fellow the alien act, I suppose?”
“To say truth, I wish you would.”
“Say no more,” said the magistrate; “it shall forthwith be done—he shall be removed tanquam suspect—I think that’s one of your own phrases, Monkbarns?”
“It is classical, Bailie—you improve.”
“Why, public business has of late pressed upon me so much, that I have been obliged to take my foreman into partnership. I have had two several correspondences with the Under Secretary of State—one on the proposed tax on Riga hemp-seed, and the other on putting down political societies. So you might as well communicate to me as much as you know of this old fellow’s discovery of a plot against the state.”
“I will, instantly, when I am master of it,” replied Oldbuck—-“I hate the trouble of managing such matters myself. Remember, however, I did not say decidedly a plot against the state I only say I hope to discover, by this man’s means, a foul plot.”