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           “That’smyconcern,”saidAlan.

           “Weel,”saidmyuncle,“Idinnaecarewhathesaid,heleed,andthesolemnGod’struthisthis,thatIgavehimtwentypound.ButI’llbeperfec’lyhonestwithye:forbythat,hewastohavethesellingoftheladinCaroliny,whilkwouldbeasmucklemair,butnofrommypocket,yesee.”

           “Thankyou,Mr.Thomson.Thatwilldoexcellentlywell,”saidthelawyer,steppingforward;andthenmightycivilly,“Good-evening,Mr.Balfour,”saidhe.

           And,“Good-evening,UncleEbenezer,”saidI.

           And,“It’sabrawnicht,Mr.Balfour,”addedTorrance.

           Neverawordsaidmyuncle,neitherblacknorwhite;butjustsatwherehewasonthetopdoor-stepandstareduponuslikeamanturnedtostone.Alanfilchedawayhisblunderbuss;andthelawyer,takinghimbythearm,pluckedhimupfromthedoorstep,ledhimintothekitchen,whitherweallfollowed,andsethimdowninachairbesidethehearth,wherethefirewasoutandonlyarush-lightburning.

           Therewealllookeduponhimforawhile,exultinggreatlyinoursuccess,butyetwithasortofpityfortheman’sshame.

           “Come,come,Mr.Ebenezer,”saidthelawyer,“youmustnotbedown-hearted,forIpromiseyouweshallmakeeasyterms.Inthemeanwhilegiveusthecellarkey,andTorranceshalldrawusabottleofyourfather’swineinhonouroftheevent.”Then,turningtomeandtakingmebythehand,“Mr.David,”sayshe,“Iwishyoualljoyinyourgoodfortune,whichIbelievetobedeserved.