Викрадений

           Youhaverolledmuch;quaeregiointerris—whatparishinScotland(tomakeahomelytranslation)hasnotbeenfilledwithyourwanderings?Youhaveshown,besides,asingularaptitudeforgettingintofalsepositions;and,yes,uponthewhole,forbehavingwellinthem.ThisMr.Thomsonseemstomeagentlemanofsomechoicequalities,thoughperhapsatriflebloody-minded.Itwouldpleasemenonetheworse,if(withallhismerits)heweresousedintheNorthSea,fortheman,Mr.David,isasoreembarrassment.Butyouaredoubtlessquiterighttoadheretohim;indubitably,headheredtoyou.Itcomes—wemaysay—hewasyourtruecompanion;norlessparibuscurisvestigiafigit,forIdaresayyouwouldbothtakeanorrathoughtuponthegallows.Well,well,thesedaysarefortunatelyby;andIthink(speakinghumanly)thatyouareneartheendofyourtroubles.”

           Ashethusmoralisedonmyadventures,helookeduponmewithsomuchhumourandbenignitythatIcouldscarcecontainmysatisfaction.Ihadbeensolongwanderingwithlawlesspeople,andmakingmybeduponthehillsandunderthebaresky,thattositoncemoreinaclean,coveredhouse,andtotalkamicablywithagentlemaninbroadcloth,seemedmightyelevations.EvenasIthoughtso,myeyefellonmyunseemlytatters,andIwasoncemoreplungedinconfusion.Butthelawyersawandunderstoodme.Herose,calledoverthestairtolayanotherplate,forMr.Balfourwouldstaytodinner,andledmeintoabedroomintheupperpartofthehouse