Fowk said he saul' his sowl
to the ill ane: hoo that may be, I wadna care to be able to tell;
but sure I am 'at his was a sowl ill at ease,--baith here an'
herefter. Them 'at sleepit aneth me, for there was twa men-servan's
aboot the hoose that time--an' troth there was need o' them an'
mair, sic war the gangin's on! an' they sleepit whaur I'm tauld ye
sleep noo, Cosmo--them 'at sleepit there tellt me 'at never a nicht
passed 'at they h'ardna soons 'aneth them 'at there was no mainner
o' accoontin' for nor explainin', as fowks sae set upo' duin'
nooadays wi' a'thing. That explainin' I canna bide: it's jist a
love o' leasin', an' taks the bluid oot o' a'thing, lea'in' life as
wersh an' fusionless as kail wantin' saut. Them 'at h'ard it tellt
me 'at there was NO accoontin', as I tell you, for the reemish they
baith h'ard--whiles douf-like dunts, an' whiles speech o' mou',
beggin' an' groanin' as gien the enemy war bodily present to the
puir sinner."
"He micht hae been but jabberin' in's sleep," Cosmo, with his love
of truth, ventured to suggest: Aggie gave him a nudge of warning.
"Ay micht it," returned the old woman with calm scorn; "an' it
micht nae doobt hae been snorin', or a cat speykin' wi' man's
tongue, or ony ane o' mony things 'cep' the trowth 'at ye're no
wullin' to hear."
"I AM wullin'--to hear the warst trowth ye daur tell me, Grannie,"
cried Cosmo, terrified lest he had choked the fountain.
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