But
that's naither here nor there, nor what for he killed him, or wha's
faut was that same: aboot a' that, naething was ever kent for
certain.
"Weel, it was an awfu' like thing, ye may be sure, to quaiet fowk,
sic as we was a'--'cep' for the drinkin' an' sic like, sin' ever
the auld captain cam, wi' his reprobat w'ys--it was a sair thing,
I'm sayin', to hae a deid man a' at ance upo' oor han's; for, lat
the men du 'at they like, the warst o' 't aye comes upo' the women.
Lat a bairn come to mischance, or the guidman turn ower the kettle,
an' it's aye,'Rin for Jean this, or Bauby that,' to set richt what
they hae set wrang. Even whan a man kills a body, it's the women
hae to mak the best o' 't, an' the corp luik dacent. An' there's
some o' them no that easy to mak luik dacent! Troth, there's mony
ane luiks bonnier deid nor alive, but that wasna the case wi' the
auld captain, for he luikit as gien he had dee'd cursin', as he
bude to du, gien he dee'd as he lived. His moo' was drawn fearfu',
as gien his last aith had chokit him. Nae doobt they said 'at wad
hae't they kent,'at hoo that's the w'y wi' deith frae slayin' wi'
the swoord; but I wadna hear o' 't; I kenned better. An' whether he
had fair play or no, the deith he dee'd was a just ane; for them
'at draws the swoord maun periss by the swoord. Whan they faun'
'im, the richt ban' o' the corp was streekit oot, as gien he was
cryin' to somebody rinnin' awa' to bide an' tak 'im wi' 'im.
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