and now there comes a new nomination of justices, and I am left
out! And whereas they pretend it was because I let David Mac-
Guffog, the constable, draw the warrants, and manage the business
his ain gate, as if I had been a nose o' wax, it's a main untruth;
for I granted but seven warrants in my life, and the Dominie wrote
every one of them--and if it had not been that unlucky business of
Sandy Mac-Gruthar's, that the constables should have keepit twa or
three days up yonder at the auld castle, just till they could get
conveniency to send him to the county jail--and that cost me
eneugh o' siller. But I ken what Sir Thomas wants very weel--it
was just sic and siclike about the seat in the kirk o'
Kilmagirdle--was I not entitled to have the front gallery facing
the minister, rather than Mac-Crosskie of Creochstone, the son of
Deacon Mac-Crosskie, the Dumfries weaver?'

Mannering expressed his acquiescence in the justice of these
various complaints.

'And then, Mr. Mannering, there was the story about the road and
the fauld-dike. I ken Sir Thomas was behind there, and I said
plainly to the clerk to the trustees that I saw the cloven foot,
let them take that as they like. Would any gentleman, or set of
gentlemen, go and drive a road right through the corner of a
fauld-dike and take away, as my agent observed to them, like twa
roods of gude moorland pasture? And there was the story about
choosing the collector of the cess--'

'Certainly, sir, it is hard you should meet with any neglect in a
country where, to judge from the extent of their residence, your
ancestors must have made a very important figure.'