Undisturbed by these complicated steams of abomination, a middle-aged woman, with a face which had defied a thousand storms, sat mending a net at the door of one of the cottages.

A handkerchief close bound about her head, and a coat which had formerly been that of a man, gave her a masculine air, which was increased by her strength, uncommon stature, and harsh voice.
"What are ye for the day, your honour ?" she said, or rather screamed, to Oldbuck; "caller haddocks and whitings--a bannock-fluke and a cock-padle." "How much for the bannock-fluke and cock-padle ?" demanded the Antiquary.
"Four white shillings and saxpence," answered the Naiad.
"Four devils and six of their imps!" retorted the Antiquary; "do you think I am mad, Maggie ?" "And div ye think," rejoined the virago, setting her arms akimbo, "that my man and my sons are to gae to the sea in weather like yestreen and the day--sic a sea as it's yet outby--and get naething for their fish, and be misca'd into the bargain, Monkbarns?
It's no fish ye're buying--it's men's lives." "Well, Maggie, I'll bid you fair--I'll bid you a shilling for the fluke and the cock-padle, or sixpence separately--and if all your fish are as well paid, I think your man, as you call him, and your sons, will make a good voyage." "Deil gin their boat were knockit against the Bell-Rock rather! it wad be better, and the bonnier voyage o' the twa.

A shilling for thae twa bonnie fish! Od, that's ane indeed!" "Well, well, you old beldam, carry your fish up to Monkbarns, and see what my sister will give you for them." "Na, na, Monkbarns, deil a fit--I'll rather deal wi' yoursell; for though you're near enough, yet Miss Grizel has an unco close grip--I'll gie ye them" (in a softened tone) "for three-and-saxpence." "Eighteen-pence, or nothing!" "Eighteen-pence!!!" (in a loud tone of astonishment, which declined into a sort of rueful whine, when the dealer turned as if to walk away)--"Yell no be for the fish then ?"--( then louder, as she saw him moving off)--"I'll gie ye them--and--and--and a half-a-dozen o' partans to make the sauce, for three shillings and a dram." "Half-a-crown then, Maggie, and a dram." "Aweel, your honour maun hae't your ain gate, nae doubt; but a dram's worth siller now--the distilleries is no working." "And I hope they'll never work again in my time," said Oldbuck.
"Ay, ay--it's easy for your honour, and the like o' you gentle-folks to say sae, that hae stouth and routh, and fire and fending and meat and claith, and sit dry and canny by the fireside--but an ye wanted fire, and meat, and dry claes, and were deeing o' cauld, and had a sair heart, whilk is warst ava', wi' just tippence in your pouch, wadna ye be glad to buy a dram wi't, to be eilding and claes, and a supper and heart's ease into the bargain, till the morn's morning ?" "It's even too true an apology, Maggie.

Is your goodman off to sea this morning, after his exertions last night ?" "In troth is he, Monkbarns; he was awa this morning by four o'clock, when the sea was working like barm wi' yestreen's wind, and our bit coble dancing in't like a cork." "Well, he's an industrious fellow.

Carry the fish up to Monkbarns." "That I will--or I'll send little Jenny, she'll rin faster; but I'll ca' on Miss Grizzy for the dram mysell, and say ye sent me." A nondescript animal, which might have passed for a mermaid, as it was paddling in a pool among the rocks, was summoned ashore by the shrill screams of its dam; and having been made decent, as her mother called it, which was performed by adding a short red cloak to a petticoat, which was at first her sole covering, and which reached scantily below her knee, the child was dismissed with the fish in a basket, and a request on the part of Monkbarns that they might be prepared for dinner.
"It would have been long," said Oldbuck, with much self-complacency, "ere my womankind could have made such a reasonable bargain with that old skin-flint, though they sometimes wrangle with her for an hour together under my study window, like three sea-gulls screaming and sputtering in a gale of wind.