No, Edie, it is not, and cannot be true--it is a fiction of the idle jade Rumour, whom I wish hanged with her trumpet about her neck, that serves only with its screech-owl tones to fright honest folks out of their senses .-- Let me know how you got into this scrape of your own." "Are ye axing me as a magistrate, Monkbarns, or is it just for your ain satisfaction!" "For my own satisfaction solely," replied the Antiquary.
"Put up your pocket-book and your keelyvine pen then, for I downa speak out an ye hae writing materials in your hands--they're a scaur to unlearned folk like me--Od, ane o' the clerks in the neist room will clink down, in black and white, as muckle as wad hang a man, before ane kens what he's saying." Monkbarns complied with the old man's humour, and put up his memorandum-book.
Edie then went with great frankness through the part of the story already known to the reader, informing the Antiquary of the scene which he had witnessed between Dousterswivel and his patron in the ruins of St.Ruth, and frankly confessing that he could not resist the opportunity of decoying the adept once more to visit the tomb of Misticot, with the purpose of taking a comic revenge upon him for his quackery.

He had easily persuaded Steenie, who was a bold thoughtless young fellow, to engage in the frolic along with him, and the jest had been inadvertently carried a great deal farther than was designed.
Concerning the pocket-book, he explained that he had expressed his surprise and sorrow as soon as he found it had been inadvertently brought off: and that publicly, before all the inmates of the cottage, Steenie had undertaken to return it the next day, and had only been prevented by his untimely fate.
The Antiquary pondered a moment, and then said, "Your account seems very probable, Edie, and I believe it from what I know of the parties.

But I think it likely that you know a great deal more than you have thought it proper to tell me, about this matter of the treasure trove--I suspect you have acted the part of the Lar Familiaris in Plautus--a sort of Brownie, Edie, to speak to your comprehension, who watched over hidden treasures .-- I do bethink me you were the first person we met when Sir Arthur made his successful attack upon Misticot's grave, and also that when the labourers began to flag, you, Edie, were again the first to leap into the trench, and to make the discovery of the treasure.

Now you must explain all this to me, unless you would have me use you as ill as Euclio does Staphyla in the Aulularia." "Lordsake, sir," replied the mendicant, "what do I ken about your Howlowlaria ?--it's mair like a dog's language than a man's." "You knew, however, of the box of treasure being there ?" continued Oldbuck.
"Dear sir," answered Edie, assuming a countenance of great simplicity, "what likelihood is there o'that?
d'ye think sae puir an auld creature as me wad hae kend o' sic a like thing without getting some gude out o't ?--and ye wot weel I sought nane and gat nane, like Michael Scott's man.

What concern could I hae wi't ?" "That's just what I want you to explain to me," said Oldbuck; "for I am positive you knew it was there." "Your honour's a positive man, Monkbarns--and, for a positive man, I must needs allow ye're often in the right." "You allow, then, Edie, that my belief is well founded ?" Edie nodded acquiescence.
"Then please to explain to me the whole affair from beginning to end," said the Antiquary.
"If it were a secret o' mine, Monkbarns," replied the beggar, "ye suldna ask twice; for I hae aye said ahint your back, that for a' the nonsense maggots that ye whiles take into your head, ye are the maist wise and discreet o' a' our country gentles.