It is not every strange young man who is presented in society by the King's Advocate." Often enough already (in our brief relations) this gentleman had caused my head to spin; no doubt but what for a moment he did so again now.
Here was the old fiction still maintained of my particular favour with his daughters, one of whom had been so good as laugh at me, while the other two had scarce deigned to remark the fact of my existence.

And now I was to ride with my lord to Glascow; I was to dwell with him in Edinburgh; I was to be brought into society under his protection! That he should have so much good-nature as to forgive me was surprising enough; that he could wish to take me up and serve me seemed impossible; and I began to seek for some ulterior meaning.

One was plain.

If I became his guest, repentance was excluded; I could never think better of my present design and bring any action.

And besides, would not my presence in his house draw out the whole pungency of the memorial?
For that complaint could not be very seriously regarded, if the person chiefly injured was the guest of the official most incriminated.