'Patsy will never want bread again,' she concluded, and two bailies wept aloud.
"Then she went on, and it seemed to me a stroke of genius, 'Speaking about Patsy, has any lady present a black dress suitable for a widow woman ?' Before we knew that we had left Patsy, the people were in a widow's home, and the bailies were again overcome.

I mention them because it is supposed that a bailie is the most important human being in Scotland, and he feels it his duty not to yield to emotion.
"No, a woman speaker never sacrifices her capital; she carries it with her from England to France in her speech, and recognises no channel passage.

In fact," and Carmichael plunged into new imagery, "a man's progress is after the manner of a mole, while a woman flits from branch to branch like a--" "Squirrel--I know," came in Kate, getting tired.
"Bird, I meant.

Why do you say squirrel ?" and Carmichael looked suspiciously at Kate.
"Because it's such a careless, senseless, irresponsible little beast.
Have you met many women, Mr.Carmichael?
Really they are not all fools, as you have been trying to suggest for the last ten minutes." "Highlanders are a safer subject of conversation than women," said the General, good-naturedly, as he bade Carmichael good-bye.

"And you must tell us more about them next time you call, which I hope will be soon." Carmichael halted twice on his way through the woods; once he stamped his foot and looked like a man whose pride had been ruffled; the other time he smiled to himself as one who was thinking of a future pleasure.
It was dusk as he crossed Lynedoch Bridge, and he looked down upon the pool below where the trout were leaping.