He seized on the young pleader like a lion on his prey.

'How is a' wi' you, Mr.Alan--how is a' wi' you, man?
The awfu' day is come at last--a day that will be lang minded in this house.

Poor Peter Peebles against Plainstanes--conjoined proceases--Hearing in presence--stands for the Short Roll for this day--I have not been able to sleep for a week for thinking of it, and, I dare to say, neither has the Lord President himsell--for such a cause!! But your father garr'd me tak a wee drap ower muckle of his pint bottle the other night; it's no right to mix brandy wi' business, Mr.Fairford.
I would have been the waur o' liquor if I would have drank as muckle as you twa would have had me.

But there's a time for a' things, and if ye will dine with me after the case is heard, or whilk is the same, or maybe better, I'LL gang my ways hame wi' YOU, and I winna object to a cheerfu' glass, within the bounds of moderation.' Old Fairford shrugged his shoulders and hurried past the client, saw his son wrapped in the sable bombazine, which, in his eyes, was more venerable than an archbishop's lawn, and could not help fondly patting his shoulder, and whispering to him to take courage, and show he was worthy to wear it.

The party entered the Outer Hall of the court, (once the place of meeting of the ancient Scottish Parliament), and which corresponds to the use of Westminster Hall in England, serving as a vestibule to the Inner House, as it is termed, and a place of dominion to certain sedentary personages called Lords Ordinary.
The earlier part of the morning was spent by old Fairford in reiterating his instructions to Alan, and in running from one person to another, from whom he thought he could still glean some grains of information, either concerning the point at issue, or collateral cases.