a' kenned! Sae just up an' own til't, for we're busy folk, me and Ebenezer here, an' we hae nae mair time to waur on parryin' an' senseless havers. Ye beut to repent o' yer misdeeds, seeing they're a' fand out, and the very first step is to confess them. Sae out wi' 't a' like a gude laud, for ye can be nae mair a minister, an' the less fash an' din ye mak ower't noo, the less ill ye'll do to the kirk ye hae disgraced.' 'What do you mean? demanded Roderick, beginning to flush indignantly. 'State what it is you accuse me of! You appear to have found me guilty and condemned me already, without troubling yourselves to try me; but if you wish me to confess anything, you must at least state your accusation.' 'An' winna ye take my word for it, 'at a' is kenned 'at ye hae dune? An' wull ye gar folk gang ower yer shame word for word, afore the very face o' yer auld father there? Him 'at was sae gude a man, for a' he was a Moderate, lookin' doon on ye frae the wa'! I'm misdoubtin' but he couldna lie still e'y moulds this day, gin he kenned o' yer on-gaein's!' 'Mr. Sangster!' exclaimed Roderick, 'this is growing intolerable! I must request you to state the purpose of these persons' visit. What do they accuse me of? And on what grounds? They seem unable themselves to say intelligibly what is their errand.' 'I certainly will not soil my lips,' said the Laird, 'with anything so outrageous as well as absurd; and I am not surprised that even in the midst of this ridiculous scene, they should have sufficient sense left, and good feeling, to make it difficult for them to clothe their preposterous accusation in words. Forgive them, and overlook the whole escapade. It is the wisest and kindest thing to do.'