"She'll no be ill to carry, puir thing," said John Monilaws. "The only weight aboot her will be that o' death, whilk they say is great even in a bird. Whar does her mither lie?" "Whar should she lie?" replied Cubby, again put into a state of agitation, remarked particularly by Carey. "Think ye she's no in her grave?" "I hae little doot o' that, Cubby," said the other; "but I hope puir Jeanie hears naething o' a' this." On looking at the invalid, all parties were surprised to see her looking up in their faces, apparently comprehending every word they said. "Ye're better, I think, Jeanie," said John. "I dinna ken," replied the poor maiden. "Ask my faither. I can say naething about mysel. He'll answer for me." "Hae ye been gettin ony meat except this crowdy an Adam's wine?" again said the other. "My faither kens best what kind o' wine I hae been gettin," replied she. "Wine!" ejaculated Cubby--"God keep me an' my house frae sic extravagance! Mair souls an' siller hae been drooned in that liquor than in the Dead Sea, whilk hauds Sodom and Gomorrah." "An' some bodies hae been saved wi't," said John, taking out a small bottle and a glass, and emptying some wine, which, by holding up the poor invalid, he endeavoured to prevail upon her to taste. Cubby turned up his eyes and his hands to heaven. Jeannie looked fearfully at her father, and refused to taste the wine, though her lips were as withered leaves. "The taste o't will never leave her mouth," ejaculated Cubby. "Awa wi' you an' your wine! Is my bairn to be corrupted, an' her father lookin on? What can be expected o' ane wha has swallowed three hail pennies at ae gulp? God hae mercy on us!" "You seem to want yer dochter dead," said the elder. "The Lord has sent us thae things to be used, and no abused. Paul says, 'Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake, and thine often infirmities.'" "I'll no tak that," replied Cubby, "on the faith o' are wha said he cam here wi' shune to mend, when his true errand was to corrupt the stamach o' my dochter. Paul had mair sense than learn folk thae evil habits." "Shew me a Bible, an' I'll point ye out the passage," said the elder. "I may thank the Bible," replied Cubby; "for the auld ane I ance had, an' whilk I sauld for half-a-crown to Geordie Bookless o' Dumfries, kept me and Jeannie livin for five weeks--sae I hae naething to say against that guid buik; but I haena been able to buy a second. Ye may noo gang yer ways. Ye see that neither yer wine nor yer text is o' ony use in this house." "Will you alloo her to tak onything else, then, Cubby, if my wife sends it to ye?" said John Monilaws.