"
"Ye rigwiddie carlin!" grinned the patient.
"Gin ye dinna haud yer tongue, I'll gang for the doctor."
"I'll fling him doon the stair.--Here's doctor eneuch!" he added,
looking at Alec. "Gie me half a glaiss, nate."
"Never a glaiss nor glaiss sall ye hae frae my han', Mr Cupples. It wad
be the deid o' ye. And forbye, thae ill-faured gutter-partans
(kennel-crabs) toomed the pig afore they gaed. And guid faith! it was
the only wise-like thing they did. Fess the twa halves o' 't, Mr
Forbes, an' lat him see 't wi' the een o' misbelief."
"Gang oot o' my chaumer wi' yer havers," cried Mr Cupples, "and lea' me
wi' Alec Forbes. He winna deave me wi' his clash."
"'Deed, I'll no lea' twa sic fules thegither. Come doon the stair
direckly, Mr Forbes."
Alec saw that it was better to obey. He went up on the sly in the
course of the evening, however, but peeping in and seeing that he
slept, came down again. He insisted upon sitting up with him though, to
which, after repeated vows of prudence and caution, their landlady
consented.
He was restless and feverish during the night. Alec gave him some
water. He drank it eagerly. A flash of his humour broke through the
cloud of his suffering as he returned the tumbler.
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