also；　that　was　but　another　drop　of　bitterness　in　my　cup！　　For　what
  ailed　my　landlady；　that　she　should　hold　herself　so　severely　aloof；
  that　she　should　refuse　conversation；　that　her　eyes　should　be
  reddened；　that　I　should　so　continually　hear　the　voice　of　her
  private　supplications　sounding　through　the　house？　　I　was　much
  deceived；　or　she　had　read　the　insidious　paragraph　and　recognised
  the　comminated　pearl…grey　suit。　　I　remember　now　a　certain　air　with
  which　she　had　laid　the　paper　on　my　table；　and　a　certain　sniff；
  between　sympathy　and　defiance；　with　which　she　had　announced　it：
  'There's　your　MERCURY　for　ye！'
  In　this　direction；　at　least；　I　saw　no　pressing　danger；　her　tragic
  countenance　betokened　agitation；　it　was　plain　she　was　wrestling
  with　her　conscience；　and　the　battle　still　hung　dubious。　　The
  question　of　what　to　do　troubled　me　extremely。　　I　could　not　venture
  to　touch　such　an　intricate　and　mysterious　piece　of　machinery　as　my
  landlady's　spiritual　nature：　it　might　go　off　at　a　word；　and　in　any
  direction；　like　a　badly…made　firework。　　And　while　I　praised　myself
  extremely　for　my　wisdom　in　the　past；　that　I　had　made　so　much　a
  friend　of　her；　I　was　all　abroad　as　to　my　conduct　in　the　present。
  There　seemed　an　equal　danger　in　pressing　and　in　neglecting　the
  accustomed　marks　of　familiarity。　　The　one　extreme　looked　like
  impudence；　and　might　annoy；　the　other　was　a　practical　confession　of
  guilt。　　Altogether；　it　was　a　good　hour　for　me　when　the　dusk　began
  to　fall　in　earnest　on　the　streets　of　Edinburgh；　and　the　voice　of　an
  early　watchman　bade　me　set　forth。
  I　reached　the　neighbourhood　of　the　cottage　before　seven；　and　as　I
  breasted　the　steep　ascent　which　leads　to　the　garden　wall；　I　was
  struck　with　surprise　to　hear　a　dog。　　Dogs　I　had　heard　before；　but
  only　from　the　hamlet　on　the　hillside　above。　　Now；　this　dog　was　in
  the　garden　itself；　where　it　roared　aloud　in　paroxysms　of　fury；　and
  I　could　hear　it　leaping　and　straining　on　the　chain。　　I　waited　some
  while；　until　the　brute's　fit　of　passion　had　roared　itself　out。
  Then；　with　the　utmost　precaution；　I　drew　near　again；　and　finally
  approached　the　garden　wall。　　So　soon　as　I　had　clapped　my　head　above
  the　level；　however；　the　barking　broke　forth　again　with　redoubled
  energy。　　Almost　at　the　same　time；　the　door　of　the　cottage　opened；
  and　Ronald　and　the　Major　appeared　upon　the　threshold　with　a
  lantern。　　As　they　so　stood；　they　were　almost　immediately　below　me；
  strongly　illuminated；　and　within　easy　earshot。　　The　Major　pacified
  the　dog；　who　took　instead　to　low；　uneasy　growling　intermingled　with
  occasional　yelps。
  'Good　thing　I　brought　Towzer！'　said　Chevenix。
  'Damn　him；　I　wonder　where　he　is！'　said　Ronald；　and　he　moved　the
  lantern　up　and　down；　and　turned　the　night　into　a　shifting　puzzle…
  work　of　gleam　and　shadow。　　'I　think　I'll　make　a　sally。'
  'I　don't　think　you　will；'　replied　Chevenix。　　'When　I　agreed　to　come
  out　here　and　do　sentry…go；　it　was　on　one　condition；　Master　Ronald：
  don't　you　forget　that！　　Military　discipline；　my　boy！　　Our　beat　is
  this　path　close　about　the　house。　　Down；　Towzer！　good　boy；　good　boy
  …　gently；　then！'　he　went　on；　caressing　his　confounded　monster。
  'To　think！　　The　beggar　may　be　hearing　us　this　minute！'　cried
  Ronald。
  'Nothing　more　probable；'　said　the　Major。　　'You　there；　St。　Ives？'　he
  added；　in　a　distinct　but　guarded　voice。　　'I　only　want　to　tell　you；
  you　had　better　go　home。　　Mr。　Gilchrist　and　I　take　watch　and　watch。'
  The　game　was　up。　　'BEAUCOUP　DE　PLAISIR！'　I　replied；　in　the　same
  tones。　　'IL　FAIT　UN　PEU　FROID　POUR　VEILLER；　GARDEZ…VOUS　DES
  ENGELURES！'
  I　suppose　it　was　done　in　a　moment　of　ungovernable　rage；　but　in
  spite　of　the　excellent　advice　he　had　given　to　Ronald　the　moment
  before；　Chevenix　slipped　the　chain；　and　the　dog　sprang；　straight　as
  an　arrow；　up　the　bank。　　I　stepped　back；　picked　up　a　stone　of　about
  twelve　pounds　weight；　and　stood　ready。　　With　a　bound　the　beast
  landed　on　the　cope…stone　of　the　wall；　and；　almost　in　the　same
  instant；　my　missile　caught　him　fair　in　the　face。　　He　gave　a　stifled
  cry；　went　tumbling　back　where　he　had　come　from；　and　I　could　hear
  the　twelve…pounder　accompany　him　in　his　fall。　　Chevenix；　at　the
  same　moment；　broke　out　in　a　roaring　voice：　'The　hell…hound！　　If
  he's　killed　my　dog！'　and　I　judged；　upon　all　grounds；　it　was　as　well
  to　be　off。
  CHAPTER　XXX　…　EVENTS　OF　WEDNESDAY；　THE　UNIVERSITY　OF　CRAMOND
  I　AWOKE　to　much　diffidence；　even　to　a　feeling　that　might　be　called
  the　beginnings　of　panic；　and　lay　for　hours　in　my　bed　considering
  the　situation。　　Seek　where　I　pleased；　there　was　nothing　to
  encourage　me　and　plenty　to　appal。　　They　kept　a　close　watch　about
  the　cottage；　they　had　a　beast　of　a　watch…dog　…　at　least；　unless　I
  had　settled　it；　and　if　I　had；　I　knew　its　bereaved　master　would　only
  watch　the　more　indefatigably　for　the　loss。　　In　the　pardonable
  ostentation　of　love　I　had　given　all　the　money　I　could　spare　to
  Flora；　I　had　thought　it　glorious　that　the　hunted　exile　should　come
  down；　like　Jupiter；　in　a　shower　of　gold；　and　pour　thousands　in　the
  lap　of　the　beloved。　　Then　I　had　in　an　hour　of　arrant　folly　buried
  what　remained　to　me　in　a　bank　in　George　Street。　　And　now　I　must　get
  back　the　one　or　the　other；　and　which？　and　how？
  As　I　tossed　in　my　bed；　I　could　see　three　possible　courses；　all
  extremely　perilous。　　First；　Rowley　might　have　been　mistaken；　the
  bank　might　not　be　watched；　it　might　still　be　possible　for　him　to
  draw　the　money　on　the　deposit　receipt。　　Second；　I　might　apply　again
  to　Robbie。　　Or；　third；　I　might　dare　everything；　go　to　the　Assembly
  Ball；　and　speak　with　Flora　under　the　eyes　of　all　Edinburgh。　　This
  last　alternative；　involving　as　it　did　the　most　horrid　risks；　and
  the　delay　of　forty…eight　hours；　I　did　but　glance　at　with　an　averted
  head；　and　turned　again　to　the　consideration　of　the　others。　　It　was
  the　likeliest　thing　in　the　world　that　Robbie　had　been　warned　to
  have　no　more　to　do　with　me。　The　whole　policy　of　the　Gilchrists　was
  in　the　hands　of　Chevenix；　and　I　thought　this　was　a　precaution　so
  elementary　that　he　was　certain　to　have　taken　it。　　If　he　had　not；　of
  course　I　was　all　right：　Robbie　would　manage　to　communicate　with
  Flora；　and　by　four　o'clock　I　might　be　on　the　south　road　and；　I　was
  going　to　say；　a　free　man。　　Lastly；　I　must　assure　myself　with　my　own
  eyes　whether　the　bank　in　George　Street　were　beleaguered。
  I　called　to　Rowley　and　questioned　him　tightly　as　to　the　appearance
  of　the　Bow　Street　officer。
  'What　sort　of　looking　man　is　he；　Rowley？'　I　asked；　as　I　began　to
  dress。
  'Wot　sort　of　a　looking　man　he　is？'　repeated　Rowley。　　'Well；　I　don't
  very　well　know　wot　you　would　say；　Mr。　Anne。　　He　ain't　a　beauty；
  any'ow。'
  'Is　he　tall？'
  'Tall？　　Well；　no；　I　shouldn't　say　TALL　Mr。　Anne。'
  'Well；　then；　is　he　short？'
  'Short？　　No；　I　don't　think　I　would　say　he　was　what　you　would　call
  SHORT。　　No；　not　piticular　short；　sir。'
  'Then；　I　suppose；　he　must　be　about　the　middle　height？'
  'Well；　you　might　say　it；　sir；　but　not　remarkable　so。'
  I　smothered　an　oath。
  'Is　he　clean…shaved？'　I　tried　him　again。
  'Clean…shaved？'　he　repeated；　with　the　same　air　of　anxious　candour。
  'Good　heaven；　man；　don't　repeat　my　words　like　a　parrot！'　I　cried。
  'Tell　me　what　the　man　was　like：　it　is　of　the　first　importance　that
  I　should　be　able　to　recognise　him。'
  'I'm　trying　to；　Mr。　Anne。　　But　CLEAN…SHAVED？　　I　don't　seem　to
  rightly　get　hold　of　that　p'int。　　Sometimes　it　might　appear　to　me
  like　as　if　he　was；　and　sometimes　like　as　if　he　wasn't。　　No；　it
  wouldn't　surprise　me　now　if　you　was　to　tell　me　he　'ad　a　bit　o'
  whisker。'
  'Was　the　man　red…faced？'　I　roared；　dwelling　on　each　syllable。
  'I　don't　think　you　need　go　for　to　get　cross　about　it；　Mr。　Anne！'
  said　he。　　'I'm　tellin'　you　every　blessed　thing　I　see！　　Red…faced？
  Well；　no；　not　as　you　would　remark　upon。'
  A　dreadful　calm　fell　upon　me。
  'Was　he　anywise　pale？'　I　asked。
  'Well；　it　don't　seem　to　me　as　though　he　were。　　But　I　tell　you
  truly；　I　didn't　take　much　heed　to　that。'
  'Did　he　look　like　a　drinking　man？'
  'Well；　no。　　If　you　please；　sir；　he　looked　more　like　an　eating　one。'
  'Oh；　he　was　stout；　was　he？'
  'No；　sir。　　I　couldn't　go　so　far　as　that。　　No；　he　wasn't　not　to　say
  STOUT。　　If　anything；　lean　rather。'
  I　need　not　go　on　with　the　infuriating　interview。　　It　ended　as　it
  began；　except　that　Rowley　was　in　tears；　and　that　I　had　acquired　one
  fact。　　The　man　was　drawn　for　me　as　being　of　any　height　you　like　to
  mention；　and　of　any　degree　of　corpulence　or　leanness；　clean…shaved
  or　not；　as　the　case　might　be；　the　colour　of　his　hair　Rowley　'could
  not　take　it　upon　himself　to　put　a　name　on'；　that　of　his　eyes　he
  thought　to　have　been　blue　…　nay；　it　was　the　one　point　on　which　he
  attained　to　a　kind　of　tearful　certainty。　　'I'll　take　my　davy　on
  it；'