length；　for　it　is　comical　enough；　and　why　should　not　you　list　to　my　juridical　adventures；　as　well　as　I　to　those　of　your　fiddling　knight…errantry？
  It　was　after　dinner；　and　I　was　considering　how　I　might　best　introduce　to　my　father　the　private　resolution　I　had　formed　to　set　off　for　Dumfriesshire；　or　whether　I　had　not　better　run　away　at　once；　and　plead　my　excuse　by　letter；　when；　assuming　the　peculiar　look　with　which　he　communicates　any　of　his　intentions　respecting　me；　that　he　suspects　may　not　be　altogether　acceptable；　'Alan；'　he　said；　'ye　now　wear　a　gownye　have　opened　shop；　as　we　would　say　of　a　more　mechanical　profession；　and；　doubtless；　ye　think　the　floor　of　the　courts　is　strewed　with　guineas；　and　that　ye　have　only　to　stoop　down　to　gather　them？'
  'I　hope　I　am　sensible；　sir；'　I　replied；　'that　I　have　some　knowledge　and　practice　to　acquire；　and　must　stoop　for　that　in　the　first　place。'
  'It　is　well　said；'　answered　my　father；　and；　always　afraid　to　give　too　much　encouragement；　added；　'Very　well　said；　if　it　be　well　acted　up　toStoop　to　get　knowledge　and　practice　is　the　very　word。　　Ye　know　very　well；　Alan；　that　in　the　other　faculty　who　study　the　ARS　MEDENDI；　before　the　young　doctor　gets　to　the　bedsides　of　palaces；　he　must；　as　they　call　it；　walk　the　hospitals；　and　cure　Lazarus　of　his　sores；　before　he　be　admitted　to　prescribe　for　Dives；　when　he　has　gout　or　indigestion'
  'I　am　aware；　sir；　that'
  'Whishtdo　not　interrupt　the　court。　　Wellalso　the　chirurgeons　have　a　useful　practice；　by　which　they　put　their　apprentices　and　tyrones　to　work；　upon　senseless　dead　bodies；　to　which；　as　they　can　do　no　good；　so　they　certainly　can　do　as　little　harm；　while　at　the　same　time　the　tyro；　or　apprentice；　gains　experience；　and　becomes　fit　to　whip　off　a　leg　or　arm　from　a　living　subject；　as　cleanly　as　ye　would　slice　an　onion。'
  'I　believe　I　guess　your　meaning；　sir；'　answered　I；　'and　were　it　not　for　a　very　particular　engagement'
  'Do　not　speak　to　me　of　engagements　；　but　whishtthere　is　a　good　ladand　do　not　interrupt　the　court。'
  My　father；　you　know；　is　aptbe　it　said　with　all　filial　dutyto　be　a　little　prolix　in　his　harangues。　　I　had　nothing　for　it　but　to　lean　back　and　listen。
  'Maybe　you　think；　Alan；　because　I　have；　doubtless；　the　management　of　some　actions　in　dependence；　whilk　my　worthy　clients　have　intrusted　me　with；　that　I　may　think　of　airting　them　your　way　INSTANTER；　and　so　setting　you　up　in　practice；　so　far　as　my　small　business　or　influence　may　go；　and；　doubtless；　Alan；　that　is　a　day　whilk　I　hope　may　come　round。　　But　then；　before　I　give；　as　the　proverb　hath　it；　〃My　own　fish…guts　to　my　own　sea…maws；〃　I　must；　for　the　sake　of　my　own　character；　be　very　sure　that　my　sea…maw　can　pick　them　to　some　purpose。　　What　say　ye？'
  'I　am　so　far；'　answered　I；　'from　wishing　to　get　early　into　practice；　sir；　that　I　would　willingly　bestow　a　few　days'
  'In　further　study；　ye　would　say；　Alan。　　But　that　is　not　the　way　eitherye　must　walk　the　hospitalsye　must　cure　Lazarusye　must　cut　and　carve　on　a　departed　subject；　to　show　your　skill。'
  'I　am　sure；'　I　replied；　'I　will　undertake　the　cause　of　any　poor　man　with　pleasure；　and　bestow　as　much　pains　upon　it　as　if　it　were　a　duke's；　but　for　the　next　two　or　three　days'
  'They　must　be　devoted　to　close　study；　Alanvery　close　study　indeed；　for　ye　must　stand　primed　for　a　hearing；　IN　PRESENTIA　DOMINORUM；　upon　Tuesday　next。'
  'I；　sir？'　　I　replied　in　astonishment'I　have　not　opened　my　mouth　in　the　Outer　House　yet！'
  'Never　mind　the　court　of　the　Gentiles；　man；'　said　my　father；　'we　will　have　you　into　the　Sanctuary　at　onceover　shoes；　over　boots。'
  'But；　sir；　I　should　really　spoil　any　cause　thrust　on　me　so　hastily。'
  'Ye　cannot　spoil　it；　Alan；'　said　my　father；　rubbing　his　hands　with　much　complacency　；　'that　is　the　very　cream　of　the　business；　manit　is　just；　as　I　said　before；　a　subject　upon　whilk　all　the　TYRONES　have　been　trying　their　whittles　for　fifteen　years；　and　as　there　have　been　about　ten　or　a　dozen　agents　concerned；　and　each　took　his　own　way；　the　case　is　come　to　that　pass；　that　Stair　or　Amiston　could　not　mend　it；　and　I　do　not　think　even　you；　Alan；　can　do　it　much　harmye　may　get　credit　by　it；　but　ye　can　lose　none。'
  'And　pray　what　is　the　name　of　my　happy　client；　sir？'　　said　I；　ungraciously　enough；　I　believe。
  'It　is　a　well…known　name　in　the　Parliament　House；'　replied　my　father。　　'To　say　the　truth；　I　expect　him　every　moment；　it　is　Peter　Peebles。'　　＇See　Note　4。＇
  'Peter　Peebles！'　　exclaimed　I；　in　astonishment；　'he　is　an　insane　beggaras　poor　as　Job；　and　as　mad　as　a　March　hare！'
  'He　has　been　pleaing　in　the　court　for　fifteen　years；'　said　my　father；　in　a　tone　of　commiseration；　which　seemed　to　acknowledge　that　this　fact　was　enough　to　account　for　the　poor　man's　condition　both　in　mind　and　circumstances。
  'Besides；　sir；'　I　added；　'he　is　on　the　Poor's　Roll；　and　you　know　there　are　advocates　regularly　appointed　to　manage　those　cases；　and　for　me　to　presume　to　interfere'
  'Whisht；　Alan！never　interrupt　the　courtall　THAT　is　managed　for　ye　like　a　tee'd　ball'　（my　father　sometimes　draws　his　similes　from　his　once　favourite　game　of　golf）；　'you　must　know；　Alan；　that　Peter's　cause　was　to　have　been　opened　by　young　Dumtoustieye　may　ken　the　lad；　a　son　of　Dumtoustie　of　that　ilk；　member　of　Parliament　for　the　county　of　；　and　a　nephew　of　the　laird's　younger　brother；　worthy　Lord　Bladderskate；　whilk　ye　are　aware　sounds　as　like　being　akin　to　a　peatship　＇Formerly；　a　lawyer；　supposed　to　be　under　the　peculiar　patronage　of　any　particular　judge；　was　invidiously　termed　his　PEAT　or　PET。＇　and　a　sheriffdom；　as　a　sieve　is　sib　to　a　riddle。　　Now；　Peter　Drudgeit；　my　lord's　clerk；　came　to　me　this　morning　in　the　House；　like　ane　bereft　of　his　wits；　for　it　seems　that　young　Dumtoustie　is　ane　of　the　Poor's　lawyers；　and　Peter　Peebles's　process　had　been　remitted　to　him　of　course。　　But　so　soon　as　the　harebrained　goose　saw　the　pokes　＇Process…bags。＇　　（as　indeed；　Alan；　they　are　none　of　the　least）　he　took　fright；　called　for　his　nag；　lap　on；　and　away　to　the　country　is　he　gone；　and　so？　　said　Peter；　my　lord　is　at　his　wit's　end　wi'　vexation；　and　shame；　to　see　his　nevoy　break　off　the　course　at　the　very　starting。　　〃I'll　tell　you；　Peter；〃　said　I；　〃were　I　my　lord；　and　a　friend　or　kinsman　of　mine　should　leave　the　town　while　the　court　was　sitting；　that　kinsman；　or　be　he　what　he　liked；　should　never　darken　my　door　again。〃　　And　then；　Alan；　I　thought　to　turn　the　ball　our　own　way；　and　I　said　that　you　were　a　gey　sharp　birkie；　just　off　the　irons；　and　if　it　would　oblige　my　lord；　and　so　forth；　you　would　open　Peter's　cause　on　Tuesday；　and　make　some　handsome　apology　for　the　necessary　absence　of　your　learned　friend；　and　the　loss　which　your　client　and　the　court　had　sustained；　and　so　forth。　　Peter　lap　at　the　proposition　like　a　cock　at　a　grossart；　for；　he　said；　the　only　chance　was　to　get　a　new　hand；　that　did　not　ken　the　charge　he　was　taking　upon　him；　for　there　was　not　a　lad　of　two　sessions'　standing　that　was　not　dead…　sick　of　Peter　Peebles　and　his　cause；　and　he　advised　me　to　break　the　matter　gently　to　you　at　the　first；　but　I　told　him　you　were；　a　good　bairn；　Alan；　and　had　no　will　and　pleasure　in　these　matters　but　mine。'
  What　could　I　say；　Darsie；　in　answer　to　this　arrangement；　so　very　well　meantso　very　vexatious　at　the　same　time？　　To　imitate　the　defection　and　flight　of　young　Dumtoustie；　was　at　once　to　destroy　my　father's　hopes　of　me　for　ever；　nay；　such　is　the　keenness　with　which　he　regards　all　connected　with　his　profession；　it　might　have　been　a　step　to　breaking　his　heart。　　I　was　obliged；　therefore；　to　bow　in　sad　acquiescence；　when　my　father　called　to　James　Wilkinson　to　bring　the　two　bits　of　pokes　he　would　find　on　his　table。
  Exit　James；　and　presently　re…enters；　bending　under　the　load　of　two　huge　leathern　bags；　full　of　papers　to　the　brim；　and　labelled　on　the　greasy　backs　with　the　magic　impress　of　the　clerks　of　court；　and　the　title；　PEEBLES　AGAINST　PLAINSTANES。　　This　huge　mass　was　deposited　on　the　table；　and　my　father；　with　no　ordinary　glee　in　his　countenance；　began　to　draw　out；　the　various　bundles　of　papers；　secured　by　none　of　your　red　tape　or　whipcord；　but　stout；　substantial　casts　of　tarred　rope；　such　as　might　have　held　small　craft　at　their　moorings。
  I　made　a　last　and　desperate　effort　to　get　rid　of　the　impending　job。　　'I　am　really　afraid；　sir；　that　this　case　seems　so　much　complicated；　and　there　is　so　little　time　to　prepare；　that　we　had　better　move　the　court　to　supersede　it　till　next　session。'
  'How；　sir？how；　Alan？'　　said　my　father'Would　you　approbate　and　reprobate；　sir？　　You　have　accepted　the　poor　man's　cause；　and　if　you　have　not　his　fee　in　your　pocket；　it　is　because　he　has　none　to　give　you；　and　now　would　you　approbate　and　reprobate　in　the　same　breath　of　your　mouth？　　Think　of　your　oath　of　office；　Alan；　and　your　duty　to　your　father；　my　dear　boy。'
  Once　more；　what　could　I　say？　　I　saw　from　my　father's　hurried　and　alarmed　manner；　that　nothing　could　vex　him　so　much　as　failing　in　the　point　he　had　determined　to　carry；　and　once　more　intimated　my　readiness　to　do　my　best；　under　every　disadvantage。
  'Well；　well；　my　boy；'　said　my　father；　'the　Lord　will　make　your　days　long　in　the　land；　for　the　honour　you　have　given　to　your　father's　grey　hairs。　　You　may　find　wiser　advisers；　Alan；　but　none　that　can　wish　you　bett