The interview between Ratcliffe and Sharpitlaw had an aspect different from all these.

They sat for five minutes silent, on opposite sides of a small table, and looked fixedly at each other, with a sharp, knowing, and alert cast of countenance, not unmingled with an inclination to laugh, and resembled more than anything else, two dogs, who, preparing for a game at romps, are seen to couch down, and remain in that posture for a little time, watching each other's movements, and waiting which shall begin the game.
"So, Mr.Ratcliffe," said the officer, conceiving it suited his dignity to speak first, "you give up business, I find ?" "Yes, sir," replied Ratcliffe; "I shall be on that lay nae mair--and I think that will save your folk some trouble, Mr.Sharpitlaw ?" "Which Jock Daigleish" (then finisher of the law* in the Scottish metropolis) "wad save them as easily," returned the procurator-fiscal.
* [Among the flying leaves of the period, there is one called "Sutherland's Lament for the loss of his post,--with his advice, to John Daglees his successor." He was whipped and banished 25th July 1722.

There is another, called the Speech and dying words of John Dalgleish, lockman _alias_ hangman of Edinburgh, containing these lines:-- Death, I've a Favour for to beg, That ye wad only gie a Fleg, And spare my Life; As I did to ill-hanged Megg, The Webster's Wife."] "Ay; if I waited in the Tolbooth here to have him fit my cravat--but that's an idle way o' speaking, Mr.Sharpitlaw." "Why, I suppose you know you are under sentence of death, Mr.Ratcliffe ?" replied Mr.Sharpitlaw.
"Aye, so are a', as that worthy minister said in the Tolbooth Kirk the day Robertson wan off; but naebody kens when it will be executed.

Gude faith, he had better reason to say sae than he dreamed off, before the play was played out that morning!" "This Robertson," said Sharpitlaw, in a lower and something like a confidential tone, "d'ye ken, Rat--that is, can ye gie us ony inkling where he is to be heard tell o' ?" "Troth, Mr.Sharpitlaw, I'll be frank wi' ye; Robertson is rather a cut abune me--a wild deevil he was, and mony a daft prank he played; but except the Collector's job that Wilson led him into, and some tuilzies about run goods wi' the gaugers and the waiters, he never did onything that came near our line o' business." "Umph! that's singular, considering the company he kept." "Fact, upon my honour and credit," said Ratcliffe, gravely.

"He keepit out o' our little bits of affairs, and that's mair than Wilson did; I hae dune business wi' Wilson afore now.