For me, I am a man retired from business and the world, and not very fond of raking up the past events of my useless life;--and forgive me if I say, I have particular pain in reverting to that period of it when I acted like a fool, and your lordship like"-- He stopped short.
"Like a villain, you would say," said Lord Glenallan--"for such I must have appeared to you." "My lord--my lord, I have no desire to hear your shrift," said the Antiquary.
"But, sir, if I can show you that I am more sinned against than sinning-- that I have been a man miserable beyond the power of description, and who looks forward at this moment to an untimely grave as to a haven of rest, you will not refuse the confidence which, accepting your appearance at this critical moment as a hint from Heaven, I venture thus to press on you." "Assuredly, my lord, I shall shun no longer the continuation of this extraordinary interview." "I must then recall to you our occasional meetings upwards of twenty years since at Knockwinnock Castle,--and I need not remind you of a lady who was then a member of that family." "The unfortunate Miss Eveline Neville, my lord; I remember it well." "Towards whom you entertained sentiments"-- "Very different from those with which I before and since have regarded her sex.

Her gentleness, her docility, her pleasure in the studies which I pointed out to her, attached my affections more than became my age though that was not then much advanced--or the solidity of my character.
But I need not remind your lordship of the various modes in which you indulged your gaiety at the expense of an awkward and retired student, embarrassed by the expression of feelings so new to him, and I have no doubt that the young lady joined you in the well-deserved ridicule--it is the way of womankind.

I have spoken at once to the painful circumstances of my addresses and their rejection, that your lordship may be satisfied everything is full in my memory, and may, so far as I am concerned, tell your story without scruple or needless delicacy." "I will," said Lord Glenallan.

"But first let me say, you do injustice to the memory of the gentlest and kindest, as well as to the most unhappy of women, to suppose she could make a jest of the honest affection of a man like you.

Frequently did she blame me, Mr.Oldbuck, for indulging my levity at your expense--may I now presume you will excuse the gay freedoms which then offended you ?--my state of mind has never since laid me under the necessity of apologizing for the inadvertencies of a light and happy temper." "My lord, you are fully pardoned," said Mr.Oldbuck.