"Or on an auld lord's young leddyship? I have."

"What is she?"

"You surely ken that Rintoul's auld, and is to be married on a
young leddyship. She's no' a leddyship yet, but they're to be
married soon, so I may say I've seen a leddyship. Ay, an
impressive sicht. It was yestreen."

"Is there a great difference in their ages?"

"As muckle as atween auld Peter Spens and his wife, wha was
saxteen when he was saxty, and she was playing at dumps in the
street when her man was waiting for her to make his porridge. Ay,
sic a differ doesna suit wi' common folk, but of course earls can
please themsels. Rintoul's so fond o' the leddyship 'at is to be,
that when she was at the school in Edinbury he wrote to her ilka
day. Kaytherine Crummie telled me that, and she says aince you're
used to it, writing letters is as easy as skinning moles. I dinna
ken what they can write sic a heap about, but I daur say he gies
her his views on the Chartist agitation and the potato disease,
and she'll write back about the romantic sichts o' Edinbury and
the sermons o' the grand preachers she hears. Sal, though, thae
grand folk has no religion to speak o', for they're a' English
kirk. You're no' speiring what her leddyship said to me?"

"What did she say?"

"Weel, you see, there was a dancing ball on, and Kaytherine