'Have the goodness to speak to the point, sir, if you please.'

'Why, sir, it is not so easy all at once--but Mr. Hazlewood need
not leave the room,--I mean so well to Miss Bertram that I could
wish the whole world to hear my part of the conference.'

'My friend Mr. Charles Hazlewood will not probably be anxious, Mr.
Glossin, to listen to what cannot concern him. And now, when he
has left us alone, let me pray you to be short and explicit in
what you have to say. I am a soldier, sir, somewhat impatient of
forms and introductions.' So saying, he drew himself up in his
chair and waited for Mr. Glossin's communication.

'Be pleased to look at that letter,' said Glossin, putting
Protocol's epistle into Mannering's hand, as the shortest way of
stating his business.

The Colonel read it and returned it, after pencilling the name of
the writer in his memorandum-book. 'This, sir, does not seem to
require much discussion. I will see that Miss Bertram's interest
is attended to.'

'But, sir,--but, Colonel Mannering,' added Glossin, 'there is
another matter which no one can explain but myself. This lady--
this Mrs. Margaret Bertram, to my certain knowledge, made a
general settlement of her affairs in Miss Lucy Bertram's favour
while she lived with my old friend Mr. Bertram at Ellangowan. The
Dominie--that was the name by which my deceased friend always
called that very respectable man Mr. Sampson--he and I witnessed