'I am afraid,' said the politician, who was close by Mannering,
'we have not done with your old friend Tippoo Sahib yet, I doubt
he'll give the Company more plague; and I am told, but you'll know
for certain, that East India Stock is not rising.'

'I trust it will, sir, soon.'

'Mrs. Margaret,' said another person, mingling in the
conversation, 'had some India bonds. I know that, for I drew the
interest for her; it would be desirable now for the trustees and
legatees to have the Colonel's advice about the time and mode of
converting them into money. For my part I think--but there's Mr.
Mortcloke to tell us they are gaun to lift.'

Mr. Mortcloke the undertaker did accordingly, with a visage of
professional length and most grievous solemnity, distribute among
the pall-bearers little cards, assigning their respective
situations in attendance upon the coffin. As this precedence is
supposed to be regulated by propinquity to the defunct, the
undertaker, however skilful a master of these lugubrious
ceremonies, did not escape giving some offence. To be related to
Mrs. Bertram was to be of kin to the lands of Singleside, and was
a propinquity of which each relative present at that moment was
particularly jealous. Some murmurs there were on the occasion, and
our friend Dinmont gave more open offence, being unable either to
repress his discontent or to utter it in the key properly
modulated to the solemnity. 'I think ye might hae at least gi'en
me a leg o' her to carry,' he exclaimed, in a voice considerably
louder than propriety admitted. 'God! an it hadna been for the