While the mourners were busy in the vault, the three village hags, who,
notwithstanding the unwonted earliness of the hour, had snuffed the
carrion like vultures, were seated on the "through-stane," and engaged
in their wonted unhallowed conference.
"Did not I say," said Dame Gourlay, "that the braw bridal would be
followed by as braw a funeral?"
"I think," answered Dame Winnie, "there's little bravery at it: neither
meat nor drink, and just a wheen silver tippences to the poor folk; it
was little worth while to come sae far a road for sae sma' profit, and
us sae frail."
"Out, wretch!" replied Dame Gourlay, "can a' the dainties they could gie
us be half sae sweet as this hour's vengeance? There they are that
were capering on their prancing nags four days since, and they are now
ganging as dreigh and sober as oursells the day. They were a' glistening
wi' gowd and silver; they're now as black as the crook. And Miss Lucy
Ashton, that grudged when an honest woman came near her--a taid may sit
on her coffin that day, and she can never scunner when he croaks.
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