Well , I keepit that bit money separate -- it was a great expense , but a promise is a promise -- and it has grown by now to be a matter of just precisely -- just exactly '' -- and here he paused and stumbled -- `` of just exactly forty pounds ! '' This last he rapped out with a sidelong glance over his shoulder ; and the next moment added , almost with a scream , `` Scots ! '' The pound Scots being the same thing as an English shilling , the difference made by this second thought was considerable ; I could see , besides , that the whole story was a lie , invented with some end which it puzzled me to guess ; and I made no attempt to conceal the tone of raillery in which I answered -- `` O , think again , sir ! Pounds sterling , I believe ! '' `` That 's what I said , '' returned my uncle : `` pounds sterling ! And if you 'll step out-by to the door a minute , just to see what kind of a night it is , I 'll get it out to ye and call ye in again . '' I did his will , smiling to myself in my contempt that he should think I was so easily to be deceived . It was a dark night , with a few stars low down ; and as I stood just outside the door , I heard a hollow moaning of wind far off among the hills . I said to myself there was something thundery and changeful in the weather , and little knew of what a vast importance that should prove to me before the evening passed . When I was called in again , my uncle counted out into my hand seven and thirty golden guinea pieces ; the rest was in his hand , in small gold and silver ; but his heart failed him there , and he crammed the change into his pocket . `` There , '' said he , `` that 'll show you ! I 'm a queer man , and strange wi ' strangers ; but my word is my bond , and there 's the proof of it . '' Now , my uncle seemed so miserly that I was struck dumb by this sudden generosity , and could find no words in which to thank him . `` No a word ! '' said he . `` Nae thanks ; I want nae thanks . I do my duty . I 'm no saying that everybody would have done it ; but for my part -LRB- though I 'm a careful body , too -RRB- it 's a pleasure to me to do the right by my brother 's son ; and it 's a pleasure to me to think that now we 'll agree as such near friends should . '' I spoke him in return as handsomely as I was able ; but all the while I was wondering what would come next , and why he had parted with his precious guineas ; for as to the reason he had given , a baby would have refused it . Presently he looked towards me sideways .
`` And XXXXX here , '' says he , `` tit for tat . ''
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