the minutes since midnight
Oh , laddie , laddie , wae is me that I hae seen sic a veesion -- waking or sleeping , it matters not ! I was sair distressed -- so sair that I woke wi ' a shriek on my lips and bathed in cold sweat . I would hae come doon to ye to see if you were hearty or no -- or even to listen at your door for any sound o ' yer being quick , but that I feared to alarm ye till morn should come . I 've counted the hours and the minutes since midnight , when I saw the veesion , till I came hither just the now . '' `` Quite right , Aunt Janet , '' I said , `` and I thank you for your kind thought for me in the matter , now and always . '' Then I went on , for I wanted to take precautions against the possibility of her discovery of my secret . I could not bear to think that she might run my precious secret to earth in any well-meant piece of bungling .