even handed with my reason and my milder dispositions, but have
their patrons and sticklers to egg them on. Is there a quarrel,
and suppose that I, thinking on your counsels, am something loth
to engage in it, believe you I am left to decide between peace or
war at my own choosing? Not so, by St. Mary! there are a hundred
round me to stir me on. 'Why, how now, Smith, is thy mainspring
rusted?' says one. 'Jolly Henry is deaf on the quarrelling ear this
morning!' says another. 'Stand to it, for the honour of Perth,'
says my lord the Provost. 'Harry against them for a gold noble,'
cries your father, perhaps. Now, what can a poor fellow do, Catharine,
when all are hallooing him on in the devil's name, and not a soul
putting in a word on the other side?"

"Nay, I know the devil has factors enough to utter his wares,"
said Catharine; "but it is our duty to despise such idle arguments,
though they may be pleaded even by those to whom we owe much love
and honour."

"Then there are the minstrels, with their romaunts and ballads, which
place all a man's praise in receiving and repaying hard blows. It
is sad to tell, Catharine, how many of my sins that Blind Harry
the Minstrel hath to answer for. When I hit a downright blow, it
is not--so save me--to do any man injury, but only to strike
as William Wallace struck."

The minstrel's namesake spoke this in such a tone of rueful seriousness,
that Catharine could scarce forbear smiling; but nevertheless she
assured him that the danger of his own and other men's lives ought
not for a moment to be weighed against such simple toys.