Black Douglas to judge betwixt a burgher and a gentleman, nay, a
nobleman, for all I know or care! The black devil of hell sooner!
You are mad, father Simon, so much as to name so wild a proposal."

There was again a silence of fear and uncertainty, which was at
length broken by Bailie Craigdallie, who, looking very significantly
to the speaker, replied, "You are confident in a stout doublet,
neighbour Smith, or you would not talk so boldly."

"I am confident of a good heart under my doublet, such as it is,
bailie," answered the undaunted Henry; "and though I speak but little,
my mouth shall never be padlocked by any noble of them all."

"Wear a thick doublet, good Henry, or do not speak so loud," reiterated
the bailie in the same significant tone. "There are Border men in
the town who wear the bloody heart on their shoulder. But all this
is no rede. What shall we do?"

"Short rede, good rede," said the smith. "Let us to our provost,
and demand his countenance and assistance."

A murmur of applause went through the party, and Oliver Proudfute
exclaimed, "That is what I have been saying for this half hour,
and not one of ye would listen to me. 'Let us go to our provost,'
said I. 'He is a gentleman himself, and ought to come between the
burgh and the nobles in all matters."

"Hush, neighbours--hush; be wary what you say or do," said a thin
meagre figure of a man, whose diminutive person seemed still more
reduced in size, and more assimilated to a shadow, by his efforts