truly, if he be poor in purse as well as in spirit, he may stand
on the outside till the hounds come up with him."

A third, who had been poring for a few minutes upon the ground
by advantage of his torch, now looked upwards and spoke. He was a
brisk, forward, rather corpulent little man, called Oliver Proudfute,
reasonably wealthy, and a leading man in his craft, which was that
of bonnet makers; he, therefore, spoke as one in authority.

"Canst tell us, jolly smith"--for they recognised each other by
the lights which were brought into the streets--"what manner of
fellows they were who raised up this fray within burgh?"

"The two that I first saw," answered the armourer, "seemed to me,
as well as I could observe them, to have Highland plaids about
them."

"Like enough--like enough," answered another citizen, shaking
his head. "It's a shame the breaches in our walls are not repaired,
and that these landlouping Highland scoundrels are left at liberty
to take honest men and women out of their beds any night that is
dark enough."

"But look here, neighbours," said Oliver Proudfute, showing a bloody
hand which he had picked up from the ground; "when did such a hand
as this tie a Highlandman's brogues? It is large, indeed, and bony,
but as fine as a lady's, with a ring that sparkles like a gleaming
candle. Simon Glover has made gloves for this hand before now, if
I am not much mistaken, for he works for all the courtiers."