neral ill
will wherever thou chancest to turn them? I could lay my life thou hast
contrived already to offend yonder half score of poor friars in their
water girdled cage, and that you have been prohibited from attendance on
the funeral?"

"Even so, my son," said the Carthusian, "and I doubt whether their
malice will suffer me to remain in this country. I did but speak a few
sentences about the superstition and folly of frequenting St. Fillan's
church, to detect theft by means of his bell, of bathing mad patients in
his pool, to cure their infirmity of mind; and lo! the persecutors have
cast me forth of their communion, as they will speedily cast me out of
this life."

"Lo you there now," said the glover, "see what it is for a man that
cannot take a warning! Well, Father Clement, men will not cast me forth
unless it were as a companion of yours. I pray you, therefore, tell me
what you have to say of my daughter, and let us be less neighbours than
we have been."

"This, then, brother Simon, I have to acquaint you with. This young
chief, who is swoln with contemplation of his own power and glory, loves
one thing better than it all, and that is thy daughter."

"He, Conachar!" exclaimed Simon. "My runagate apprentice look up to my
daughter!"

"Alas!" said Clement, "how close sits our worldly pride, even as ivy
clings to the wall, and cannot be separated! Look up to thy daughter,
good Simon? Alas, no! The captain of Clan Quhele, great as he is, and
greater as he soon expects to be, looks down to the daughter of the
Perth burgess, and considers himself demeaned in doing so. But, to use
his own profane expression, Catharine is dearer to him than life here
and Heaven hereafter: he cannot live without her."

"Then he may die, if he lists," said Simon Glover, "for she is betrothed
to an honest burgess of Perth; and I would not break my word to make my
daughter bride to the Prince of Scotland."

"I thought it would be your answer," replied the monk; "I would, worthy
friend, thou couldst carry into thy spiritual concerns some part of that
daring and resolved spirit with which thou canst direct thy temporal
affairs."

"Hush thee--hush, Father Clement!" answered the glover; "when thou
fallest into that vein of argument, thy words savour of blazing tar, and
that is a scent I like not. As to Catharine, I must manage as I can, so
as not to displease the young dignitary; but well is it for me that she
is far beyond his reach."