ut I am a bridegroom, ye see, and that
puts a' things out o' my head, I think. There's the marriage-dinner, or
gude part o't, that my twa brithers are bringing on a sled round by the
Riders' Slack, three goodly bucks as ever ran on Dallomlea, as the sang
says; they couldna come the straight road for the saft grund. I wad send
ye a bit venison, but ye wadna take it weel maybe, for Killbuck catched
it."

During this long speech, in which the good-natured Borderer endeavoured
to propitiate the offended Dwarf by every argument he could think of,
he heard him with his eyes bent on the ground, as if in the deepest
meditation, and at length broke forth--"Nature?--yes! it is indeed in
the usual beaten path of Nature. The strong gripe and throttle the weak;
the rich depress and despoil the needy; the happy (those who are idiots
enough to think themselves happy) insult the misery and diminish the
consolation of the wretched.--Go hence, thou who hast contrived to give
an additional pang to the most miserable of human beings--thou who hast
deprived me of what I half considered as a source of comfort. Go hence,
and enjoy the happiness prepared for thee at home!"

"Never stir," said Hobbie, "if I wadna take you wi' me, man, if ye wad
but say it wad divert ye to be at the bridal on Monday. There will be
a hundred strapping Elliots to ride the brouze--the like's no been seen
sin' the days of auld Martin of the Preakin-tower--I wad send the sled
for ye wi' a canny powny."

"Is it to me you propose once more to mix in the society of the common
herd?" said the Recluse, with an air of deep disgust.

"Commons!" retorted Hobbie, "nae siccan commons neither; the Elliots hae
been lang kend a gentle race."

"Hence! begone!" reiterated the Dwarf; "may the same evil luck attend
thee that thou hast left behind with me! If I go not with you myself,
see if you can escape what my attendants, Wrath and Misery, have brought
to thy threshold before thee."

"I wish ye wadna speak that gate," said Hobbie. "Ye ken yoursell,
Elshie, naebody judges you to be ower canny; now, I'll tell ye just ae
word for a'--ye hae spoken as muckle as wussing ill to me and mine; now,
if ony mischance happen to Grace, which God forbid, or to mysell; or to
the poor dumb tyke; or if I be skaithed and injured in body, gudes, or
gear, I'll no forget wha it is that it's owing to."

"Out, hind!" exclaimed the Dwarf; "home! home to your dwelling, and
think on me when you fin