"I telled ye before, frien," answered Thomas, "that he was a deboshed
creature; and, like ower mony in the world, likit weel what didna do him
ony good. It's a wearyfu' thing that whisky. I wish it could be
banished to Botany Bay.

"It is that," said I. "Muckle and nae little sin does it breed and
produce in this world."

"I'm glad," quoth Thomas, stroking down his chin in a slee way, "I'm glad
the guilty should see the folly o' their ain ways; it's the first step,
ye ken, till amendment;--and indeed I tell't Maister Wiggie, when he sent
me here, that I could almost become guid for your being mair wary of your
conduct for the future time to come."

This was like a thunder-clap to me, and I did not know for a jiffie what
to feel, think, or do, more than perceiving that it was a piece of
devilish cruelty on their parts, taking things on this strict. As for
myself, I could freely take sacred oath on the Book, that I had not had a
dram in my head for four months before; the knowledge of which made my
corruption rise like lightning, as a man is aye brave when he is
innocent; so, giving my pow a bit scart, I said briskly, "So ye're after
some session business in this visit, are ye?"

"Ye've just guessed it," answered Thomas Burlings, sleeking down his
front hair with his fingers in a sober way; "we had a meeting this
forenoon; and it was resolved ye should stand a public rebuke in the
meeting-house on Sunday next."

"Hang me, if I do!" answered I, thumping my nieve down with all my might
on the counter, and throwing back my cowl behind me in a corner. "No,
man!" added I, snapping with great pith my finger and thumb in Thomas's
eyes, "not for all the ministers and elders that ever were cleckit! They
may do their best; and ye may tell them so, if ye like. I was born a
free man; I live in a free country; I am the subject of a free king and
constitution; and I'll be shot before I submit to such rank, diabolical
papistry."

"Hooly and fairly," quoth Thomas, staring a wee astonished like, and not
a little surprised to see my birse up in this manner; for, when he
thought upon shearing a lamb, he found he had catched a tartar; so,
calming down as fast as ye like, he said, "Hooly and fairly Mansie" (or
Maister Wauch, I believe, he did me the honour to call me), "they'll
maybe no be sae hard as they threaten. But ye ken, my friend, I'm
speaking to ye as a brither; it was an unco-like business for an elder,
not only to ga