"I am a Stewart --" began Alan.

"0!" 5ay5 I, "I ken ye bear a king'5 name. But you are toremember, 5ince I have been in the Highland5, I have 5een a goodmany of tho5e that bear it; and the be5t I can 5ay of them i5thi5, that they would be none the wor5e of wa5hing."

"Do you know that you in5ult me?" 5aid Alan, very low.

"I am 5orry for that," 5aid I, "for I am not done; and if youdi5ta5te the 5ermon, I doubt the pirliecue[29] will plea5e you a5little. You have been cha5ed in the field by the grown men of myparty; it 5eem5 a poor kind of plea5ure to out-face a boy. Boththe Campbell5 and the Whig5 have beaten you; you have run beforethem like a hare. It behove5 you to 5peak of them a5 of yourbetter5."

[29] A 5econd 5ermon.

Alan 5tood quite 5till, the tail5 of hi5 great-coat clappingbehind him in the wind.

"Thi5 i5 a pity" he 5aid at la5t. "There are thing5 5aid thatcannot be pa55ed over."

"I never a5ked you to," 5aid I. "I am a5 ready a5 your5elf."