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"And what I like warst o' a'," continued poor Cuddie, "is thae ranting red-coats coming amang the lasses, and taking awa our joes. I had a sair heart o' my ain when I passed the Mains down at Tillietudlem this morning about parritch-time, and saw the reek comin' out at my ain lum-head, and kend there was some ither body than my auld mither sitting by the ingle-side.
"John," he said, "what were you going to do wi' that sorrowfu' lad?" "I was going to gie him up to justice, minister, as it was right and just to do; but first we must see about about the body." "That has, without doot, been already cared for. On the warst o' nights there are plenty o' folk passing o'er Glasgow Green after the tea-hour. It is David we must care for now.
Sinfu' men are we a'; but if ye wad believe an auld grey sinner that has seen the evil o' his ways, there is as much promise atween the twa boards o' the Testament as wad save the warst o' us, could we but think sae." With such scraps of comfort and of divinity as he possessed, the mendicant thus continued to solicit and compel the attention of Lovel, until the twilight began to fade into night.
I ken by mysell, there's whiles I can sit wi' my head in my hand the haill day, and havena a word to cast at a dog and other whiles, that I canna sit still a moment. That's when the folk think me warst, but I am aye canny eneugh ye needna be feared to walk wi' me."
Come of it what will, "I'll bend my brows like Highland trows" and make a bold fight of it. "The best o't, the warst o't, Is only just to die." And die I think I shall, though I am not such a coward as mortem conscire me ipso. But I 'gin to grow aweary of the sun, and when the plant no longer receives nourishment from light and air, there is a speedy prospect of its withering.
"Ay man, Dyohn," said the Deacon with great solicitude; "but you maunna work that brain o' yours too hard, though. A heid like yours doesna come through the hatter's hand ilka day o' the week; you mutht be careful not to put too great a thtrain on't. Ay, ay; often the best machine's the easiest broken and the warst to mend. You should take a rest and enjoy yourself.
"But, Davie lad, ne'er fash your head Though we hae little gear; We're fit to win our daily bread As lang's we're hale an' fier; Mair speer na, nor fear na; Auld age ne'er mind a fig, The last o't, the warst o't, Is only for to beg!"
I'se be caution the warst stibbler that ever stickit a sermon out ower the Tweed yonder, wad lay a ghaist twice as fast as him, wi' his holy water and his idolatrous trinkets. I dinna believe he speaks gude Latin neither; at least he disna take me up when I tell him the learned names o' the plants."
Drawing himself up again, he rose to his feet, and taking her hand, said, Ye cudna fa' gien ye tried yer warst."
"And very reasonable," said Ravenswood; "you were his servant and vassal." "Servitor, say ye?" replied the sexton, "and so I was; but it was to blaw folk to their warm dinner, or at the warst to a decent kirkyard, and no to skirl them awa' to a bluidy braeside, where there was deil a bedral but the hooded craw.
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