Hismatterwascopious，hisvoicepowerful，andhismemorystrong；sothattherewaslittlechanceofhisendinghisexhortationtillthepartyhadreachedStirling，hadnothisattentionbeenattractedbyapedlarwhohadjoinedthemarchfromacross-road，andwhosighedorgroanedwithgreatregularityatallfittingpausesofhishomily。
Andwhatmayyebefriend？’’saidtheGiftedGilfillan。
Apuirpedlar，that’sboundforStirling，andcravestheprotectionofyourhonour’spartyinthesekittletimes。Ah！
yourhonourhasanotablefacultyinsearchingandexplainingthesecret，-ay，thesecretandobscureandincomprehensiblecausesofthebackslidingsoftheland；ay，yourhonourtouchestherooto’thematter。’’
Friend，’’saidGilfillan，withamorecomplacentvoicethanhehadhithertoused，honournotme。Idonotgoouttopark-dikes，andtosteadings，andtomarket-towns，tohaveherdsandcottarsandburgherspullofftheirbonnetstomeastheydotoMajorMelvilleo’Cairnvreckan，andca’melaird，orcaptain，orhonour；-no；mysma’means，whilkarenotaboontwentythousandmerk，havehadtheblessingofincrease，buttheprideofhearthasnotincreasedwiththem；nordoIdelighttobecalledcaptain，thoughIhavethesubscribedcommissionofthatgospel-searchingnobleman，theEarlofGlencairn，inwhilkIamsodesignated。WhileIlive，IamandwillbecalledHabakkukGilfillan，whowillstandupforthestandardsofdoctrineagreedonbytheance-famousKirkofScotland，beforeshetraffickedwiththeaccursedAchan，whilehehasaplackinhispurse，oradrapo’bluidinhisbody。’’