THE   FLIGHT   IN   THE   HEATHER.                   245
And it came in my mind that Alan, on the day of that
battle, had been engaged upon the royal side.
"Why do ye take that air, Mr. Stewart?" said I. "Is
that to remind me you have been beaten on both sides?"
The air stopped on Alan's lips.    "David! " said he.
"But it's time these manners ceased," I continued;
"and I mean you shall henceforth speak civilly of my
King and my good friends the Campbells."
"I am a Stewart------" began Alan.
"Oh!" says I, "I ken ye bear a king's name. But
you are to remember, since I have been in the Highlands,
I have seen a good many of those that bear it; and the
best I can say of them is this, that they would be none
the worse of washing."
"Do you know that you insult me?" said Alan,
very low.
"I am sorry for that," said I, "for I am not done;
and if you distaste the sermon, I doubt the pirliecue*
will please you as little. You have been chased in the
field by the grown men of my party; it seems a poor
kind of pleasure to outface a boy. Both the Campbells
and the Whigs have beaten you; you have run before
them like a hare. It behoves you to speak of them as
of your betters."
Alan stood quite still, the tails of his great coat
clapping behind him in the wind.
"This is a pity," he said at last. "There are things
said that cannot be passed over."
* A second sermon.