I sometimes wish that Catharine were some degrees less fair, that she might not catch that dangerous sort of admiration, or somewhat less holy, that she might sit down like an honest woman, contented with stout Henry Smith, who could protect his wife against every sprig of chivalry in the court of Scotland." "And if I did not," said Henry, thrusting out a hand and arm which might have belonged to a giant for bone and muscle, "I would I may never bring hammer upon anvil again! Ay, an it were come but that length, my fair Catharine should see that there is no harm in a man having the trick of defence.

But I believe she thinks the whole world is one great minster church, and that all who live in it should behave as if they were at an eternal mass." "Nay, in truth," said the father, "she has strange influence over those who approach her; the Highland lad, Conachar, with whom I have been troubled for these two or three years, although you may see he has the natural spirit of his people, obeys the least sign which Catharine makes him, and, indeed, will hardly be ruled by any one else in the house.

She takes much pains with him to bring him from his rude Highland habits." Here Harry Smith became uneasy in his chair, lifted the flagon, set it down, and at length exclaimed: "The devil take the young Highland whelp and his whole kindred! What has Catharine to do to instruct such a fellow as he?
He will be just like the wolf cub that I was fool enough to train to the offices of a dog, and every one thought him reclaimed, till, in an ill hour, I went to walk on the hill of Moncrieff, when he broke loose on the laird's flock, and made a havoc that I might well have rued, had the laird not wanted a harness at the time.

And I marvel that you, being a sensible man, father Glover, will keep this Highland young fellow--a likely one, I promise you--so nigh to Catharine, as if there were no other than your daughter to serve him for a schoolmistress." "Fie, my son--fie; now you are jealous," said Simon, "of a poor young fellow who, to tell you the truth, resides here because he may not so well live on the other side of the hill." "Ay--ay, father Simon," retorted the smith, who had all the narrow minded feelings of the burghers of his time, "an it were not for fear of offence, I would say that you have even too much packing and peiling with yonder loons out of burgh." "I must get my deer hides, buckskins, kidskins, and so forth somewhere, my good Harry, and Highlandmen give good bargains." "They can afford them," replied Henry, drily, "for they sell nothing but stolen gear." "Well--well, be that as it may, it is not my business where they get the bestial, so I get the hides.

But as I was saying, there are certain considerations why I am willing to oblige the father of this young man, by keeping him here.