I'll tell you somethin' now, and belike you'll laugh at me." He lowered his voice and spoke wistfully.
"Man, I have ne'er fought wi' my hands in a' my life--not since I was a wean; nor yet felt the pinch of ony pressin' danger to be facit, that I might know how jeopardy sorts wi' my stomach.

I became man-grown as a halflin' boy, or e'er you were born yet--a starvelin' boy, workin' for bare bread; and hard beset I was for't.

So my thoughts turned all money-wise, till it became fixture and habit with me; and I took nae time for pleasures.

But when I heard of your fight yestreen, and how you begawked him that we are to mention no more, and of your skirmishes and by-falls with these gentry of your own land, my silly auld blood leapit in my briskit.

And when I was a limber lad like yourself, I do think truly that once I might hae likit weel to hae been lot and part of siclike stir and hazard, and to see the bale-fires burn.
"Bear with me a moment yet, and I'll have done.