A SOFT road is a road through quagmire and bogs; and SOFT weather signifies that which is very rainy.] Earnscliff, however, in spite of his companion's resistance and remonstrances, continued to advance on the path they had originally pursued, and soon confronted the object of their investigation.
The height of the figure, which appeared even to decrease as they approached it, seemed to be under four feet, and its form, as far as the imperfect light afforded them the means of discerning, was very nearly as broad as long, or rather of a spherical shape, which could only be occasioned by some strange personal deformity.

The young sportsman hailed this extraordinary appearance twice, without receiving any answer, or attending to the pinches by which his companion endeavoured to intimate that their best course was to walk on, without giving farther disturbance to a being of such singular and preternatural exterior.

To the third repeated demand of "Who are you?
What do you here at this hour of night ?"--a voice replied, whose shrill, uncouth, and dissonant tones made Elliot step two paces back, and startled even his companion, "Pass on your way, and ask nought at them that ask nought at you." "What do you do here so far from shelter?
Are you benighted on your journey?
Will you follow us home ('God forbid!' ejaculated Hobbie Elliot, involuntarily), and I will give you a lodging ?" "I would sooner lodge by mysell in the deepest of the Tarras-flow," again whispered Hobbie.
"Pass on your way," rejoined the figure, the harsh tones of his voice still more exalted by passion.

"I want not your guidance--I want not your lodging--it is five years since my head was under a human roof, and I trust it was for the last time." "He is mad," said Earnscliff.
"He has a look of auld Humphrey Ettercap, the tinkler, that perished in this very moss about five years syne," answered his superstitious companion; "but Humphrey wasna that awfu' big in the bouk." "Pass on your way," reiterated the object of their curiosity, "the breath of your human bodies poisons the air around me--the sound of pour human voices goes through my ears like sharp bodkins." "Lord safe us!" whispered Hobbie, "that the dead should bear sie fearfu' ill-will to the living!--his saul maun be in a puir way, I'm jealous." "Come, my friend," said Earnscliff, "you seem to suffer under some strong affliction; common humanity will not allow us to leave you here." "Common humanity!" exclaimed the being, with a scornful laugh that sounded like a shriek, "where got ye that catch-word--that noose for woodcocks--that common disguise for man-traps--that bait which the wretched idiot who swallows, will soon find covers a hook with barbs ten times sharper than those you lay for the animals which you murder for your luxury!" "I tell you, my friend," again replied Earnscliff, "you are incapable of judging of your own situation--you will perish in this wilderness, and we must, in compassion, force you along with us." "I'll hae neither hand nor foot in't," said Hobbie; "let the ghaist take his ain way, for God's sake!" "My blood be on my own head, if I perish here," said the figure; and, observing Earnscliff meditating to lay hold on him, he added, "And your blood be upon yours, if you touch but the skirt of my garments, to infect me with the taint of mortality!" The moon shone more brightly as he spoke thus, and Earnscliff observed that he held out his right hand armed with some weapon of offence, which glittered in the cold ray like the blade of a long knife, or the barrel of a pistol.

It would have been madness to persevere in his attempt upon a being thus armed, and holding such desperate language, especially as it was plain he would have little aid from his companion, who had fairly left him to settle matters with the apparition as he could, and had proceeded a few paces on his way homeward.