excuse me for doubting of it.
Nay, were we in your proper dominions, you could not ensure that."

"In whatever dominion or land I am, my power accompanies me," said he,
"and it is only against human might and human weapon that I ensure your
life; on that will I keep an eye, and on that you may depend. I have
never broken word or promise with you. Do you credit me?"

"Yes, I do," said I, "for I see you are in earnest. I believe, though I
do not comprehend you."

"Then why do you not at once challenge your brother to the field of
honour? Seeing you now act without danger, cannot you also act without
fear?"

"It is not fear," returned I, "believe me. I hardly know what fear is.
It is a doubt that, on all these emergencies, constantly haunts my mind
that, in performing such and such actions, I may fall from my upright
state. This makes fratricide a fearful task!'

"This is imbecility itself," said he. "We have settled and agreed on
that point an hundred times. I would therefore advise that you
challenge your brother to single combat. I shall ensure your safety,
and he cannot refuse giving you satisfaction."

"But then the penalties?" said I.

"We will try to evade these," said he, "and, supposing you should be
caught, if once you are Laird of Dalcastle and Balgrennan, what are the
penalties to you?"

"Might we not rather pop him off in private and quietness, as we did
the deistical divine?" said I.

"The deed would be alike meritorious, either way," said he. "But may we
not wait for years before we find an opportunity? My advice is to
challenge him, as privately as you will, and there cut him off."

"So be it then," said I. "When the moon is at the full, I will send for
him forth to speak with one, and there will I smite him and slay him,
and he shall trouble the righteous no more."

"Then this is the very night," said he, "The moon is nigh to the full,
and this night your brother and his sinful mates hold carousal; for
there is an intended journey to-morrow. The exulting profligate leaves
town, where we must remain till the time of my departure hence; and
then is he safe, and must live to dishonour God, and not only destroy
his own soul but those of many others. Alack, and woe is me! The sins
that he and his friends will commit this very night will cry to Heaven
against us for our shameful delay! When shall our great work of
cleansing the sanctuary be finished, if we proceed at this puny rate?"

"I see the