weaver continued
repeating his blows and cursing me so that I determined to get out of
his meshes at any risk. The effect made my case worse; for, my feet
being wrapt among the nether threads, as I threw myself from my saddle
on the upper ones, my feet brought the others up through these, and I
hung with my head down and my feet as firm as they had been in a vice.
The predicament of the web being thereby increased, the weaver's wrath
was doubled in proportion, and he laid on without mercy.

At this critical juncture the wife arrived, and without hesitation
rushed before her offended lord, withholding his hand from injuring me
further, although then it was uplifted along with the loom-spoke in
overbearing ire. "Dear Johnny! I think ye be gaen dementit this
morning. Be quiet, my dear, an' dinna begin a Boddel Brigg business in
your ain house. What for ir ye persecutin' a servant o' the Lord's that
gate, an' pitting the life out o' him wi' his head down an' his heels
up?"

"Had ye said a servant o' the Deil's, Nans, ye wad hae been nearer the
nail, for gin he binna the Auld Ane himsel, he's gayan sib till him.
There, didna I lock him in on purpose to bring the military on him; an'
in the place o' that, hasna he keepit me in a sleep a' this while as
deep as death? An' here do I find him abscondit like a speeder i' the
mids o' my leddy's wab, an' me dreamin' a' the night that I had the
Deil i' my house, an' that he was clapper-clawin me ayont the loom.
Have at you, ye brunstane thief!" and, in spite of the good woman's
struggles, he lent me another severe blow.

"Now, Johnny Dods, my man! oh, Johnny Dods, think if that be like a
Christian, and ane o' the heroes o' Boddel Brigg, to entertain a
stranger, an' then bind him in a web wi' his head down, an' mell him to
death! oh, Johnny Dods, think what you are about! Slack a pin, an' let
the good honest religious lad out."

The weaver was rather overcome, but still stood to his point that I was
the Deil, though in better temper; and, as he slackened the web to
release me, he remarked, half laughing: "Wha wad hae thought that John
Dods should hae escapit a' the snares an' dangers that circumfauldit
him, an' at last should hae weaved a net to catch the Deil."

The wife released me soon, and carefully whispered me, at the same
time, that it would be as well for me to dress and be going. I was not
long in obeying, and dressed myself in my black clothes, hardly knowing
what I d