r some short space of time, (which
Burley rightly interpreted to mean an hour at the very least), and seized
that moment to withdraw Morton from the hearing of their colleagues, and
to hold the following argument with him:

"Thou art unwise, Henry Morton, to desire to sacrifice this holy cause to
thy friendship for an uncircumcised Philistine, or thy lust for a
Moabitish woman."

"I neither understand your meaning, Mr Balfour, nor relish your
allusions," replied Morton, indignantly; "and I know no reason you have
to bring so gross a charge, or to use such uncivil language."

"Confess, however, the truth," said Balfour, "and own that there are
those within yon dark Tower, over whom thou wouldst rather be watching
like a mother over her little ones, than thou wouldst bear the banner of
the Church of Scotland over the necks of her enemies."

"If you mean, that I would willingly terminate this war without any
bloody victory, and that I am more anxious to do this than to acquire any
personal fame or power, you may be," replied Morton, "perfectly right."

"And not wholly wrong," answered Burley, "in deeming that thou wouldst
not exclude from so general a pacification thy friends in the garrison of
Tillietudlem."

"Certainly," replied Morton; "I am too much obliged to Major Bellenden
not to wish to be of service to him, as far as the interest of the cause
I have espoused will permit. I never made a secret of my regard for him."

"I am aware of that," said Burley; "but, if thou hadst concealed it, I
should, nevertheless, have found out thy riddle. Now, hearken to my
words. This Miles Bellenden hath means to subsist his garrison for a
month."

"This is not the case," answered Morton; "we know his stores are hardly
equal to a week's consumption."

"Ay, but," continued Burley, "I have since had proof, of the strongest
nature, that such a report was spread in the garrison by that wily and
grey-headed malignant, partly to prevail on the soldiers to submit to a
diminution of their daily food, partly to detain us before the walls of
his fortress until the sword should be whetted to smite and destroy us."

"And why was not the evidence of this laid before the council of war?"
said Morton.

"To what purpose?" said Balfour. "Why need we undeceive Kettledrummle,
Macbriar, Poundtext, and Langcale, upon such a point? Thyself must own,
that whatever is told to them escapes to the host out of the mouth of the
preachers at their n