. I have to say that I'm sorry; and so that's said. And now if
you have anything, ye'd better say it."

"O," says I, "I have nothing."

He seemed disconcerted; at which I was meanly pleased.

"No," said he, with rather a trembling voice, "but when I say I was to
blame?"

"Why, of course, ye were to blame," said I, coolly; "and you will bear
me out that I have never reproached you."

"Never," says he; "but ye ken very well that ye've done worse. Are we to
part? Ye said so once before. Are ye to say it again? There's hills and
heather enough between here and the two seas, David; and I will own I'm
no very keen to stay where I'm no wanted."

This pierced me like a sword, and seemed to lay bare my private
disloyalty.

"Alan Breck!" I cried; and then: "Do you think I am one to turn my
back on you in your chief need? You dursn't say it to my face. My whole
conduct's there to give the lie to it. It's true, I fell asleep upon
the muir; but that was from weariness, and you do wrong to cast it up to
me----"

"Which is what I never did," said Alan.

"But aside from that," I continued, "what have I done that you should
even me to dogs by such a supposition? I never yet failed a friend, and
it's not likely I'll begin with you. There are things between us that I
can never forget, even if you can."

"I will only say this to ye, David," said Alan, very quietly, "that I
have long been owing ye my life, and now I owe ye money. Ye should try
to make that burden light for me."

This ought to have touched me, and in a manner it did, but the wrong
manner. I felt I was behaving, badly; and was now not only angry with
Alan, but angry with myself in the bargain; and it made me the more
cruel.

"You asked me to speak," said I. "Well, then, I will. You own yourself
that you have done me a disservice; I have had to swallow an affront: I
have never reproached you, I never named the thing till you did. And
now you blame me," cried I, "because I cannae laugh and sing as if I was
glad to be affronted. The next thing will be that I'm to go down upon my
knees and thank you for it! Ye should think more of others, Alan
Breck. If ye thought more of others, ye would perhaps speak less about
yourself; and when a friend that likes you very well has passed over an
offence without a word, you would be blithe to let it lie, instead of
making it a stick to break his back with. By your own way of it, it was
you that was to blame; then it shouldnae