It was some days before he mentioned my brother’s meditated death to me again, and certainly he then found me exasperated against him personally to the highest degree. But I told him that I could not now think any more of it owing to the late judgment of the court, by which, if my brother were missing or found dead, I would not only forfeit my life but my friends would be ruined by the penalties.
“I suppose you know and believe in the perfect safety of your soul,” said he, “and that that is a matter settled from the beginning of time, and now sealed and ratified both in Heaven and earth?”
“I believe in it thoroughly and perfectly,” said I; “and, whenever I entertain doubts of it, I am sensible of sin and weakness.”
“Very well, so then am I,” said he. “I think I can now divine, with all manner of certainty, what will be the high and merited guerdon of your immortal part. Hear me then further: I give you my solemn assurance, and bond of blood, that no human hand shall ever henceforth be able to injure your life, or shed one drop of your precious blood; but it is on the condition that you walk always by my directions.”
“I will do so with cheerfulness,” said I, “for, without your enlightened counsel, I feel that I can do nothing. But, as to your power of protecting my life, you must 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 tomorrow. 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 deed must be done, then,” said I, “and, since it is so, it shall be done. I will arm myself forthwith, and from the midst of his wine and debauchery you shall call him forth to me, and there will I smite him with the edge of the sword, that our great work be not retarded.”
“If thy execution were equal to thy intent, how great a man you soon might be!” said he. “We shall make the attempt once more; and, if it fail again, why, I must use other means to bring about my high purposes relating to mankind. Home and make ready. I will go and procure what information I can regarding their motions, and will meet you in disguise twenty minutes hence, at the first turn of Hewie’s Lane beyond the loch.”
“I have nothing to make ready,” said I, “for I do not choose to go home. Bring me a sword, and we may consecrate it with prayer and vows, and, if I use it not to the bringing down of the wicked and profane, then may the Lord do so to me, and more also!”
We parted, and there was I left again to the multiplicity of my own thoughts for the space of twenty minutes, a thing my friend never failed in subjecting me to, and these were worse to contend with than hosts of sinful men. I prayed inwardly that these deeds of mine might never be brought to the knowledge of men who were incapable of appreciating the high motives that led to them; and then I sung part of the 10th Psalm, likewise in spirit; but, for all these efforts, my sinful doubts returned, so that when my illustrious friend joined me, and proffered me the choice of two gilded rapiers, I declined accepting any of them, and began, in
