'I wuss ye gude day! Joseph Smiley.'
Joseph snorted with impatience, and the squirrel-like gleam came into his eyes, but he merely answered--
'Gude day to ye! Tibbie,' sweeping together the scattered fragments of his repast, and causing them all to disappear in one comprehensive gulp. Then he wiped his mouth with the red cloth, replaced it in the hat, and resumed his wonted look of solemn composure.
'A weel, Tibbie! an' it's a graund discourse we hae heard this day; an' I houp it'll do ye gude. He's a godly man, Mester Dowlas, an' he's gaen hame wi' Mistress Sangster til a verra gude denner I mak nae doubt. But you an' me has haen a feast of fat things o' his providence. Marrow an' fatness truly, tho' it's juist a when bannocks we may hae to stay the flesh withal an' aiblins just a drappie o' something to wash a' down. Will ye taste, hinnie?' Thereupon he arose and retreated some steps to where the tree stems would conceal him from any wandering eye among the congregation, and drew forth from his bosom a flat bottle, which he applied to his lips, throwing back his head the while. After a prolonged gulp he paused for breath, and passed the bottle to his friend with one hand, while with the back of the other he wiped his lips.
'Pruive all things! Eppie. Try the speerits, an' I'm thinkin' ye'll find them not that bad.'
Eppie tasted and sipped, and tasted again, very well pleased, nodded, and returned the bottle, which was forthwith emptied where the bulk of its contents had already been poured.
'Hech! but my eyes are enlichtened like Jonathan's, an' noo let's crack about the preachin'.'
'Joseph! I hae bed a wee, as ye said. What is't a' comin' til?'
'Bed sin yest're'en! No muckle bidin' there I ween! But let's lay worldly business by, this holy Sawbith day, an' think o' wir sauls!--our puir perishin' sauls!' `An' what'll come o' your saul? Joseph Smiley, an' you sinnin' wi' the high haund an' wrangin' my puir lass Tibbie. Saw na ye hoo she was e'en ower blate to forgather wi' the neighbours, an' gaed creepin' hame afore the kirk wad skell?'
'The mair fule she! There's naething kenned again her. What maks her blate?'