"
"Ye're distracted yoursell, for thinking of going so near to her," said
Elliot, holding his companion in his turn, as he prepared to advance.
"We'll aye hae time to pit ower a bit prayer (an I could but mind ane)
afore she comes this length--God! she's in nae hurry," continued he,
growing bolder from his companion's confidence, and the little notice
the apparition seemed to take of them. "She hirples like a hen on a het
girdle. I redd ye, Earnscliff" (this he added in a gentle whisper), "let
us take a cast about, as if to draw the wind on a buck--the bog is no
abune knee-deep, and better a saft road as bad company." [The Scots use
the epithet soft, IN MALAM PARTEM, in two cases, at least. A SOFT road
is a road through quagmire and bogs; and SOFT weather signifies that
which is very rainy.]
Earnscliff, however, in spite of his companion's resistance and
remonstrances, continued to advance on the path they had originally
pursued, and soon confronted the object of their investigation.
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