His language abounded in the phrases of courtesy and compliment; and the habit of carrying arms, and mixing with those who did so, made if particularly desirable they should use cautious politeness in their intercourse with each other.]--the Highland civility of his attendant had not permitted him to disturb the reveries of our hero.

But observing him rouse himself at the sight of the village, Callum pressed closer to his side, and hoped 'When they cam to the public, his honour wad not say nothing about Vich Ian Vohr, for ta people were bitter Whigs, deil burst tem.' Waverley assured the prudent page that he would be cautious; and as he now distinguished, not indeed the ringing of bells, but the tinkling of something like a hammer against the side of an old messy, green, inverted porridge-pot, that hung in an open booth, of the size and shape of a parrot's cage, erected to grace the east end of a building resembling an old barn, he asked Callum Beg if it were Sunday.
'Could na say just preceesely--Sunday seldom cam aboon the pass of Bally-Brough.' On entering the town, however, and advancing towards the most apparent public house which presented itself, the numbers of old women, in tartan screens and red cloaks, who streamed from the barn-resembling building, debating, as they went, the comparative merits of the blessed youth Jabesh Rentowel, and that chosen vessel Maister Goukthrapple, induced Callum to assure his temporary master, 'that it was either ta muckle Sunday hersell, or ta little government Sunday that they ca'd ta fast.' On alighting at the sign of the Seven-branched Golden Candlestick, which, for the further delectation of the guests, was graced with a short Hebrew motto, they were received by mine host, a tall, thin puritanical figure, who seemed to debate with himself whether he ought to give shelter to those who travelled on such a day.

Reflecting, however, in all probability, that he possessed the power of mulcting them for this irregularity, a penalty which they might escape by passing into Gregor Duncanson's, at the sign of the Highlander and the Hawick Gill, Mr.Ebenezer Cruickshanks condescended to admit them into his dwelling.
To this sanctified person Waverley addressed his request that he would procure him a guide, with a saddle-horse, to carry his portmanteau to Edinburgh.
'And whar may ye be coming from ?' demanded mine host of the Candlestick.
'I have told you where I wish to go; I do not conceive any further information necessary either for the guide or his saddle-horse.' 'Hem! Ahem!' returned he of the Candlestick, somewhat disconcerted at this rebuff.

'It's the general fast, sir, and I cannot enter into ony carnal transactions on sic a day, when the people should be humbled, and the back sliders should return, as worthy Mr.Goukthrapple said; and moreover when, as the precious Mr.Jabesh Rentowel did weel observe, the land was mourning for covenants burnt, broken, and buried.' 'My good friend,' said Waverley, 'if you cannot let me have a horse and guide, my servant shall seek them elsewhere.' 'Aweel! Your servant ?--and what for gangs he not forward wi' you himsell ?' Waverley had but very little of a captain of horse's spirit within him--I mean of that sort of spirit which I have been obliged to when I happened, in a mail-coach, or diligence, to meet some military man who has kindly taken upon him the disciplining of the waiters, and the taxing of reckonings.

Some of this useful talent our hero had, however, acquired during his military service, and on this gross provocation it began seriously to arise.