Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume 05
General
Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume 05
Scottish Borders (Scotland) -- Fiction
The two parties accordingly repaired to a tavern known by the name of
The Barleycorn, where they sat down deliberately, to indulge in a deep
potation. In the midst of their orgies, the customer, who had a humour
of his own, took many "rises" out of his companion, who submitted to his
fun, in consideration of his determination to leave him to pay "the
score," which would put "the laugh on the other side." As they went on
in their potations, Duncan Schulebred gradually drifted from one
condition of evil to another. Originally his desire was simply to cheat
the writer as a man. This was mere vulgar selfishness. He would have
"done" any man after the same fashion, because it was his nature. But in
this instance, he was concerned in the purpose of cheating a
pettifogger, whose very occupation it was to cheat every poor litigant
that came in his way. Here was a great occasion for Duncan Schulebred.
He felt another motive prompting him to the gratification of his
wickedness, and that was pride--the pride of circumventing those who
circumvent others. Ah, Duncan Schulebred! you never thought of the
ugliness of this peculiar aggravation of sin, when the evil genius
rejoices in itself--when it is puffed up with the glory of exaltation,
when instead of being checked by conscience, it is rather inspired by
conscience "turned back side fore--all the wrong way." Neither did he
consider that the said conscience has an ugly trick of springing round
into the normal state, with a jerk not over pleasant to sinners. But
even here Duncan Schulebred did not stop, for his pride of overcoming
the "devil's limb," was inflamed by revenge, in consequence of the
pettifogger having traduced Dunfermline; not that Duncan Schulebred had
any patriotism, even in Dr. Johnson's sense of that virtue; but that he
felt all the hits as directed against himself, just as every knave is
always trying on the cap, and declaring that it is no fit. Behold
selfishness, pride, and revenge, all met in one purpose; and as probably
the writer had as many motives for attempting, by urging Duncan to
drink, to enlarge the bill--the two were antagonists worthy of each
other.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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