Selecting
ten men, with that small band he turned toward the Forth, hoping to
meet some valiant friends in that part of the country read to embrace
her cause.
"He had hardly been an hour departed when Dugald observed a procession
of monks descending the opposite mountain. They drew near and halted
in the glen. A crowd of women from the neighboring hills had followed
the train, and were now gathering around a bier which the monks set
down. I know not by what happy fortune I came close to the leader of
the procession, but he saw something in my old rough features that
declared me an honest Scot. 'Friend,' whispered he, 'for charity
conduct us to some safe place where we may withdraw this bier from the
sacrilegious eye of curiosity.'
"I made no hesitation, but desired the train to follow me into a byre
belonging to the good shepherd who was my host. On this motion the
common people went away, and the monks entered the place.
"When the travelers threw up their hoods, which as mourners they had
worn over their faces, I could not help exclaiming, 'Alas, for the
glory of Scotland, that this goodly group of stout young men rather
wear the cowl than the helmet!' 'How!' asked their principal (who did
not appear to have seen thirty years), 'do we not pray for the glory of
Scotland? Such is our weapon.
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