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drove road； and at that the four stopped and had a dram to their breakfasts；
for they knew that Dand must have guided them right； and the rogues
could be but little ahead； hot foot for Edinburgh by the way of the
Pentland Hills。 By eight o'clock they had word of them … a shepherd had
seen four men 〃uncoly mishandled〃 go by in the last hour。 〃That's yin a
piece；〃 says Clem； and swung his cudgel。 〃Five o' them！〃 says Hob。
〃God's death； but the faither was a man！ And him drunk！〃 And then there
befell them what my author termed 〃a sair misbegowk；〃 for they were
overtaken by a posse of mounted neighbours come to aid in the pursuit。
Four sour faces looked on the reinforcement。 〃The Deil's broughten you！〃
said Clem； and they rode thenceforward in the rear of the party with
hanging heads。 Before ten they had found and secured the rogues； and by
three of the afternoon； as they rode up the Vennel with their prisoners； they
were aware of a concourse of people bearing in their midst something that
dripped。 〃For the boady of the saxt；〃 pursued Kirstie； 〃wi' his head
smashed like a hazelnit； had been a' that nicht in the chairge o' Hermiston
Water； and it dunting it on the stanes； and grunding it on the shallows； and
flinging the deid thing heels…ower…hurdie at the Fa's o' Spango； and in the
first o' the day； Tweed had got a hold o' him and carried him off like a
wind； for it was uncoly swalled； and raced wi' him； bobbing under brae…
sides； and was long playing with the creature in the drumlie lynns under
the castle； and at the hinder end of all cuist him up on the starling of
Crossmichael brig。 Sae there they were a'thegither at last （for Dickieson
had been brought in on a cart long syne）； and folk could see what mainner
o'man my brither had been that had held his head again sax and saved the
siller； and him drunk！〃 Thus died of honourable injuries and in the savour
of fame Gilbert Elliott of the Cauldstaneslap； but his sons had scarce less
glory out of the business。 Their savage haste； the skill with which Dand
had found and followed the trail； the barbarity to the wounded Dickieson
（which was like an open secret in the county）； and the doom which it was
currently supposed they had intended for the others； struck and stirred
popular imagination。 Some century earlier the last of the minstrels might
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have fashioned the last of the ballads out of that Homeric fight and chase；
but the spirit was dead； or had been reincarnated already in Mr。 Sheriff
Scott； and the degenerate moorsmen must be content to tell the tale in
prose； and to make of the 〃Four Black Brothers〃 a unit after the fashion of
the 〃Twelve Apostles〃 or the 〃Three Musketeers。〃
Robert； Gilbert； Clement； and Andrew … in the proper Border
diminutives； Hob； Gib； Clem； and Dand Elliott … these ballad heroes； had
much in common； in particular； their high sense of the family and the
family honour； but they went diverse ways； and prospered and failed in
different businesses。 According to Kirstie； 〃they had a' bees in their
bonnets but Hob。〃 Hob the laird was； indeed； essentially a decent man。 An
elder of the Kirk； nobody had heard an oath upon his lips； save perhaps
thrice or so at the sheep…washing； since the chase of his father's murderers。
The figure he had shown on that eventful night disappeared as if
swallowed by a trap。 He who had ecstatically dipped his hand in the red
blood； he who had ridden down Dickieson； became； from that moment on；
a stiff and rather graceless model of the rustic proprieties； cannily profiting
by the high war prices； and yearly stowing away a little nest…egg in the
bank against calamity； approved of and sometimes consulted by the
greater lairds for the massive and placid sense of what he said； when he
could be induced to say anything； and particularly valued by the minister；
Mr。 Torrance； as a right…hand man in the parish； and a model to parents。
The transfiguration had been for the moment only； some Barbarossa； some
old Adam of our ancestors； sleeps in all of us till the fit circumstance shall
call it into action； and； for as sober as he now seemed； Hob had given once
for all the measure of the devil that haunted him。 He was married； and； by
reason of the effulgence of that legendary night； was adored by his wife。
He had a mob of little lusty； barefoot children who marched in a caravan
the long miles to school； the stages of whose pilgrimage were marked by
acts of spoliation and mischief； and who were qualified in the country…
side as 〃fair pests。〃 But in the house； if 〃faither was in；〃 they were quiet as
mice。 In short； Hob moved through life in a great peace … the reward of
any one who shall have killed his man； with any formidable and figurative
circumstance； in the midst of a country gagged and swaddled with
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civilisation。
It was a current remark that the Elliotts were 〃guid and bad； like
sanguishes〃； and certainly there was a curious distinction； the men of
business coming alternately with the dreamers。 The second brother； Gib；
was a weaver by trade； had gone out early into the world to Edinburgh；
and come home again with his wings singed。 There was an exaltation in
his nature which had led him to embrace with enthusiasm the principles of
the French Revolution； and had ended by bringing him under the hawse of
my Lord Hermiston in that furious onslaught of his upon the Liberals；
which sent Muir and Palmer into exile and dashed the party into chaff。 It
was whispered that my lord； in his great scorn for the movement； and
prevailed upon a little by a sense of neighbourliness； had given Gib a hint。
Meeting him one day in the Potterrow； my lord had stopped in front of him：
〃Gib； ye eediot；〃 he had said； 〃what's this I hear of you？ Poalitics； poalitics；
poalitics； weaver's poalitics； is the way of it； I hear。 If ye arena a'thegither
dozened with cediocy； ye'll gang your ways back to Cauldstaneslap； and
ca' your loom； and ca' your loom； man！〃 And Gilbert had taken him at the
word and returned； with an expedition almost to be called flight；