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which she certainly did not approve； but for the reproof of which
she was unwilling to betray the loopholes of her eyes。 Next she
concluded； for half a day； that he must have a pair of rabbits
hidden away in some nook or otherpossibly in the little strip of
garden belonging to the house。 And so conjecture followed
conjecture for a whole week； during which； strange to say； not even
Betty knew that Shargar slept in the house。 For so careful and
watchful were the two boys； that although she could not help
suspecting something from the expression and behaviour of Robert；
what that something might be she could not imagine； nor had she and
her mistress as yet exchanged confidences on the subject。 Her
observation coincided with that of her mistress as to the
disappearance of odds and ends of eatablespotatoes； cold porridge；
bits of oat…cake； and even； on one occasion； when Shargar happened
to be especially ravenous； a yellow； or cured and half…dried；
haddock； which the lad devoured raw； vanished from her domain。 He
went to school in the morning smelling so strong in consequence；
that they told him he must have been passing the night in Scroggie's
cart； and not on his horse's back this time。
The boys kept their secret well。
One evening； towards the end of the week； Robert； after seeing
Shargar disposed of for the night； proceeded to carry out a project
which had grown in his brain within the last two days in consequence
of an occurrence with which his relation to Shargar had had
something to do。 It was this：
The housing of Shargar in the garret had led Robert to make a close
acquaintance with the place。 He was familiar with all the outs and
ins of the little room which he considered his own； for that was a
civilized； being a plastered； ceiled； and comparatively well…lighted
little room； but not with the other； which was three times its size；
very badly lighted； and showing the naked couples from roof…tree to
floor。 Besides； it contained no end of dark corners； with which his
childish imagination had associated undefined horrors； assuming now
one shape； now another。 Also there were several closets in it；
constructed in the angles of the place； and several cheststwo of
which he had ventured to peep into。 But although he had found them
filled； not with bones； as he had expected； but one with papers； and
one with garments； he had yet dared to carry his researches no
further。 One evening； however； when Betty was out； and he had got
hold of her candle； and gone up to keep Shargar company for a few
minutes； a sudden impulse seized him to have a peep into all the
closets。 One of them he knew a little about； as containing； amongst
other things； his father's coat with the gilt buttons； and his
great…grandfather's kilt； as well as other garments useful to
Shargar： now he would see what was in the rest。 He did not find
anything very interesting； however； till he arrived at the last。
Out of it he drew a long queer…shaped box into the light of Betty's
dip。
'Luik here； Shargar！' he said under his breath； for they never dared
to speak aloud in these precincts'luik here！ What can there be in
this box？ Is't a bairnie's coffin； duv ye think？ Luik at it。'
In this case Shargar； having roamed the country a good deal more
than Robert； and having been present at some merry…makings with his
mother； of which there were comparatively few in that country…side；
was better informed than his friend。
'Eh！ Bob； duvna ye ken what that is？ I thocht ye kent a' thing。
That's a fiddle。'
'That's buff an' styte （stuff and nonsense）； Shargar。 Do ye think I
dinna ken a fiddle whan I see ane； wi' its guts ootside o' 'ts wame；
an' the thoomacks to screw them up wi' an' gar't skirl？'
'Buff an' styte yersel'！' cried Shargar； in indignation； from the
bed。 'Gie's a haud o' 't。'
Robert handed him the case。 Shargar undid the hooks in a moment；
and revealed the creature lying in its shell like a boiled bivalve。
'I tellt ye sae！' he exclaimed triumphantly。 'Maybe ye'll lippen to
me （trust me） neist time。'
'An' I tellt you；' retorted Robert； with an equivocation altogether
unworthy of his growing honesty。 'I was cocksure that cudna be a
fiddle。 There's the fiddle i' the hert o' 't！ Losh！ I min' noo。
It maun be my grandfather's fiddle 'at I hae heard tell o'。'
'No to ken a fiddle…case！' reflected Shargar； with as much of
contempt as it was possible for him to show。
'I tell ye what； Shargar；' returned Robert； indignantly； 'ye may ken
the box o' a fiddle better nor I do； but de'il hae me gin I dinna
ken the fiddle itsel' raither better nor ye do in a fortnicht frae
this time。 I s' tak' it to Dooble Sanny； he can play the fiddle
fine。 An' I'll play 't too； or the de'il s' be in't。'
'Eh； man； that 'll be gran'！' cried Shargar； incapable of jealousy。
'We can gang to a' the markets thegither and gaither baubees
（halfpence）。'
To this anticipation Robert returned no reply； for； hearing Betty
come in； he judged it time to restore the violin to its case； and
Betty's candle to the kitchen； lest she should invade the upper
regions in search of it。 But that very night he managed to have an
interview with Dooble Sanny； the shoemaker； and it was arranged
between them that Robert should bring his violin on the evening at
which my story has now arrived。
Whatever motive he had for seeking to commence the study of music；
it holds even in more important matters that； if the thing pursued
be good； there is a hope of the pursuit purifying the motive。 And
Robert no sooner heard the fiddle utter a few mournful sounds in the
hands of the soutar； who was no contemptible performer； than he
longed to establish such a relation between himself and the strange
instrument； that； dumb and deaf as it had been to him hitherto； it
would respond to his touch also； and tell him the secrets of its
queerly…twisted skull； full of sweet sounds instead of brains。 From
that moment he would be a musician for music's own sake； and forgot
utterly what had appeared to him； though I doubt if it was； the sole
motive of his desire to learnnamely； the necessity of retaining
his superiority over Shargar。
What added considerably to the excitement of his feelings on the
occasion； was the expression of reverence； almost of awe； with which
the shoemaker took the instrument from its case； and the tenderness
with which he handled it。 The fact was that he had not had a violin
in his hands for nearly a year； having been compelled to pawn his
own in order to alleviate the sickness brought on his wife by his
own ill…treatment of her； once that he came home drunk from a
wedding。 It was strange to think that such dirty hands should be
able to bring such sounds out of the instrument the moment he got it
safely cuddled under his cheek。 So dirty were they； that it was
said Dooble Sanny never required to carry any rosin with him for
fiddler's need； his own fingers having always enough upon them for
one bow at least。 Yet the points of those fingers never lost the
delicacy of their touch。 Some people thought this was in virtue of
their being washed only once a weeka custom Alexander justified on
the ground that； in a trade like his； it was of no use to wash
oftener； for he would be just as dirty again before night。
The moment he began to play； the face of the soutar grew ecstatic。
He stopped at the very first note； notwithstanding； let fall his
arms； the one with the bow； the other with the violin； at his sides；
and said； with a deep…drawn respiration and lengthened utterance：
'Eh！'
Then after a pause； during which he stood motionless：
'The crater maun be a Cry Moany！ Hear till her！' he added； drawing
another long note。
Then； after another pause：
'She's a Straddle Vawrious at least！ Hear till her。 I never had
sic a combination o' timmer and catgut atween my cleuks （claws）
afore。'
As to its being a Stradivarius； or even a Cremona at all； the
testimony of Dooble Sanny was not worth much on the point。 But the
shoemaker's admiration roused in the boy's mind a reverence for the
individual instrument which he never lost。
》From that day the two were friends。
Suddenly the soutar started off at full speed in a strathspey； which
was soon lost in the wail of a Highland psalm…tune； giving place in
its turn to 'Sic a wife as Willie had！' And on he went without
pause； till Robert dared not stop any longer。 The fiddle had
bewitched the fiddler。
'Come as aften 's ye like； Robert； gin ye fess this leddy wi' ye；'
said the soutar。
And he stroked the back of the violin tenderly with his open palm。
'But wad ye hae ony objection to lat it lie aside ye； and lat me
come whan I can？'
'Objection； laddie？ I wad as sune objeck to lattin' my ain wife lie
aside me。'
'Ay；' said Robert； seized with some anxi