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yet discovered nothing。 The moment she entered the upper garret；
however
'There's an ill…faured smell here； Betty；' she said； believing that
they had at last found the trail of the mystery； 'but it's no like
the smell o' rabbits。 Jist luik i' the nuik there ahin' the door。'
'There's naething here；' responded Betty。
'Roon the en' o' that kist there。 I s' luik into the press。'
As Betty rose from her search behind the chest and turned towards
her mistress； her eyes crossed the cavernous opening of the bed。
There； to her horror； she beheld a face like that of a galvanised
corpse staring at her from the darkness。 Shargar was in a sitting
posture； paralysed with terror； waiting； like a fascinated bird；
till Mrs。 Falconer and Betty should make the final spring upon him；
and do whatever was equivalent to devouring him upon the spot。 He
had sat up to listen to the noise of their ascending footsteps； and
fear had so overmastered him； that he either could not； or forgot
that he could lie down and cover his head with some of the many
garments scattered around him。
'I didna say whusky； did I？' he kept repeating to himself； in utter
imbecility of fear。
'The Lord preserve 's！' exclaimed Betty； the moment she could speak；
for during the first few seconds； having caught the infection of
Shargar's expression； she stood equally paralysed。 'The Lord
preserve 's！' she repeated。
'Ance is eneuch；' said Mrs。 Falconer； sharply； turning round to see
what the cause of Betty's ejaculation might be。
I have said that she was dim…sighted。 The candle they had was
little better than a penny dip。 The bed was darker than the rest of
the room。 Shargar's face had none of the more distinctive
characteristics of manhood upon it。
'Gude preserve 's！' exclaimed Mrs。 Falconer in her turn： 'it's a
wumman。'
Poor deluded Shargar； thinking himself safer under any form than
that which he actually bore； attempted no protest against the
mistake。 But； indeed； he was incapable of speech。 The two women
flew upon him to drag him out of bed。 Then first recovering his
powers of motion； he sprung up in an agony of terror； and darted out
between them； overturning Betty in his course。
'Ye rouch limmer！' cried Betty； from the floor。 'Ye lang…leggit
jaud！' she added； as she roseand at the same moment Shargar banged
the street…door behind him in his terror'I wat ye dinna carry yer
coats ower syde （too long）！'
For Shargar； having discovered that the way to get the most warmth
from Robert's great…grandfather's kilt was to wear it in the manner
for which it had been fabricated； was in the habit of fastening it
round his waist before he got into bed； and the eye of Betty； as she
fell； had caught the swing of this portion of his attire。
But poor Mrs。 Falconer； with sunken head； walked out of the garret
in the silence of despair。 She went slowly down the steep stair；
supporting herself against the wall； her round…toed shoes creaking
solemnly as she went； took refuge in the ga'le…room； and burst into
a violent fit of weeping。 For such depravity she was not prepared。
What a terrible curse hung over her family！ Surely they were all
reprobate from the womb； not one elected for salvation from the
guilt of Adam's fall； and therefore abandoned to Satan as his
natural prey； to be led captive of him at his will。 She threw
herself on her knees at the side of the bed； and prayed
heart…brokenly。 Betty heard her as she limped past the door on her
way back to her kitchen。
Meantime Shargar had rushed across the next street on his bare feet
into the Crookit Wynd； terrifying poor old Kirstan Peerie； the
divisions betwixt the compartments of whose memory had broken down；
into the exclamation to her next neighbour； Tam Rhin； with whom she
was trying to gossip：
'Eh； Tammas！ that'll be ane o' the slauchtert at Culloden。'
He never stopped till he reached his mother's deserted
abodestrange instinct！ There he ran to earth like a hunted fox。
Rushing at the door； forgetful of everything but refuge； he found
it unlocked； and closing it behind him； stood panting like the hart
that has found the water…brooks。 The owner had looked in one day to
see whether the place was worth repairing； for it was a mere
outhouse； and had forgotten to turn the key when he left it。 Poor
Shargar！ Was it more or less of a refuge that the mother that bore
him was not there either to curse or welcome his return？ Lessif
we may judge from a remark he once made in my hearing many long
years after：
'For； ye see；' he said； 'a mither's a mither； be she the verra
de'il。'
Searching about in the dark； he found the one article unsold by the
landlord； a stool； with but two of its natural three legs。 On this
he balanced himself and waitedsimply for what Robert would do； for
his faith in Robert was unbounded； and he had no other hope on
earth。 But Shargar was not miserable。 In that wretched hovel； his
bare feet clasping the clay floor in constant search of a wavering
equilibrium； with pitch darkness around him； and incapable of the
simplest philosophical or religious reflection； he yet found life
good。 For it had interest。 Nay； more； it had hope。 I doubt；
however； whether there is any interest at all without hope。
While he sat there； Robert； thinking him snug in the garret； was
walking quietly home from the shoemaker's； and his first impulse on
entering was to run up and recount the particulars of his interview
with Alexander。 Arrived in the dark garret； he called Shargar； as
usual； in a whisperreceived no replythought he was
asleepcalled louder （for he had had a penny from his grandmother
that day for bringing home two pails of water for Betty； and had
just spent it upon a loaf for him）but no Shargar replied。
Thereupon he went to the bed to lay hold of him and shake him。 But
his searching hands found no Shargar。 Becoming alarmed； he ran
down…stairs to beg a light from Betty。
When he reached the kitchen； he found Betty's nose as much in the
air as its construction would permit。 For a hook…nosed animal； she
certainly was the most harmless and ovine creature in the world； but
this was a case in which feminine modesty was both concerned and
aggrieved。 She showed her resentment no further； however； than by
simply returning no answer in syllable； or sound； or motion； to
Robert's request。 She was washing up the tea…things； and went on
with her work as if she had been in absolute solitude； saving that
her countenance could hardly have kept up that expression of injured
dignity had such been the case。 Robert plainly saw； to his great
concern； that his secret had been discovered in his absence； and
that Shargar had been expelled with contumely。 But； with an
instinct of facing the worst at once which accompanied him through
life； he went straight to his grandmother's parlour。
'Well； grandmamma；' he said； trying to speak as cheerfully as he
could。
Grannie's prayers had softened her a little； else she would have
been as silent as Betty； for it was from her mistress that Betty had
learned this mode of torturing a criminal。 So she was just able to
return his greeting in the words； 'Weel； Robert；' pronounced in a
finality of tone that indicated she had done her utmost； and had
nothing to add。
'Here's a browst （brewage）！' thought Robert to himself； and； still
on the principle of flying at the first of mischief he sawthe best
mode of meeting it； no doubtaddressed his grandmother at once。
The effort necessary gave a tone of defiance to his words。
'What for willna ye speik to me； grannie？' he said。 'I'm no a
haithen； nor yet a papist。'
'Ye're waur nor baith in ane； Robert。'
'Hoots！ ye winna say baith； grannie；' returned Robert； who； even at
the age of fourteen； when once compelled to assert himself； assumed
a modest superiority。
'Nane o' sic impidence！' retorted Mrs。 Falconer。 'I wonner whaur ye
learn that。 But it's nae wonner。 Evil communications corrupt gude
mainners。 Ye're a lost prodigal； Robert； like yer father afore ye。
I hae jist been sittin' here thinkin' wi' mysel' whether it wadna
be better for baith o' 's to lat ye gang an' reap the fruit o' yer
doin's at ance； for the hard ways is the best road for
transgressors。 I'm no bund to keep ye。'
'Weel； weel； I s' awa' to Shargar。 Him and me 'ill haud on
thegither better nor you an' me； grannie。 He's a puir cratur； but
he can stick till a body。'
'What are ye haverin' aboot Shargar for； ye heepocreet loon？ Ye'll
no gang to Shargar； I s' warran'！ Ye'll be efter that vile limmer
that's turnt my honest hoose intil a sty this last fortnicht。'
'Grannie； I dinna ken what ye mean。'
'She kens； than。 I sent her aff like ane o' Samson's foxes； wi' a
firebrand at her tail。 It's a pity it wasna tied atween the twa o'
ye。'
'Preserve 's； gra