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been compelled to take his fiddle to church with him； and have a
gentle scrape at it in the pauses of the service； only there are no
such pauses in the service； alas！ And Dooble Sanny； though not too
religious to get drunk occasionally； was a great deal too religious
to play his fiddle on the Sabbath： he would not willingly anger the
powers above； but it was sometimes a sore temptation； especially
after he got possession of old Mr。 Falconer's wonderful instrument。
'Hoots； man！' he would say to Robert； 'dinna han'le； her as gin she
war an egg…box。 Tak haud o' her as gin she war a leevin' crater。
Ye maun jist straik her canny； an' wile the music oot o' her； for
she's like ither women： gin ye be rouch wi' her； ye winna get a word
oot o' her。 An' dinna han'le her that gait。 She canna bide to be
contred an' pu'd this gait and that gait。Come to me； my bonny
leddy。 Ye'll tell me yer story； winna ye； my dauty （pet）？'
And with every gesture as if he were humouring a shy and invalid
girl； he would； as he said； wile the music out of her in sobs and
wailing； till the instrument； gathering courage in his embrace； grew
gently merry in its confidence； and broke at last into airy
laughter。 He always spoke； and apparently thought； of his violin as
a woman； just as a sailor does of his craft。 But there was nothing
about him； except his love for music and its instruments； to suggest
other than a most uncivilized nature。 That which was fine in him
was constantly checked and held down by the gross； the merely animal
overpowered the spiritual； and it was only upon occasion that his
heavenly companion； the violin； could raise him a few feet above the
mire and the clay。 She never succeeded in setting his feet on a
rock； while； on the contrary； he often dragged her with him into the
mire of questionable company and circumstances。 Worthy Mr。 Falconer
would have been horrified to see his umquhile modest companion in
such society as that into which she was now introduced at times。
But nevertheless the soutar was a good and patient teacher； and
although it took Robert rather more than a fortnight to redeem his
pledge to Shargar； he did make progress。 It could not； however； be
rapid； seeing that an hour at a time； two evenings in the week； was
all that he could give to the violin。 Even with this moderation；
the risk of his absence exciting his grandmother's suspicion and
inquiry was far from small。
And now； were those really faded old memories of his grandfather and
his merry kindness； all so different from the solemn benevolence of
his grandmother； which seemed to revive in his bosom with the
revivification of the violin？ The instrument had surely laid up a
story in its hollow breast； had been dreaming over it all the time
it lay hidden away in the closet； and was now telling out its dreams
about the old times in the ear of the listening boy。 To him also it
began to assume something of that mystery and life which had such a
softening； and； for the moment at least； elevating influence on his
master。
At length the love of the violin had grown upon him so； that he
could not but cast about how he might enjoy more of its company。 It
would not do； for many reasons； to go oftener to the shoemaker's；
especially now that the days were getting longer。 Nor was that what
he wanted。 He wanted opportunity for practice。 He wanted to be
alone with the creature； to see if she would not say something more
to him than she had ever said yet。 Wafts and odours of melodies
began to steal upon him ere he was aware in the half lights between
sleeping and waking： if he could only entice them to creep out of
the violin； and once 'bless his humble ears' with the bodily hearing
of them！ Perhaps he mightwho could tell？ But how？ But where？
There was a building in Rothieden not old； yet so deserted that its
very history seemed to have come to a standstill； and the dust that
filled it to have fallen from the plumes of passing centuries。 It
was the property of Mrs。 Falconer； left her by her husband。 Trade
had gradually ebbed away from the town till the thread…factory stood
unoccupied； with all its machinery rusting and mouldering； just as
the work…people had risen and left it one hot； midsummer day； when
they were told that their services were no longer required。 Some of
the thread even remained upon the spools； and in the hollows of some
of the sockets the oil had as yet dried only into a paste； although
to Robert the desertion of the place appeared immemorial。 It stood
at a furlong's distance from the house； on the outskirt of the town。
There was a large； neglected garden behind it； with some good
fruit…trees； and plenty of the bushes which boys love for the sake
of their berries。 After grannie's jam…pots were properly filled；
the remnant of these； a gleaning far greater than the gathering； was
at the disposal of Robert； and； philosopher although in some measure
he was already； he appreciated the privilege。 Haunting this garden
in the previous summer； he had for the first time made acquaintance
with the interior of the deserted factory。 The door to the road was
always kept locked； and the key of it lay in one of grannie's
drawers； but he had then discovered a back entrance less securely
fastened； and with a strange mingling of fear and curiosity had from
time to time extended his rambles over what seemed to him the huge
desolation of the place。 Half of it was well built of stone and
lime； but of the other half the upper part was built of wood； which
now showed signs of considerable decay。 One room opened into
another through the length of the place； revealing a vista of
machines； standing with an air of the last folding of the wings of
silence over them； and the sense of a deeper and deeper sinking into
the soundless abyss。 But their activity was not so far vanished but
that by degrees Robert came to fancy that he had some time or other
seen a woman seated at each of those silent powers； whose single
hand set the whole frame in motion； with its numberless spindles and
spools rapidly revolvinga vague mystery of endless threads in
orderly complication； out of which came some desired； to him
unknown； result； so that the whole place was full of a bewildering
tumult of work； every little reel contributing its share； as the
water…drops clashing together make the roar of a tempest。 Now all
was still as the church on a week…day； still as the school on a
Saturday afternoon。 Nay； the silence seemed to have settled down
like the dust； and grown old and thick； so dead and old that the
ghost of the ancient noise had arisen to haunt the place。
Thither would Robert carry his violin； and there would he woo her。
'I'm thinkin' I maun tak her wi' me the nicht； Sanders；' he said；
holding the fiddle lovingly to his bosom； after he had finished his
next lesson。
The shoemaker looked blank。
'Ye're no gaein' to desert me； are ye？'
'Na； weel I wat！' returned Robert。 'But I want to try her at hame。
I maun get used till her a bittie； ye ken； afore I can du onything
wi' her。'
'I wiss ye had na brought her here ava。 What I am to du wantin'
her！'
'What for dinna ye get yer ain back？'
'I haena the siller； man。 And； forbye； I doobt I wadna be that sair
content wi' her noo gin I had her。 I used to think her gran'。 But
I'm clean oot o' conceit o' her。 That bonnie leddy's ta'en 't clean
oot o' me。'
'But ye canna hae her aye； ye ken； Sanders。 She's no mine。 She's
my grannie's； ye ken。'
'What's the use o' her to her？ She pits nae vailue upon her。 Eh；
man； gin she wad gie her to me； I wad haud her i' the best o' shune
a' the lave o' her days。'
'That wadna be muckle； Sanders； for she hasna had a new pair sin'
ever I mind。'
'But I wad haud Betty in shune as weel。'
'Betty pays for her ain shune； I reckon。'
'Weel； I wad haud you in shune； and yer bairns； and yer bairns'
bairns；' cried the soutar； with enthusiasm。
'Hoot； toot； man！ Lang or that ye'll be fiddlin' i' the new
Jeroozlem。'
'Eh； man！' said Alexander； looking uphe had just cracked the
roset…ends off his hands； for he had the upper leather of a boot in
the grasp of the clams； and his right hand hung arrested on its
blind way to the awl'duv ye think there'll be fiddles there？ I
thocht they war a' hairps； a thing 'at I never saw； but it canna be
up till a fiddle。'
'I dinna ken；' answered Robert； 'but ye suld mak a pint o' seein'
for yersel'。'
'Gin I thoucht there wad be fiddles there； faith I wad hae a try。
It wadna be muckle o' a Jeroozlem to me wantin' my fiddle。 But gin
there be fiddles； I daursay they'll be gran' anes。 I daursay they
wad gi' me a new aneI mean ane as auld as Noah's 'at he played i'
the ark whan the de'il cam' in by to hearken。 I wad fain hae a try。
Ye ken a' aboot it wi' that grannie o' yours： hoo's a bo