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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 body to
begin？'
'By giein' up the drink； man。'
'AyayayI reckon ye're richt。 Weel； I'll think aboot it whan
ance I'm throu wi' this job。 That'll be neist ook； or thereabouts；
or aiblins twa days efter。 I'll hae some leiser than。'
Before he had finished speaking he had caught up his awl and begun
to work vigorously； boring his holes as if the nerves of feeling
were continued to the point of the tool； inserting the bristles that
served him for needles with a delicacy worthy of soft…skinned
fingers； drawing through the rosined threads with a whisk； and
untwining them with a crack from the leather that guarded his hands。
'Gude nicht to ye；' said Robert； with the fiddle…case under his arm。
The shoemaker looked up； with his hands bound in his threads。
'Ye're no gaein' to tak her frae me the nicht？'
'Ay am I； but I'll fess her back again。 I'm no gaein' to Jericho
wi' her。'
'Gang to Hecklebirnie wi' her； and that's three mile ayont hell。'
'Na； we maun win farther nor that。 There canna； be muckle fiddlin'
there。'
'Weel； tak her to the new Jeroozlem。 I s' gang doon to Lucky
Leary's； and fill mysel' roarin' fou； an' it'll be a' your wyte
（blame）。'
'I doobt ye'll get the straiks （blows） though。 Or maybe ye think
Bell 'ill tak them for ye。'
Dooble Sanny caught up a huge boot； the sole of which was filled
with broad…headed nails as thick as they could be driven； and； in a
rage； threw it at Robert as he darted out。 Through its clang
against the door…cheek； the shoemaker heard a cry from the
instrument。 He cast everything from him and sprang after Robert。
But Robert was down the wynd like a long…legged grayhound； and
Elshender could only follow like a fierce mastiff。 It was love and
grief； though； and apprehension and remorse； not vengeance； that
winged his heels。 He soon saw that pursuit was vain。
'Robert！ Robert！' he cried； 'I canna win up wi' ye。 Stop； for
God's sake！ Is she hurtit？'
Robert stopped at once。
'Ye hae made a bonny leddy o' hera lameter （cripple） I doobt； like
yer wife；' he answered； with indignation。
'Dinna be aye flingin' a man's fau'ts in 's face。 It jist maks him
'at he canna； bide himsel' or you eyther。 Lat's see the bonny
crater。'
Robert complied； for he too was anxious。 They were now standing in
the space in front of Shargar's old abode； and there was no one to
be seen。 Elshender took the box； opened it carefully； and peeped in
with a face of great apprehension。
'I thocht that was a'！' he said with some satisfaction。 'I kent the
string whan I heard it。 But we'll sune get a new thairm till her；'
he added； in a tone of sorrowful commiseration and condolence； as he
took the violin from the case； tenderly as if it had been a hurt
child。
One touch of the bow； drawing out a goul of grief； satisfied him
that she was uninjured。 Next a hurried inspection showed him that
there was enough of the catgut twisted round the peg to make up for
the part that was broken off。 In a moment he had fastened it to the
tail…piece； tightened and tuned it。 Forthwith he took the bow from
the case…lid； and in jubilant guise he expatiated upon the wrong he
had done his bonny leddy； till the doors and windows around were
crowded with heads peering through the dark to see whence the sounds
came； and a little child toddled across from one of the lowliest
houses with a ha'penny for the fiddler。 Gladly would Robert have
restored it with interest； but； alas！ there was no interest in his
bank； for not a ha'penny had he in the world。 The incident recalled
Sandy to Rothieden and its cares。 He restored the violin to its
case； and while Robert was fearing he would take it under his arm
and walk away with it； handed it back with a humble sigh and a
'Praise be thankit；' then； without another word； turned and went to
his lonely stool and home 'untreasured of its mistress。' Robert
went home too； and stole like a thief to his room。
The next day was a Saturday； which； indeed； was the real old
Sabbath； or at least the half of it； to the schoolboys of Rothieden。
Even Robert's grannie was Jew enough； or rather Christian enough；
to respect this remnant of the fourth commandmentdivine antidote
to the rest of the godless money…making and soul…saving weekand he
had the half…day to himself。 So as soon as he had had his dinner；
he managed to give Shargar the slip； left him to the inroads of a
desolate despondency； and stole away to the old factory…garden。 The
key of that he had managed to purloin from the kitchen where it
hung； nor was there much danger of its absence being discovered；
seeing that in winter no one thought of the garden。 The smuggling
of the violin out of the house was the 'dearest danger'the more so
that he would not run the risk of carrying her out unprotected； and
it was altogether a bulky venture with the case。 But by spying and
speeding he managed it； and soon found himself safe within the high
walls of the garden。
It was early spring。 There had been a heavy fall of sleet in the
morning； and now the wind blew gustfully about the place。 The
neglected trees shook showers upon him as he passed under them；
trampling down the rank growth of the grass…walks。 The long twigs
of the wall…trees； which had never been nailed up； or had been torn
down by the snow and the blasts of winter； went trailing away in the
moan of the fitful wind； and swung back as it sunk to a sigh。 The
currant and gooseberry bushes； bare and leafless； and 'shivering all
for cold；' neither reminded him of the feasts of the past summer；
nor gave him any hope for the next。 He strode careless through it
all to gain the door at the bottom。 It yielded to a push； and the
long grass streamed in over the threshold as he entered。 He mounted
by a broad stair in the main part of the house； passing the silent
clock in one of its corners； now expiating in motionlessness the
false accusations it had brought against the work…people； and turned
into the chaos of machinery。
I fear that my readers will expect； from the minuteness with which I
recount these particulars； that； after all； I am going to describe a
rendezvous with a lady； or a ghost at least。 I will not plead in
excuse that I； too； have been infected with Sandy's mode of
regarding her； but I plead that in the mind of Robert the proceeding
was involved in something of that awe and mystery with which a youth
approaches the woman he loves。 He had not yet arrived at the period
when the feminine assumes its paramount influence； combining in
itself all that music； colour； form； odour； can suggest； with
something infinitely higher and more divine； but he had begun to be
haunted with some vague aspirations towards the infinite； of which
his attempts on the violin were the outcome。 And now that he was to
be alone； for the first time； with this wonderful realizer of dreams
and awakener of visions； to do with her as he would； to hint by
gentle touches at the thoughts that were fluttering in his soul； and
listen for her voice that by the echoes in which she strove to
respond he might know that she understood him； it was no wonder if
he felt an ethereal foretaste of the expectation that haunts the
approach of souls。
But I am not even going to describe his first tête…à…tête with his
violin。 Perhaps he returned from it somewhat disappointed。
Probably he found her coy； unready to acknowledge his demands on
her attention。 But not the less willingly did he return with her to
the solitude of the ruinous factory。 On every safe occasion；
becoming more and more frequent as the days grew longer； he repaired
thither； and every time returned more capable of drawing the
coherence of melody from that matrix of sweet sounds。
At length the people about began to say that the factory was
haunted； that the ghost of old Mr。 Falconer； unable to repose while
neglect was ruining the precious results of his industry； visited
the place night after night； and solaced his disappointment by
renewing on his favourite violin strains not yet forgotten by him in
his grave； and remembered well by those who had been in his service；
not a few of whom lived in the neighbourhood of the forsaken
building。
One gusty afternoon； like the first； but late in the spring； Robert
repaired as usual to this his secret haunt。 He had played for some
time； and now； from a sudden pause of impulse； had ceased； and begun
to look around him。 The only light came from two long pale cracks
in the rain…clouds of the west。 The wind was blowing through the
broken windows； which stretched away on either hand。 A dreary；
windy gloom； therefore； pervaded the desolate place； and in the
dusk； and their settled order； the machines looked multitud