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the grun' 's het i' the noo； an' I dinna want to be ower sair upon
him； for he's a fine chield； an' 'll mak a fine fiddler gin he live
lang eneuch。〃'
Mrs。 Falconer left the shop without another word； but with an awful
suspicion which the last heedless words of the shoemaker had aroused
in her bosom。 She left him bursting with laughter over his
lapstone。 He caught up his fiddle and played The De'il's i' the
Women lustily and with expression。 But he little thought what he
had done。
As soon as she reached her own room； she went straight to her bed
and disinterred the bonny leddy's coffin。 She was gone； and in her
stead； horror of horrors！ lay in the unhallowed chest that body of
divinity known as Boston's Fourfold State。 Vexation； anger；
disappointment； and grief possessed themselves of the old woman's
mind。 She ranged the house like the 'questing beast' of the Round
Table； but failed in finding the violin before the return of the
boys。 Not a word did she say all that evening； and their oppressed
hearts foreboded ill。 They felt that there was thunder in the
clouds； a sleeping storm in the air； but how or when it would break
they had no idea。
Robert came home to dinner the next day a few minutes before
Shargar。 As he entered his grandmother's parlour； a strange odour
greeted his sense。 A moment more； and he stood rooted with horror；
and his hair began to rise on his head。 His violin lay on its back
on the fire； and a yellow tongue of flame was licking the red lips
of a hole in its belly。 All its strings were shrivelled up save
one； which burst as he gazed。 And beside； stern as a Druidess； sat
his grandmother in her chair； feeding her eyes with grim
satisfaction on the detestable sacrifice。 At length the rigidity of
Robert's whole being relaxed in an involuntary howl like that of a
wild beast； and he turned and rushed from the house in a helpless
agony of horror。 Where he was going he knew not； only a blind
instinct of modesty drove him to hide his passion from the eyes of
men。
》From her window Miss St。 John saw him tearing like one demented
along the top walk of the captain's garden； and watched for his
return。 He came far sooner than she expected。
Before he arrived at the factory； Robert began to hear strange
sounds in the desolate place。 When he reached the upper floor； he
found men with axe and hammer destroying the old woodwork； breaking
the old jennies； pitching the balls of lead into baskets； and
throwing the spools into crates。 Was there nothing but destruction
in the world？ There； most horrible！ his 'bonny leddy' dying of
flames； and here； the temple of his refuge torn to pieces by
unhallowed hands！ What could it mean？ Was his grandmother's
vengeance here too？ But he did not care。 He only felt like the
dove sent from the ark； that there was no rest for the sole of his
foot； that there was no place to hide his head in his agonythat he
was naked to the universe； and like a heartless wild thing hunted
till its brain is of no more use； he turned and rushed back again
upon his track。 At one end was the burning idol； at the other the
desecrated temple。
No sooner had he entered the captain's garden than Miss St。 John met
him。
'What is the matter with you； Robert？' she asked； kindly。
'Oh； mem！' gasped Robert； and burst into a very storm of weeping。
It was long before he could speak。 He cowered before Miss St。 John
as if conscious of an unfriendly presence； and seeking to shelter
himself by her tall figure from his grandmother's eyes。 For who
could tell but at the moment she might be gazing upon him from some
window； or even from the blue vault above？ There was no escaping
her。 She was the all…seeing eye personifiedthe eye of the God of
the theologians of his country； always searching out the evil； and
refusing to acknowledge the good。 Yet so gentle and faithful was
the heart of Robert； that he never thought of her as cruel。 He took
it for granted that somehow or other she must be right。 Only what a
terrible thing such righteousness was！ He stood and wept before the
lady。
Her heart was sore for the despairing boy。 She drew him to a little
summer…seat。 He entered with her； and sat down； weeping still。 She
did her best to soothe him。 At last； sorely interrupted by sobs； he
managed to let her know the fate of his 'bonnie leddy。' But when he
came to the words； 'She's burnin' in there upo' granny's fire；' he
broke out once more with that wild howl of despair； and then；
ashamed of himself； ceased weeping altogether； though he could not
help the intrusion of certain chokes and sobs upon his otherwise
even； though low and sad speech。
Knowing nothing of Mrs。 Falconer's character； Miss St。 John set her
down as a cruel and heartless as well as tyrannical and bigoted old
woman； and took the mental position of enmity towards her。 In a
gush of motherly indignation she kissed Robert on the forehead。
》From that chrism he arose a king。
He dried his eyes； not another sob even broke from him； he gave one
look； but no word of gratitude； to Miss St。 John； bade her good…bye；
and walked composedly into his grandmother's parlour； where the neck
of the violin yet lay upon the fire only half consumed。 The rest
had vanished utterly。
'What are they duin' doon at the fact'ry； grannie？' he asked。
'What's wha duin'； laddie？' returned his grandmother； curtly。
'They're takin' 't doon。'
'Takin' what doon？' she returned； with raised voice。
'Takin' doon the hoose。'
The old woman rose。
'Robert； ye may hae spite in yer hert for what I hae dune this
mornin'； but I cud do no ither。 An' it's an ill thing to tak sic
amen's o' me； as gin I had dune wrang； by garrin' me troo 'at yer
grandfather's property was to gang the gait o' 's auld； useless；
ill…mainnert scraich o' a fiddle。'
'She was the bonniest fiddle i' the country…side； grannie。 And she
never gae a scraich in her life 'cep' whan she was han'let in a
mainner unbecomin'。 But we s' say nae mair aboot her； for she's
gane； an' no by a fair strae…deith （death on one's own straw）
either。 She had nae blude to cry for vengeance； but the snappin' o'
her strings an' the crackin' o' her banes may hae made a cry to gang
far eneuch notwithstandin'。'
The old woman seemed for one moment rebuked under her grandson's
eloquence。 He had made a great stride towards manhood since the
morning。
'The fiddle's my ain；' she said； in a defensive tone。 'And sae is
the fact'ry；' she added； as if she had not quite reassured herself
concerning it。
'The fiddle's yours nae mair； grannie。 And for the fact'ryye
winna believe me： gang and see yersel'。'
Therewith Robert retreated to his garret。
When he opened the door of it； the first thing he saw was the string
of his kite； which； strange to tell； so steady had been the wind；
was still up in the airstill tugging at the bedpost。 Whether it
was from the stinging thought that the true sky…soarer； the violin；
having been devoured by the jaws of the fire…devil； there was no
longer any significance in the outward and visible sign of the
dragon； or from a dim feeling that the time of kites was gone by and
manhood on the threshold； I cannot tell； but he drew his knife from
his pocket； and with one down…stroke cut the string in twain。 Away
went the dragon； free； like a prodigal； to his ruin。 And with the
dragon； afar into the past； flew the childhood of Robert Falconer。
He made one remorseful dart after the string as it swept out of the
skylight； but it was gone beyond remeid。 And never more； save in
twilight dreams； did he lay hold on his childhood again。 But he
knew better and better； as the years rolled on； that he approached a
deeper and holier childhood； of which that had been but the feeble
and necessarily vanishing type。
As the kite sank in the distance； Mrs。 Falconer issued from the
house； and went down the street towards the factory。
Before she came back the cloth was laid for dinner； and Robert and
Shargar were both in the parlour awaiting her return。 She entered
heated and dismayed； went into Robert's bedroom； and shut the door
hastily。 They heard her open the old bureau。 In a moment after she
came out with a more luminous expression upon her face than Robert
had ever seen it bear。 It was as still as ever； but there was a
strange light in her eyes； which was not confined to her eyes； but
shone in a measure from her colourless forehead and cheeks as well。
It was long before Robert was able to interpret that change in her
look； and that increase of kindness towards himself and Shargar；
apparently such a contrast with the holocaust of the morning。 Had
they both been Benjamins they could not have had more abundant
platefuls than she gave them that day。 And when they left her to
return to school； instead of the usual 'N