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magnified the law； and made it honourable； while of the special
tenderness of God to the sinner he said not a word。 Robert was
offended； he scarcely knew why； with the minister's mode of treating
his friend； and after Mr。 Maccleary had taken a far kinder leave of
them than God could approve； if he resembled his representation；
Robert sat still； oppressed with darkness。
'It's a' true；' said the soutar； 'but； man Robert； dinna ye think
the minister was some sair upo' me？'
'I duv think it；' answered Robert。
'Something beirs 't in upo' me 'at he wadna be sae sair upo' me
himsel'。 There's something i' the New Testament； some gait； 'at's
pitten 't into my heid； though； faith； I dinna ken whaur to luik for
't。 Canna ye help me oot wi' 't； man？'
Robert could think of nothing but the parable of the prodigal son。
Mrs。 Alexander got him the New Testament； and he read it。 She sat
at the foot of the bed listening。
'There！' cried the soutar； triumphantly； 'I telled ye sae！ Not ae
word aboot the puir lad's sins！ It was a' a hurry an' a scurry to
get the new shune upo' 'im； an' win at the calfie an' the fiddlin'
an' the dancin'。O Lord；' he broke out； 'I'm comin' hame as fest 's
I can； but my sins are jist like muckle bauchles （shoes down at
heel） upo' my feet and winna lat me。 I expec' nae ring and nae
robe； but I wad fain hae a fiddle i' my grup when the neist prodigal
comes hame； an' gin I dinna fiddle weel； it s' no be my wyte。Eh；
man！ but that is what I ca' gude； an' a' the minister saidhonest
man's jist blether till 't。O Lord； I sweir gin ever I win up
again； I'll put in ilka steek （stitch） as gin the shune war for the
feet o' the prodigal himsel'。 It sall be gude wark； O Lord。 An'
I'll never lat taste o' whusky intil my mou'nor smell o' whusky
intil my nose； gin sae be 'at I can help itI sweir 't； O Lord。 An'
gin I binna raised up again'
Here his voice trembled and ceased； and silence endured for a short
minute。 Then he called his wife。
'Come here； Bell。 Gie me a kiss； my bonny lass。 I hae been an ill
man to you。'
'Na； na； Sandy。 Ye hae aye been gude to mebetter nor I deserved。
Ye hae been naebody's enemy but yer ain。'
'Haud yer tongue。 Ye're speykin' waur blethers nor the minister；
honest man！ I tell ye I hae been a damned scoon'rel to ye。 I haena
even hauden my han's aff o' ye。 And eh！ ye war a bonny lass whan I
merried ye。 I hae blaudit （spoiled） ye a'thegither。 But gin I war
up； see gin I wadna gie ye a new goon； an' that wad be something to
make ye like yersel' again。 I'm affrontet wi' mysel' 'at I had been
sic a brute o' a man to ye。 But ye maun forgie me noo； for I do
believe i' my hert 'at the Lord's forgien me。 Gie me anither kiss；
lass。 God be praised； and mony thanks to you！ Ye micht hae run
awa' frae me lang or noo； an' a'body wad hae said ye did
richt。Robert； play a spring。'
Absorbed in his own thoughts； Robert began to play The Ewie wi' the
Crookit Horn。
'Hoots！ hoots！' cried Sandy angrily。 'What are ye aboot？ Nae mair
o' that。 I hae dune wi' that。 What's i' the heid o' ye； man？'
'What'll I play than； Sandy？' asked Robert meekly。
'Play The Lan' o' the Leal； or My Nannie's awa；'； or something o'
that kin'。 I'll be leal to ye noo； Bell。 An' we winna pree o' the
whusky nae mair； lass。'
'I canna bide the smell o' 't；' cried Bell； sobbing。
Robert struck in with The Lan' o' the Leal。 When he had played it
over two or three times； he laid the fiddle in its place； and
departedable just to see； by the light of the neglected candle；
that Bell sat on the bedside stroking the rosiny hand of her
husband； the rhinoceros…hide of which was yet delicate enough to let
the love through to his heart。
After this the soutar never called his fiddle his auld wife。
Robert walked home with his head sunk on his breast。 Dooble Sanny；
the drinking； ranting； swearing soutar； was inside the wicket…gate；
and he was left outside for all his prayers； with the arrows from
the castle of Beelzebub sticking in his back。 He would have another
try some daybut not yethe dared not yet。
Henceforth Robert had more to do in reading the New Testament than
in the fiddle to the soutar； though they never parted without an air
or two。 Sandy continued hopeful and generally cheerful； with
alternations which the reading generally fixed on the right side for
the night。 Robert never attempted any comments； but left him to
take from the word what nourishment he could。 There was no return
of strength to the helpless arm； and his constitution was gradually
yielding。
The rumour got abroad that he was a 'changed character；'how is not
far to seek； for Mr。 Maccleary fancied himself the honoured
instrument of his conversion； whereas paralysis and the New
Testament were the chief agents； and even the violin had more share
in it than the minister。 For the spirit of God lies all about the
spirit of man like a mighty sea； ready to rush in at the smallest
chink in the walls that shut him out from his ownwalls which even
the tone of a violin afloat on the wind of that spirit is sometimes
enough to rend from battlement to base； as the blast of the rams'
horns rent the walls of Jericho。 And now to the day of his death；
the shoemaker had need of nothing。 Food； wine； and delicacies were
sent him by many who； while they considered him outside of the
kingdom； would have troubled themselves in no way about him。 What
with visits of condolence and flattery； inquiries into his
experience； and long prayers by his bedside； they now did their best
to send him back among the swine。 The soutar's humour； however；
aided by his violin； was a strong antidote against these evil
influences。
'I doobt I'm gaein' to dee； Robert；' he said at length one evening
as the lad sat by his bedside。
'Weel； that winna do ye nae ill；' answered Robert； adding with just
a touch of bitterness'ye needna care aboot that。'
'I do not care aboot the deein' o' 't。 But I jist want to live lang
eneuch to lat the Lord ken 'at I'm in doonricht earnest aboot it。 I
hae nae chance o' drinkin' as lang's I'm lyin' here。'
'Never ye fash yer heid aboot that。 Ye can lippen （trust） that to
him； for it's his ain business。 He'll see 'at ye're a' richt。
Dinna ye think 'at he'll lat ye aff。'
'The Lord forbid；' responded the soutar earnestly。 'It maun be a'
pitten richt。 It wad be dreidfu' to be latten aff。 I wadna hae him
content wi' cobbler's wark。I hae 't；' he resumed； after a few
minutes' pause； 'the Lord's easy pleased； but ill to saitisfee。 I'm
sair pleased wi' your playin'； Robert； but it's naething like the
richt thing yet。 It does me gude to hear ye； though； for a' that。'
The very next night he found him evidently sinking fast。 Robert
took the violin； and was about to play； but the soutar stretched out
his one left hand； and took it from him； laid it across his chest
and his arm over it； for a few moments； as if he were bidding it
farewell； then held it out to Robert； saying；
'Hae； Robert。 She's yours。Death's a sair divorce。Maybe they 'll
hae an orra3 fiddle whaur I'm gaein'； though。 Think o' a Rothieden
soutar playin' afore his grace！'
Robert saw that his mind was wandering； and mingled the paltry
honours of earth with the grand simplicities of heaven。 He began to
play The Land o' the Leal。 For a little while Sandy seemed to follow
and comprehend the tones； but by slow degrees the light departed
from his face。 At length his jaw fell； and with a sigh； the body
parted from Dooble Sanny； and he went to God。
His wife closed mouth and eyes without a word； laid the two arms；
equally powerless now； straight by his sides； then seating herself
on the edge of the bed； said；
'Dinna bide； Robert。 It's a' ower noo。 He's gang hame。 Gin I war
only wi' 'im wharever he is！'
She burst into tears； but dried her eyes a moment after； and seeing
that Robert still lingered； said；
'Gang； Robert； an' sen' Mistress Downie to me。 Dinna greitthere's
a gude lad； but tak yer fiddle an' gang。 Ye can be no more use。'
Robert obeyed。 With his violin in his hand； he went home； and； with
his violin still in his hand； walked into his grandmother's parlour。
'Hoo daur ye bring sic a thing into my hoose？' she said； roused by
the apparent defiance of her grandson。 'Hoo daur ye； efter what's
come an' gane？'
''Cause Dooble Sanny's come and gane； grannie； and left naething but
this ahint him。 And this ane's mine； whase ever the ither micht be。
His wife's left wi'oot a plack； an' I s' warran' the gude fowk o'
Rothieden winna mak sae muckle o' her noo 'at her man's awa'； for
she never was sic a randy as he was； an' the triumph o' grace in her
's but sma'； therefore。 Sae I maun mak the best 'at I can o' the
fiddle for her。 An' ye maunna touch this ane； grannie； for though
ye way