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had been a Celt now； I should have said I had a touch of the second
sight。 But I am； as far as I know； pure Northman。'
'What did you see？' asked Robert； with a strange feeling that miles
of the spirit world； if one may be allowed such a contradiction in
words； lay between him and his friend。
Ericson returned no answer。 Robert feared he was going to have a
relapse； but in a moment more he lifted himself up and bent again to
the brae。
They got on pretty well till they were about the middle of the
Gallowgate。
'I can't；' said Ericson feebly； and half leaned； half fell against
the wall of a house。
'Come into this shop；' said Robert。 'I ken the man。 He'll lat ye
sit doon。'
He managed to get him in。 He was as pale as death。 The bookseller
got a chair； and he sank into it。 Robert was almost at his wit's
end。 There was no such thing as a cab in Aberdeen for years and
years after the date of my story。 He was holding a glass of water
to Ericson's lips；when he heard his name； in a low earnest
whisper； from the door。 There； round the door…cheek； peered the
white face and red head of Shargar。
'Robert！ Robert！' said Shargar。
'I hear ye；' returned Robert coolly： he was too anxious to be
surprised at anything。 'Haud yer tongue。 I'll come to ye in a
minute。'
Ericson recovered a little； refused the whisky offered by the
bookseller； rose； and staggered out。
'If I were only home！' he said。 'But where is home？'
'We'll try to mak ane；' returned Robert。 'Tak a haud o' me。 Lay yer
weicht upo' me。Gin it warna for yer len'th； I cud cairry ye weel
eneuch。 Whaur's that Shargar？' he muttered to himself； looking up
and down the gloomy street。
But no Shargar was to be seen。 Robert peered in vain into every
dark court they crept past； till at length he all but came to the
conclusion that Shargar was only 'fantastical。'
When they had reached the hollow； and were crossing then
canal…bridge by Mount Hooly； Ericson's strength again failed him；
and again he leaned upon the bridge。 Nor had he leaned long before
Robert found that he had fainted。 In desperation he began to hoist
the tall form upon his back； when he heard the quick step of a
runner behind him and the words
'Gie 'im to me； Robert； gie 'im to me。 I can carry 'im fine。'
'Haud awa' wi' ye；' returned Robert； and again Shargar fell behind。
For a few hundred yards he trudged along manfully； but his strength；
more from the nature of his burden than its weight； soon gave way。
He stood still to recover。 The same moment Shargar was by his side
again。
'Noo； Robert；' he said； pleadingly。
Robert yielded； and the burden was shifted to Shargar's back。
How they managed it they hardly knew themselves； but after many
changes they at last got Ericson home； and up to his own room。 He
had revived several times； but gone off again。 In one of his
faints； Robert undressed him and got him into bed。 He had so little
to cover him； that Robert could not help crying with misery。 He
himself was well provided； and would gladly have shared with
Ericson； but that was hopeless。 He could； however； make him warm in
bed。 Then leaving Shargar in charge； he sped back to the new town
to Dr。 Anderson。 The doctor had his carriage out at once； wrapped
Robert in a plaid and brought him home with him。
Ericson came to himself； and seeing Shargar by his bedside； tried to
sit up； asking feebly；
'Where am I？'
'In yer ain bed； Mr。 Ericson；' answered Shargar。
'And who are you？' asked Ericson again； bewildered。
Shargar's pale face no doubt looked strange under his crown of red
hair。
'Ow！ I'm naebody。'
'You must be somebody； or else my brain's in a bad state；' returned
Ericson。
'Na； na； I'm naebody。 Naething ava （at all）。 Robert 'll be hame in
ae meenit。I'm Robert's tyke （dog）；' concluded Shargar； with a
sudden inspiration。
This answer seemed to satisfy Ericson； for he closed his eyes and
lay still； nor did he speak again till Robert arrived with the
doctor。
Poor food； scanty clothing； undue exertion in travelling to and from
the university； hard mental effort against weakness； disquietude of
mind； all borne with an endurance unconscious of itself； had reduced
Eric Ericson to his present condition。 Strength had given way at
last； and he was now lying in the low border wash of a dead sea of
fever。
The last of an ancient race of poor men； he had no relative but a
second cousin； and no means except the little he advanced him；
chiefly in kind； to be paid for when Eric had a profession。 This
cousin was in the herring trade； and the chief assistance he gave
him was to send him by sea； from Wick to Aberdeen； a small barrel of
his fish every session。 One herring； with two or three potatoes；
formed his dinner as long as the barrel lasted。 But at Aberdeen or
elsewhere no one carried his head more erect than Eric Ericsonnot
from pride； but from simplicity and inborn dignity； and there was
not a man during his curriculum more respected than he。 An
excellent classical scholaras scholarship went in those dayshe
was almost the only man in the university who made his knowledge of
Latin serve towards an acquaintance with the Romance languages。 He
had gained a small bursary； and gave lessons when he could。
But having no level channel for the outgoing of the waters of one of
the tenderest hearts that ever lived； those waters had sought to
break a passage upwards。 Herein his experience corresponded in a
considerable degree to that of Robert； only Eric's more fastidious
and more instructed nature bred a thousand difficulties which he
would meet one by one； whereas Robert； less delicate and more
robust； would break through all the oppositions of theological
science falsely so called； and take the kingdom of heaven by force。
But indeed the ruins of the ever falling temple of theology had
accumulated far more heavily over Robert's well of life； than over
that of Ericson： the obstructions to his faith were those that
rolled from the disintegrating mountains of humanity； rather than
the rubbish heaped upon it by the careless masons who take the
quarry whence they hew the stones for the templebuilt without
hands eternal in the heavens。
When Dr。 Anderson entered； Ericson opened his eyes wide。 The doctor
approached； and taking his hand began to feel his pulse。 Then first
Ericson comprehended his visit。
'I can't；' he said； withdrawing his hand。 'I am not so ill as to
need a doctor。'
'My dear sir；' said Dr。 Anderson； courteously； 'there will be no
occasion to put you to any pain。'
'Sir；' said Eric； 'I have no money。'
The doctor laughed。
'And I have more than I know how to make a good use of。'
'I would rather be left alone；' persisted Ericson； turning his face
away。
'Now； my dear sir；' said the doctor； with gentle decision； 'that is
very wrong。 With what face can you offer a kindness when your turn
comes； if you won't accept one yourself？'
Ericson held out his wrist。 Dr。 Anderson questioned； prescribed；
and； having given directions； went home； to call again in the
morning。
And now Robert was somewhat in the position of the old woman who
'had so many children she didn't know what to do。' Dr。 Anderson
ordered nourishment for Ericson； and here was Shargar upon his hands
as well！ Shargar and he could share； to be sure； and exist： but for
Ericson？
Not a word did Robert exchange with Shargar till he had gone to the
druggist's and got the medicine for Ericson； who； after taking it；
fell into a troubled sleep。 Then； leaving the two doors open；
Robert joined Shargar in his own room。 There he made up a good
fire； and they sat and dried themselves。
'Noo； Shargar；' said Robert at length； 'hoo cam ye here？'
His question was too like one of his grandmother's to be pleasant to
Shargar。
'Dinna speyk to me that gait； Robert； or I'll cut my throat' he
returned。
'Hoots！ I maun ken a' aboot it；' insisted Robert； but with much
modified and partly convicted tone。
'Weel； I never said I wadna tell ye a' aboot it。 The fac' 's
thisan' I'm no' up to the leein' as I used to be； Robert： I hae
tried it ower an' ower； but a lee comes rouch throw my thrapple
（windpipe） noo。 Faith！ I cud hae leed ance wi' onybody； barrin'
the de'il。 I winna lee。 I'm nae leein'。 The fac's jist this： I
cudna bide ahin' ye ony langer。'
'But what； the muckle lang…tailed deevil！ am I to do wi' ye？'
returned Robert； in real perplexity； though only pretended
displeasure。
'Gie me something to ate； an' I'll tell ye what to do wi' me；'
answered Shargar。 'I dinna care a scart （scratch） what it is。'
Robert rang the bell and ordered some porridge； and while it was
preparing； Shargar told his storyhow having heard a rumour of
apprenticeship to a ta