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'There！' said Robert； ending； 'can ye mak onything o' that； Miss St。
John？'
'I don't say I can in words；' she answered； 'but I think I could put
it all into music。'
'But surely ye maun hae some notion o' what it's aboot afore you can
do that。'
'Yes； but I have some notion of what it's about； I think。 Just lend
it to me； and by the time we have our next lesson； you will see
whether I'm not able to show you I understand it。 I shall take good
care of it；' she added； with a smile； seeing Robert's reluctance to
part with it。 'It doesn't matter my having it； you know； now that
you've read it to me； I want to make you do it justice。But it's
quite time I were going home。 Besides； I really don't think you can
see to read any more。'
'Weel； it's better no to try； though I hae them maistly upo' my
tongue： I might blunder； and that wad blaud them。Will you let me
go home with you？' he added； in pure tremulous English。
'Certainly； if you like；' she answered； and they walked towards the
town。
Robert opened the fountain of his love for Ericson； and let it gush
like a river from a hillside。 He talked on and on about him； with
admiration； gratitude； devotion。 And Miss St。 John was glad of the
veil of the twilight over her face as she listened； for the boy's
enthusiasm trembled through her as the wind through an ？olian harp。
Poor Robert！ He did not know； I say； what he was doing； and so was
fulfilling his sacred destiny。
'Bring your manuscripts when you come next；' she said； as they
walked alonggently adding； 'I admire your friend's verses very
much； and should like to hear more of them。'
'I'll be sure an' do that；' answered Robert； in delight that he had
found one to sympathize with him in his worship of Ericson； and that
one his other idol。
When they reached the town； Miss St。 John； calling to mind its
natural propensity to gossip； especially on the evening of a
market…day； when the shopkeepers； their labours over； would be
standing in a speculative mood at their doors； surrounded by groups
of friends and neighbours； felt shy of showing herself on the square
with Robert； and proposed that they should part； giving as a
by…the…bye reason that she had a little shopping to do as she went
home。 Too simple to suspect the real reason； but with a heart that
delighted in obedience； Robert bade her good…night at once； and took
another way。
As he passed the door of Merson the haberdasher's shop； there stood
William MacGregor； the weaver； looking at nothing and doing nothing。
We have seen something of him before： he was a remarkable compound
of good nature and bad temper。 People were generally afraid of him；
because he had a biting satire at his command； amounting even to
wit； which found vent in versenot altogether despicable even from
a literary point of view。 The only person he； on his part； was
afraid of； was his own wife； for upon her； from lack of
apprehension； his keenest irony fell； as he said； like water on a
duck's back； and in respect of her he had； therefore； no weapon of
offence to strike terror withal。 Her dulness was her defence。 He
liked Robert。 When he saw him； he wakened up； laid hold of him by
the button； and drew him in。
'Come in； lad；' he said； 'an' tak a pinch。 I'm waitin' for Merson。'
As he spoke he took from his pocket his mull； made of the end of a
ram's horn； and presented it to Robert； who accepted the pledge of
friendship。 While he was partaking； MacGregor drew himself with
some effort upon the counter； saying in a half…comical；
half…admonitory tone；
'Weel； and hoo's the mathematics； Robert？'
'Thrivin'；' answered Robert； falling into his humour。
'Weel； that's verra weel。 Duv ye min'； Robert； hoo； whan ye was
aboot the age o' aucht year aul'； ye cam to me ance at my shop aboot
something yer gran'mither； honest woman； wantit； an' I； by way o'
takin' my fun o' ye； said to ye； 〃Robert； ye hae grown desperate；
ye're a man clean； ye hae gotten the breeks on。〃 An' says ye； 〃Ay；
Mr。 MacGregor； I want naething noo but a watch an' a wife〃？'
'I doobt I've forgotten a' aboot it； Mr。 MacGregor；' answered
Robert。 'But I've made some progress； accordin' to your story； for
Dr。 Anderson； afore I cam hame； gae me a watch。 An' a fine crater
it is； for it aye does its best； an' sae I excuse its shortcomin's。'
'There's just ae thing； an' nae anither；' returned the manufacturer；
'that I cannot excuse in a watch。 Gin a watch gangs ower fest； ye
fin' 't oot。 Gin she gangs ower slow； ye fin' 't oot； an' ye can
aye calculate upo' 't correck eneuch for maitters sublunairy； as Mr。
Maccleary says。 An' gin a watch stops a'thegither； ye ken it's
failin'； an' ye ken whaur it sticks； an' a' 'at ye say 's 〃Tut； tut；
de'il hae 't for a watch！〃 But there's ae thing that God nor man
canna bide in a watch； an' that's whan it stan's still for a
bittock； an' syne gangs on again。 Ay； ay！ tic； tic； tic！ wi' a fair
face and a leein' hert。 It wad gar ye believe it was a' richt； and
time for anither tum'ler； whan it's twal o'clock； an' the kirkyaird
fowk thinkin' aboot risin'。 Fegs； I had a watch o' my father's； an'
I regairdit it wi' a reverence mair like a human bein'： the second
time it played me that pliskie； I dang oot its guts upo' the
loupin'…on…stane at the door o' the chop。 But lat the watch sit：
whaur's the wife？ Ye canna be a man yet wantin' the wifeby yer
ain statement。'
'The watch cam unsoucht； Mr。 MacGregor； an' I'm thinkin' sae maun
the wife；' answered Robert； laughing。
'Preserve me for ane frae a wife that comes unsoucht；' returned the
weaver。 'But； my lad； there may be some wives that winna come whan
they are soucht。 Preserve me frae them too！Noo； maybe ye dinna
ken what I meanbut tak ye tent what ye're aboot。 Dinna ye think
'at ilka bonnie lass 'at may like to haud a wark wi' ye 's jist
ready to mairry ye aff han' whan ye say； 〃Noo； my dawtie。〃An' ae
word mair； Robert： Young men； especially braw lads like yersel'； 's
unco ready to fa' in love wi' women fit to be their mithers。 An'
sae ye see'
He was interrupted by the entrance of a girl。 She had a shawl over
her head； notwithstanding it was summer weather； and crept in
hesitatingly； as if she were not quite at one with herself as to her
coming purchase。 Approaching a boy behind the counter on the
opposite side of the shop； she asked for something； and he proceeded
to serve her。 Robert could not help thinking； from the one glimpse
of her face he had got through the dusk； that he had seen her
before。 Suddenly the vision of an earthen floor with a pool of
brown sunlight upon it； bare feet； brown hair； and soft eyes；
mingled with a musk odour wafted from Arabian fairyland； rose before
him： it was Jessie Hewson。
'I ken that lassie；' he said； and moved to get down from the counter
on which he too had seated himself。
'Na； na；' whispered the manufacturer； laying； like the Ancient
Mariner； a brown skinny hand of restraint upon Robert's arm'na；
na； never heed her。 Ye maunna speyk to ilka lass 'at ye ken。Poor
thing！ she's been doin' something wrang； to gang slinkin' aboot i'
the gloamin' like a baukie （bat）； wi' her plaid ower her heid。
Dinna fash wi' her。'
'Nonsense！' returned Robert； with indignation。 'What for shouldna I
speik till her？ She's a decent lassiea dochter o' James Hewson；
the cottar at Bodyfauld。 I ken her fine。'
He said this in a whisper； but the girl seemed to hear it； for she
left the shop with a perturbation which the dimness of the late
twilight could not conceal。 Robert hesitated no longer； but
followed her； heedless of the louder expostulations of MacGregor。
She was speeding away down the street； but he took longer strides
than she； and was almost up with her； when she drew her shawl closer
about her head； and increased her pace。
'Jessie！' said Robert； in a tone of expostulation。 But she made no
answer。 Her head sunk lower on her bosom； and she hurried yet
faster。 He gave a long stride or two and laid his hand on her
shoulder。 She stood still； trembling。
'Jessie； dinna ye ken meRobert Faukner？ Dinna be feart at me。
What's the maitter wi' ye； 'at ye winna speik till a body？ Hoo's
a' the fowk at hame？'
She burst out crying； cast one look into Robert's face； and fled。
What a change was in that face？ The peach…colour was gone from her
cheek； it was pale and thin。 Her eyes were hollow； with dark
shadows under them； the shadows of a sad sunset。 A foreboding of
the truth arose in his heart； and the tears rushed up into his eyes。
The next moment the eidolon of Mary St。 John； moving gracious and
strong； clothed in worship and the dignity which is its own defence；
appeared beside that of Jessie Hewson； her bowed head shaken with
sobs； and her weak limbs urged to ungraceful flight。 As if walking
in the vision of an eternal truth； he