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that godly great auld man kent mair aboot a' thae thingsI cud see
't i' the face o' 'mnor ony ither man 'at ever I kent。 An' it's
no by comparison only。 I'm sure he did ken。 There was something
atween God and him。 An' I think he wasna likely to be wrang； an'
sae I tak courage to believe as muckle as I can； though maybe no sae
muckle as I fain wad。'
Robert； who from experience of himself； and the observations he had
made by the bedsides of not a few dying men and women； knew well
that nothing but the truth itself can carry its own conviction； that
the words of our Lord are a body as it were in which the spirit of
our Lord dwells； or rather the key to open the heart for the
entrance of that spirit； turned now from all argumentation to the
words of Jesus。 He himself had said of them； 'They are spirit and
they are life；' and what folly to buttress life and spirit with
other powers than their own！ From that day to the last； as often
and as long as the dying man was able to listen to him； he read from
the glad news just the words of the Lord。 As he read thus； one
fading afternoon； the doctor broke out with；
'Eh； Robert； the patience o' him！ He didna quench the smokin' flax。
There's little fire aboot me； but surely I ken in my ain hert some
o' the risin' smoke o' the sacrifice。 Eh！ sic words as they are！
An' he was gaein' doon to the grave himsel'； no half my age； as
peacefu'； though the road was sae rouch； as gin he had been gaein'
hame till 's father。'
'Sae he was；' returned Robert。
'Ay； but here am I lyin' upo' my bed； slippin' easy awa。 An' there
was he'
The old man ceased。 The sacred story was too sacred for speech。
Robert sat with the New Testament open before him on the bed。
'The mair the words o' Jesus come into me；' the doctor began again；
'the surer I am o' seein' my auld Brahmin frien'； Robert。 It's true
I thought his religion not only began but ended inside him。 It was
a' a booin' doon afore and an aspirin' up into the bosom o' the
infinite God。 I dinna mean to say 'at he wasna honourable to them
aboot him。 And I never saw in him muckle o' that pride to the lave
（rest） that belangs to the Brahmin。 It was raither a stately
kin'ness than that condescension which is the vice o' Christians。
But he had naething to do wi' them。 The first comman'ment was a'
he kent。 He loved Godnae a God like Jesus Christ； but the God he
kentand that was a' he could。 The second comman'mentthat
glorious recognition o' the divine in humanity makin' 't fit and
needfu' to be loved； that claim o' God upon and for his ain bairns；
that love o' the neebour as yer'selhe didna ken。 Still there was
religion in him； and he who died for the sins o' the whole world has
surely been revealed to him lang er' noo； and throu the knowledge o'
him； he noo dwalls in that God efter whom he aspired。'
Here was the outcome of many talks which Robert and the doctor had
had together； as they laboured amongst the poor。
'Did ye never try；' Robert asked； 'to lat him ken aboot the comin'
o' God to his world in Jesus Christ？'
'I couldna do muckle that way honestly； my ain faith was sae poor
and sma'。 But I tellt him what Christians believed。 I tellt him
aboot the character and history o' Christ。 But it didna seem to tak
muckle hauld o' him。 It wasna interesstin' till him。 Just ance
whan I tellt him some things he had said aboot his relation to
Godsic as； 〃I and my Father are one；〃and aboot the relation o'
a' his disciples to God and himsel'〃I in them； and thou in me；
that they may be made perfect in one；〃 he said； wi' a smile； 〃The
man was a good Brahmin。〃
'It's little；' said Robert； 'the one great commandment can do
withoot the other。 It's little we can ken what God to love； or hoo
to love him； withoot 〃thy neighbour as thyself。〃 Ony ane o' them
withoot the ither stan's like the ae factor o' a multiplication； or
ae wing upo' a laverock （lark）。'
Towards the close of the week； he grew much feebler。 Falconer
scarcely left his room。 He woke one midnight； and murmured as
follows； with many pauses for breath and strength：
'Robert； my time's near； I'm thinkin'； for； wakin' an' sleepin'； I'm
a bairn again。 I can hardly believe whiles 'at my father hasna a
grup o' my han'。 A meenute ago I was traivellin' throu a terrible
driftin' o' snaweh； hoo it whustled and sang！ and the cauld o' 't
was stingin'； but my father had a grup o' me； an' I jist despised
it； an' was stampin' 't doon wi' my wee bit feet； for I was like
saven year auld or thereaboots。 An' syne I thocht I heard my mither
singin'； and kent by that that the ither was a dream。 I'm thinkin'
a hantle 'ill luik dreamy afore lang。 Eh！ I wonner what the final
waukin' 'ill be like。'
After a pause he resumed；
'Robert； my dear boy； ye're i' the richt gait。 Haud on an' lat
naething turn ye aside。 Man； it's a great comfort to me to think
that ye're my ain flesh and blude； an' nae that far aff。 My father
an' your great…gran'father upo' the gran'mither's side war ain
brithers。 I wonner hoo far doon it wad gang。 Ye're the only ane
upo' my father's side； you and yer father； gin he be alive； that I
hae sib to me。 My will's i' the bottom drawer upo' the left han' i'
my writin' table i' the leebrary：I hae left ye ilka plack 'at I
possess。 Only there's ae thing that I want ye to do。 First o' a'；
ye maun gang on as yer doin' in London for ten year mair。 Gin
deein' men hae ony o' that foresicht that's been attreebuted to them
in a' ages； it's borne in upo' me that ye wull see yer father again。
At a' events； ye'll be helpin' some ill…faured sowls to a clean
face and a bonny。 But gin ye dinna fa' in wi' yer father within ten
year； ye maun behaud a wee； an' jist pack up yer box； an' gang awa'
ower the sea to Calcutta； an' du what I hae tellt ye to do i' that
wull。 I bind ye by nae promise； Robert； an' I winna hae nane。
Things micht happen to put ye in a terrible difficulty wi' a
promise。 I'm only tellin' ye what I wad like。 Especially gin ye
hae fund yer father； ye maun gang by yer ain jeedgment aboot it； for
there 'll be a hantle to do wi' him efter ye hae gotten a grup o'
'im。 An' noo； I maun lie still； an' maybe sleep again； for I hae
spoken ower muckle。'
Hoping that he would sleep and wake yet again； Robert sat still。
After an hour； he looked； and saw that； although hitherto much
oppressed； he was now breathing like a child。 There was no sign
save of past suffering： his countenance was peaceful as if he had
already entered into his rest。 Robert withdrew； and again seated
himself。 And the great universe became to him as a bird brooding
over the breaking shell of the dying man。
On either hand we behold a birth； of which； as of the moon； we see
but half。 We are outside the one； waiting for a life from the
unknown； we are inside the other； watching the departure of a spirit
from the womb of the world into the unknown。 To the region whither
he goes； the man enters newly born。 We forget that it is a birth；
and call it a death。 The body he leaves behind is but the placenta
by which he drew his nourishment from his mother Earth。 And as the
child…bed is watched on earth with anxious expectancy； so the couch
of the dying； as we call them； may be surrounded by the
birth…watchers of the other world； waiting like anxious servants to
open the door to which this world is but the wind…blown porch。
Extremes meet。 As a man draws nigh to his second birth； his heart
looks back to his childhood。 When Dr。 Anderson knew that he was
dying； he retired into the simulacrum of his father's benn end。
As Falconer sat thinking； the doctor spoke。 They were low； faint；
murmurous sounds； for the lips were nearly at rest。 Wanted no more
for utterance； they were going back to the holy dust； which is God's
yet。
'Father； father！' he cried quickly； in the tone and speech of a
Scotch laddie； 'I'm gaein' doon。 Haud a grup o' my han'。'
When Robert hurried to the bedside； he found that the last breath
had gone in the words。 The thin right hand lay partly closed； as if
it had been grasping a larger hand。 On the face lay confidence just
ruffled with apprehension： the latter melted away； and nothing
remained but that awful and beautiful peace which is the farewell of
the soul to its servant。
Robert knelt and thanked God for the noble man。
CHAPTER V。
A TALK WITH GRANNIE。
Dr。 Anderson's body was； according to the fine custom of many of the
people of Aberdeen； borne to the grave by twelve stalwart men in
black； with broad round bonnets on their heads； the one…half
relieving the othera privilege of the company of shore…porters。
Their exequies are thus freed from the artificial； grotesque； and
pagan horror given by obscene mutes； frightful hearse； horses； and
feathers。 As soon as； in the beautiful phrase of the Old Tes