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that by degrees Robert came to fancy that he had some time or other
seen a woman seated at each of those silent powers； whose single
hand set the whole frame in motion； with its numberless spindles and
spools rapidly revolvinga vague mystery of endless threads in
orderly complication； out of which came some desired； to him
unknown； result； so that the whole place was full of a bewildering
tumult of work； every little reel contributing its share； as the
water…drops clashing together make the roar of a tempest。 Now all
was still as the church on a week…day； still as the school on a
Saturday afternoon。 Nay； the silence seemed to have settled down
like the dust； and grown old and thick； so dead and old that the
ghost of the ancient noise had arisen to haunt the place。
Thither would Robert carry his violin； and there would he woo her。
'I'm thinkin' I maun tak her wi' me the nicht； Sanders；' he said；
holding the fiddle lovingly to his bosom； after he had finished his
next lesson。
The shoemaker looked blank。
'Ye're no gaein' to desert me； are ye？'
'Na； weel I wat！' returned Robert。 'But I want to try her at hame。
I maun get used till her a bittie； ye ken； afore I can du onything
wi' her。'
'I wiss ye had na brought her here ava。 What I am to du wantin'
her！'
'What for dinna ye get yer ain back？'
'I haena the siller； man。 And； forbye； I doobt I wadna be that sair
content wi' her noo gin I had her。 I used to think her gran'。 But
I'm clean oot o' conceit o' her。 That bonnie leddy's ta'en 't clean
oot o' me。'
'But ye canna hae her aye； ye ken； Sanders。 She's no mine。 She's
my grannie's； ye ken。'
'What's the use o' her to her？ She pits nae vailue upon her。 Eh；
man； gin she wad gie her to me； I wad haud her i' the best o' shune
a' the lave o' her days。'
'That wadna be muckle； Sanders； for she hasna had a new pair sin'
ever I mind。'
'But I wad haud Betty in shune as weel。'
'Betty pays for her ain shune； I reckon。'
'Weel； I wad haud you in shune； and yer bairns； and yer bairns'
bairns；' cried the soutar； with enthusiasm。
'Hoot； toot； man！ Lang or that ye'll be fiddlin' i' the new
Jeroozlem。'
'Eh； man！' said Alexander； looking uphe had just cracked the
roset…ends off his hands； for he had the upper leather of a boot in
the grasp of the clams； and his right hand hung arrested on its
blind way to the awl'duv ye think there'll be fiddles there？ I
thocht they war a' hairps； a thing 'at I never saw； but it canna be
up till a fiddle。'
'I dinna ken；' answered Robert； 'but ye suld mak a pint o' seein'
for yersel'。'
'Gin I thoucht there wad be fiddles there； faith I wad hae a try。
It wadna be muckle o' a Jeroozlem to me wantin' my fiddle。 But gin
there be fiddles； I daursay they'll be gran' anes。 I daursay they
wad gi' me a new aneI mean ane as auld as Noah's 'at he played i'
the ark whan the de'il cam' in by to hearken。 I wad fain hae a try。
Ye ken a' aboot it wi' that grannie o' yours： hoo's a body to
begin？'
'By giein' up the drink； man。'
'AyayayI reckon ye're richt。 Weel； I'll think aboot it whan
ance I'm throu wi' this job。 That'll be neist ook； or thereabouts；
or aiblins twa days efter。 I'll hae some leiser than。'
Before he had finished speaking he had caught up his awl and begun
to work vigorously； boring his holes as if the nerves of feeling
were continued to the point of the tool； inserting the bristles that
served him for needles with a delicacy worthy of soft…skinned
fingers； drawing through the rosined threads with a whisk； and
untwining them with a crack from the leather that guarded his hands。
'Gude nicht to ye；' said Robert； with the fiddle…case under his arm。
The shoemaker looked up； with his hands bound in his threads。
'Ye're no gaein' to tak her frae me the nicht？'
'Ay am I； but I'll fess her back again。 I'm no gaein' to Jericho
wi' her。'
'Gang to Hecklebirnie wi' her； and that's three mile ayont hell。'
'Na； we maun win farther nor that。 There canna； be muckle fiddlin'
there。'
'Weel； tak her to the new Jeroozlem。 I s' gang doon to Lucky
Leary's； and fill mysel' roarin' fou； an' it'll be a' your wyte
（blame）。'
'I doobt ye'll get the straiks （blows） though。 Or maybe ye think
Bell 'ill tak them for ye。'
Dooble Sanny caught up a huge boot； the sole of which was filled
with broad…headed nails as thick as they could be driven； and； in a
rage； threw it at Robert as he darted out。 Through its clang
against the door…cheek； the shoemaker heard a cry from the
instrument。 He cast everything from him and sprang after Robert。
But Robert was down the wynd like a long…legged grayhound； and
Elshender could only follow like a fierce mastiff。 It was love and
grief； though； and apprehension and remorse； not vengeance； that
winged his heels。 He soon saw that pursuit was vain。
'Robert！ Robert！' he cried； 'I canna win up wi' ye。 Stop； for
God's sake！ Is she hurtit？'
Robert stopped at once。
'Ye hae made a bonny leddy o' hera lameter （cripple） I doobt； like
yer wife；' he answered； with indignation。
'Dinna be aye flingin' a man's fau'ts in 's face。 It jist maks him
'at he canna； bide himsel' or you eyther。 Lat's see the bonny
crater。'
Robert complied； for he too was anxious。 They were now standing in
the space in front of Shargar's old abode； and there was no one to
be seen。 Elshender took the box； opened it carefully； and peeped in
with a face of great apprehension。
'I thocht that was a'！' he said with some satisfaction。 'I kent the
string whan I heard it。 But we'll sune get a new thairm till her；'
he added； in a tone of sorrowful commiseration and condolence； as he
took the violin from the case； tenderly as if it had been a hurt
child。
One touch of the bow； drawing out a goul of grief； satisfied him
that she was uninjured。 Next a hurried inspection showed him that
there was enough of the catgut twisted round the peg to make up for
the part that was broken off。 In a moment he had fastened it to the
tail…piece； tightened and tuned it。 Forthwith he took the bow from
the case…lid； and in jubilant guise he expatiated upon the wrong he
had done his bonny leddy； till the doors and windows around were
crowded with heads peering through the dark to see whence the sounds
came； and a little child toddled across from one of the lowliest
houses with a ha'penny for the fiddler。 Gladly would Robert have
restored it with interest； but； alas！ there was no interest in his
bank； for not a ha'penny had he in the world。 The incident recalled
Sandy to Rothieden and its cares。 He restored the violin to its
case； and while Robert was fearing he would take it under his arm
and walk away with it； handed it back with a humble sigh and a
'Praise be thankit；' then； without another word； turned and went to
his lonely stool and home 'untreasured of