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particular is this： Amongst the rebel angels who are of the actors
in the story； one of the principal is a cherub who repents of making
his choice with Satan； mourns over his apostasy； haunts unseen the
steps of our Saviour； wheels lamenting about the cross； and would
gladly return to his lost duties in heaven； if only he mighta
doubt which I believe is left unsolved in the volume； and naturally
enough remained unsolved in Robert's mind：Would poor Abaddon be
forgiven and taken home again？ For although naturally； that is； to
judge by his own instincts； there could be no question of his
forgiveness； according to what he had been taught there could be no
question of his perdition。 Having no one to talk to； he divided
himself and went to buffets on the subject； siding； of course； with
the better half of himself which supported the merciful view of the
matter； for all his efforts at keeping the Sabbath； had in his own
honest judgment failed so entirely； that he had no ground for
believing himself one of the elect。 Had he succeeded in persuading
himself that he was； there is no saying to what lengths of
indifference about others the chosen prig might have advanced by
this time。
He made one attempt to open the subject with Shargar。
'Shargar； what think ye？' he said suddenly； one day。 'Gin a de'il
war to repent； wad God forgie him？'
'There's no sayin' what fowk wad du till ance they're tried；'
returned Shargar； cautiously。
Robert did not care to resume the question with one who so
circumspectly refused to take a metaphysical or a priori view of the
matter。
He made an attempt with his grandmother。
One Sunday； his thoughts； after trying for a time to revolve in due
orbit around the mind of the Rev。 Hugh Maccleary； as projected in a
sermon which he had botched up out of a commentary； failed at last
and flew off into what the said gentleman would have pronounced
'very dangerous speculation； seeing no man is to go beyond what is
written in the Bible； which contains not only the truth； but the
whole truth； and nothing but the truth； for this time and for all
future timeboth here and in the world to come。' Some such
sentence； at least； was in his sermon that day； and the preacher no
doubt supposed St。 Matthew； not St。 Matthew Henry； accountable for
its origination。 In the Limbo into which Robert's then spirit flew；
it had been sorely exercised about the substitution of the
sufferings of Christ for those which humanity must else have endured
while ages rolled onmere ripples on the ocean of eternity。
'Noo； be douce；' said Mrs。 Falconer； solemnly； as Robert； a trifle
lighter at heart from the result of his cogitations than usual； sat
down to dinner： he had happened to smile across the table to
Shargar。 And he was douce； and smiled no more。
They ate their broth； or； more properly； supped it； with horn
spoons； in absolute silence； after which Mrs。 Falconer put a large
piece of meat on the plate of each； with the same formula：
'Hae。 Ye s' get nae mair。'
The allowance was ample in the extreme； bearing a relation to her
words similar to that which her practice bore to her theology。 A
piece of cheese； because it was the Sabbath； followed； and dinner
was over。
When the table had been cleared by Betty； they drew their chairs to
the fire； and Robert had to read to his grandmother； while Shargar
sat listening。 He had not read long； however； before he looked up
from his Bible and began the following conversation：
'Wasna it an ill trick o' Joseph； gran'mither； to put that cup； an'
a siller ane tu； into the mou' o' Benjamin's seck？'
'What for that； laddie？ He wanted to gar them come back again； ye
ken。'
'But he needna hae gane aboot it in sic a playactor…like gait。 He
needna hae latten them awa' ohn tellt （without telling） them that he
was their brither。'
'They had behaved verra ill till him。'
'He used to clype （tell tales） upo' them； though。'
'Laddie； tak ye care what ye say aboot Joseph； for he was a teep o'
Christ。'
'Hoo was that； gran'mither？'
'They sellt him to the Ishmeleets for siller； as Judas did him。'
'Did he beir the sins o' them 'at sellt him？'
'Ye may say； in a mainner； 'at he did； for he was sair afflickit
afore he wan up to be the King's richt han'； an' syne he keepit a
hantle o' ill aff o' 's brithren。'
'Sae； gran'mither； ither fowk nor Christ micht suffer for the sins
o' their neebors？'
'Ay； laddie； mony a ane has to do that。 But no to mak atonement； ye
ken。 Naething but the sufferin' o' the spotless cud du that。 The
Lord wadna be saitisfeet wi' less nor that。 It maun be the innocent
to suffer for the guilty。'
'I unnerstan' that；' said Robert； who had heard it so often that he
had not yet thought of trying to understand it。 'But gin we gang to
the gude place； we'll be a' innocent； willna we； grannie？'
'Ay； that we willwashed spotless； and pure； and clean； and dressed
i' the weddin' garment； and set doon at the table wi' him and wi'
his Father。 That's them 'at believes in him； ye ken。'
'Of coorse； grannie。Weel； ye see； I hae been thinkin' o' a plan
for maist han' toomin' （almost emptying） hell。'
'What's i' the bairn's heid noo？ Troth； ye're no blate； meddlin'
wi' sic subjecks； laddie！'
'I didna want to say onything to vex ye； grannie。 I s' gang on wi'
the chapter。'
'Ow； say awa'。 Ye sanna say muckle 'at's wrang afore I cry haud；'
said Mrs。 Falconer； curious to know what had been moving in the
boy's mind； but watching him like a cat； ready to spring upon the
first visible hair of the old Adam。
And Robert； recalling the outbreak of terrible grief which he had
heard on that memorable night； really thought that his project would
bring comfort to a mind burdened with such care； and went on with
the exposition of his plan。
'A' them 'at sits doon to the supper o' the Lamb 'll sit there
because Christ suffert the punishment due to their sinswinna they；
grannie？'
'Doobtless； laddie。'
'But it'll he some sair upo' them to sit there aitin' an' drinkin'
an' talkin' awa'； an' enjoyin' themsel's； whan ilka noo an' than
there'll come a sough o' wailin' up frae the ill place； an' a smell
o' burnin' ill to bide。'
'What put that i' yer heid； laddie？ There's no rizzon to think 'at
hell's sae near haven as a' that。 The Lord forbid it！'
'Weel； but； grannie； they'll ken 't a' the same； whether they smell
't or no。 An' I canna help thinkin' that the farrer awa' I thoucht
they war； the waur I wad like to think upo' them。 'Deed it wad be
waur。'
'What are ye drivin' at； laddie？ I canna unnerstan' ye；' said Mrs。
Falconer； feeling very uncomfortable； and yet curious； almost
anxious； to hear what would come next。 'I trust we winna hae to
think muckle'
But here； I presume； the thought of the added desolation of her
Andrew if she； too； were to forget him；