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verge of youth； bulky and florid； and as full of tenderness as her
large frame could hold。 After much； and； for a long time；
apparently useless persuasion； they at last believed they had
prevailed upon her to pay them a visit for a fortnight。 But she had
only retreated within another of her defences。
'I canna leave thae twa laddies alane。 They wad be up to a'
mischeef。'
'There's Betty to luik efter them；' suggested Miss Lammie。
'Betty！' returned Mrs。 Falconer； with scorn。 'Betty's naething but a
bairn hersel'muckler and waur faured （worse favoured）。'
'But what for shouldna ye fess the lads wi' ye？' suggested Mr。
Lammie。
'I hae no richt to burden you wi' them。'
'Weel； I hae aften wonnert what gart ye burden yersel' wi' that
Shargar； as I understan' they ca' him；' said Mr。 Lammie。
'Jist naething but a bit o' greed；' returned the old lady； with the
nearest approach to a smile that had shown itself upon her face
since Mr。 Lammie's last visit。
'I dinna understan' that； Mistress Faukner；' said Miss Lammie。
'I'm sae sure o' haein' 't back again； ye ken；wi' interest；'
returned Mrs。 Falconer。
'Hoo's that？ His father winna con ye ony thanks for haudin' him in
life。'
'He that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord； ye ken； Miss
Lammie。'
'Atweel； gin ye like to lippen to that bank； nae doobt ae way or
anither it'll gang to yer accoont；' said Miss Lammie。
'It wad ill become us； ony gait；' said her father； 'nae to gie him
shelter for your sake； Mrs。 Faukner； no to mention ither names； sin'
it's yer wull to mak the puir lad ane o' the family。They say his
ain mither's run awa' an' left him。'
''Deed she's dune that。'
'Can ye mak onything o' 'im？'
'He's douce eneuch。 An' Robert says he does nae that ill at the
schuil。'
'Weel； jist fess him wi' ye。 We'll hae some place or ither to put
him intil； gin it suld be only a shak'…doon upo' the flure。'
'Na； na。 There's the schuilin'what's to be dune wi' that？'
'They can gang i' the mornin'； and get their denner wi' Betty here；
and syne come hame to their fower…hoors （four o'clock tea） whan the
schule's ower i' the efternune。 'Deed； mem； ye maun jist come for
the sake o' the auld frien'ship atween the faimilies。'
'Weel； gin it maun be sae； it maun be sae；' yielded Mrs。 Falconer；
with a sigh。
She had not left her own house for a single night for ten years。
Nor is it likely she would have now given in； for immovableness was
one of the most marked of her characteristics； had she not been so
broken by mental suffering； that she did not care much about
anything； least of all about herself。
Innumerable were the instructions in propriety of behaviour which
she gave the boys in prospect of this visit。 The probability being
that they would behave just as well as at home； these instructions
were considerably unnecessary； for Mrs。 Falconer was a strict
enforcer of all social rules。 Scarcely less unnecessary were the
directions she gave as to the conduct of Betty； who received them
all in erect submission； with her hands under her apron。 She ought
to have been a young girl instead of an elderly woman； if there was
any propriety in the way her mistress spoke to her。 It proved at
least her own belief in the description she had given of her to Miss
Lammie。
'Noo； Betty； ye maun be dooce。 An' dinna stan' at the door i' the
gloamin'。 An' dinna stan' claikin' an' jawin' wi' the ither lasses
whan ye gang to the wall for watter。 An' whan ye gang intil a chop；
dinna hae them sayin' ahint yer back； as sune's yer oot again；
〃She's her ain mistress by way o'；〃 or sic like。 An' min' ye hae
worship wi' yersel'； whan I'm nae here to hae 't wi' ye。 Ye can
come benn to the parlour gin ye like。 An' there's my muckle
Testament。 And dinna gie the lads a' thing they want。 Gie them
plenty to ait； but no ower muckle。 Fowk suld aye lea' aff wi' an
eppiteet。'
Mr。 Lammie brought his gig at last； and took grannie away to
Bodyfauld。 When the boys returned from school at the dinner…hour；
it was to exult in a freedom which Robert had never imagined before。
But even he could not know what a relief it was to Shargar to eat
without the awfully calm eyes of Mrs。 Falconer watching； as it
seemed to him； the progress of every mouthful down that capacious
throat of his。 The old lady would have been shocked to learn how
the imagination of the ill…mothered lad interpreted her care over
him； but she would not have been surprised to know that the two were
merry in her absence。 She knew that； in some of her own moods； it
would be a relief to think that that awful eye of God was not upon
her。 But she little thought that even in the lawless proceedings
about to follow； her Robert； who now felt such a relief in her
absence； would be walking straight on； though blindly； towards a
sunrise of faith； in which he would know that for the eye of his God
to turn away from him for one moment would be the horror of the
outer darkness。
Merriment； however； was not in Robert's thoughts； and still less was
mischief。 For the latter； whatever his grandmother might think； he
had no capacity。 The world was already too serious； and was soon to
be too beautiful for mischief。 After that； it would be too sad； and
then； finally； until death； too solemn glad。 The moment he heard of
his grandmother's intended visit； one wild hope and desire and
intent had arisen within him。
When Betty came to the parlour door to lay the cloth for their
dinner； she found it locked。
'Open the door！' she cried； but cried in vain。 From impatience she
passed to passion； but it was of no avail： there came no more
response than from the shrine of the deaf Baal。 For to the boys it
was an opportunity not at any risk to be lost。 Dull Betty never
suspected what they were about。 They were ranging the place like
two tiger…cats whose whelps had been carried off in their
absencequesting； with nose to earth and tail in air； for the scent
of their enemy。 My simile has carried me too far： it was only a
dead old gentleman's violin that a couple of boys was afterbut
with what eagerness； and； on the part of Robert； what alternations
of hope and fear！ And Shargar was always the reflex of Robert； so
far as Shargar could reflect Robert。 Sometimes Robert would stop；
stand still in the middle of the room； cast a mathematical glance of
survey over its cubic contents； and then dart off in another
inwardly suggested direction of search。 Shargar； on the other hand；
appeared to rummage blindly without a notion of casting the
illumination of thought upon the field of search。 Yet to him fell
the success。 When hope was growing dim； after an hour and a half of
vain endeavour； a scream of utter discordance heralded the
resurrection of the lady of harmony。 Taught by his experience of
his wild mother's habits to guess at those of douce Mrs。 Falconer；
Shar