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when he comes。'
''Deed； doctor； that winna do at a'。 It wad be ower mony strange
faces a'thegither。 We'll get Mistress Fyvie to luik till 'im the
day； an' Shargar canna work the morn； bein' Sunday。 An' I'll gang
to my bed for fear o' doin' waur； though I doobt I winna sleep i'
the daylicht。'
Dr。 Anderson was satisfied； and went homecogitating much。 This
boy； this cousin of his； made a vortex of good about him into which
whoever came near it was drawn。 He seemed at the same time quite
unaware of anything worthy in his conduct。 The good he did sprung
from some inward necessity； with just enough in it of the salt of
choice to keep it from losing its savour。 To these cogitations of
Dr。 Anderson； I add that there was no conscious exercise of religion
in itfor there his mind was all at sea。 Of course I believe
notwithstanding that religion had much； I ought to say everything；
to do with it。 Robert had not yet found in God a reason for being
true to his fellows； but； if God was leading him to be the man he
became； how could any good results of this leading be other than
religion？ All good is of God。 Robert began where he could。 The
first table was too high for him； he began with the second。 If a
man love his brother whom he hath seen； the love of God whom he hath
not seen； is not very far off。 These results in Robert were the
first outcome of divine facts and influencesthey were the buds of
the fruit hereafter to be gathered in perfect devotion。 God be
praised by those who know religion to be the truth of humanityits
own truth that sets it freenot binds； and lops； and mutilates it！
who see God to be the father of every human soulthe ideal Father；
not an inventor of schemes； or the upholder of a court etiquette for
whose use he has chosen to desecrate the name of justice！
To return to Dr。 Anderson。 I have had little opportunity of knowing
his history in India。 He returned from it half…way down the hill of
life； sad； gentle； kind； and rich。 Whence his sadness came； we need
not inquire。 Some woman out in that fervid land may have darkened
his storydarkened it wronglessly； it may be； with coldness； or
only with death。 But to return home without wife to accompany him
or child to meet him；to sit by his riches like a man over a fire
of straws in a Siberian frost； to know that old faces were gone and
old hearts changed； that the pattern of things in the heavens had
melted away from the face of the earth； that the chill evenings of
autumn were settling down into longer and longer nights； and that no
hope lay any more beyond the mountainssurely this was enough to
make a gentle…minded man sad； even if the individual sorrows of his
history had gathered into gold and purple in the west。 I say west
advisedly。 For we are journeying； like our globe； ever towards the
east。 Death and the west are behind usever behind us； and
settling into the unchangeable。
It was natural that he should be interested in the fine promise of
Robert； in whom he saw revived the hopes of his own youth； but in a
nature at once more robust and more ideal。 Where the doctor was
refined； Robert was strong； where the doctor was firm with a
firmness he had cultivated； Robert was imperious with an
imperiousness time would mellow； where the doctor was generous and
careful at once； Robert gave his mite and forgot it。 He was rugged
in the simplicity of his truthfulness； and his speech bewrayed him
as altogether of the people； but the doctor knew the hole of the pit
whence he had been himself digged。 All that would fall away as the
spiky shell from the polished chestnut； and be reabsorbed in the
growth of the grand cone…flowering tree； to stand up in the sun and
wind of the years a very altar of incense。 It is no wonder； I
repeat； that he loved the boy； and longed to further his plans。 But
he was too wise to overwhelm him with a cataract of fortune instead
of blessing him with the merciful dew of progress。
'The fellow will bring me in for no end of expense；' he said；
smiling to himself； as he drove home in his chariot。 'The less he
means it the more unconscionable he will be。 There's that
Ericsonbut that isn't worth thinking of。 I must do something for
that queer protégé of his； thoughthat Shargar。 The fellow is as
good as a dog； and that's saying not a little for him。 I wonder if
he can learnor if he takes after his father the marquis； who never
could spell。 Well； it is a comfort to have something to do worth
doing。 I did think of endowing a hospital； but I'm not sure that it
isn't better to endow a good man than a hospital。 I'll think about
it。 I won't say anything about Shargar either； till I see how he
goes on。 I might give him a job； though； now and then。 But where
to fall in with himprowling about after jobs？'
He threw himself back in his seat； and laughed with a delight he had
rarely felt。 He was a providence watching over the boys； who
expected nothing of him beyond advice for Ericson！ Might there not
be a Providence that equally transcended the vision of men； shaping
to nobler ends the blocked…out designs of their rough…hewn marbles？
His thoughts wandered back to his friend the Brahmin； who died
longing for that absorption into deity which had been the dream of
his life： might not the Brahmin find the grand idea shaped to yet
finer issues than his aspiration had dared contemplate？might he
not inherit in the purification of his will such an absorption as
should intensify his personality？
CHAPTER IX。
A HUMAN SOUL。
Ericson lay for several weeks； during which time Robert and Shargar
were his only nurses。 They contrived； by abridging both rest and
labour； to give him constant attendance。 Shargar went to bed early
and got up early； so as to let Robert have a few hours' sleep before
his classes began。 Robert again slept in the evening； after Shargar
came home； and made up for the time by reading while he sat by his
friend。 Mrs。 Fyvie's attendance was in requisition only for the
hours when he had to be at lectures。 By the greatest economy of
means； consisting of what Shargar brought in by jobbing about the
quay and the coach…offices； and what Robert had from Dr。 Anderson
for copying his manuscript； they contrived to procure for Ericson
all that he wanted。 The shopping of the two boys； in their utter
ignorance of such delicacies as the doctor told them to get for him；
the blunders they made as to the shops at which they were to be
bought； and the consultations they held； especially about the
preparing of the prescribed nutriment； afforded them many an amusing
retrospect in after years。 For the house was so full of lodgers；
that Robert begged Mrs。 Fyvie to give herself no trouble in the
matter。 Her conscience； however； was uneasy； and she spoke to Dr。
Anderson； but he assured her that she might trust the boys。 What
cooking they could not manage； she undertook cheerfully；