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she had pulled the right string。
〃Ah； that will do；〃 said Gatty； and sketched away。
Unfortunately； Jamie was quickly arrested on the way to immortality by
his mother； who came in； saying：
〃I maun hae my bairnhe canna be aye wasting his time here。〃
This sally awakened the satire that ever lies ready in piscatory bosoms。
〃Wasting his time！ ye're no blate。 Oh； ye'll be for taking him to the
college to laern pheesickand teach maenners。〃
〃Ye need na begin on me；〃 said the woman。 〃I'm no match for Newhaven。〃
So saying she cut short the dispute by carrying off the gristle of
contention。
〃Another enemy to art；〃 said Gatty； hurling away his pencil。
The young fishwife inquired if there were any more griefs。 What she had
heard had not accounted； to her reason； for her companion's depression。
〃Are ye sick； laddy？〃 said she。
〃No； Christie； not sick； but quite； quite down in the mouth。〃
She scanned him thirty seconds。
What had ye till your dinner？〃
〃I forget。〃
〃A choep； likely？〃
〃I think it was。〃
〃Or maybe it was a steak？〃
〃I dare say it was a steak。〃
〃Taste my girdle cake； that I've brought for ye。〃
She gave him a piece； he ate it rapidly； and looked gratefully at her。
〃Noo； div ye no think shame to look me in the face？ Ye hae na dined ava。〃
And she wore an injured look。
〃Sit ye there； it's ower late for dinner； but ye'll get a cup tea。 Doon
i' the mooth； nae wonder； when naething gangs doon your〃
In a minute she placed a tea…tray； and ran into the kitchen with a
teapot。
The next moment a yell was heard； and she returned laughing； with another
teapot。
〃The wife had maskit tea till hersel'；〃 said this lawless forager。
Tea and cake on the tablebeauty seated by his sideall in less than a
minute。
He offered her a piece of cake。
〃Na！ I am no for any。〃
〃Nor I then；〃 said he。
〃Hets！ eat； I tell ye。〃
He replied by putting a bit to her heavenly mouth。
〃Ye're awfu' opinionated；〃 said she； with a countenance that said nothing
should induce her； and eating it almost contemporaneously。
〃Put plenty sugar；〃 added she； referring to the Chinese infusion； 〃mind；
I hae a sweet tooth。〃
〃You have a sweet set；〃 said he； approaching another morsel。
They showed themselves by way of smile； and confirmed the accusation。
〃Aha！ lad；〃 answered she； 〃they've been the death o' mony a herrin'！〃
〃Now； what does that mean in English； Christie？〃
〃My grinders（a full stop。）
〃Which you approve（a full stop。）
〃Have been fatal（a full stop。）
〃To many fishes！〃
Christie prided herself on her English； which she had culled from books。
Then he made her drink from the cup； and was ostentatious in putting his
lips to the same part of the brim。
Then she left the table； and inspected all things。
She came to his drawers； opened one； and was horror…struck。
There were coats and trousers； with their limbs interchangeably
intertwined； waistcoats； shirts； and cigars； hurled into chaos。
She instantly took the drawer bodily out； brought it； leaned it against
the tea…table； pointed silently into it； with an air of majestic
reproach； and awaited the result。
〃I can find whatever I want；〃 said the unblushing bachelor； 〃except
money。〃
〃Siller does na bide wi' slovens！ hae ye often siccan a gale o' wind in
your drawer？〃
〃Every day！ Speak English！〃
〃Aweel！ How _do_ you _do？_ that's Ennglish！ I daur say。〃
〃Jolly！〃 cried he； with his mouth full。 Christie was now folding up and
neatly arranging his clothes。
〃Will you ever； ever be a painter？〃
〃I am a painter！ I could paint the Devil pea…green！〃
〃Dinna speak o' yon lad； Chairles； it's no canny。〃
〃No！ I am going to paint an angel； the prettiest； cleverest girl in
Scotland； 'The Snowdrop of the North。'〃
And he dashed into his bedroom to find a canvas。
〃Hech！〃 reflected Christie。 〃Thir Ennglish hae flattering tongues； as
sure as Dethe； 'The Snawdrap o' the Norrth！'〃
CHAPTER VIII。
GATTY'S back was hardly turned when a visitor arrived； and inquired； 〃Is
Mr。 Gatty at home？〃
〃What's your will wi' him？〃 was the Scottish reply。
〃Will you give him this？〃
〃 What est？〃
〃Are you fond of asking questions？〃 inquired the man。
〃Ay！ and fules canna answer them；〃 retorted Christie。
The little document which the man； in retiring； left with Christie
Johnstone purported to come from one Victoria； who seemed； at first
sight； disposed to show Charles Gatty civilities。 〃Victoriato Charles
Gatty； greeting！ （salutem）。〃 Christie was much struck with this instance
of royal affability； she read no further； but began to think； 〃Victoree！
that's the queen hersel。 A letter fra the queen to a painter lad！ Picters
will rise i' the mairketit will be an order to paint the bairns。 I hae
brought him luck； I am real pleased。〃 And on Gatty's return； canvas in
hand； she whipped the document behind her； and said archly； 〃I hae
something for ye； a tecket fra a leddy； ye'll no want siller fra this
day。〃
〃Indeed！〃
〃Ay！ indeed； fra a great leddy； it's vara gude o' me to gie ye it； heh！
tak it。〃
He did take it； looked stupefied； looked again； sunk into a chair； and
glared at it。
〃Laddy！〃 said Christie。
〃This is a new step on the downward path；〃 said the poor painter。
〃Is it no an orrder to paint the young prence？〃 said Christie； faintly。
〃No！〃 almost shrieked the victim。 〃It's a writ！ I owe a lot of money。
〃Oh； Chairles！〃
〃See！ I borrowed sixty pounds six months ago of a friend； so now I owe
eighty！〃
〃All right！〃 giggled the unfriendly visitor at the door； whose departure
had been more or less fictitious。
Christie； by an impulse； not justifiable； but natural； drew her
oyster…knife out； and this time the man really went away。
〃Hairtless mon！〃 cried she； 〃could he no do his am dirrty work； and no
gar me gie the puir lad th' action； and he likeit me sae weel！〃 and she
began to whimper。
〃And love you more now；〃 said he； 〃don't you cry； dear； to add to my
vexation。〃
〃Na！ I'll no add to your vexation；〃 and she gulped down her tears。
〃Besides； I have pictures painted worth two hundred pounds； this is only
for eighty。 To be sure you can't sell them for two hundred pence when you
want。 So I shall go to jail； but they won't keep me long。
Then he took a turn； and began to fall into the artistic； or true view of
matters； which； indeed； was never long absent from him。
〃Look here； Christie；〃 said he； 〃I am sick of conventional assassins；
humbugging models； with dirty beards； that knit their brows； and try to
look murder； they never murdered so much as a tom…cat。 I always go in for
the real thing； and here I shall find it。〃
〃Dinna gang in there； lad； for ony favor。〃
〃Then I shall find the accessories of a picture I have in my headchains
with genuine rust and ancient mouldering stones with the stains of time。〃
His eye brightened at the prospect。
〃You among fiefs； and chains； and stanes！ Ye'll break my hairt； laddy；
ye'll no be easy till you break my hairt。〃 And this time the tears would
not be denied。
〃I love you for crying； don't cry；〃 and he fished from the chaotic drawer
a cambric handkerchief； with which he drie