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pointblank。
〃Ay； is he；〃 said the other。 〃Aweel； there's Jess Rutherford； a widdy；
wi' four bairns； ye meicht do waur than ware your siller on her。〃
〃Five pounds to begin？〃 inquired his lordship。
〃Five pund！ Are ye made o' siller？ Ten schell'n！〃
Saunders was rung for； and produced a one…pound note。
〃The herrin' is five and saxpence； it's four and saxpence I'm awin ye；〃
said the young fishwife； 〃and Jess will be a glad woman the neicht。〃
The settlement was effected； and away went the two friends； saying：
〃Good…boye； vile count。〃
Their host fell into thought。
〃When have I talked so much？〃 asked he of himself。
〃Dr。 Aberford； you are a wonderful man； I like your lower classes
amazingly。〃
〃Me'fiez vous； Monsieur Ipsden！〃 should some mentor have said。
As the Devil puts into a beginner's hands ace； queen； five trumps； to
give him a taste for whist； so these lower classes have perhaps put
forward one of their best cards to lead you into a false estimate of the
strength of their hand。
Instead； however； of this； who should return； to disturb the equilibrium
of truth； but this Christina Johnstone？ She came thoughtfully in； and
said：
〃I've been taking a thoucht； and this is no what yon gude physeecian
meaned； ye are no to fling your chaerity like a bane till a doeg； ye'll
gang yoursel to Jess Rutherford； Flucker Johnstone； that's my brother；
will convoy ye。〃
〃But how is your brother to know me？〃
〃How？ Because I'll gie him a sair sair hiding； if he lets ye gang by。〃
Then she returned the one…pound note； a fresh settlement was effected；
and she left him。 At the door she said： 〃And I am muckle obleeged to ye
for your story and your goodness。〃
While uttering these words； she half kissed her hand to him； with a lofty
and disengaged gesture； such as one might expect from a queen； if queens
did not wear stays； and was gone。
When his lordship； a few minutes after； sauntered out for a stroll； the
first object he beheld was an exact human square； a handsome boy； with a
body swelled out apparently to the size of a man's； with blue flannel；
and blue cloth above it； leaning against a wall； with his hands in his
pocketsa statuette of _insouciance。_
This marine puff…ball was Flucker Johnstone； aged fourteen。
Stain his sister's face with diluted walnut…juice； as they make the stage
gypsy and Red Indian （two animals imagined by actors to be one）； and you
have Flucker's face。
A slight moral distinction remains； not to be so easily got over；
She was the best girl in the place； and he a baddish boy。
He was； however； as sharp in his way as she was intelligent in hers。
This youthful mariner allowed his lordship to pass him； and take twenty
steps； but watched him all the time； and compared him with a description
furnished him by his sister。
He then followed； and brought him to； as he called it。
〃I daur say it's you I'm to convoy to yon auld faggitt！〃 said this
baddish boy。
On they went； Flucker rolling and pitching and yawing to keep up with the
lordly galley； for a fisherman's natural waddle is two miles an hour。
At the very entrance of Newhaven； the new pilot suddenly sung out；
〃Starboard！〃
Starboard it was； and they ascended a filthy 〃close；〃 or alley they
mounted a staircase which was out of doors； and； without knocking；
Flucker introduced himself into Jess Rutherford's house。
〃Here a gentleman to speak till ye； wife。〃
CHAPTER III。
THE widow was weather…beaten and rough。 She sat mending an old net。
〃The gentleman's welcome；〃 said she； but there was no gratification in
her tone； and but little surprise。
His lordship then explained that； understanding there were worthy people
in distress； he was in hopes he might be permitted to assist them； and
that she must blame a neighbor of hers if he had broken in upon her too
abruptly with this object。 He then； with a blush； hinted at ten
shillings； which he begged she would consider as merely an installment；
until he could learn the precise nature of her embarrassments； and the
best way of placing means at her disposal。
The widow heard all this with a lackluster mind。
For many years her life had been unsuccessful labor； if anything had ever
come to her； it had always been a misfortune； her incidents had been
thornsher events； daggers。
She could not realize a human angel coming to her relief； and she did not
realize it； and she worked away at her net。
At this； Flucker； to whom his lordship's speech appeared monstrously weak
and pointless； drew nigh； and gave the widow； in her ear； his version；
namely； his sister's embellished。 It was briefly this： That the gentleman
was a daft lord from England； who had come with the bank in his breeks；
to remove poverty from Scotland； beginning with her。 〃Sae speak loud
aneuch； and ye'll no want siller；〃 was his polite corollary。
His lordship rose； laid a card on a chair； begged her to make use of him；
et cetera； he then； recalling the oracular prescription； said； 〃Do me the
favor to apply to me for any little sum you have a use for； and； in
return； I will beg of you （if it does not bore you too much） to make me
acquainted with any little troubles you may have encountered in the
course of your life。〃
His lordship； receiving no answer； was about to go； after bowing to her；
and smiling gracefully upon her。
His hand was on the latch； when Jess Rutherford burst into a passion of
tears。
He turned with surprise。
〃My _troubles；_ laddie；〃 cried she； trembling all over。 〃The sun wad set；
and rise； and set again； ere I could tell ye a' the trouble I hae come
through。
〃Oh； ye need na vex yourself for an auld wife's tears； tears are a
blessin'； lad； I shall assure ye。 Mony's the time I hae prayed for them；
and could na hae them Sit ye doon！ sit ye doon！ I'll no let ye gang fra
my door till I hae thankit yebut gie me time； gie me time。 I canna
greet a' the days of the week。〃
Flucker； _aetat。_ 14； opened his eyes； unable to connect ten shillings
and tears。
Lord Ipsden sat down； and felt very sorry for her。
And she cried at her ease。
If one touch of nature make the whole world kin； methinks that sweet and
wonderful thing； sympathy； is not less powerful。 What frozen barriers；
what ice of centuries； it can melt in a moment！
His bare mention of her troubles had surprised the widowed woman's heart；
and now she looked up and examined his countenance； it was soon done。
A woman； young or old； high or low； can discern and appreciate
sensibility in a man's face； at a single glance。
What she saw there was enough。 She was sure of sympathy。 She recalled her
resolve； and the tale of her sorrows burst from her like a flood。
Then the old fishwife told the young aristocrat how she had borne twelve
children； and buried six as bairns； how her man was always unlucky； how a
mast fell on him； and disabled him a whole season； how they could but
just keep the pot boiling by the deep…sea fishing； and he was not allowed
to dredge for oysters； because his father was not a Newhaven man。 How；
when the herring fishing came； to make all right； he never had another
man's luck； how his boat's crew would draw em