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jist had a'thegither fair play。 She does na come o' a guid breed。
Man； it's a fine thing to come o' a guid breed。 They hae a hantle
to answer for 'at come o' decent forbears。〃
〃I thought she brought the laird a good property；〃 said Hugh； not
quite understanding David。
〃Ow； ay； she brocht him gowpenfu's o' siller； but hoo was't gotten？
An' ye ken it's no riches 'at 'ill mak' a guid breed'cep' it be
o' maggots。 The richer cheese the mair maggots； ye ken。 Ye maunna
speyk o' this； but the mistress's father was weel kent to hae made
his siller by fardins and bawbees； in creepin'； crafty ways。 He was
a bit merchan' in Aberdeen； an' aye keepit his thoom weel ahint the
peint o' the ellwan'； sae 'at he made an inch or twa upo' ilka yard
he sauld。 Sae he took frae his soul； and pat intill his siller…bag；
an' had little to gie his dochter but a guid tocher。 Mr。
Sutherlan'； it's a fine thing to come o' dacent fowk。 Noo； to luik
at yersel'： I ken naething aboot yer family； but ye seem at eesicht
to come o' a guid breed for the bodily part o' ye。 That's a sma'
matter； but frae what I ha'e seenan' I trust in God I'm no'
mista'enye come o' the richt breed for the min' as weel。 I'm no
flatterin' ye； Mr。 Sutherlan'； but jist layin' it upo' ye； 'at gin
ye had an honest father and gran'father； an' especially a guid
mither； ye hae a heap to answer for； an' ye ought never to be hard
upo' them 'at's sma' creepin' creatures； for they canna help it sae
weel as the like o' you and me can。〃
David was not given to boasting。 Hugh had never heard anything
suggesting it from his lips before。 He turned full round and looked
at him。 On his face lay a solemn quiet； either from a feeling of
his own responsibility； or a sense of the excuse that must be made
for others。 What he had said about the signs of breed in Hugh's
exterior； certainly applied to himself as well。 His carriage was
full of dignity； and a certain rustic refinement； his voice was
wonderfully gentle； but deep； and slowest when most impassioned。 He
seemed to have come of some gigantic antediluvian breed： there was
something of the Titan slumbering about him。 He would have been a
stern man； but for an unusual amount of reverence that seemed to
overflood the sternness； and change it into strong love。 No one had
ever seen him thoroughly angry； his simple displeasure with any of
the labourers； the quality of whose work was deficient； would go
further than the laird's oaths。
Hugh sat looking at David； who supported the look with that perfect
calmness that comes of unconscious simplicity。 At length Hugh's eye
sank before David's； as he said：
〃I wish I had known your father； then； David。〃
〃My father was sic a ane as I tauld ye the ither day； Mr。
Sutherlan'。 I'm a' richt there。 A puir； semple； God…fearin'
shepherd； 'at never gae his dog an ill…deserved word； nor took the
skin o' ony puir lammie； wha's woo' he was clippin'； atween the
shears。 He was weel worthy o' the grave 'at he wan till at last。
An' my mither was jist sic like； wi' aiblins raither mair heid nor
my father。 They're her beuks maistly upo' the skelf there abune yer
ain； Mr。 Sutherlan'。 I honour them for her sake； though I seldom
trouble them mysel'。 She gae me a kin' o' a scunner at them； honest
woman； wi' garrin' me read at them o' Sundays； till they near
scomfisht a' the guid 'at was in me by nater。 There's doctrine for
ye； Mr。 Sutherlan'！〃 added David； with a queer laugh。
〃I thought they could hardly be your books；〃 said Hugh。
〃But I hae ae odd beuk； an' that brings me upo' my pedigree； Mr。
Sutherlan'； for the puirest man has as lang a pedigree as the
greatest； only he kens less aboot it； that's a'。 An' I wat； for yer
lords and ladies； it's no a' to their credit 'at's tauld o' their
hither…come； an' that's a' against the breed； ye ken。 A wilfu' sin
in the father may be a sinfu' weakness i' the son； an' that's what I
ca' no fair play。〃
So saying； David went to his bedroom； whence he returned with a very
old…looking book； which he laid on the table before Hugh。 He opened
it； and saw that it was a volume of Jacob B渉men； in the original
language。 He found out afterwards； upon further inquiry； that it
was in fact a copy of the first edition of his first work； The
Aurora； printed in 1612。 On the title…page was written a name；
either in German or old English character； he was not sure which；
but he was able to read itMartin Elginbrodde。 David； having given
him time to see all this； went on：
〃That buik has been in oor family far langer nor I ken。 I needna
say I canna read a word o't； nor I never heard o' ane 'at could。
But I canna help tellin' ye a curious thing； Mr。 Sutherlan'； in
connexion wi' the name on that buik： there's a gravestane； a verra
auld anehoo auld I canna weel mak' out； though I gaed ends…errand
to Aberdeen to see'tan' the name upo' that gravestane is Martin
Elginbrod； but made mention o' in a strange fashion； an' I'm no sure
a'thegither aboot hoo ye'll tak' it； for it soun's rather fearsome
at first hearin' o't。 But ye'se hae't as I read it：
〃'Here lie I； Martin Elginbrodde：
Hae mercy o' my soul； Lord God；
As I wad do； were I Lord God；
And ye were Martin Elginbrodde。'〃
Certainly Hugh could not help a slight shudder at what seemed to him
the irreverence of the epitaph； if indeed it was not deserving of a
worse epithet。 But he made no remark； and； after a moment's pause；
David resumed：
〃I was unco ill…pleased wi't at the first； as ye may suppose； Mr。
Sutherlan'； but； after a while； I begude （began） an' gaed through
twa or three bits o' reasonin's aboot it； in this way： By the natur'
o't； this maun be the man's ain makin'； this epitaph； for no ither
body cud ha' dune't； and he had left it in's will to be pitten upo'
the deid…stane； nae doot： I' the contemplation o' deith； a man wad
no be lik'ly to desire the perpetuation o' a blasphemy upo' a table
o' stone； to stan' against him for centuries i' the face o' God an'
man： therefore it cudna ha' borne the luik to him o' the
presumptuous word o' a proud man evenin' himsel' wi' the Almichty。
Sae what was't； then； 'at made him mak' it？ It seems to methough
I confess； Mr。 Sutherlan'； I may be led astray by the nateral desire
'at a man has to think weel o' his ain forbearsfor 'at he was a
forbear o' my ain； I canna weel doot； the name bein' by no means a
common ane； in Scotland ony wayI'm sayin'； it seems to me； that
it's jist a darin' way； maybe a childlike way； o' judgin'； as Job
micht ha' dune； 'the Lord by himsel'；' an' sayin'； 'at gin he；
Martin Elginbrod； wad hae mercy； surely the Lord was not less
mercifu' than he was。 The offspring o' the Most High was； as it
were； aware o' the same spirit i' the father o' him； as muved in
himsel'。 He felt 'at the mercy in himsel' was ane o' the best
things； an' he cudna think 'at there wad be less o't i' the father
o' lichts； frae whom cometh ilka guid an' perfeck gift。 An' may be
he remembered 'at the Saviour himsel' said： 'Be ye perfect as your
father in Heaven is perfect；' and that the perfection o' God； as He
had jist pinted oot afore； consisted in causin' his bonny sun to
shine on the evil an' the good； an' his caller rain to fa' upo' the
just an' the unjust。〃
It may well be doubted whether David's interpretation of the epitaph
was the correct one。 It will appear to most of my readers to
breathe rather of doubt lighted up by hope； than of that strong
faith which David read in it。 But whether from family partiality；
and consequent unwillingness to believe that his ancestor had been a
man who； having led a wild； erring； and evil life； turned at last
towards the mercy of God as his only hope； which the words might
imply； or simply that he saw this meaning to be the best； this was
the interpretation which David had adopted。
〃But；〃 interposed Hugh； 〃supposing he thought all that； why should
he therefore have it carved on his tombstone？〃
〃I hae thocht aboot that too；〃 answered David。 〃For ae thing； a body
has but feow ways o' sayin' his say to his brithermen。 Robbie Burns
cud do't in sang efter sang； but maybe this epitaph was a' that auld
Martin was able to mak'。 He michtna hae had the gift o' utterance。
But there may be mair in't nor that。 Gin the clergy o' thae times
warna a gey hantle mair enlichtened nor a fowth o' the clergy
hereabouts； he wad hae heard a heap aboot the glory o' God； as the
thing 'at God himsel' was maist anxious aboot uphaudin'； jist like a
prood creater o' a king； an' that he wad mak' men； an' feed them；
an' cleed them； an' gie them braw wives an' toddlin' bairnies； an'
syne damn them； a' for's ain glory。 Maybe ye wadna get mony o' them
'at wad speyk sae fair…oot noo…a…days； for they gang wi' the tide
jist like the lave； but i' my auld minny's buiks； I hae read jilt as
muckle as that； an' waur too。 Mony ane 'at spak like that； had nae
doot a guid meanin' in't； but； hech man！ it's an awesome deevilich
way o' sayin' a holy thing。 Noo； what better could puir auld Martin
do； seein' he had no ae word to say i' the kirk a' his lifelang； nor
jist say his ae word； as pithily as might be； i' the kirky