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Sutherlan'。 I'm sure it's verra kin' o' you to come an' see the
like o' huz。〃
As Hugh entered； he saw his own bright volume lying on the table；
evidently that from which David had just been reading。
Margaret had already placed for him a cushioned arm…chair； the only
comfortable one in the house； and presently； the table being drawn
back； they were all seated round the peat…fire on the hearth； the
best sort for keeping feet warm at least。 On the crook； or hooked
iron…chain suspended within the chimney； hung a three…footed pot； in
which potatoes were boiling away merrily for supper。 By the side of
the wide chimney； or more properly lum； hung an iron lamp； of an old
classical form common to the country； from the beak of which
projected； almost horizontally； the lighted wickthe pith of a
rush。 The light perched upon it was small but clear； and by it
David had been reading。 Margaret sat right under it； upon a
creepie； or small three…legged wooden stool。 Sitting thus； with the
light falling on her from above； Hugh could not help thinking she
looked very pretty。 Almost the only object in the distance from
which the feeble light was reflected； was the patch…work counterpane
of a little bed filling a recess in the wall； fitted with doors
which stood open。 It was probably Margaret's refuge for the night。
〃Well；〃 said the tutor； after they had been seated a few minutes；
and had had some talk about the weathersurely no despicable
subject after such a morningthe first of Spring〃well； how do you
like the English poet； Mr。 Elginbrod？〃
〃Spier that at me this day week； Maister Sutherlan'； an' I'll
aiblins answer ye； but no the nicht； no the nicht。〃
〃What for no？〃 said Hugh； taking up the dialect。
〃For ae thing； we're nae clean through wi' the auld sailor's story
yet； an' gin I hae learnt ae thing aboon anither； its no to pass
jeedgment upo' halves。 I hae seen ill weather half the simmer； an'
a thrang corn…yard after an' a'； an' that o' the best。 No that I'm
ill pleased wi' the bonny ballant aither。〃
〃Weel； will ye jist lat me read the lave o't till ye？〃
〃Wi' muckle pleesur； sir； an' mony thanks。〃
He showed Hugh how far they had got in the reading of the 〃Ancient
Mariner〃； whereupon he took up the tale； and carried it on to the
end。 He had some facility in reading with expression； and his few
affectationsfor it must be confessed he was not free of such
faultswere not of a nature to strike uncritical hearers。 When he
had finished； he looked up； and his eye chancing to light upon
Margaret first； he saw that her cheek was quite pale； and her eyes
overspread with the film； not of coming tears； but of emotion
notwithstanding。
〃Well；〃 said Hugh； again； willing to break the silence； and turning
towards David； 〃what do you think of it now you have heard it all？〃
Whether Janet interrupted her husband or not； I cannot tell； but she
certainly spoke first：
〃Tsh鈜ah！〃equivalent to pshaw〃it's a' lees。 What for are ye
knittin' yer broos ower a leein' ballanta' havers as weel as
lees？〃
〃I'm no jist prepared to say sae muckle； Janet；〃 replied David；
〃there's mony a thing 'at's lees； as ye ca't； 'at's no lees a'
through。 Ye see； Maister Sutherlan'； I'm no gleg at the uptak； an'
it jist taks me twise as lang as ither fowk to see to the ootside o'
a thing。 Whiles a sentence 'ill leuk to me clean nonsense
a'thegither； an' maybe a haill ook efter； it'll come upo' me a' at
ance； an' fegs！ it's the best thing in a' the beuk。〃
Margaret's eyes were fixed on her father with a look which I can
only call faithfulness； as if every word he spoke was truth； whether
she could understand it or not。
〃But perhaps we may look too far for meanings sometimes；〃 suggested
Sutherland。
〃Maybe； maybe； but when a body has a suspeecion o' a trowth； he sud
never lat sit till he's gotten eyther hit； or an assurance that
there's nothing there。 But there's jist ae thing； in the poem 'at I
can pit my finger upo'； an' say 'at it's no richt clear to me
whether it's a' straucht…foret or no？〃
〃What's that； Mr。 Elginbrod？〃
〃It's jist thiswhat for a' thae sailor…men fell doon deid； an' the
chield 'at shot the bonnie burdie； an' did a' the mischeef； cam' to
little hurt i' the 'encomparateevely。〃
〃Well；〃 said Hugh； 〃I confess I'm not prepared to answer the
question。 If you get any light on the subject〃
〃Ow； I daursay I may。 A heap o' things comes to me as I'm takin' a
daunder by mysel' i' the gloamin'。 I'll no say a thing's wrang till
I hae tried it ower an' ower； for maybe I haena a richt grip o' the
thing ava。〃
〃What can ye expec； Dawvid； o' a leevin' corp； an' a' that？ay； twa
hunner corpsfower times fifty's twa hunneran' angels turnin'
sailors； an' sangs gaein fleein' aboot like laverocks； and tummelin'
doon again； tired like？Gude preserve's a'！〃
〃Janet； do ye believe 'at ever a serpent spak？〃
〃Hoot！ Dawvid； the deil was in him； ye ken。〃
〃The deil a word o' that's i' the word itsel； though；〃 rejoined
David with a smile。
〃Dawvid；〃 said Janet； solemnly； and with some consternation； 〃ye're
no gaein' to tell me； sittin' there； at ye dinna believe ilka word
'at's prentit atween the twa brods o' the Bible？ What will Maister
Sutherlan' think o' ye？〃
〃Janet； my bonnie lass〃 and here David's eyes beamed upon his
wife〃I believe as mony o' them as ye do； an' maybe a wheen mair；
my dawtie。 Keep yer min' easy aboot that。 But ye jist see 'at fowk
warna a'thegither saitisfeed aboot a sairpent speikin'； an' sae they
leukit aboot and aboot till at last they fand the deil in him。 Gude
kens whether he was there or no。 Noo； ye see hoo； gin we was to
leuk weel aboot thae corps； an' thae angels； an' a' that queer
stuffbut oh！ it's bonny stuff tee！we micht fa' in wi' something
we didna awthegither expec； though we was leukin' for't a' the time。
Sae I maun jist think aboot it； Mr。 Sutherlan'； an' I wad fain read
it ower again； afore I lippen on giein' my opingan on the maitter。
Ye cud lave the bit beukie； sir？ We'se tak' guid care o't。〃
〃Ye're verra welcome to that or ony ither beuk I hae；〃 replied Hugh；
who began to feel already as if he were in the hands of a superior。
〃Mony thanks； but ye see； sir； we hae eneuch to chow upo' for an
aucht days or so。〃
By this time the potatoes wore considered to be cooked； and were
accordingly lifted off the fire。 The water was then poured away；
the lid put aside； and the pot hung once more upon the crook； hooked
a few rings further up in the chimney； in order that the potatoes
might be thoroughly dry before they were served。 Margaret was now
very busy spreading the cloth and laying spoon and plates on the
table。 Hugh rose to go。
〃Will ye no bide；〃 said Janet； in a most hospitable tone； 〃an' tak'
a het pitawta wi' us？〃
〃I'm afraid of being troublesome；〃 answered he。
〃Nae fear o' that； gin ye can jist pit up wi' oor hamely meat。〃
〃Mak nae apologies； Janet； my woman；〃 said David。 〃A het pitawta's
aye guid fare； for gentle or semple。 Sit ye doun again； Maister
Sutherlan'。 Maggy； my doo； whaur's the milk？〃
〃I thocht Hawkie wad hae a drappy o' het milk by this time；〃 said
Margaret； 〃and sae I jist loot it be to the last； but I'll hae't
drawn in twa minutes。〃 And away she went with a jug； commonly
called a decanter in that part of the north； in her hand。
〃That's hardly fair play to Hawkie；〃 said David to Janet with a
smile。
〃Hoot！ Dawvid； ye see we haena a stranger ilka nicht。〃
〃But really；〃 said Hugh； 〃I hope this is the last time you will
consider me a stranger； for I shall be here a great many timesthat
is； if you don't get tired of me。〃
〃Gie us the chance at least； Maister Sutherlan'。 It's no sma'
preevilege to fowk like us to hae a frien' wi' sae muckle buik
learnin' as ye hae； sir。〃
〃I am afraid it looks more to you than it really is。〃
〃Weel； ye see； we maun a' leuk at the starns frae the hicht o' oor
ain een。 An' ye seem nigher to them by a lang growth than the lave
o's。 My man； ye ought to be thankfu'。〃
With the true humility that comes of worshipping the Truth； David
had not the smallest idea that he was immeasurably nearer to the
stars than Hugh Sutherland。
Maggie having returned with her jug full of frothy milk； and the
potatoes being already heaped up in a wooden bowl or bossie in the
middle of the table； sending the smoke of their hospitality to the
rafters； Janet placed a smaller wooden bowl； called a caup； filled
with deliciously yellow milk of Hawkie's latest gathering； for each
individual of the company； with an attendant horn…spoon by its side。
They all drew their chairs to the table； and David； asking no
blessing； as it was called； but nevertheless giving thanks for the
blessing already bestowed； namely； the perfect gift of food； invited
Hugh to make a supper。 Each； in primitive but not ungraceful
fashion； took a potatoe from the dish with the fingers； and ate it；
〃bite and sup；〃 with the help of the horn…spoon for the milk。 Hugh
thought he had never supped more pleasantly； and could not help
observing how far real good…breeding is independent of the forms and
refinements of what has assumed to itself the name of so