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"You are sure you will never say again that you don't understand me?" "Quite sure," said Gavin, bravely. "And by-and-by you will offer to tell me of your free will?" "Oh, don't let us think of the future," answered Babbie. "Let us be happy for the moment." This had been the Egyptian's philosophy always, but it was ill- suited for Auld Licht ministers, as one of them was presently to discover.
'Ay, but, said the parish clerk, 'Factor Glossin wants to get rid of the auld Laird, and drive on the sale, for fear the heir-male should cast up upon them; for I have heard say, if there was an heir-male they couldna sell the estate for auld Ellangowan's debt. 'He had a son born a good many years ago, said the stranger; 'he is dead, I suppose?
What is the worth o' anything to me, puir auld deevil, that ha' no half a dizen years to live at the furthest. God bless ye, my bairn; gang hame, and mind your mither, or it's little gude books'll do ye." I was now thrown again utterly on my own resources.
Therefore, on a hot Christmas day, with the sun one hundred odd in the shade, Australian revellers sit down to the roast beef and plum-pudding of Old England, which they eat contentedly as the orthodox thing, and on New Year's Eve the festive Celt repairs to the doors of his "freends" with a bottle of whisky and a cheering verse of Auld Lang Syne.
"Weel," said Davie Flett, "I must say that's a queer auld fellow." "He seems to have turned honest," I said. "The auld scoundrel has taken a liking for you, Halcro," said the skipper, smiling. "But," said I, "I almost wish he had bought the diamond." "Nonsense, lad! keep it and bide ye're time. Besides, you forget the dominie's 'Law of Treasure Trove'"
While the servants admitted the troopers, whose oaths and threats already indicated resentment at the delay they had been put to, Cuddie took the opportunity to whisper to his mother, "Now, ye daft auld carline, mak yoursell deaf ye hae made us a' deaf ere now and let me speak for ye. I wad like ill to get my neck raxed for an auld wife's clashes, though ye be our mither."
Traill sighed, cleared the table in silence, and mended the fire. It was ill having no one to talk to but a simple old body who couldn't put two and two together and make four. The landlord lighted his pipe meditatively, and he lighted his cruisey lamp for reading. Auld Jock was dry and warm again; oh, very, very warm, so that he presently fell into a doze.
"Sinfu', shamefu', heaven-daring times!" answered Deans, in a lower and more subdued tone. "For my part," continued Saddletree, swelling with importance, "what between the distress of my friends, and my poor auld country, ony wit that ever I had may be said to have abandoned me, sae that I sometimes think myself as ignorant as if I were inter rusticos.
When, finally, he was left alone, Bobby trotted around the kirk, to assure himself that Auld Jock's grave was unmolested. There he turned on his back, squirmed and rocked on the crocuses, and tugged at the unaccustomed collar. His inverted struggles, low growlings and furry contortions set the wrens to scolding and the redbreasts to making nervous inquiries.
"Here's a mannie that's to gang through with us," said Sim. "It was the auld wife Gilchrist wanted it." "Aweel, aweel," said the other; and presently, remembering his manners, and looking on me with a solemn grin, "A fine day!" says he. I agreed with him, and asked him how he did. "Brawly," was the reply; and without further civilities, the pair proceeded to get the cattle under way.
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