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My twa-year-auld bairn was standin' aboot the door, an' I was makkin' some porridge for my man's supper when I heard the bairny skirlin'. She came runnin' in to the hoose an' hung i' my wrapper, an' she was hingin' there, when I gaed to the door to see what was wrang. "It was the man I'd seen passin' the hoose.
'She thowt she heerd soombody fleytin' and callin' it was t' wind came skirlin' round t' place, an' she aw' but thrown hirsel' oot 'o' t' bed, an' aa shooted for Tim, and they came, and they and I it's bin as much as we could a' du to hod 'er. 'Luke! Steady! exclaimed Jim. 'She'll try it again. For the hands were moving restlessly from side to side, and the face was working again.
"Ye may guess I didn't go into the room, and I used to be shiverin' in my bed wi' fear, at her skirlin' and scrafflin' on the flure, and blarin' out words that id make your skin turn blue. "My aunt, and Mrs. Wyvern, and Judith Squailes, and a woman from Lexhoe, was always about her. At last she took fits, and they wore her out. "T' sir was there, and prayed for her; but she was past praying with.
The lengthening of his days had restored bitterness to his loss. "I'll sune set the bag richt, daddy. Or, gien I canna du that, we'll get a new ane. Mony a pibroch 'll come skirlin' oot o' that chanter yet er' a' be dune." They were interrupted by the unceremonious entrance of the same footman who had brought the invitation. He carried a magnificent set of ebony pipes, with silver mountings.
She pined, and windered, and went off, torflin', torflin', quiet enough, till a day or two before her flittin', and then she took to rabblin', and sometimes skirlin' in the bed, ye'd think a robber had a knife to her throat, and she used to work out o' the bed, and not being strong enough, then, to walk or stand, she'd fall on the flure, wi' her ald wizened hands stretched before her face, and skirlin' still for mercy.
'She thowt she heerd soombody fleytin' and callin' it was t' wind came skirlin' round t' place, an' she aw' but thrown hirsel' oot o' t' bed, an' aa shooted for Jim, and they came, and they and I it's bin as much as we could a' du to hod 'er. 'Luke! Steady! exclaimed Jim. 'She'll try it again. For the hands were moving restlessly from side to side, and the face was working again.
"Bedad, then," said Con, "it seems a long way to be thravellin' to a counthry as close as that. Sure, if you take out for a stravade over the bog here, you'll be throubled wid nothin' the len'th of the day on'y the curlew, or maybe a couple of saygulls skirlin' raisonable enough. I'll be apt to stay where I am."
"Aye, that's it; only screamin's no sae guid as skirlin'. My gran'father's an auld man, as I was gaein' on to say, an' has hardly breath eneuch to fill the bag; but he wad be efter dirkin' onybody 'at said sic a thing, and till he heard that gun he wad gang on blawin' though he sud burst himsel. There's naebody kens the smeddum in an auld hielan' man!"
It's a gey wanchancy thing this!" he cried in terror, as the shout "Loch Sloy!" arose again outside, and the sound of voices was all about the castle. The woman within heard it too, for her cries became more hysterical than ever. "D n ye, ye skirlin' auld bitch!" said the retainer, turning in exasperation, "can ye no steeck your jaw, and let them dae the howlin' outside?"
"Ta coot peoples up in ta town are not half so hart upon her as you, Mistress Partan," insinuated poor Duncan, who, knowing himself in fault, was humble; "and it's tere tat she's paid," he added, with a bridling motion, "and not town here pelow." I was oot o' my bed hoors or I hard the skirlin' o' your pipes. Troth I ken weel hoo muckle ower ear' ye was!
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