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Updated: June 16, 2025
"Do good to all men as thy hand findeth opportunity." "Be clothed with humility." "Trust in the Lord at all times." Probably Elspie was right, for she judged of people in the old-fashioned way, namely, "by their fruits." Her judgment of the two Duncans on this principle, by the way, could not have been very exalted, but we cannot tell.
"God forgive me!" exclaimed the old man, suddenly pausing, as he was about to thrust the last morsel into his mouth; "hunger makes me selfish. I wass forgettin' that you are starvin' too, my tear. Open your mouth." "No, father, I don't want it. I really don't feel hungry." "Elspie, my shild," said old Duncan, in a tone of stern remonstrance, "when wass it that you began to tell lies?"
Not the least bright and fresh among them was the human creature in her early girlhood, tender and pleasant in its beautiful leafage, but waiting, like any other young and growing life, to prove what sort of flower should come of it. "Now you've got one of your 'thoughts, Cousin Delight! I see it 'biggening, as Elspie says."
Elspie will by this time have got supper ready. There was a row of ducks and chickens on the spit when I came away." "That were best, Sandy. Do you see to their comforts, and aid my mother pack up such things as she most values, and I will go myself down to the village for the cart, for I wish to speak with some there."
What a blessing that I have already told her the child was a fine and perfect child. Poor thing, poor thing!" he added passionately, as he hurried to his patient leaving Elspie hushed into silence, still mournfully gazing on her charge. It would have been curious to mark the changes in the nurse's face during that brief interval.
Elspie pleased and important began eagerly to relate long traditions about the Lady Christina Rothesay, who was a witch, and a great friend of "Maister Michael Scott," and how, with spells, she caused her seven step-sons to pine away and die; also the lady Isobel, who let her lover down from her bower-window with the long strings of her golden hair, and how her brother found and slew him; whence she laid a curse on all the line who had golden hair, and such never prospered, but died unmarried and young.
"Thank 'ee for nothin', Little Bill, for I don't mean to become either ill or old for some time to come; but, I say, are they goin' to perform an operation on Old Peg's head?" This was said in consequence of Elspie shouting to the old woman to let her put something into her ear to cure deafness. "Cure deafness!" she exclaimed, with a faint laugh, "nothin' will ever cure my deafness.
"But we might compromise the matter. I might have mine a little sooner and you could have yours a little later." Still Jenkins shook his head. "Not fair-play," he said. "All the advantage on your side. However, we might consider it. Hold a sort o' drum-head court-martial over it, with Elise and Elspie as judges."
That he should have a younger son also named Duncan a cross ne'er-do-weel like himself was natural, but how he came to have such a sweet daughter as Elspie, and such a good elder son as Fergus, are mysteries which we do not attempt to unravel or explain. Perhaps these two took after their departed mother. We know not, for we never met her.
He seemed to struggle violently against some inward feeling, and then answered with a strong effort, "Yes." The door closed after him abruptly. Very soon Elspie saw him walking with hasty strides along the beautiful walk that winds round the foot of the castle rock. The nurse sat still for a long time thinking, and then ended her ponderings with her favourite phrase,
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