第79章

'Nae upo' fiddles,' Robert had said.

'But upo' them 'at plays them,' returned his grandmother.

'Na; nor upo' them 'at burns them,' retorted Robert--impudently it must be confessed; for every man is open to commit the fault of which he is least capable.

But Mrs.Falconer had too much regard to her own dignity to indulge her feelings.Possibly too her sense of justice, which Falconer always said was stronger than that of any other woman he had ever known, as well as some movement of her conscience interfered.She was silent, and Robert rushed into the breach which his last discharge had effected.

'An' I want to tell ye, grannie, that I mean to gang an' play the fiddle to puir Sanny ilka nicht for the best pairt o' an hoor; an'

excep' ye lock the door an' hide the key, I will gang.The puir sinner sanna be desertit by God an' man baith.'

He scarcely knew what he was saying before it was out of his mouth;and as if to cover it up, he hurried on.

'An' there's mair in 't.--Dr.Anderson gae Shargar an' me a sovereign the piece.An' Dooble Sanny s' hae them, to haud him ohn deid o' hunger an' cauld.'

'What for didna ye tell me 'at Dr.Anderson had gien ye sic a sicht o' siller? It was ill-faured o' ye--an' him as weel.'

''Cause ye wad hae sent it back till 'im; an' Shargar and me we thocht we wad raither keep it.'

'Considerin' 'at I'm at sae muckle expense wi' ye baith, it wadna hae been ill-contrived to hae brocht the siller to me, an' latten me du wi' 't as I thocht fit.--Gang na awa', laddie,' she added, as she saw Robert about to leave the room.

'I'll be back in a minute, grannie,' returned Robert.

'He's a fine lad, that!' said Mr.Innes; 'an' guid 'll come o' 'm, and that 'll be heard tell o'.'

'Gin he had but the grace o' God, there wadna be muckle to compleen o',' acquiesced his grandmother.

'There's time eneuch for that, Mrs.Faukner.Ye canna get auld heids upo' young shoothers, ye ken.'

''Deed for that maitter, ye may get mony an auld heid upo' auld shoothers, and nae a spark o' grace in 't to lat it see hoo to lay itsel' doon i' the grave.'

Robert returned before Mr.Innes had made up his mind as to whether the old lady intended a personal rebuke.

'Hae, grannie,' he said, going up to her, and putting the two sovereigns in her white palm.

He had found some difficulty in making Shargar give up his, else he would have returned sooner.

'What's this o' 't, laddie?' said Mrs.Falconer.'Hoots! I'm nae gaein' to tak yer siller.Lat the puir soutar-craturs hae 't.But dinna gie them mair nor a shillin' or twa at ance--jist to haud them in life.They deserve nae mair.But they maunna sterve.And jist ye tell them, laddie, at gin they spen' ae saxpence o' 't upo'

whusky, they s' get nae mair.'

'Ay, ay, grannie,' responded Robert, with a glimmer of gladness in his heart.'And what aboot the fiddlin', grannie?' he added, half playfully, hoping for some kind concession therein as well.

But he had gone too far.She vouchsafed no reply, and her face grew stern with offence.It was one thing to give bread to eat, another to give music and gladness.No music but that which sprung from effectual calling and the perseverance of the saints could be lawful in a world that was under the wrath and curse of God.Robert waited in vain for a reply.

'Gang yer wa's,' she said at length.'Mr.Innes and me has some business to mak an en' o', an' we want nae assistance.'