Part 14 (1/2)
”Can't you wait for an answer?”
”As lang's yer lords.h.i.+p likes--Will I gang an' walk aboot, mem --my leddy, till his lords.h.i.+p's made up his min'? Wad that please him, duv ye think?” he said, in the tone of one who seeks advice.
But the girl only smiled, and the marquis said, ”Go to the devil.”
”I maun luik to yer lords.h.i.+p for the necessar' directions,” rejoined Malcolm.
”Your tongue's long enough to inquire as you go,” said the marquis.
A reply in the same strain rushed to Malcolm's lips, but he checked himself in time, and stood silent, with his bonnet in his band, fronting the two. The marquis sat gazing as if he had nothing to say to him, but after a few moments the lady spoke--not to Malcolm, however.
”Is there any danger in boating here, papa?” she said.
”Not more, I daresay, than there ought to be,” replied the marquis listlessly. ”Why do you ask?”
”Because I should so like a row! I want to see how the sh.o.r.e looks to the mermaids.”
”Well, I will take you some day, if we can find a proper boat.”
”Is yours a proper boat?” she asked, turning to Malcolm with a sparkle of fun in her eyes.
”That depen's on my lord's definition o' proper.”
”Definition!” repeated the marquis.
”Is 't ower lang a word, my lord?” asked Malcolm.
The marquis only smiled.
”I ken what ye mean. It's a strange word in a fisher lad's mou', ye think. But what for should na a fisher lad hae a smatterin' o'
loagic, my lord? For Greek or Laitin there's but sma' opportunity o' exerceese in oor pairts; but for loagic, a fisher body may aye haud his ban' in i' that. He can aye be tryin' 't upo' 's wife, or 's guid mother, or upo' 's boat, or upo' the fish whan they winna tak. Loagic wad save a heap o' cursin' an' ill words--amo' the fisher fowk, I mean, my lord.”
”Have you been to college?”
”Na, my lord--the mair's the pity! But I've been to the school sin' ever I can min'.”
”Do they teach logic there?”
”A kin' o' 't. Mr Graham sets us to try oor ban' whiles--jist to mak 's a bit gleg (quick and keen), ye ken.”
”You don't mean you go to school still?”
”I dinna gang reg'lar; but I gang as aften as Mr Graham wants me to help him, an' I aye gether something.”
”So it's schoolmaster you are as well as fisherman? Two strings to your bow!--Who pays you for teaching?”
”Ow! naebody. Wha wad pay me for that?”
”Why, the schoolmaster.”