Part 77 (1/2)
”Well, does the Catechism say anything to the contrary?”
”No in sae mony words, doobtless; but it says a sicht o' things 'at wad mak G.o.d oot the maist oonrichteous tyrant 'at ever was.”
”I 'm not sure you can show that logically,” said Mr Graham. ”I will think it over, however--not that I mean to take up any defence of myself. But now I have letters to write, and must ask you to leave me. Come and see me again tomorrow.”
Malcolm went from him--
like one that hath been stunned, And is of sense forlorn.
Here was trouble upon trouble! But what had befallen him compared with what had come upon the schoolmaster! A man like him to be so treated! How gladly he would work for him all the rest of his days!
And how welcome his grandfather would make him to his cottage! Lord Lossie would be the last to object. But he knew it was a baseless castle while he built it, for Mr Graham would a.s.suredly provide for himself, if it were by breaking stones on the road and saying the Lord's Prayer. It all fell to pieces just as he lifted his hand to Miss Horn's knocker.
She received him with a cordiality such as even she had never shown him before. He told her what threatened Mr Graham. She heard him to the end without remark, beyond the interjection of an occasional ”Eh, sirs!” then sat for a minute in troubled silence.
”There's a heap o' things an 'uman like me,” she said at length, ”canna un'erstan'. I didna ken whether some fowk mair nor preten'
to un'erstan' them. But set Sandy Graham doon upo' ae side, an' the presbytery doon upo' the ither, an' I hae wit eneuch to ken whilk I wad tak my eternal chance wi'. Some o' the presbytery's guid eneuch men, but haena ower muckle gumption; an' some o' them has plenty o' gumption, but haena ower muckle grace, ta jeedge by the w'y 'at they glower an' rair, layin' doon the law as gien the Almichty had been driven to tak c.o.o.nsel wi' them. But luik at Sandy Graham!
Ye ken whether he has gumption or no; an' gien he be a stickit minister, he stack by the grace o' moadesty. But, haith, I winna peety him! for, o' a' things, to peety a guid man i' the richt gate is a fule's folly. Troth, I'm a hantle mair concernt about yersel', Ma'colm!”
Malcolm heard her without apprehension. His cup seemed full, and he never thought that cups sometimes run over. But perhaps he was so far the nearer to a truth: while the cup of blessing may and often does run over, I doubt if the cup of suffering is ever more than filled to the brim.
”Onything fresh, mem?” he asked, with the image of Mrs Stewart standing ghastly on the slopes of his imagination.
”I wadna be fit to tell ye, laddie, gien 't warna, as ye ken, 'at the Almichty 's been unco mercifu' to me i' the maitter o' feelin's.
Yer freen's i' the Seaton, an' ower at Scaurnose, hae feelin's, an' that 's hoo nane o' them a' has pluck it up hert to tell ye o'
the waggin' o' slanderous tongues against ye.”
”What are they sayin' noo?” asked Malcolm with considerable indifference.
”Naither mair nor less than that ye 're the father o' an oonborn wean,” answered Miss Horn.
”I dinna freely unnerstan' ye,” returned Malcolm, for the unexpectedness of the disclosure was scarcely to be mastered at once.
I shall not put on record the plain form of honest speech whereby she made him at once comprehend the nature of the calumny. He started to his feet, and shouted ”Wha daur say that?” so loud that the listening Jean almost fell down the stair.
”Wha sud say 't but the la.s.sie hersel'?” answered Miss Horn simply.
”She maun hae the best richt to say wha's wha.”
”It wad better become anybody but her,” said Malcolm.
”What mean ye there, laddie?” cried Miss Horn, alarmed.
”'At nane cud ken sae weel 's hersel' it was a d.a.m.ned lee. Wha is she?”
”Wha but Meg Partan's Lizzy!”
”Puir la.s.sie! is that it?--Eh, but I'm sorry for her! She never said it was me. An' whaever said it, surely ye dinna believe 't o'
me, mem?”
”Me believe 't! Malcolm MacPhail, wull ye daur insult a maiden wuman 'at's stude clear o' reproch till she's lang past the danger o' 't? It's been wi' unco sma' diffeeclety, I maun alloo, for I haena been led into ony temptation!”