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his eyelids a little wider than usual； crossed his face。 But he
only said with a smile：
〃I didna ken that the tree o' knowledge； wi' sic fair fruit； grew in
our wud； Maggy； my doo。〃
〃Whaur gat ye the beuk？〃 reiterated Janet。
Margaret's face was by this time the colour of the crimson boards of
the volume in her hand； but she replied at once：
〃I got it frae Maister Sutherlan'； I reckon。〃
Janet's first response was an inverted whistle； her next； another
question：
〃Maister Sutherlan'！ wha's that o't？〃
〃Hoot； lass！〃 interposed David； 〃ye ken weel aneuch。 It's the new
tutor lad； up at the hoose； a fine； douce； honest chield； an'
weel…faured； forby。 Lat's see the bit beuky； lassie。〃
Margaret handed it to her father。
〃Col…e…ridge's Poems；〃 read David； with some difficulty。
〃Tak' it hame direckly；〃 said Janet。
〃Na； na；〃 said David； 〃a' the apples o' the tree o' knowledge are no
stappit wi sut an stew； an' gin this ane be； she'll sune ken by the
taste o't what's comin'。 It's no muckle o' an ill beuk 'at ye'll
read； Maggy； my doo。〃
〃Guid preserve's； man！ I'm no sayin' it's an ill beuk。 But it's no
richt to mak appintments wi' stranger lads i' the wud sae ear' i'
the mornin'。 Is't noo； yersel； Meg？〃
〃Mither！ mither！〃 said Margaret； and her eyes flashed through the
watery veil that tried to hide them； 〃hoo can ye？ Ye ken yersel I
had nae appintment wi' him or ony man。〃
〃Weel； weel！〃 said Janet； and； apparently either satisfied with or
overcome by the emotion she had excited； she turned and went in to
pursue her usual house…avocations； while David； handing the book to
his daughter； went away down the path that led from the cottage
door； in the direction of a road to be seen at a little distance
through the trees； which surrounded the cottage on all sides。
Margaret followed her mother into the cottage； and was soon as busy
as she with her share of the duties of the household； but it was a
good many minutes before the cloud caused by her mother's hasty
words entirely disappeared from a forehead which might with especial
justice be called the sky of her face。
Meantime David emerged upon the more open road； and bent his course；
still through fir…trees； towards a house for whose sake alone the
road seemed to have been constructed。
CHAPTER II。
DAVID ELGINBROD AND THE NEW TUTOR。
Concord between our wit and will
Where highest notes to godliness are raised；
And lowest sink not down to jot of ill。
What Languetus taught Sir Philip Sidney。
THE ARCADIAThird Eclogue。
The House of Turriepuffit stood about a furlong from David's
cottage。 It was the abode of the Laird； or landed proprietor； in
whose employment David filled several offices ordinarily distinct。
The estate was a small one； and almost entirely farmed by the owner
himself； who； with David's help； managed to turn it to good account。
Upon week…days； he appeared on horseback in a costume more fitted
for following the plough； but he did not work with his own hands；
and on Sundays was at once recognizable as a country gentleman。
David was his bailiff or grieve； to overlook the labourers on the
estate； his steward to pay them； and keep the farm accounts； his
head gardenerfor little labour was expended in that direction；
there being only one lady； the mistress of the house； and she no
patroness of useless flowers： David was in fact the laird's general
adviser and executor。
The laird's family； besides the lady already mentioned； consisted
only of two boys； of the ages of eleven and fourteen； whom he wished
to enjoy the same privileges he had himself possessed； and to whom；
therefore； he was giving a classical and mathematical education； in
view of the University； by means of private tutors； the last of
whomfor the changes were not few； seeing the salary was of the
smallestwas Hugh Sutherland； the young man concerning whom David
Elginbrod has already given his opinion。 But notwithstanding the
freedom he always granted his daughter； and his good opinion of Hugh
as well； David could not help feeling a little anxious； in his walk
along the road towards the house； as to what the apparent
acquaintance between her and the new tutor might evolve； but he got
rid of all the difficulty； as far as he was concerned； by saying at
last：
〃What richt hae I to interfere？ even supposin' I wanted to
interfere。 But I can lippen weel to my bonny doo； an' for the rest；
she maun tak' her chance like the lave o's。 An' wha' kens but it
micht jist be stan'in' afore Him； i' the very get that He meant to
gang。 The Lord forgie me for speakin' o' chance； as gin I believed
in ony sic havers。 There's no fear o' the lassie。 Gude mornin'
t'ye； Maister Sutherlan'。 That's a braw beuk o' ballants ye gae the
len' o' to my Maggy； this mornin'； sir。〃
Sutherland was just entering a side…door of the house when David
accosted him。 He was not old enough to keep from blushing at
David's words； but； having a good conscience； he was ready with a
good answer。
〃It's a good book； Mr。 Elginbrod。 It will do her no harm； though it
be ballads。〃
〃I'm in no dreed o' that； sir。 Bairns maun hae ballants。 An'； to
tell the truth； sir； I'm no muckle mair nor a bairn in that respeck
mysel'。 In fac； this verra mornin'； at the beuk； I jist thocht I
was readin' a gran' godly ballant； an' it soundet nane the waur for
the notion o't。〃
〃You should have been a poet yourself； Mr。 Elginbrod。〃
〃Na； na； I ken naething aboot yer poetry。 I hae read auld John
Milton ower an' ower； though I dinna believe the half o't； but； oh！
weel I like some o' the bonny bitties at the en' o't。〃
〃Il Penseroso； for instance？〃
〃Is that hoo ye ca't？ I ken't weel by the sicht； but hardly by the
soun'。 I aye missed the name o't； an' took to the thing itsel'。
Eh； man！I beg yer pardon； sirbut its wonnerfu' bonny！〃
〃I'll come in some evening； and we'll have a chat about it；〃 replied
Sutherland。 〃I must go to my work now。〃
〃We'll a' be verra happy to see you； sir。 Good mornin'； sir。〃
〃Good morning。〃
David went to the garden； where there was not much to be done in the
way of education at this season of the year； and Sutherland to the
school…room； where he was busy； all the rest of the morning and part
of the afternoon； with Caesar and Virgil； Algebra and Euclid； food
upon which intellectual babes are reared to the stature of college
youths。
Sutherland was himself only a youth； for he had gone early to
college； and had not yet quite completed the curriculum。 He was now
filling up with teaching； the recess between his third and his
fourth winter at one of the Aberdeen Universities。 He was the son
of an officer； belonging to the younger branch of a family of some
historic distinction and considerable wealth。 This officer； though
not far removed from the estate and title as well； had nothing to
live upon but his half…pay； for； to the disgust of his family； he
had married a Welsh girl of ancient descent； in whose line the
poverty must have been at least coeval with the history； to judge
from the perfection of its development in the case of her father；
and his relations made this