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David； beneath which lay the temple not only of holy but of wise and
poetic thought。 It was like the sylvan abode of the gods； where the
architecture and music are all of their own making； in their kind
the more beautiful； the more simple and rude； and if more doubtful
in their intent； and less precise in their finish； yet therein the
fuller of life and its grace； and the more suggestive of deeper
harmonies。
CHAPTER XIII。
HERALDRY。
And like his father of face and of stature；
And false of loveit came him of nature；
As doth the fox Renard； the fox's son；
Of kinde； he coud his old father's wone；
Without lore； as can a drake swim；
When it is caught； and carried to the brim。
CHAUCER。Legend of Phillis。
Of course； the yet more lengthened absences of Hugh from the house
were subjects of remark as at the first； but Hugh had made up his
mind not to trouble himself the least about that。 For some time
Mrs。 Glasford took no notice of them to himself； but one evening；
just as tea was finished； and Hugh was rising to go； her restraint
gave way； and she uttered one spiteful speech； thinking it； no
doubt； so witty that it ought to see the light。
〃Ye're a day…labourer it seems； Mr。 Sutherlan'； and gang hame at
night。〃
〃Exactly so； madam；〃 rejoined Hugh。 〃There is no other relation
between you and me； than that of work and wages。 You have done your
best to convince me of that； by making it impossible for me to feel
that this house is in any sense my home。〃
With this grand speech he left the room； and from that time till the
day of his final departure from Turriepuffit； there was not a single
allusion made to the subject。
He soon reached the cottage。 When he entered the new room； which
was always called Mr。 Sutherland's study； the mute welcome afforded
him by the signs of expectation； in the glow of the waiting fire；
and the outspread arms of the elbow…chair； which was now called his；
as well as the room； made ample amends to him for the unfriendliness
of Mrs。 Glasford。 Going to the shelves to find the books he wanted；
he saw that they had been carefully arranged on one shelf； and that
the others were occupied with books belonging to the house。 He
looked at a few of them。 They were almost all old books； and such
as may be found in many Scotch cottages； for instance； Boston's
Fourfold State； in which the ways of God and man may be seen through
a fourfold fog； Erskine's Divine Sonnets； which will repay the
reader in laughter for the pain it costs his reverence； producing
much the same effect that a Gothic cathedral might； reproduced by
the pencil and from the remembrance of a Chinese artist； who had
seen it once； Drelincourt on Death； with the famous ghost…hoax of De
Foe； to help the bookseller to the sale of the unsaleable； the Scots
Worthies； opening of itself at the memoir of Mr。 Alexander Peden；
the Pilgrim's Progress； that wonderful inspiration； failing never
save when the theologian would sometimes snatch the pen from the
hand of the poet； Theron and Aspasio； Village Dialogues； and others
of a like class。 To these must be added a rare edition of Blind
Harry。 It was clear to Hugh； unable as he was fully to appreciate
the wisdom of David； that it was not from such books as these that
he had gathered it； yet such books as these formed all his store。
He turned from them； found his own； and sat down to read。 By and
by David came in。
〃I'm ower sune； I doubt； Mr。 Sutherlan'。 I'm disturbin' ye。〃
〃Not at all；〃 answered Hugh。 〃Besides； I am not much in a reading
mood this evening： Mrs。 Glasford has been annoying me again。〃
〃Poor body！ What's she been sayin' noo？〃
Thinking to amuse David； Hugh recounted the short passage between
them recorded above。 David； however； listened with a very different
expression of countenance from what Hugh had anticipated； and； when
he had finished； took up the conversation in a kind of apologetic
tone。
〃Weel； but ye see；〃 said he； folding his palms together； 〃she hasna'
jist had a'thegither fair play。 She does na come o' a guid breed。
Man； it's a fine thing to come o' a guid breed。 They hae a hantle
to answer for 'at come o' decent forbears。〃
〃I thought she brought the laird a good property；〃 said Hugh； not
quite understanding David。
〃Ow； ay； she brocht him gowpenfu's o' siller； but hoo was't gotten？
An' ye ken it's no riches 'at 'ill mak' a guid breed'cep' it be
o' maggots。 The richer cheese the mair maggots； ye ken。 Ye maunna
speyk o' this； but the mistress's father was weel kent to hae made
his siller by fardins and bawbees； in creepin'； crafty ways。 He was
a bit merchan' in Aberdeen； an' aye keepit his thoom weel ahint the
peint o' the ellwan'； sae 'at he made an inch or twa upo' ilka yard
he sauld。 Sae he took frae his soul； and pat intill his siller…bag；
an' had little to gie his dochter but a guid tocher。 Mr。
Sutherlan'； it's a fine thing to come o' dacent fowk。 Noo； to luik
at yersel'： I ken naething aboot yer family； but ye seem at eesicht
to come o' a guid breed for the bodily part o' ye。 That's a sma'
matter； but frae what I ha'e seenan' I trust in God I'm no'
mista'enye come o' the richt breed for the min' as weel。 I'm no
flatterin' ye； Mr。 Sutherlan'； but jist layin' it upo' ye； 'at gin
ye had an honest father and gran'father； an' especially a guid
mither； ye hae a heap to answer for； an' ye ought never to be hard
upo' them 'at's sma' creepin' creatures； for they canna help it sae
weel as the like o' you and me can。〃
David was not given to boasting。 Hugh had never heard anything
suggesting it from his lips before。 He turned full round and looked
at him。 On his face lay a solemn quiet； either from a feeling of
his own responsibility； or a sense of the excuse that must be made
for others。 What he had said about the signs of breed in Hugh's
exterior； certainly applied to himself as well。 His carriage was
full of dignity； and a certain rustic refinement； his voice was
wonderfully gentle； but deep； and slowest when most impassioned。 He
seemed to have come of some gigantic antediluvian breed： there was
something of the Titan slumbering about him。 He would have been a
stern man； but for an unusual amount of reverence that seemed to
overflood the sternness； and change it into strong love。 No one had
ever seen him thoroughly angry； his simple displeasure with any of
the labourers； the quality of whose work was deficient； would go
further than the laird's oaths。
Hugh sat looking at David； who supported the look with that perfect
calmness that comes of unconscious simplicity。 At length Hugh's eye
sank before David's； as he said：
〃I wish I had known your father； then； David。〃
〃My father was sic a ane as I tauld ye the ither day； Mr。
Sutherlan'。 I'm a' richt there。 A puir； semple； God…fearin'
shepherd； 'at never gae his dog an ill…deserved word； nor took the
skin o' ony puir lammie； wha's woo' he was clippin'； atween the
shears。 He was weel worthy o' the grave 'at he wan till at last。
An' my mither was jist sic like； wi' aiblins raither mair heid nor
my father。 They're her beuks maistly upo' the skelf there abune yer
ain； Mr。 S