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next day。
As soon as he had done this； Duty lifted up her head； and called
him。 He obeyed； and wrote to his mother。 Duty called again； and he
wrote； though with much trepidation and humiliation； to David
Elginbrod。
It was a good beginning。 He had commenced his London life in doing
what he knew he ought to do。 His trepidation in writing to David；
arose in part； it must be confessed； from the strange result of one
of the experiments at Arnstead。
This was his letter。 But he sat and meditated a long time before he
began it。
〃MY DEAR FRIEND；If I did not think you would forgive me； I should
feel； now that I have once allowed my mind to rest upon my conduct
to you； as if I could never hold up my head again。 After much
occupation of thought and feeling with other things； a season of
silence has come； and my sins look me in the face。 First of them
all is my neglect of you； to whom I owe more than to any man else；
except； perhaps； my father。 Forgive me； for forgiveness' sake。 You
know it takes a long time for a child to know its mother。 It takes
everything as a matter of course； till suddenly one day it lifts up
its eyes； and knows that a face is looking at it。 I have been like
the child towards you； but I am beginning to feel what you have been
to me。 I want to be good。 I am very lonely now in great noisy
London。 Write to me； if you please； and comfort me。 I wish I were
as good as you。 Then everything would go right with me。 Do not
suppose that I am in great trouble of any kind。 As yet I am very
comfortable； as far as external circumstances go。 But I have a kind
of aching inside me。 Something is not right； and I want your help。
You will know what I mean。 What am I to do？ Please to remember me
in the kindest； most grateful manner to Mrs。 Elginbrod and Margaret。
It is more than I deserve； but I hope they have not forgotten me as
I have seemed to forget them。
〃I am； my dear Mr。 Elginbrod；
〃Your old friend；
〃HUGH SUTHERLAND。〃
I may as well insert here another letter； which arrived at
Turriepuffit； likewise addressed to David； some six weeks after the
foregoing。 They were both taken to Janet； of course：
〃SIR；I have heard from one who knows you； that you believereally
believe in God。 That is why I write to you。 It may seem very
strange in me to do so； but how can I help it？ I am a very unhappy
woman； for I am in the power of a bad man。 I cannot explain it all
to you； and I will not attempt it； for sometimes I almost think I am
out of my mind； and that it is all a delusion。 But； alas！ delusion
or not； it is a dreadful reality to me in all its consequences。 It
is of such a nature that no one can help mebut God； if there be a
God； and if you can make me believe that there is a God； I shall not
need to be persuaded that he will help me； for I will besiege him
with prayers night and day to set me free。 And even if I am out of
my mind； who can help me but him？ Ah！ is it not when we are driven
to despair； when there is no more help anywhere； that we look around
for some power of good that can put right all that is wrong？ Tell
me； dear sir； what to do。 Tell me that there certainly is a God；
else I shall die raving。 He said you knew about him better than
anybody else。
〃I am； honoured Sir；
〃Your obedient servant；
〃EUPHRASIA CAMERON。
〃Arnstead； Surrey； &c。； &c。〃
David's answer to this letter； would have been something worth
having。 But I think it would have been all summed up in one word：
Try and see： call and listen。
But what could Janet do with such letters？ She did the only thing
she could： she sent them to Margaret。
Hugh found it no great hardship to go to bed in the same room in
which he sat。 The bed looked peculiarly inviting； for； strange to
tell； it was actually hung with the same pattern of old…fashioned
chintz； as the bed which had been his from his earliest
recollection； till he left his father's house。 How could he mistake
the trees； growing with tufts to the ground； or the great birds
which he used to think were crows； notwithstanding their red and
yellow plumage？ It was all over red； brown； and yellow。 He could
remember； and reconstruct the very faces； distorted and awful；
which； in the delirium of childish sicknesses； he used to discover
in the foliage and stems of the trees。 It made the whole place seem
to him homely and kind。 When he got tired； he knelt by his bedside；
which he had not done for a long time； and then went to bed。
Hardship！ No。 It was very pleasant to see the dying fire； and his
books about and his papers； and to dream； half…asleep and
half…awake； that the house…fairies were stealing out to gambol for a
little in the fire…lighted silence of the room as he slept； and to
vanish as the embers turned black。 He had not been so happy for a
long time as now。 The writing of that letter had removed a load
from his heart。 True； we can never be at peace till we have
performed the highest duty of alltill we have arisen； and gone to
our Father； but the performance of smaller duties； yes； even of the
smallest； will do more to give us temporary repose； will act more as
healthful anodynes； than the greatest joys that can come to us from
any other quarter。 He soon fell asleep； and dreamed that he was a
little child lost in a snow…storm； and that just as the snow had
reached above his head； and he was beginning to be smothered； a
great hand caught hold of him by the arm and lifted him out； and；
lo！ the storm had ceased； and the stars were sparkling overhead like
diamonds that had been drinking the light of the sun all day； and he
saw that it was David； as strong as ever； who had rescued him； the
little child； and was leading him home to Janet。 But he got sleepy
and faint upon the way； which was long and cold； and then David
lifted him up and carried him in his bosom； and he fell asleep。
When he woke； and； opening his eyes； looked up to him who bore him；
it was David no longer。 The face was that which was marred more
than any man's； because the soul within had loved more； it was the
face of the Son of Man； and he was carrying him like a lamb in his
bosom。 He gazed more and more as they travelled through the cold
night； and the joy of lying in the embrace of that man； grew and
grew； till it became too strong for the bonds of sleep； and he awoke
in the fog of a London morning。
CHAPTER III。
ENDEAVOURS。
And； even should misfortunes come；
I； here wha sit； hae met wi' some；
An's thankfu' for them yet。
They gie the wit of age to youth；
They let us ken oursel'；
They mak' us see the naked truth；
The real guid and ill。
Tho' losses； and crosses；
Be lessons right severe；
There's wit there； ye'll get there；
Ye'll find nae other where。
BURNS。
Hugh took his advertisement to the Times office； and paid what
seemed to him an awful amount for its insertion。 Then he wandered
about London till the middle of the day； when he went into a baker's
shop； and bought two penny loaves； which he put in his pocket。
Having found his way to the British Museum； he devoured them at his
leisure as he walked through the Grecian and