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scalded than turned out to be the case。 He darted to him in rage；
took the tureen from his head； and； his blood being fairly up now；
flung it with all his force at Morrison； and felled him to the
earth。 At the same moment the master entered by the street door and
his wife by the house door； which was directly opposite。 In the
middle of the room the prisoners surrounded the fallen
tyrantRobert； with the red face of wrath； and Shargar； with a
complexion the mingled result of tears； ink； and soup； which latter
clothed him from head to foot besides； standing on the outskirts of
the group。 I need not follow the story farther。 Both Robert and
Morrison got a lickin'； and if Mr。 Innes had been like some
school…masters of those times； Shargar would not have escaped his
share of the evil things going。
》From that day Robert assumed the acknowledged position of Shargar's
defender。 And if there was pride and a sense of propriety mingled
with his advocacy of Shargar's rights； nay； even if the relation was
not altogether free from some amount of show…off on Robert's part； I
cannot yet help thinking that it had its share in that development
of the character of Falconer which has chiefly attracted me to the
office of his biographer。 There may have been in it the exercise of
some patronage； probably it was not pure from the pride of
beneficence； but at least it was a loving patronage and a vigorous
beneficence； and； under the reaction of these； the good which in
Robert's nature was as yet only in a state of solution； began to
crystallize into character。
But the effect of the new relation was far more remarkable on
Shargar。 As incapable of self…defence as ever； he was yet in a
moment roused to fury by any attack upon the person or the dignity
of Robert： so that； indeed； it became a new and favourite mode of
teasing Shargar to heap abuse； real or pretended； upon his friend。
》From the day when Robert thus espoused his part； Shargar was
Robert's dog。 That very evening； when she went to take a parting
peep at the external before locking the door for the night； Betty
found him sitting upon the door…step； only； however； to send him
off； as she described it； 'wi' a flech1 in 's lug （a flea in his
ear）。' For the character of the mother was always associated with
the boy； and avenged upon him。 I must； however； allow that those
delicate； dirty fingers of his could not with safety be warranted
from occasional picking and stealing。
At this period of my story； Robert himself was rather a
grotesque…looking animal； very tall and lanky； with especially long
arms； which excess of length they retained after he was full…grown。
In this respect Shargar and he were alike； but the long legs of
Shargar were unmatched in Robert； for at this time his body was
peculiarly long。 He had large black eyes； deep sunk even then； and
a Roman nose； the size of which in a boy of his years looked
portentous。 For the rest； he was dark…complexioned； with dark hair；
destined to grow darker still； with hands and feet well modelled；
but which would have made four feet and four hands such as
Shargar's。
When his mind was not oppressed with the consideration of any
important metaphysical question； he learned his lessons well； when
such was present； the Latin grammar； with all its attendant
servilities； was driven from the presence of the lordly need。 That
once satisfied in spite of pandies and imprisonments； he returned
with fresh zest； and； indeed； with some ephemeral ardour； to the
rules of syntax or prosody； though the latter； in the mode in which
it was then and there taught； was almost as useless as the task set
himself by a worthy lay…preacher in the neighbourhoodof learning
the first nine chapters of the first Book of the Chronicles； in
atonement for having； in an evil hour of freedom of spirit； ventured
to suggest that such lists of names； even although forming a portion
of Holy Writ； could scarcely be reckoned of equally divine authority
with St。 Paul's Epistle to the Romans。
CHAPTER VIII。
THE ANGEL UNAWARES。
Although Betty seemed to hold little communication with the outer
world； she yet contrived somehow or other to bring home what gossip
was going to the ears of her mistress； who had very few visitors；
for； while her neighbours held Mrs。 Falconer in great and evident
respect； she was not the sort of person to sit down and have a news
with。 There was a certain sedate self…contained dignity about her
which the common mind felt to be chilling and repellant； and from
any gossip of a personal naturewhat Betty brought her always
exceptedshe would turn away； generally with the words； 'Hoots！ I
canna bide clashes。'
On the evening following that of Shargar's introduction to Mrs。
Falconer's house； Betty came home from the butcher'sfor it was
Saturday night； and she had gone to fetch the beef for their
Sunday's brothwith the news that the people next door； that is；
round the corner in the next street； had a visitor。
The house in question had been built by Robert's father； and was；
compared with Mrs。 Falconer's one…storey house； large and handsome。
Robert had been born； and had spent a few years of his life in it；
but could recall nothing of the facts of those early days。 Some
time before the period at which my history commences it had passed
into other hands； and it was now quite strange to him。 It had been
bought by a retired naval officer； who lived in it with his
wifethe only Englishwoman in the place； until the arrival； at The
Boar's Head； of the lady so much admired by Dooble Sanny。
Robert was up…stairs when Betty emptied her news…bag； and so heard
nothing of this bit of gossip。 He had just assured Shargar that as
soon as his grandmother was asleep he would look about for what he
could find； and carry it up to him in the garret。 As yet he had
confined the expenditure out of Shargar's shilling to twopence。
The household always retired earlyearlier on Saturday night in
preparation for the Sabbathand by ten o'clock grannie and Betty
were in bed。 Robert； indeed； was in bed too； but he had lain down
in his clothes； waiting for such time as might afford reasonable
hope of his grandmother being asleep； when he might both ease
Shargar's hunger and get to sleep himself。 Several times he got up；
resolved to make his attempt； but as often his courage failed and he
lay down again； sure that grannie could not be asleep yet。 When the
clock beside him struck eleven； he could bear it no longer； and
finally rose to do his endeavour。
Opening the door of the closet slowly and softly； he crept upon his
hands and knees into the middle of the parlour； feeling very much
like a thief； as； indeed； in a measure he was； though from a
blameless motive。 But just as he had accomplished half the distance
to the door； he was arrested and fixed with terror； for a deep sigh
came from grannie's bed； followed by the voice of words。 He thought
at first that she had heard him； but he soon found that he was
mistaken。 Still； the fear of discovery held him there on all fours；
like a chained animal。 A dull red gleam； faint and dull； from the
embers of the fire； was the sole light in the room。 Everything so
common to his eyes in the daylight seemed now strange and eerie in
the dying coals； and at what was to the boy the unearthly hour of
the night。
He felt that he ought not to listen to grannie； but terror made him
unable to move。
'Och hone！ och hone！' said grannie from the bed。 'I've a sair； sair
hert。 I've a sair hert i' my breist； O Lord！ thoo knowest。 My ain
Anerew！ To think o' my bairnie that I cairriet i' my ain body； that
sookit my breists； and leuch i' my faceto think o' 'im bein' a
reprobate！ O Lord！ cudna he be eleckit yet？ Is there nae turnin'
o' thy decrees？ Na； na； that wadna do at a'。 But while there's
life there's houp。 But wha kens whether he be alive or no？ Naebody
can tell。 Glaidly wad I luik upon 's deid face gin I cud believe
that his sowl wasna amang the lost。 But eh！ the torments o' that
place！ and the reik that gangs up for ever an' ever； smorin'
（smothering） the stars！ And my Anerew doon i' the hert o' 't
cryin'！ And me no able to win till him！ O Lord！ I canna say thy
will be done。 But dinna lay 't to my chairge； for gin ye was a
mither yersel' ye wadna pit him there。 O Lord！ I'm verra
ill…fashioned。 I beg yer pardon。 I'm near oot o' my min'。 Forgie
me； O Lord！ for I hardly ken what I'm sayin'。 He was my ain babe；
my ain Anerew； and ye gae him to me yersel'。 And noo he's for the
finger o' scorn to pint at； an ootcast an' a wan'erer frae his ain
country； an' daurna come within sicht o' 't for them 'at wad tak'
the law o' 'm。 An' it's a' drinkdrink an' ill company！ He wad
hae dune weel eneuch gin they wad only hae latten him be。 What for
maun men be aye drink…drinkin' at something