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〃Your mother will never forgive me if you get into a scrape with
that smooth…faced hussy； and if her father； honest man hasn't eyes
enough in his head； other people haveay； an' tongues too； Mr。
Sutherland。〃
Hugh was on the point of forgetting his manners； and consigning all
the above mentioned organs to perdition； but he managed to restrain
his wrath； and merely said that Margaret was one of the best girls
he had ever known； and that there was no possible danger of any kind
of scrape with her。 This mode of argument； however； was not
calculated to satisfy Mrs。 Glasford。 She returned to the charge。
〃She's a sly puss； with her shy airs and graces。 Her father's jist
daft wi' conceit o' her； an' it's no to be surprised if she cast a
glamour ower you。 Mr。 Sutherland； ye're but young yet。〃
Hugh's pride presented any alliance with a lassie who had herded the
laird's cows barefoot； and even now tended their own cow； as an all
but inconceivable absurdity； and he resented； more than he could
have thought possible； the entertainment of such a degrading idea in
the mind of Mrs。 Glasford。 Indignation prevented him from replying；
while she went on； getting more vernacular as she proceeded。
〃It's no for lack o' company 'at yer driven to seek theirs； I'm
sure。 There's twa as fine lads an' gude scholars as ye'll fin' in
the haill kintra…side； no to mention the laird and mysel'。〃
But Hugh could bear it no longer； nor would he condescend to excuse
or explain his conduct。
〃Madam； I beg you will not mention this subject again。〃
〃But I will mention 't； Mr。 Sutherlan'； an' if ye'll no listen to
rizzon； I'll go to them 'at maun do't。〃
〃I am accountable to you； madam； for my conduct in your house； and
for the way in which I discharge my duty to your childrenno
further。〃
〃Do ye ca' that dischairgin' yer duty to my bairns； to set them the
example o' hingin' at a quean's 鈖ron…strings； and fillin' her lug
wi' idle havers？ Ca' ye that dischairgin' yer duty？ My certie！ a
bonny dischairgin'！〃
〃I never see the girl but in her father and mother's presence。〃
〃Weel； weel； Mr。 Sutherlan'；〃 said Mrs。 Glasford； in a final tone；
and trying to smother the anger which she felt she had allowed to
carry her further than was decorous； 〃we'll say nae mair aboot it at
present； but I maun jist speak to the laird himsel'； an' see what he
says till 't。〃
And； with this threat； she walked out of the room in what she
considered a dignified manner。
Hugh was exceedingly annoyed at this treatment； and thought； at
first； of throwing up his situation at once； but he got calmer by
degrees； and saw that it would be to his own loss； and perhaps to
the injury of his friends at the cottage。 So he took his revenge by
recalling the excited face of Mrs。 Glasford； whose nose had got as
red with passion as the protuberance of a turkey…cock when gobbling
out its unutterable feelings of disdain。 He dwelt upon this
soothing contemplation till a fit of laughter relieved him； and he
was able to go and join his pupils as if nothing had happened。
Meanwhile the lady sent for David； who was at work in the garden；
into no less an audience…chamber than the drawing…room； the revered
abode of all the tutelar deities of the house； chief amongst which
were the portraits of the laird and herself： he； plethoric and
wrapped in voluminous folds of neckerchiefshe long…necked； and
lean； and bare…shouldered。 The original of the latter work of art
seated herself in the most important chair in the room； and when
David； after carefully wiping the shoes he had already wiped three
times on his way up； entered with a respectful but no wise
obsequious bow； she ordered him； with the air of an empress； to shut
the door。 When he had obeyed； she ordered him； in a similar tone；
to be seated； for she sought to mingle condescension and
conciliation with severity。
〃David；〃 she then began； 〃I am informed that ye keep open door to
our Mr。 Sutherland； and that he spends most forenichts in your
company。〃
〃Weel； mem； it's verra true；〃 was all David's answer。 He sat in an
expectant attitude。
〃Dawvid； I wonner at ye！〃 returned Mrs。 Glasford； forgetting her
dignity； and becoming confidentially remonstrative。 〃Here's a young
gentleman o' talans； wi' ilka prospeck o' waggin' his heid in a
poopit some day； an' ye aid an' abet him in idlin' awa' his time at
your chimla…lug； duin' waur nor naething ava！ I'm surprised at ye；
Dawvid。 I thocht ye had mair sense。〃
David looked out of his clear； blue； untroubled eyes； upon the
ruffled countenance of his mistress； with an almost paternal smile。
〃Weel； mem； I maun say I dinna jist think the young man's in the
warst o' company； when he's at our ingle…neuk。 An' for idlin' o'
his time awa'； it's weel waurd for himsel'； forby for us； gin holy
words binna lees。〃
〃What do ye mean； Dawvid？〃 said the lady rather sharply； for she
loved no riddles。
〃I mean this； mem： that the young man is jist actin' the pairt o'
Peter an' John at the bonny gate o' the temple； whan they said：
'Such as I have； gie I thee；' an' gin' it be more blessed to gie
than to receive； as Sant Paul says 'at the Maister himsel' said； the
young man 'ill no be the waur aff in's ain learnin'； that he
impairts o't to them that hunger for't。〃
〃Ye mean by this； Dawvid； gin ye could express yersel' to the pint；
'at the young man； wha's ower weel paid to instruck my bairns；
neglecks them； an' lays himsel' oot upo' ither fowk's weans； wha hae
no richt to ettle aboon the station in which their Maker pat them。〃
This was uttered with quite a religious fervour of expostulation；
for the lady's natural indignation at the thought of Meg Elginbrod
having lessons from her boys' tutor； was cowed beneath the quiet
steady gaze of the noble…minded peasant father。
〃He lays himsel' oot mair upo' the ither fowk themsels' than upo'
their weans； mem； though； nae doubt； my Maggy comes in for a gude
share。 But for negleckin' o' his duty to you； mem； I'm sure I kenna
hoo that can be； for it was only yestreen 'at the laird himsel' said
to me； 'at hoo the bairns had never gotten on naething like it wi'
ony ither body。〃
〃The laird's ower ready wi's clavers；〃 quoth the laird's wife；
nettled to find herself in the wrong； and forgetful of her own and
her lord's dignity at once。 〃But；〃 she pursued； 〃all I can say is；
that I consider it verra improper o' you； wi' a young lass…bairn； to
encourage the nichtly veesits o' a young gentleman； wha's sae far
aboon her in station； an' dootless will some day be farther yet。〃
〃Mem！〃 said David； with dignity； 〃I'm willin' no to understan' what
ye mean。 My Maggy's no ane 'at needs luikin' efter； an' a body had
need to be carefu' an' no interfere wi' the Lord's herdin'； for he
ca's himsel' the Shepherd o' the sheep； an' wee！ as I loe her I maun
lea' him to lead them wha follow him wherever he goeth。 She'll be
no ill guidit； and I'm no gaeing to kep her at ilka turn。〃
〃Weel； weel！ that's yer ain affair； Dawvid； my man；〃 rejoined Mrs。
Glasford； with rising voice and complexion。 〃A' 'at I hae to add is
jist this： 'at as lang as my tutor veesits her〃
〃He veesits her no more than me； mem；〃 interposed David； but his
mistress went on with dignified disregard of the interruption
〃Veesits her； I canna； for the sake o' my own bairns； an' the morals
o' my hoosehold； employ her aboot the hoose； as I was in the way o'
doin' afore。 Good mornin'； Dawvid。 I'll speak to the laird
himsel'； sin' ye'll no heed me。〃
〃It's more to my lassie； mem； excuse me； to learn to unnerstan' the
works o' her Maker； than it is to be employed in your household。
Mony thanks； mem； for what ye hev' done in that way afore； an' good
mornin' to ye； mem。 I'm sorry we should hae ony misunderstandin'；
but I canna help it for my pairt。〃
With these words David withdrew； rather anxious about the
consequences to Hugh of this unpleasant interference on the part of
Mrs。 Glasford。 That lady's wrath kept warm without much nursing；
till the laird came home； when she turned the whole of her battery
upon him； and kept up a steady fire until he yielded； and promised
to turn his upon David。 But he had more common…sense than his wife
in some things； and saw at once how ridiculous it would be to treat
the affair as of importance。 So； the next time he saw David； he
addressed him half jocularly：
〃Weel； Dawvid； you an' the mistress hae been haein' a bit o' a
dispute thegither； eh？〃
〃Weel； sir； we warna a'thegither o' ae min'；〃 said David； with a
smile。
〃Weel； weel； we maun humour her； ye ken； or it may be the waur for
us a'； ye ken。〃 And the laird nodded with humorous significance。
〃I'm sure I sud be glaid； sir； but this is no sma' maitter to me an'
my Maggie； for we're jist gettin' food for the verra sowl； sir； frae
him an' his beuks。〃
〃Cudna ye be content wi the beuks wi'out the man； Dawvid？〃
〃We sud mak' but sma' progress； sir； that get。〃
The laird began to be a little nettled himself at David's stiffness
about such a small matter； and held his peace。 David resumed：
〃Besides； sir； that's a maitter for the young man to sattle； an' no
for me。 It wad ill beco