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to fit you so tight without hurting； but you could get first…rate
work。 The streets were unevenly paved with round； water…worn
stones： Donal was not sorry that he had not to walk far upon them。
The setting sun sent his shadow before him as he entered the place。
He kept the middle of the street； looking on this side and that for
the hostelry whither he had despatched his chest before leaving
home。 A gloomy building； apparently uninhabited； drew his
attention； and sent a strange thrill through him as his eyes fell
upon it。 It was of three low stories； the windows defended by iron
stanchions； the door studded with great knobs of iron。 A little way
beyond he caught sight of the sign he was in search of。 It swung in
front of an old…fashioned； dingy building； with much of the
old…world look that pervaded the town。 The last red rays of the sun
were upon it； lighting up a sorely faded coat of arms。 The
supporters； two red horses on their hind legs； were all of it he
could make out。 The crest above suggested a skate； but could hardly
have been intended for one。 A greedy…eyed man stood in the doorway；
his hands in his trouser…pockets。 He looked with contemptuous
scrutiny at the bare…footed lad approaching him。 He had black hair
and black eyes； his nose looked as if a heavy finger had settled
upon its point； and pressed it downwards： its nostrils swelled wide
beyond their base； underneath was a big mouth with a good set of
teeth； and a strong upturning chinan ambitious and greedy face。
But ambition is a form of greed。
〃A fine day； landlord！〃 said Donal。
〃Ay；〃 answered the man； without changing the posture of one taking
his ease against his own door…post； or removing his hands from his
pockets； but looking Donal up and down with conscious superiority；
then resting his eyes on the bare feet and upturned trousers。
〃This'll be the Morven Arms； I'm thinkin'？〃 said Donal。
〃It taksna muckle thoucht to think that；〃 returned the inn…keeper；
〃whan there they hing！〃
〃Ay；〃 rejoined Donal； glancing up； 〃there is something therean'
it's airms I doobtna； but it's no a'body has the preevilege o' a
knowledge o' heraldry like yersel'； lan'lord！ I'm b'un' to confess；
for what I ken they micht be the airms o' ony ane o' ten score Scots
faimilies。〃
There was one weapon with which John Glumm was assailable； and that
was ridicule： with all his self…sufficiency he stood in terror of
itand the more covert the ridicule； so long as he suspected it；
the more he resented as well as dreaded it。 He stepped into the
street； and taking a hand from a pocket； pointed up to the sign。
〃See til't！〃 he said。 〃Dinna ye see the twa reid horse？〃
〃Ay；〃 answered Donal； 〃I see them weel eneuch； but I'm nane the
wiser nor gien they war twa reid whauls。Man；〃 he went on； turning
sharp round upon the fellow； 〃ye're no cawpable o' conceivin' the
extent o' my ignorance！ It's as rampant as the reid horse upo' your
sign！ I'll yield to naebody i' the amoont o' things I dinna ken！〃
The man stared at him for a moment。
〃I s' warran'；〃 he said； 〃ye ken mair nor ye care to lat on！〃
〃An' what may that be ower the heid o' them？A crest； ca' ye 't？〃
said Donal。
〃It's a base pearl…beset；〃 answered the landlord。
He had not a notion of what a base meant； or pearl…beset； yet prided
himself on his knowledge of the words。
〃Eh；〃 returned Donal； 〃I took it for a skate！〃
〃A skate！〃 repeated the landlord with offended sneer； and turned
towards the house。
〃I was thinkin' to put up wi' ye the nicht； gien ye could
accommodate me at a rizzonable rate；〃 said Donal。
〃I dinna ken；〃 replied Glumm； hesitating； with his back to him；
between unwillingness to lose a penny； and resentment at the
supposed badinage； which was indeed nothing but humour； 〃what wad ye
ca' rizzonable？〃
〃I wadna grudge a saxpence for my bed； a shillin' I wad；〃 answered
Donal。
〃Weel； ninepence thanfor ye seemna owercome wi' siller。〃
〃Na；〃 answered Donal； 〃I'm no that。 Whatever my burden； yon's no
hit。 The loss o' what I hae wad hardly mak me lichter for my race。〃
〃Ye're a queer customer！〃 said the man。
〃I'm no sae queer but I hae a kist comin' by the carrier；〃 rejoined
Donal； 〃direckit to the Morven Airms。 It'll be here in time
doobtless。〃
〃We'll see whan it comes；〃 remarked the landlord； implying the chest
was easier invented than believed in。
〃The warst o' 't is；〃 continued Donal； 〃I canna weel shaw mysel'
wantin' shune。 I hae a pair i' my kist； an' anither upo' my
back；but nane for my feet。〃
〃There's sutors enew；〃 said the innkeeper。
〃Weel we'll see as we gang。 I want a word wi' the minister。 Wad ye
direc' me to the manse？〃
〃He's frae hame。 But it's o' sma' consequence； he disna care aboot
tramps； honest man！ He winna waur muckle upo' the likes o' you。〃
The landlord was recovering himselftherefore his insolence。
Donal gave a laugh。 Those who are content with what they are； have
the less concern about what they seem。 The ambitious like to be
taken for more than they are； and may well be annoyed when they are
taken for less。
〃I'm thinkin' ye wadna waur muckle on a tramp aither！〃 he said。
〃I wad not；〃 answered Glumm。 〃It's the pairt o' the honest to
discoontenance lawlessness。〃
〃Ye wadna hang the puir craturs； wad ye？〃 asked Donal。
〃I wad hang a wheen mair o' them。〃
〃For no haein' a hoose ower their heads？ That's some hard！ What
gien ye was ae day to be in want o' ane yersel'！〃
〃We'll bide till the day comes。But what are ye stan'in' there for？
Are ye comin' in； or are ye no？〃
〃It's a some cauld welcome！〃 said Donal。 〃I s' jist tak a luik aboot
afore I mak up my min'。 A tramp； ye ken； needsna stan' upo'
ceremony。〃
He turned away and walked further along the street。
CHAPTER V。
THE COBBLER。
At the end of the street he came to a low…arched gateway in the
middle of a poor…looking house。 Within it sat a little bowed man；
cobbling diligently at a boot。 The sun had left behind him in the
west a heap of golden refuse； and cuttings of rose and purple； which
shone right in at the archway； and let him see to work。 Here was
the very man for Donal！ A respectable shoemaker would have
disdained to patch up the shoes he carriedespecially as the owner
was in so much need of them。
〃It's a bonny nicht；〃 he said。
〃Ye may weel mak the remark； sir！〃 replied the cobbler without
looking up； for a critical stitch occupied him。 〃It's a balmy
nicht。〃
〃That's raither a bonny word to put til't！〃 returned Donal。 〃There's
a kin' o' an air aboot the place I wad hardly hae thoucht balmy！
But troth it's no the fau't o' the nicht！〃
〃Ye're richt there also；〃 returned the cobblerhis use of the
conjunction impressing Donal。 〃Still； the weather has to du wi' the
smellwi' the mair or less o' 't； that is。 It comes frae a
tanneree nearby。 It's no an ill smell to them 'at's used til't； and
ye wad hardly believe me； sir； but I smell the clover throuw 't。
Maybe I'm preejudized； seein' but for the tan…pits I couldna weel
drive my trade； but sittin' here frae mornin' to nicht； I get a kin'
o' a habit o' luikin' oot for my blessin's。 To recognize an auld
blessin' 's 'maist better nor to get a new ane。 A pair o' shune
weel cobblet 's whiles full better nor a new pair。〃
〃They are that；〃 said Donal； 〃but I dinna jist see hoo yer seemile
applies。〃
〃Isna gettin' on a pair o' auld weel…kent an' weel men'it shune； 'at
winna nip yer feet nor yet shochle； like waukin' up til a blessin'
ye hae been haein' for years； only ye didna ken 't for ane？〃
As he spoke； the cobbler lifted a little wizened face and a pair of
twinkling eyes to those of the student； revealing a soul as original
as his own。 He was one of the inwardly inseparable； outwardly far
divided company of Christian philosophers； among whom individuality
as well as patience is free to work its perfect work。 In that
glance Donal saw a ripe soul looking out of its tent door； ready to
rush into the sunshine of the new life。
He stood for a moment lost in eternal regard of the man。 He seemed
to have known him for ages。 The cobbler looked up again。
〃Ye'll be wantin' a han' frae me i' my ain line； I'm thinkin'！〃 he
said； with a kindly nod towards Donal's shoeless feet。
〃Sma' doobt！〃 returned Donal。 〃I had scarce startit； but was ower
far to gang back； whan the sole o' ae shue cam aff； an' I had to
tramp it wi' baith my ain。〃
〃An' ye thankit the Lord for the auld blessin' o' bein' born an'
broucht up wi' soles o' yer ain！〃
〃To tell the trowth；〃 answered Donal； 〃I hae sae mony things to be
thankfu' for； it's but sma' won'er I forget mony ane o' them。 But
noo； an' I thank ye for the exhortation； the Lord's name be praist
'at he gae me feet fit for gangin' upo'！〃
He took his shoes from his back； and untying the string that bound
them； presented the ailing one to the cobbler。
〃That's what we may ca' deith！〃 remarked the cobbler； slowly turning
the invalided shoe。
〃Ay； deith it is；〃 answered Donal； 〃it's a sair divorce o' sole an'
body。〃
〃It's a some auld…farrand joke；〃 said the cobbler； 〃but the fun
intil a thing doesna weir oot ony mair nor the poetry or