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time。His great passion； his keenest delight； was animal food。 He
ate enormouslymore； it was said； than three hearty men。 An hour
after he had gorged himself； he was ready to gorge again。 Roast meat
was his main delight； but he was fond of broth also。He must have
been more like Mrs。 Shelley's creation in Frankenstein than any
other。 All the time I read that story； I had the vision of my
far…off cousin constantly before me； as I saw him in my mind's eye
when my nurse described him； and often I wondered whether Mrs。
Shelley could have heard of him。In an earlier age and more
practical； they would have got rid of him by readier and more
thorough means； if only for shame of having brought such a being
into the world； but they sent him with his keeper； a little man with
a powerful eye； to that same house down in the town there： in an
altogether solitary place they could persuade no man to live with
him。 At night he was always secured to his bed； otherwise his keeper
would not have had courage to sleep； for he was as cunning as he was
hideous。 When he slept during the day； which he did frequently after
a meal； his attendant contented himself with locking his door； and
keeping his ears awake。 At such times only did he venture to look on
the world： he would step just outside the street…door； but would
neither leave it； nor shut it behind him； lest the savage should
perhaps escape from his room； bar it； and set the house on fire。
〃One beautiful Sunday morning； the brute； after a good breakfast；
had fallen asleep on his bed； and the keeper had gone down stairs；
and was standing in the street with the door open behind him。 All
the people were at church； and the street was empty as a desert。 He
stood there for some time； enjoying the sweet air and the scent of
the flowers； went in and got a light to his pipe； put coals on the
fire； saw that the hugh cauldron of broth which the cook had left in
his charge when he went to churchit was to serve for dinner and
supper bothwas boiling beautifully； went back； and again took his
station in front of the open door。 Presently came a neighbour woman
from her house； leading by the hand a little girl too young to go to
church。 She stood talking with him for some time。
〃Suddenly she cried； 'Good Lord！ what's come o' the bairn？' The same
instant came one piercing shriekfrom some distance it seemed。 The
mother darted down the neighbouring close。 But the keeper saw that
the door behind him was shut； and was filled with horrible dismay。
He darted to an entrance in the close； of which he always kept the
key about him； and went straight to the kitchen。 There by the fire
stood the savage； gazing with a fixed fishy eye of rapture at the
cauldron； which the steam； issuing in little sharp jets from under
the lid； showed to be boiling furiously； with grand prophecy of
broth。 Ghastly horror in his very bones； the keeper lifted the
lidand there； beside the beef； with the broth bubbling in waves
over her； lay the child！ The demon had torn off her frock； and
thrust her into the boiling liquid！
〃There rose such an outcry that they were compelled to put him in
chains and carry him no one knew whither； but nurse said he lived to
old age。 Ever since； the house has been uninhabited； with； of
course； the reputation of being haunted。 If you happen to be in its
neighbourhood when it begins to grow dark； you may see the children
hurry past it in silence； now and then glancing back in dread； lest
something should have opened the never…opened door； and be stealing
after them。 They call that something The Red Etin；only this ogre
was black； I am sorry to say； red was the proper colour for him。〃
〃It is a horrible story！〃 said Donal。
〃I want you to go to the house for me： you do not mind going； do
you？〃
〃Not in the least；〃 answered Donal。
〃I want you to search a certain bureau there for some papers。By
the way； have you any news to give me about Forgue？〃
〃No； my lord；〃 answered Donal。 〃I do not even know whether or not
they meet； but I am afraid。〃
〃Oh； I daresay；〃 rejoined his lordship； 〃the whim is wearing off！
One pellet drives out another。 Behind the love in the popgun came
the conviction that it would be simple ruin！ But we Graemes are
stiff…necked both to God and man； and I don't trust him much。〃
〃He gave you no promise； if you remember； my lord。〃
〃I remember very well； why the deuce should I not remember？ I am not
in the way of forgetting things！ No； by God！ nor forgiving them
either！ Where there's anything to forgive there's no fear of my
forgetting！〃
He followed the utterance with a laugh； as if he would have it pass
for a joke； but there was no ring in the laugh。
He then gave Donal detailed instructions as to where the bureau
stood； how he was to open it with a curious key which he told him
where to find in the room； how also to open the secret part of the
bureau in which the papers lay。
〃Forget！〃 he echoed； turning and sweeping back on his trail； 〃I have
not been in that house for twenty years： you can judge whether I
forget！No！〃 he added with an oath； 〃if I found myself forgetting I
should think it time to look out； but there is no sign of that yet；
thank God！ There！ take the keys； and be off！ Simmons will give you
the key of the house。 You had better take that of the door in the
close： it is easier to open。〃
Donal went away wondering at the pleasure his frightful tale
afforded the earl： he had seemed positively to gloat over the
details of it！ These were much worse than I have recorded： he showed
special delight in narrating how the mother took the body of her
child out of the pot！
He sought Simmons and asked him for the key。 The butler went to find
it； but returned saying he could not lay his hands upon it； there
was； however； the key of the front door： it might prove stiff！ Donal
took it； and having oiled it well； set out for Morven House。 But on
his way he turned aside to see the Comins。
Andrew looked worse； and he thought he must be sinking。 The moment
he saw Donal he requested they might be left alone for a few
minutes。
〃My yoong freen'；〃 he said； 〃the Lord has fauvoured me greatly in
grantin' my last days the licht o' your coontenance。 I hae learnt a
heap frae ye 'at I kenna hoo I could hae come at wantin' ye。〃
〃Eh； An'rew！〃 interrupted Donal； 〃I dinna weel ken hoo that can be；
for it aye seemt to me ye had a' the knowledge 'at was gaein'！〃
〃The man can ill taich wha's no gaein' on learnin'； an' maybe whiles
he learns mair frae his scholar nor the scholar learns frae him。 But
it's a' frae the Lord； the Lord is that speeritan' first o' a' the
speerit o' obeddience； wi'oot which there's no learnin'。 Still； my
son； it may comfort ye a wee i' the time to come； to think the auld
cobbler Anerew Comin gaed intil the new warl' fitter company for the
help ye gied him afore he gaed。 May the Lord mak a sicht o' use o'
ye！ Fowk say a heap aboot savin' sowls； but ower aften； I doobt；
they help to tak frae them the sense o' hoo sair they're in want o'
savin'。 Surely a man sud ken in himsel' mair an' mair the need o'
bein' saved； till he cries oot an' shoots； 'I am saved； for there's
nane in h'aven but thee； an' there's nane upo' the earth I desire
besides thee！ Man； wuman； child； an' live cratur； is but a portion
o' thee； whauron to lat the love o' thee rin ower！' Whan a man can
say that； he's saved； an' no till than； though for lang years he may
hae been aye comin' nearer to that goal o' a' houp； the hert o' the
father o' me； an' you； an' Doory； an' Eppy； an' a' the nations o'
the earth！〃
He stopped weary； but his eyes； fixed on Donal； went on where his
voice had ended； and for a time Donal seemed to hear what his soul
was saying； and to hearken with content。 But suddenly their light
went out； the old man gave a sigh； and said：
〃It's ower for this warl'； my freen'。 It's comin'the hoor o'
darkness。 But the thing 'at's true whan the licht shines； is as true
i' the dark： ye canna work； that's a'。 God 'ill gie me grace to lie
still。 It's a' ane。 I wud lie jist as I used to sit； i' the days
whan I men'it fowk's shune； an' Doory happent to tak awa' the licht
for a moment；I wud sit aye luikin' doon throuw the mirk at my
wark； though I couldna see a stime o' 't； the alison （awl） i' my
han' ready to put in the neist steek the moment the licht fell upo'
the spot whaur it was to gang。 That's hoo I wud lie whan I'm deein'；
jist waitin' for the licht； no for the dark； an' makin' an
incense…offerin' o' my patience whan I hae naething ither to offer；
naither thoucht nor glaidness nor sorrow； naething but patience
burnin' in pain。 He'll accep' that； for； my son； the maister's jist
as easy to please as he's ill to saitisfee。 Ye hae seen a mither
ower her wee lassie's sampler？ She'll praise an' praise 't； an' be
richt pleast wi' 't； but wow gien she was to be content wi' the
thing in her han'！ the lassie's man； whan she cam to hae ane； wud
hae an ill time o' 't wi' his hose an' his sarks！ But noo I hae a
fauvour to beg o' yeno for my sake but for hers： gien ye hae the
warnin'； ye'll be wi' me whan I gang？ It may be a comfort to
mysel'I dinna kennane can tell 'at hasna dee'd