"
"Ye're i' the richt! He was the ten'erest-heartit man! But he was
far frae stoot, an' was a heap by himsel', nearhan' as mickle as his
lordship the present yerl. An' the lady was that prood, an' that
dewotit to the man she ca'd her ain, that never a word o' what gaed
on cam to the ears o' his brither, I daur to say, or I s' warran' ye
there wud hae been a fine steer! It cam, she said--my auld auntie
said--o' some kin' o' madness they haena a name for yet. I think
mysel' there's a madness o' the hert as weel 's o' the heid; an' i'
that madness men tak their women for a property o' their ain, to be
han'led ony gait the deevil puts intil them. Cries i' the deid o'
the nicht, an' never a shaw i' the mornin' but white cheeks an' reid
een, tells its ain tale. I' the en', the puir leddy dee'd, 'at micht
hae lived but for him; an' her bairnie dee'd afore her; an' the
wrangs o' bairns an' women stick lang to the wa's o' the universe!
It was said she cam efter him again;--I kenna; but I hae seen an'
h'ard i' this hoose what--I s' haud my tongue aboot!--Sure I am he
wasna a guid man to the puir wuman!--whan it comes to that, maister
Grant, it's no my leddy an' mem, but we're a' women thegither! She
dee'dna i' this hoose, I un'erstan'; but i' the hoose doon i' the
toon--though that's neither here nor there. I wadna won'er but the
conscience micht be waukin' up intil him! Some day it maun wauk up.
Pages:
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436