Eppie indeed carried him up to the soutar's door, but Maggie insisted on
herself laying him in her father's arms. The soutar rose from his stool,
received him like Simeon taking the infant Jesus from the arms of his
mother, and held him high like a heave-offering to him that had sent him
forth from the hidden Holiest of Holies. One moment in silence he held him,
then restoring him to his daughter, sat down again, and took up his last
and shoe. Then suddenly becoming aware of a breach in his manners, he rose
again at once, saying--
"I crave yer pardon, Mistress Cormack: I was clean forgettin ony breedin I
ever had!--Maggie, tak oor freen ben the hoose, and gar her rest her a bit,
while ye get something for her efter her lang walk. I'll be ben mysel' in a
meenute or twa to hae a crack wi' her. I hae but a feow stitches mair to
put intil this same sole! The three o' 's maun tak some sarious coonsel
thegither anent the upbringin o' this God-sent bairn! I doobtna but he's
come wi' a blessin to this hoose! Eh, but it was a mercifu fittin o' things
that the puir bairn and Maggie sud that nicht come thegither! Verily, He
shall give his angels chairge over thee! They maun hae been aboot the muir
a' that day, that nane but Maggie sud get a haud o' 'im--aiven as they
maun hae been aboot the field and the flock and the shepherds and the
inn-stable a' that gran' nicht!"
The same moment entered a neighbour who, having previously heard and
misinterpreted the story, had now caught sight of their arrival.
Pages:
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69