--Love's the law o' the universe, and it jist
works amazin!"
One day a man, seeing him approach in the near distance, and knowing he had
not perceived his presence, lay down behind a great stone to watch "the mad
soutar," in the hope of hearing him say something insane. As John came
nearer, the man saw his lips moving, and heard sounds issue from them; but
as he passed, nothing was audible but the same words repeated several
times, and with the same expression of surprise and joy as if at something
for the first time discovered:--"Eh, Lord! Eh, Lord, I see! I
un'erstaun'!--Lord, I'm yer ain--to the vera deith!--a' yer ain!--Thy
father bless thee, Lord!--I ken ye care for noucht else!--Eh, but my
hert's glaid!--that glaid, I 'maist canna speyk!"
That man ever after spoke of the soutar with a respect that resembled awe.
After that talk with her father about the child and his mother, a certain
silent change appeared in Maggie. People saw in her face an expression
which they took to resemble that of one whose child was ill, and was
expected to die.
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