this individuality of influence could belong to mere affectations of
a style which had never sprung from the sources of real feeling。
〃Could they；〃 he thought； 〃possess the power to move us like
remembered dreams of our childhood； if all that they possessed of
reality was a pretended imitation of what never existed； and all
that they inherited from the past was the halo of its strangeness？〃
But Hugh was not in love with Margaret； though he could not help
feeling the pleasure of her presence。 Any youth must have been the
better for having her near him； but there was nothing about her
quiet； self…contained being； free from manifestation of any sort； to
rouse the feelings commonly called love； in the mind of an
inexperienced youth like Hugh Sutherland。I say commonly called；
because I believe that within the whole sphere of intelligence there
are no two loves the same。Not that he was less easily influenced
than other youths。 A designing girl might have caught him at once；
if she had had no other beauty than sparkling eyes； but the
womanhood of the beautiful Margaret kept so still in its pearly
cave； that it rarely met the glance of neighbouring eyes。 How
Margaret regarded him I do not know； but I think it was with a love
almost entirely one with reverence and gratitude。 Cause for
gratitude she certainly had； though less than she supposed； and very
little cause indeed for reverence。 But how could she fail to revere
one to whom even her father looked up？ Of course David's feeling of
respect for Hugh must have sprung chiefly from intellectual grounds；
and he could hardly help seeing； if he thought at all on the
subject； which is doubtful； that Hugh was as far behind Margaret in
the higher gifts and graces； as he was before her in intellectual
acquirement。 But whether David perceived this or not； certainly
Margaret did not even think in that direction。 She was pure of
self…judgmentconscious of no comparing of herself with others；
least of all with those next her。
At length the harvest was finished； or； as the phrase of the
district was； clyack was gottena phrase with the derivation； or
even the exact meaning of which； I am unacquainted； knowing only
that it implies something in close association with the feast of
harvest…home； called the kirn in other parts of Scotland。
Thereafter； the fields lay bare to the frosts of morning and
evening； and to the wind that grew cooler and cooler with the breath
of Winter； who lay behind the northern hills； and waited for his
hour。 But many lovely days remained； of quiet and slow decay； of
yellow and red leaves； of warm noons and lovely sunsets； followed by
skiesgreen from the west horizon to the zenith； and walked by a
moon that seemed to draw up to her all the white mists from pond and
river and pool； to settle again in hoar…frost； during the colder
hours that precede the dawn。 At length every leafless tree sparkled
in the morning sun； incrusted with fading gems； and the ground was
hard under foot； and the hedges were filled with frosted
spider…webs； and winter had laid the tips of his fingers on the
land； soon to cover it deep with the flickering snow…flakes； shaken
from the folds of his outspread mantle。 But long ere this； David
and Margaret had returned with renewed diligence； and powers
strengthened by repose； or at least by intermission； to their mental
labours； and Hugh was as constant a visitor at the cottage as
before。 The time； however； drew nigh when he must return to his
studies at Aberdeen； and David and Margaret were looking forward
with sorrow to the loss of their friend。 Janet； too； 〃cudna bide to
think o't。〃
〃He'll tak' the daylicht wi' him； I doot； my lass；〃 she said； as she
made the porridge for breakfast one morning； and looked down
anxiously at her daughter； seated on the creepie by the ingle…neuk。
〃Na； na； mither；〃 replied Margaret； looking up from her book； 〃he'll
lea' sic gifts ahin' him as'll mak' daylicht i' the dark；〃 and then
she bent her head and went on with her reading； as if she had not
spoken。
The mother looked away with a sigh and a slight； sad shake of the
head。
But matters were to turn out quite different from all anticipations。
Before the day arrived on which Hugh must leave for the university；
a letter from home informed him that his father was dangerously ill。
He hastened to him； but only to comfort his last hours by all that
a son could do； and to support his mother by his presence during the
first hours of her loneliness。 But anxious thoughts for the future；
which so often force themselves on the attention of those who would
gladly prolong their brooding over the past； compelled them to adopt
an alteration of their plans for the present。
The half…pay of Major Sutherland was gone； of course； and all that
remained for Mrs。 Sutherland was a small annuity； secured by her
husband's payments to a certain fund for the use of officers'
widows。 From this she could spare but a mere trifle for the
completion of Hugh's university…education； while the salary he had
received at Turriepuffit； almost the whole of which he had saved；
was so small as to be quite inadequate for the very moderate outlay
necessary。 He therefore came to the resolution to write to the
laird； and offer； if they were not yet provided with another tutor；
to resume his relation to the young gentlemen for the winter。 It
was next to impossible to spend money there； and he judged that
before the following winter； he should be quite able to meet the
expenses of his residence at Aberdeen； during the last session of
his course。 He would have preferred trying to find another
situation； had it not been that David and Janet and Margaret had
made there a home for him。
Whether Mrs。 Glasford was altogether pleased at the proposal； I
cannot tell； but the laird wrote a very gentlemanlike epistle；
condoling with him and his mother upon their loss； and urging the
usual common…places of consolation。 The letter ended with a hearty
acceptance of Hugh's offer； and； strange to tell； the unsolicited
promise of an increase of salary to the amount of five pounds。 This
is another to be added to the many proofs that verisimilitude is not
in the least an essential element of verity。
He left his mother as soon as circumstances would permit； and
returned to Turriepuffit； an abode for the winter very different
indeed from that in which he had expected to spend it。
He reached the place early in the afternoon； received from Mrs。
Glasford a cold 〃I hope you're well； Mr。 Sutherland；〃 found his
pupils actually reading； and had from them a welcome rather
boisterously evidenced； told them to get their books； and sat down
with them at once to commence their winter labours。 He spent two
hours thus； had a hearty shake of the hand from the laird； when he
came home； and； after a substantial tea； walked down to David's
cottage； where a welcome awaited him worth returning for。
〃Come yer wa's butt；〃 said Janet； who met him as he opened the door
without any prefatory knock； and caught him with both hands； 〃I'm
blithe to see yer bonny face ance mair。 We're a' jist at ane mair
wi' expeckin' o' ye。〃
David stood in the middle of the floor； waiting for him。
〃Come awa'； my bonny lad；〃 was all his greeting； as he held out a
great fatherly hand to the youth； and； grasping his in the one；
clapped him on the shoulder with the other； the water standing in
his blue eyes the while。 Hugh thought of his own father； and could
not restrain his tears。 Margaret gave him a still look full in the
face； and； seeing his emotion； did not even approach to offer him
any welcome。 She hastened； instead； to place a chair for him as she
had done when first he entered the cottage； and when he had taken it
sat down at his feet on her creepie。 With true delicacy； no one
took any notice of him for some time。 David said at last；
〃An' hoo's yer puir mother； Mr。 Sutherlan'？〃
〃She's pretty well；〃 was all Hugh could answer。
〃It's a sair stroke to bide；〃 said David； 〃but it's a gran' thing
whan a man's won weel throw't。 Whan my father deit； I min' weel； I
was sae prood to see him lyin' there； in the cauld grandeur o'
deith； an' no man 'at daured say he ever did or spak the thing 'at
didna become him； 'at I jist gloried i' the mids o' my greetin'。 He
was but a puir auld shepherd； Mr。 Sutherlan'； wi' hair as white as
the sheep 'at followed him； an' I wat as they followed him； he
followed the great Shepherd； an' followed an' followed； till he jist
followed Him hame； whaur we're a' boun'； an' some o' us far on the
road； thanks to Him！〃
And with that David rose； and got down the Bible； and； opening it
reverently； read with a solemn； slightly tremulous voice； the
fourteenth chapter of St。 John's Gospel。 When he had finished； they
all rose； as by one accord； and knelt down； and David prayed：
〃O Thou in whase sicht oor deeth is precious； an' no licht maitter；
wha through darkness leads to licht； an' through deith to the
greater life！we canna believe that thou wouldst gie us ony guid
thing； to tak' the same again； for that would be but bairns' play。
We believe that thou taks； that thou may gie again the same thing
better nor aforemair o't and better nor we could ha' received it
itherwise； jist as the Lord took himsel' frae the sicht o' them 'at
lo'ed him weel； that instead o' bein' veesible afore their een； he
micht hide himsel' in their verra herts。 Come thou； an' abide in
us； an' tak' us to bide in thee； an' syne gin we be a' in thee； we
canna be that far frae ane anither； though some sud be in haven； an'
some upo' earth。 Lord help us to do oor wark like thy men an'
maidens doon the stair； remin'in' oursel's； 'at them 'at we miss hae
only gane up the stair； as gin 'twar to haud things to thy han' i'
thy ain presence…chamber； whaur we houp to be called or lang； an' to
see thee an' thy Son； wham we lo'e aboon a'； an' in his name we say；
Amen！〃
Hugh rose from his knees with a sense of solemnity and reality that
he had never felt before。 Little was said that evening； supper was
eaten； if not in silence； yet with nothing that could be called
conversation。 And； almost in silence； David