before； and consequently began not only to prize Hugh's services；
but to think more highly of his office than had been their wont。
The laird would now and then invite him to join him in a tumbler of
toddy after dinner； or in a ride round the farm after school hours。
But it must be confessed that these approaches to friendliness were
rather irksome to Hugh； for whatever the laird might have been as a
collegian； he was certainly now nothing more than a farmer。 Where
David Elginbrod would have described many a 〃bonny sicht；〃 the laird
only saw the probable results of harvest； in the shape of figures in
his banking book。 On one occasion； Hugh roused his indignation by
venturing to express his admiration of the delightful mingling of
colours in a field where a good many scarlet poppies grew among the
green blades of the corn； indicating； to the agricultural eye； the
poverty of the soil where they were found。 This fault in the soil；
the laird； like a child； resented upon the poppies themselves。
〃Nasty； ugly weyds！ We'll hae ye admirin' the smut neist；〃 said he；
contemptuously； 〃'cause the bairns can bleck ane anither's faces
wi't。〃
〃But surely；〃 said Hugh； 〃putting other considerations aside； you
must allow that the colour； especially when mingled with that of the
corn； is beautiful。〃
〃Deil hae't！ It's jist there 'at I canna bide the sicht o't。
Beauty ye may ca' 't！ I see nane o't。 I'd as sune hae a
reid…heedit bairn； as see thae reid…coatit rascals i' my corn。 I
houp ye're no gaen to cram stuff like that into the heeds o' the twa
laddies。 Faith！ we'll hae them sawin' thae ill…faured weyds amang
the wheyt neist。 Poapies ca' ye them？ Weel I wat they're the
Popp's ain bairns； an' the scarlet wumman to the mither o' them。
Ha！ ha！ ha！〃
Having manifested both wit and Protestantism in the closing sentence
of his objurgation； the laird relapsed into good humour and
stupidity。 Hugh would gladly have spent such hours in David's
cottage instead； but he was hardly prepared to refuse his company to
Mr。 Glasford。
CHAPTER VI。
THE LAIRD'S LADY。
Ye archewyves； standith at defence；
Sin ye been strong； as is a great camayle；
Ne suffer not that men you don offence。
And slender wives； fell as in battaile；
Beth eager； as is a tiger； yond in Inde；
Aye clappith as a mill； I you counsaile。
CHAUCER。The Clerk's Tale。
The length and frequency of Hugh's absences； careless as she was of
his presence； had already attracted the attention of Mrs。 Glasford；
and very little trouble had to be expended on the discovery of his
haunt。 For the servants knew well enough where he went； and of
course had come to their own conclusions as to the object of his
visits。 So the lady chose to think it her duty to expostulate with
Hugh on the subject。 Accordingly； one morning after breakfast； the
laird having gone to mount his horse； and the boys to have a few
minutes' play before lessons； Mrs。 Glasford； who had kept her seat
at the head of the table； waiting for the opportunity； turned
towards Hugh who sat reading the week's news； folded her hands on
the tablecloth； drew herself up yet a little more stiffly in her
chair； and thus addressed him：
〃It's my duty； Mr。 Sutherland； seein' ye have no mother to look
after ye〃
Hugh expected something matronly about his linen or his socks； and
put down his newspaper with a smile； but； to his astonishment； she
went on
〃To remonstrate wi' ye； on the impropriety of going so often to
David Elginbrod's。 They're not company for a young gentleman like
you； Mr。 Sutherland。〃
〃They're good enough company for a poor tutor； Mrs。 Glasford；〃
replied Hugh； foolishly enough。
〃Not at all； not at all；〃 insisted the lady。 〃With your
connexions〃
〃Good gracious！ who ever said anything about my connexions？ I never
pretended to have any。〃 Hugh was getting angry already。
Mrs。 Glasford nodded her head significantly； as much as to say； 〃I
know more about you than you imagine；〃 and then went on：
〃Your mother will never forgive me if you get into a scrape with
that smooth…faced hussy； and if her father； honest man hasn't eyes
enough in his head； other people haveay； an' tongues too； Mr。
Sutherland。〃
Hugh was on the point of forgetting his manners； and consigning all
the above mentioned organs to perdition； but he managed to restrain
his wrath； and merely said that Margaret was one of the best girls
he had ever known； and that there was no possible danger of any kind
of scrape with her。 This mode of argument； however； was not
calculated to satisfy Mrs。 Glasford。 She returned to the charge。
〃She's a sly puss； with her shy airs and graces。 Her father's jist
daft wi' conceit o' her； an' it's no to be surprised if she cast a
glamour ower you。 Mr。 Sutherland； ye're but young yet。〃
Hugh's pride presented any alliance with a lassie who had herded the
laird's cows barefoot； and even now tended their own cow； as an all
but inconceivable absurdity； and he resented； more than he could
have thought possible； the entertainment of such a degrading idea in
the mind of Mrs。 Glasford。 Indignation prevented him from replying；
while she went on； getting more vernacular as she proceeded。
〃It's no for lack o' company 'at yer driven to seek theirs； I'm
sure。 There's twa as fine lads an' gude scholars as ye'll fin' in
the haill kintra…side； no to mention the laird and mysel'。〃
But Hugh could bear it no longer； nor would he condescend to excuse
or explain his conduct。
〃Madam； I beg you will not mention this subject again。〃
〃But I will mention 't； Mr。 Sutherlan'； an' if ye'll no listen to
rizzon； I'll go to them 'at maun do't。〃
〃I am accountable to you； madam； for my conduct in your house； and
for the way in which I discharge my duty to your childrenno
further。〃
〃Do ye ca' that dischairgin' yer duty to my bairns； to set them the
example o' hingin' at a quean's 鈖ron…strings； and fillin' her lug
wi' idle havers？ Ca' ye that dischairgin' yer duty？ My certie！ a
bonny dischairgin'！〃
〃I never see the girl but in her father and mother's presence。〃
〃Weel； weel； Mr。 Sutherlan'；〃 said Mrs。 Glasford； in a final tone；
and trying to smother the anger which she felt she had allowed to
carry her further than was decorous； 〃we'll say nae mair aboot it at
present； but I maun jist speak to the laird himsel'； an' see what he
says till 't。〃
And； with this threat； she walked out of the room in what she
considered a dignified manner。
Hugh was exceedingly annoyed at this treatment； and thought； at
first； of throwing up his situation at once； but he got calmer by
degrees； and saw that it would be to his own loss； and perhaps to
the injury of his friends at the cottage。 So he took his revenge by
recalling the excited face of Mrs。 Glasford； whose nose had got as
red with passion as the protuberance of a turkey…cock when gobbling
out its unutterable feelings of disdain。 He dwelt upon this
soothing contemplation till a fit of laughter relieved him； and he
was able to go and join his pupils as if nothing had happened。
Meanwhile the lady sent for David； who was at work in the garden；
into no less an audience…chamber than the drawing…room； the revered
abode of all the tutelar deities of the house； chief amongst which
were the portraits of the laird and herself： he； plethoric and
wrapped in voluminous folds of neckerchiefshe long…necked； and
lean； and bare…shouldered。 The original of the latter work of art
seated herself in the most important chair in the room； and when
David； after carefully wiping the shoes he had already wiped three
times on his way up； entered with a respectful but no wise
obsequious bow； she ordered him； with the air of an empress； to shut
the door。 When he had obeyed； she ordered him； in a similar tone；
to be seated； for she sought to mingle condescension and
conciliation with severity。
〃David；〃 she then began； 〃I am informed that ye keep open door to
our Mr。 Sutherland； and that he spends most forenichts in your
company。〃
〃Weel； mem； it's verra true；〃 was all David's answer。 He sat in an
expectant attitude。
〃Dawvid； I wonner at ye！〃 returned Mrs。 Glasford； forgetting her
dignity； and becoming confidentially remonstrative。 〃Here's a young
gentleman o' talans； wi' ilka prospeck o' waggin' his heid in a
poopit some day； an' ye aid an' abet him in idlin' awa' his time at
your chimla…lug； duin' waur nor naething ava！ I'm surprised at ye；
Dawvid。 I thocht ye had mair sense。〃
David looked out of his clear； blue； untroubled eyes； upon the
ruffled countenance of his mistress； with an almost paternal smile。
〃Weel； mem； I maun say I dinna jist think the young man's in the
warst o' company； when he's at our ingle…neuk。 An' for idlin' o'
his time awa'； it's weel waurd for himsel'； forby for us； gin holy
words binna lees。〃
〃What do ye mean； Dawvid？〃 said the lady rather sharply； for she
loved no riddles。
〃I mean this； mem： that the young man is jist actin' the pairt o'
Peter an' John at the bonny gate o' the temple； whan they said：
'Such as I have； gie I thee；' an' gin' it be more blessed to gie
than to receive； as Sant Paul says 'at the Maister himsel' said； the
young man 'ill no be the waur aff in's ain learnin'； that he
impairts o't to them that hunger for't。〃
〃Ye mean by this； Dawvid； gin ye could express yersel' to the pint；
'at the young man； wha's ower weel paid to instruck my bairns；
neglecks them； an' lays himsel' oot upo' ither fowk's weans； wha hae
no richt to ettle aboon the station in which their Maker pat them。〃
This was uttered with quite a religious fervour of expostulation；
for the lady's natural indignation at the thought of Meg Elginbrod
having lessons from her boys' tutor； was cowed beneath the quiet
steady gaze of the noble…minded peasant father。
〃He lays himsel' oot mair upo' the ither fowk themsels' than upo'
their weans； mem； though； nae doubt； my Maggy comes in for a gude
share。 But for negleckin' o' his duty to you； mem； I'm sure I kenna
hoo that can be； for it was only yestreen 'at the laird himsel' said
to me； 'at hoo the bairns had never gotten on naething like it wi'
ony ither body。〃
〃The laird's ower rea