hardly louder than usual。
〃Whan God gies you a wife； may she be ane to hear yer lichtest
word！〃 answered the cobbler。
Sure enough； he had scarcely finished the sentence； when Doory
appeared at the door。
〃Did ye cry； guidman？〃 she said。
〃Na； Doory： I canna say I cried； but I spak； an' ye； as is yer
custom； hearkent til my word！Here's a believin' ladI'm thinkin'
he maun be a gentleman； but I'm no sure； it's hard for a cobbler to
ken a gentleman 'at comes til him wantin' shune； but he may be a
gentleman for a' that； an' there's nae hurry to ken。 He's welcome
to me； gien he be welcome to you。 Can ye gie him a nicht's
lodgin'？〃
〃Weel that！ an' wi' a' my hert！〃 said Doory。 〃He's welcome to what
we hae。〃
Turning； she led the way into the house。
CHAPTER VI。
DOORY。
She was a very small； spare woman； in a blue print with little white
spotsstraight； not bowed like her husband。 Otherwise she seemed
at first exactly like him。 But ere the evening was over； Donal saw
there was no featural resemblance between the two faces； and was
puzzled to understand how the two expressions came to be so like： as
they sat it seemed in the silence as if they were the same person
thinking in two shapes and two places。
Following the old woman； Donal ascended a steep and narrow stair；
which soon brought him to a landing where was light； coming mainly
through green leaves； for the window in the little passage was
filled with plants。 His guide led him into what seemed to him an
enchanting roomhomely enough it was； but luxurious compared to
what he had been accustomed to。 He saw white walls and a brown…hued
but clean…swept wooden floor； on which shone a keen…eyed little fire
from a low grate。 Two easy chairs； covered with some party…coloured
striped stuff； stood one on each side of the fire。 A kettle was
singing on the hob。 The white deal…table was set for teawith a
fat brown teapot； and cups of a gorgeous pattern in bronze； that
shone in the firelight like red gold。 In one of the walls was a
box…bed。
〃I'll lat ye see what accommodation we hae at yer service； sir；〃
said Doory； 〃an' gien that'll shuit ye； ye s' be welcome。〃
So saying； she opened what looked like the door of a cupboard at the
side of the fireplace。 It disclosed a neat little parlour； with a
sweet air in it。 The floor was sanded； and so much the cleaner than
if it had been carpeted。 A small mahogany table； black with age；
stood in the middle。 On a side…table covered with a cloth of faded
green； lay a large family bible； behind it were a few books and a
tea…caddy。 In the side of the wall opposite the window； was again a
box…bed。 To the eyes of the shepherd…born lad； it looked the most
desirable shelter he had ever seen。 He turned to his hostess and
said；
〃I'm feart it's ower guid for me。 What could ye lat me hae't for by
the week？ I wad fain bide wi' ye； but whaur an' whan I may get wark
I canna tell； sae I maunna tak it ony gait for mair nor a week。〃
〃Mak yersel' at ease till the morn be by；〃 said the old woman。 〃Ye
canna du naething till that be ower。 Upo' the Mononday mornin' we
s' haud a cooncil thegitheryou an' me an' my man： I can du
naething wantin' my man； we aye pu' thegither or no at a'。〃
Well content； and with hearty thanks； Donal committed his present
fate into the hands of the humble pair； his heaven…sent helpers； and
after much washing and brushing； all that was possible to him in the
way of dressing； reappeared in the kitchen。 Their tea was ready；
and the cobbler seated in the window with a book in his hand；
leaving for Donal his easy chair。
〃I canna tak yer ain cheir frae ye；〃 said Donal。
〃Hoots！〃 returned the cobbler； 〃what's onything oors for but to gie
the neeper 'at stan's i' need o' 't。〃
〃But ye hae had a sair day's wark！〃
〃An' you a sair day's traivel！〃
〃But I'm yoong！〃
〃An' I'm auld； an' my labour the nearer ower。〃
〃But I'm strong！〃
〃There's nane the less need ye sud be hauden sae。 Sit ye doon； an'
wastena yer backbane。 My business is to luik to the bodies o' men；
an' specially to their puir feet 'at has to bide the weicht； an' get
sair pressed therein。 Life 's as hard upo' the feet o' a man as
upo' ony pairt o' 'm！ Whan they gang wrang； there isna muckle to be
dune till they be set richt again。 I'm sair honourt； I say to
mysel' whiles； to be set ower the feet o' men。 It's a fine
ministration！full better than bein' a door…keeper i' the hoose o'
the Lord！ For the feet 'at gang oot an' in at it 's mair nor the
door！〃
〃The Lord be praist！〃 said Donal to himself； 〃there's mair i' the
warl' like my father an' mither！〃
He took the seat appointed him。
〃Come to the table； Anerew；〃 said the old woman； 〃gien sae be ye can
pairt wi' that buik o' yours； an' lat yer sowl gie place to yer
boady's richts。I doobt； sir； gien he wad ait or drink gien I wasna
at his elbuck。〃
〃Doory；〃 returned her husband； 〃ye canna deny I gie ye a bit noo an'
than； specially whan I come upo' onything by ord'nar' tasty！〃
〃That ye du； Anerew； or I dinna ken what wud come o' my sowl ony
mair nor o' your boady！ Sae ye see； sir； we're like John Sprat an'
his wife：ye'll ken the bairns' say aboot them？〃
〃Ay； fine that；〃 replied Donal。 〃Ye couldna weel be better fittit。〃
〃God grant it！〃 she said。 〃But we wad fit better yet gien I had but
a wheen mair brains。〃
〃The Lord kenned what brains ye had whan he broucht ye thegither；〃
said Donal。
〃Ye never uttert a truer word；〃 replied the cobbler。 〃Gien the Lord
be content wi' the brains he's gien ye； an' I be content wi' the
brains ye gie me； what richt hae ye to be discontentit wi' the
brains ye hae； Doory？answer me that。 But I s' come to the
table。Wud ye alloo me to speir efter yer name； sir？〃
〃My name 's Donal Grant；〃 replied Donal。
〃I thank ye； sir； an' I'll haud it in respec'；〃 returned the
cobbler。 〃Maister Grant； wull ye ask a blessin'？〃
〃I wad raither j'in i' your askin'；〃 replied Donal。
The cobbler said a little prayer； and then they began to eatfirst
of oat…cakes； baked by the old woman； then of loaf…breid； as they
called it。
〃I'm sorry I hae nae jeally or jam to set afore ye； sir；〃 said
Doory； 〃we're but semple fowk； ye seecontent to haud oor earthly
taibernacles in a haibitable condition till we hae notice to quit。〃
〃It's a fine thing to ken；〃 said the cobbler； with a queer look；
〃'at whan ye lea' 't； yer hoose fa's doon； an' ye haena to think o'
ony damages to peyforby 'at gien it laistit ony time efter ye was
oot o' 't； there micht be a wheen deevils takin' up their abode
intil 't。〃
〃Hoot； Anerew！〃 interposed his wife； 〃there's naething like that i'
scriptur'！〃
〃Hoot； Doory！〃 returned Andrew； 〃what ken ye aboot what's no i'
scriptur'？ Ye ken a heap； I alloo； aboot what's in scriptur'； but
ye ken little aboot what's no intil 't！〃
〃Weel； isna 't best to ken what's intil 't？〃
〃'Ayont a doobt。〃
〃Weel！〃 she returned in playful triumph。
Donal saw that he had got hold of a pair of originals： it was a joy
to his heart： he was himself an originalone； namely； that lived
close to the simplicities of existence！
Andrew Comin； before offering him house…room； would never have asked
anyone what he was； but he would have thought it an equal lapse in
breeding not to show interest in the history as well as the person
of a guest。 After a little more talk； so far from commonplace that
the common would have found it mirth…provoking； the cobbler said：
〃An' what office may ye haud yersel'； sir； i' the ministry o' the
temple？〃
〃I think I un'erstan' ye；〃 replied Donal； 〃my mother says curious
things like you。〃
〃Curious things is whiles no that curious；〃 remarked Andrew。
A pause following； he resumed：
〃Gien onything gie ye reason to prefar waitin' till ye ken Doory an'
me a bit better； sir；〃 he said； 〃coont my ill…mainnert queston no
speirt。〃
〃There's naething；〃 answered Donal。 〃I'll tell ye onything or
a'thing aboot mysel'。〃
〃Tell what ye wull； sir； an' keep what ye wull；〃 said the cobbler。
〃I was broucht up a herd…laddie；〃 proceeded Donal； 〃an' whiles a
shepherd ane。 For mony a year I kent mair aboot the hill…side nor
the ingle…neuk。 But it's the same God an' Father upo' the hill…side
an' i' the king's pailace。〃
〃An' ye'll ken a' aboot the win'； an' the cloods； an' the w'ys o'
God ootside the hoose！ I ken something hoo he hauds things gaein'
inside the hoosein a body's hert； I meanin mine an' Doory's
there； but I ken little aboot the w'y he gars things work 'at he's
no sae far ben in。〃
〃Ye dinna surely think God fillsna a'thing？〃 exclaimed Donal。
〃Na； na； I ken better nor that；〃 answered the cobbler； 〃but ye maun
alloo a tod's hole 's no sae deep as the thro't o' a burnin'
m'untain！ God himsel' canna win sae far ben in a shallow place as
in a deep place； he canna be sae far ben i' the win's； though he
gars them du as he likes； as he is； or sud be； i' your hert an'
mine； sir！〃
〃I see！〃 responded Donal。 〃Could that hae been hoo the Lord had to
rebuke the win's an' the wawves； as gien they had been gaein' at
their ain free wull； i'stead o' the wull o' him 'at made them an'
set them gaein'？〃
〃Maybe； but I wud hae to think aboot it 'afore I answert；〃 replied
the cobbler。
A silence intervened。 Then said Andrew； thoughtfully；
〃I thoucht； when I saw ye first； ye was maybe a lad frae a shop i'
the muckle toonor a clerk； as they ca' them； 'at sits makin' up
accoonts。〃
〃Na； I'm no that； I thank God；〃 said Donal。
〃What for thank ye God for that？〃 asked Andrew。 〃A' place is his。 I
wudna hae ye thank God ye're no a cobbler like me！ Ye micht；
though； for it's little ye can ken o' the guid o' the callin'！〃
〃I'll tell ye what for；〃 answered Donal。 〃I ken weel toon…fowk think
it a heap better to hae to du wi' figures nor wi' sheep； but I'm no
o' their min'； an' for ae thing； the sheep's alive。 I could weel
fancy an angel a shepherdan' he wad coont my father guid company！
Troth； he wad want wings an' airms an' feet an' a' to luik efter
the lambs whiles！ But gien sic a ane was a clerk in a coontin'
hoose； he wad hae to stow awa the wings； I cannot see what use he
wad hae for