"Your foot is aye welcome in my house, sir; and when you are wanting a
week's fishing, there is naething to prevent you taking it, if Aunt Janet
is here. She is a vera strict pairson; the deil himsel' wouldna be
suspected o' wrang-doing, if she were watching him."
"Poor Maggie! David, it does seem a hard lookout for her; especially when
you will be so happy with your books, and I am going on a two years'
pleasure trip to America."
David's face brightened involuntarily, and Allan could see that the
thought of his certain absence was not at all displeasing. But he did not
blame him for a fear so brotherly and natural; he was, however,
dissatisfied with the arrangements made for Maggie's comfort, and he
asked, "Can she not go to Glasgow with you, David? It would be a fine
thing to have a little home for yourself there, and Maggie to look after
your comfort. You would study better."
"I wad do naething o' the sort. I wad be keepit back by ony woman. There
is many a ceevil word to say to them, that is just time and strength ta'en
from study. Maggie kens weel, that when I hae my kirk, she'll be first and
foremost wi' me. I'll count nae honor or pleasure worth the having she
doesna share. Forbye, sir, when you hae a hame, and the plenishing o' it,
folk should think lang ere they scatter it to the four winds. It is easy
to get rid o' household things; whiles, it is maist impossible to get them
thegither again. I might die, and Maggie be left to fight her ain battle.
If it should come to that, Hame is a full cup; Hame is a breastwark; you
can conquer maist things on your ain hearthstone."
"Perhaps you are right, David."
"I ken weel I am right. Maggie and I hae thocht o' every thing; her gude
name, and her happiness is my first wish. She is vera dear to me. She is
a' I have, sir."
"I shall not be in Pittenloch for two years, David, so I will pay you now
for the use of my room. The rent I believe is seven shillings weekly, that
is £36. I wish you would give this sum entire to Maggie. I should like her
to feel in some measure independent; and I should like you to feel that
you had no necessity to take thought about her from week to week."
"Thank you, sir, for the kind thocht, as weel as for the siller; and I
shall tell Maggie to keep the knowledge o' it from her aunt, who is a
woman o' a vera parsimonious disposition."
"Also my boat is to be hers. She can hire it out or she can sell it. It is
absolutely her own. It would be folly for me to keep it rocking at anchor,
and rusting away. I can not speak to her on such subjects, but you will be
sure and make her understand, David."