RODERICK THE FAIR-HAIRED. 511 



tions of her own charms. Ever since her preferment to the favour 

 of her lady-relative and protectress, Mary had, to Roderick's bitter 

 disappointment, lost all recollection of her former admirer. They, 

 however, who look deeper into the mysteries of human motive than a 

 fond, confiding lover, may account for the defection of one " as faith- 

 less as she was fair," without taxing her with more ingratitude than 

 ordinarily falls to the lot of erring, frail humanity. Where woman 

 chooses for herself, wealth, or the reputation of possessing it, are 

 often leading requisites in her selection and where these are deside- 

 rated, personal endowment and address will sometimes stand in better 

 stead requisites which prove supreme in every grade, from the fair 

 slip of nobility, adorned with the splendour, gems, and sunshine of 

 her nuptial morning, to the youthful spinster, escaped from her 

 native obscurity, and arrayed in a ' ' kirtle of green." Of possessing 

 all or any of these qualities, however, it was Roderick's good or ill 

 fortune never to have been accused. In their absence he had im- 

 bibed, in his early youth, a provoking squint, with an awkwardness 

 of gait and demeanour so frequently characterizing stupid, staring 

 rusticity. The obliquity of his visual organs had been attributed to 

 an old crone residing in his native village, who was reputed to have 

 held mystic converse with the author of evil and his imps of dark- 

 ness, and to have revenged herself upon her revilers by causing the 

 hare-lip, and swivel-eyes, and rickets to their bonniest bairns. Old 

 Nacketty Poker (for by that name was the beldame known) had 

 often puzzled, with her cabalistic sayings, the learned acumen of 

 Parson Donald, the parish minister of Droneaway ; puzzled Snuffy 

 Willie, the ruling elder and leather-cutter of Starvitout ; perplexed 

 the godly of every denomination ; and exasperated all the villagers. 

 The subjoined verse Nacketty had been overheard repeating, which 

 all adjudged as applicable to Roderick and his fond attachment to 

 bonny Mary, the idol of his early choice : 



MacCairbre's mighty line is gone, 



That left the land A LONELY ONE, ^ 



But, ere A BRIDE be sought and given, 



There's EYES shall look TWO WAYS TO HEAVEN ! ! ! 



No more to dally with the caprices, or submit to live the may- 

 game of his unfaithful fair one, Roderick's despair and indecision 

 gave way to renewed energy and prompt resolve; and, saddling 

 Bauldy his pony with the alacrity of one intent on knowing " from 

 whence his sorrows grew," determined to ride into Starvitout before 

 the dawning of the morrow. 



Though seldom lacking courage on ordinary occasions, especially 

 at weddings, wakes, and country fairs, where cracked crowns are so 

 frequently in current circulation, Roderick inherited an insuperable 

 aversion to spunkies, fairies, benshees, witches, fetches, wraiths, and 

 other hobgoblins and instruments of malevolence and slander, which 

 frequently 5 deterred him from venturing a bow-shot beyond the 

 threshold of his own domicile without turning his eyes on each other, 

 and these again in suspicion on the inmost recesses of his soul, for 

 which their obliquity rendered them so peculiarly well fitted. Ro- 



