RODERICK, THE FAIR-HAIRED^ 517 



homilies (for her soul's health) of Miss Helen ; the taunts and con- 

 tempt of the baggages, her step-daughters; the occasional sniftings 

 of old Granny Mac Sillergrip; and the interminable snubs of the 

 beast, her husband. In the midst of such a circle was Roderick in- 

 troduced, scarce knowing whither to turn himself, how to best advan- 

 tage to get rid of his hat, and hands, and arms; and, not the least in 

 an inexperienced rustic's estimation, when and to whom to do the 

 genteel. Having soon satisfied the party of the purpose of his visit, 

 (to the commingled mirth and wonderment of each who listened to 

 his tale,) Granny, with a measure of garrulity, the gifted privilege of 

 old age, was the first to undeceive him with regard to Miss Mac 

 Cairbre's imputed infidelity to her lover, whose narrative as she pro- 

 ceeded was helped out or amended by the young ladies, nodded to 

 in assent by the model of dried antiquity, her daughter, at times in- 

 terrupted by the broad laughter of the laird, and heard in silent sor- 

 row by his wife. As Granny had a sage old maxim of " singing a 

 quick tune and working to it," her story and occupation proceeded 

 with an equal pace, the necessity being urgent indeed that could 

 whistle her away from her wheel. During her off-hand and round- 

 a-bout relation, Roderick, like Regulus in his barrel, suffered a 

 thousand pangs, whilst every word she uttered inflicted as many tor- 

 tures. Just as the old lady's threads had numbered twenty-four, her 

 story quickened to a pretty smart conclusion ; she performing her 

 manipulations with a tact, celerity, and precision that would have 

 done honour to Cocker or Dil worth, and conferred immortality on 

 Napier and his bones. " The fause quean !" added she, with a toss 

 of her head, " she did weal to despise the coonsels an' desert the 

 bonny roof-tree o' the auncient fameely o' the Mac Sillergrips; there's 

 twenty-five, an' wi' her joe, a loup-the-land scape-grace Irish officer 

 there's twenty-six, as glaiket, gearless, an' unsib to kith or kin as ony 

 moolan' cowte; there's twenty-seven, wha decoyed the bairn-bride 

 awa' afore the half-mark minister o' Littlegoodie ; there's twenty- 

 eight, to join their two misfortunes together; there's twenty-nine, an* 

 I wish the deil had broken baith their necks, an that's thirty." 



On hearing the fatal issue of all that had been to him animating in 

 hope, and mortified at the thought of having been jilted, Roderick's 

 struggling sensibilities broke forth in an agony of tears; and dropping 

 his half-fledged chin, as yet innocent of razor, into the loose folds of his 

 cravat, a drop of Granny's choice unchristened Glenlivat being pre- 

 sented to him, the brooding troubles of his wounded spirit appeared 

 for a time to yield. Even the laird himself, " albeit unused to the 

 melting mood," felt for the poor fellow's state, presenting him at the 

 same time with a substantial proof of his kindness and commiseration, 

 an act largely recompensed by the measure of satisfaction and self- 

 approval which his generosity yielded to his own heart. Roderick, 

 on taking leave, and expressing his gratitude for the kindness he had 

 received, was proceeding to retrace his steps, when met by the 

 " sticket minister" at the hall-door, and again honoured with a second 

 representation of his Aberdeen bow^ which he continued to perform 

 while Roderick grouped for a small coin to reward him with, on 

 receiving which the out-pourings of the fellow's gratitude and 



