THE AUTHORS LAST VISIT. 44! 



here. It was surprising to observe how minute were the 

 details he gave, especially of his earlier days ; for, as with 

 all old folks, the distant was nearer than the near in his 

 memory. His recollections of his mother stirred his best 

 affections. He always spoke of her with loving respect ; 

 and when Mrs. Allanach did him any kindly service, such 

 as wrapping the clothes round him in bed, he would murmur, 

 in tremulous tones of feeling, that it reminded him of his 

 mother. Never did he speak spontaneously, however, of 

 another who should have been more to him than even 

 a mother, and whom he once expected to be such. When 

 I introduced the tender subject, after conversation had led 

 naturally to it, he talked of his wife with painful hesitation ; 

 and speedily tried to dismiss it, by saying, " Ye see, that's 

 a' by noo," evidently desirous to forget for ever the secret 

 shame and pain of his life. When I asked if he would 

 not now care, after all these years, to meet her in the other 

 world, the idea seemed to be new to him and gave him 

 a deep and painful shock. He moved his hands depre- 

 catingly, and was silent which revealed the untold intensity 

 of the hidden grief her conduct had caused him. 



He was very lively in regard to his wanderings, and 

 recalled, with astonishing vividness, his old impressions of 

 the many places he had visited, some of which have already 

 been given under that head. His military days were well 

 remembered, and he was glad he had gone through them, 

 telling tales of them with zest. His characterisation of the 

 persons he had known was well put and often humorous. 

 His memory of his friends and the happy past he had spent 

 with them gave evident pleasure, though attended with 

 sadness in proportion to their former intimacy, expressed 



