THE AUTHORS LAST VISIT. 447 



growing earnestness, " Ah, but she's a nice 'umman, a very 

 hyoom'le * 'umman, and has aye been sae, I believe. God 

 bless 'er ! " The following night, the subject had recurred 

 to him, and he rose in a dazed state in the dark, calling to 

 Mrs. Allanach to " tell the Queen's men I'm ower waik to 

 gae to kept them the nicht, I'm no weel ava;" and he would 

 only return to bed when she promised to do as he had 

 asked her. 



But the ever-present, ever-recurring subject of his think- 

 ing and talking was his life friend, Charles Black. As 

 Mrs. Allanach said, " I never heard him speak sae muckle 

 aboot ony body as aboot him ; it was really won'erfu' hoo he 

 likit that man." It was the same in talking to myself that 

 was the dominant topic of conversation, brightening his 

 eye, inspiring new vigour when weak, and soothing him 

 like a charm when irritated and when nothing else could. 

 His memories of their first meeting, early studies at White- 

 house, and later intercourse were now the sweetest solace 

 of his dying days. 



The night before my last visit, he had not slept well, 

 and was restless and excited. From my much questioning, 

 he had thought me a lawyer after I left, an idea that 

 recalled a disagreeable reminiscence of the time he was 

 brought to court about his wife's son. When I entered, 

 I saw he was dull, feverish and ill at ease, and he received 

 me not in the most gracious manner, confounding me, I 

 afterwards ascertained, with a fellow who had deceived him 

 and got a lot of his books. He was very unwilling to 



* Humble, meaning that she did not stand upon her elevated 

 rank in her intercourse with her subjects, 

 t Too weak to go to meet them. 



