jist say his ae word； as pithily as might be； i' the kirkyard； efter
he was deid； an' ower an' ower again； wi' a tongue o' stane； let
them tak' it or lat it alane 'at likit？ That's a' my defence o' my
auld luckie…daddyHeaven rest his brave auld soul！〃
〃But are we not in danger；〃 said Hugh； 〃of thinking too lightly and
familiarly of the Maker； when we proceed to judge him so by
ourselves？〃
〃Mr。 Sutherlan'；〃 replied David； very solemnly； 〃I dinna thenk I can
be in muckle danger o' lichtlyin' him； whan I ken in my ain sel'； as
weel as she 'at was healed o' her plague； 'at I wad be a horse i'
that pleuch； or a pig in that stye； not merely if it was his
willfor wha can stan' against thatbut if it was for his glory；
ay； an' comfort mysel'； a' the time the change was passin' upo' me；
wi' the thocht that； efter an' a'； his blessed han's made the pigs
too。〃
〃But； a moment ago； David； you seemed to me to be making rather
little of his glory。〃
〃O' his glory； as they consider gloryay； efter a warldly fashion
that's no better nor pride； an' in him would only be a greater
pride。 But his glory！ consistin' in his trowth an'
lovin'kindness（man！ that's a bonny word）an' grand
self…forgettin' devotion to his createrslord！ man； it's
unspeakable。 I care little for his glory either； gin by that ye
mean the praise o' men。 A heap o' the anxiety for the spread o' his
glory； seems to me to be but a desire for the sempathy o' ither
fowk。 There's no fear but men 'll praise him； a' in guid timethat
is； whan they can。 But； Mr。 Sutherlan'； for the glory o' God；
raither than； if it were possible； one jot or one tittle should fail
of his entire perfection of holy beauty； I call God to witness； I
would gladly go to hell itsel'； for no evil worth the full name can
befall the earth or ony creater in't； as long as God is what he is。
For the glory o' God； Mr。 Sutherlan'； I wad die the deith 。 For the
will o' God； I'm ready for onything he likes。 I canna surely be in
muckle danger o' lichtlyin' him。 I glory in my God。〃
The almost passionate earnestness with which David spoke； would
alone have made it impossible for Hugh to reply at once。 After a
few moments； however； he ventured to ask the question：
〃Would you do nothing that other people should know God； then；
David？〃
〃Onything 'at he likes。 But I would tak' tent o' interferin'。 He's
at it himsel' frae mornin' to nicht； frae year's en' to year's en'。〃
〃But you seem to me to make out that God is nothing but love！〃
〃Ay； naething but love。 What for no？〃
〃Because we are told he is just。〃
〃Would he be lang just if he didna lo'e us？〃
〃But does he not punish sin？〃
〃Would it be ony kin'ness no to punish sin？ No to us a' means to
pit awa' the ae ill thing frae us？ Whatever may be meant by the
place o' meesery； depen' upo't； Mr。 Sutherlan'； it's only anither
form o' love； love shinin' through the fogs o' ill； an' sae gart
leuk something verra different thereby。 Man； raither nor see my
Maggyan' ye'll no doot 'at I lo'e herraither nor see my Maggy do
an ill thing； I'd see her lyin' deid at my feet。 But supposin' the
ill thing ance dune； it's no at my feet I wad lay her； but upo' my
heart； wi' my auld arms aboot her； to hand the further ill aff o'
her。 An' shall mortal man be more just than God？ Shall a man be
more pure than his Maker？ O my God！ my God！〃
The entrance of Margaret would have prevented the prosecution of
this conversation； even if it had not already drawn to a natural
close。 Not that David would not have talked thus before his
daughter； but simply that minds； like instruments； need to be
brought up to the same pitch； before they can 〃atone together；〃 and
that one feels this instinctively on the entrance of another who has
not gone through the same immediate process of gradual elevation of
tone。
Their books and slates were got out； and they sat down to their
work； but Hugh could not help observing that David； in the midst of
his lines and angles and algebraic computations； would； every now
and then； glance up at Margaret； with a look of tenderness in his
face yet deeper and more delicate in its expression than ordinary。
Margaret was； however； quite unconscious of it； pursuing her work
with her ordinary even diligence。 But Janet observed it。
〃What ails the bairn； Dawvid； 'at ye leuk at her that get？ said she。
〃Naething ails her； woman。 Do ye never leuk at a body but when
something ails them？〃
〃Ow； aybut no that get。〃
〃Weel； maybe I was thinkin' hoo I wad leuk at her gin onything did
ail her。〃
〃Hoot！ hoot！ dinna further the ill hither by makin' a bien
doonsittin' an' a bed for't。〃
All David's answer to this was one of his own smiles。
At supper； for it happened to be Saturday； Hugh said：
〃I've been busy； between whiles； inventing； or perhaps discovering；
an etymological pedigree for you； David！〃
〃Weel； lat's hear't；〃 said David。
〃Firstdo you know that that volume with your ancestor's name on
it； was written by an old German shoemaker； perhaps only a cobbler；
for anything I know？〃
〃I know nothing aboot it； more or less；〃 answered David。
〃He was a wonderful man。 Some people think he was almost inspired。〃
〃Maybe； maybe；〃 was all David's doubtful response。
〃At all events； though I know nothing about it myself； he must have
written wonderfully for a cobbler。〃
〃For my pairt；〃 replied David； 〃if I see no wonder in the man； I can
see but little in the cobbler。 What for shouldna a cobbler write
wonnerfully； as weel as anither？ It's a trade 'at furthers
meditation。 My grandfather was a cobbler； as ye ca't； an' they say
he was no fule in his ain way either。〃
〃Then it does go in the family！〃 cried Hugh； triumphantly。
〃I was in doubt at first whether your name referred to the breadth
of your shoulders； David； as transmitted from some ancient sire；
whose back was an Ellwand…broad； for the g might come from a w or v；
for anything I know to the contrary。 But it would have been braid
in that case。 And； now； I am quite convinced that that Martin or
his father was a German； a friend of old Jacob B渉men； who gave him
the book himself； and was besides of the same craft； and he coming
to this country with a name hard to be pronounced； they found a
resemblance in the sound of it to his occupation； and so gradually
corrupted his name； to them uncouth； into Elsynbrod； Elshinbrod；
thence Elginbrod； with a soft g； and lastly Elginbrod； as you
pronounce it now； with a hard g。 This name； turned from Scotch into
English； would then be simply Martin Awlbore。 The cobbler is in the
family； David； descended from Jacob B渉men himself； by the mother's
side。〃
This heraldic blazon amused them all very much； and David expressed
his entire concurrence with it； declaring it to be incontrovertible。
Margaret laughed heartily。
Besides its own beauty； two things made Margaret's laugh of some
consequence； one was； that it was very rare； and the other； that it
revealed her two regular rows of dainty white teeth； suiting well to
the whole build of the maiden。 She was graceful and rather tall；
with a head which； but for its smallness； might have seemed too
heavy for the neck that supported it； so ready it always was to
droop like a snowdrop。 The only parts about her which Hugh
disliked； were her hands and feet。 The former certainly had been
reddened and roughened by household work： but they were well formed
notwithstanding。 The latter he had never seen； notwithstanding the
bare…foot habits of Scotch maidens； for he saw Margaret rarely
except in the evenings； and then she was dressed to receive him。
Certainly； however； they were very far from following the shape of
the clumsy country shoes； by which he misjudged their proportions。
Had he seen them； as he might have seen them some part of any day
during the summer； their form at least would have satisfied him。
CHAPTER XIV。
WINTER。
Out of whose womb came the ice？ and the hoary frost of heaven； who
hath gendered it？ The waters are hid as with a stone； and the face
of the deep is frozen。
He giveth snow like wool； he scattereth the hoar frost like ashes。
JOB xxxviii。 29； 30； PSALM cxlvii。 16。
Winter was fairly come at last。 A black frost had bound the earth
for many days； and at length a peculiar sensation； almost a smell of
snow in the air； indicated an approaching storm。 The snow fell at
first in a few large unwilling flakes； that fluttered slowly and
heavily to the earth； where they lay like the foundation of the
superstructure that was about to follow。 Faster and faster they
fellwonderful multitudes of delicate crystals； adhering in shapes
of beauty which outvied all that jeweller could invent or execute of
ethereal； starry forms； structures of evanescent yet prodigal
lovelinesstill the whole air was obscured by them； and night came
on； hastened by an hour； from the gathering of their white darkness。
In the morning； all the landscape was transfigured。 The snow had
ceased to fall； but the whole earth； houses； fields； and fences；
ponds and streams； were changed to whiteness。 But most wonderful
looked the treesevery bough and every twig thickened； and bent