But all such
assistance she had given up long ago.
On the present occasion, after she had ended her petitions with
those for Jews and pagans, and especially for the 'Pop' o' Rom',' in
whom with a rare liberality she took the kindest interest, always
praying God to give him a good wife, though she knew perfectly well
the marriage-creed of the priesthood, for her faith in the hearer of
prayer scorned every theory but that in which she had herself been
born and bred, she turned to Robert with the usual 'Noo, Robert!'
and Robert began. But after he had gone on for some time with the
ordinary phrases, he turned all at once into a new track, and
instead of praying in general terms for 'those that would not walk
in the right way,' said,
'O Lord! save my father,' and there paused.
'If it be thy will,' suggested his grandmother.
But Robert continued silent. His grandmother repeated the
subjunctive clause.
'I'm tryin', grandmother,' said Robert, 'but I canna say 't. I
daurna say an if aboot it. It wad be like giein' in till 's
damnation. We maun hae him saved, grannie!'
'Laddie! laddie! haud yer tongue!' said Mrs. Falconer, in a tone of
distressed awe. 'O Lord, forgie 'im. He's young and disna ken
better yet. He canna unnerstan' thy ways, nor, for that maitter,
can I preten' to unnerstan' them mysel'. But thoo art a' licht, and
in thee is no darkness at all. And thy licht comes into oor blin'
een, and mak's them blinner yet.
Pages:
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153