And he has at least a couple of thousand pounds in the
county bank. I don't believe he would do anything for me but for
the honour it will be to the family to have a professional man in
it. And yet my father was the making of him.'
'Tell me about your father. What was he?'
'A gentle-minded man, who thought much and said little. He farmed
the property that had been his father's own, and is now leased by my
fishy cousin afore mentioned.'
'And your mother?'
'She died just after I was born, and my father never got over it.'
'And you have no brothers or sisters?'
'No, not one. Thank God for your grandmother, and do all you can to
please her.'
A silence followed, during which Robert's heart swelled and heaved
with devotion to Ericson; for notwithstanding his openness, there
was a certain sad coldness about him that restrained Robert from
letting out all the tide of his love. The silence became painful,
and he broke it abruptly.
'What are you going to be, Mr. Ericson?'
'I wish you could tell me, Robert. What would you have me to be?
Come now.'
Robert thought for a moment.
'Weel, ye canna be a minister, Mr. Ericson, 'cause ye dinna believe
in God, ye ken,' he said simply.
'Don't say that, Robert,' Ericson returned, in a tone of pain with
which no displeasure was mingled. 'But you are right. At best I
only hope in God; I don't believe in him.'
'I'm thinkin' there canna be muckle differ atween houp an' faith,'
said Robert.
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