Then Drumsheugh found the Parable wherein the Master tells us what G.o.d thinks of a Pharisee and of a penitent sinner, till he came to the words: "And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, G.o.d be merciful to me a sinner."
"That micht hae been written for me, Paitrick, or ony ither auld sinner that hes feenished his life, an" hes naethin" tae say for himsel".
"It wesna easy for me tae get tae kirk, but a" cud hae managed wi" a stretch, an" a" used langidge a" sudna, an" a" micht hae been gentler, and no been so short in the temper. A" see"t a" noo.
"It"s ower late tae mend, but ye "ill maybe juist say to the fouk that I wes sorry, an" a"m houpin" that the Almichty "ill hae mercy on me.
"Cud ye ... pit up a bit prayer, Paitrick?"
"A" haena the words," said Drumsheugh in great distress; "wud ye like"s tae send for the minister?"
"It"s no the time for that noo, an" a" wud rather hae yersel"--juist what"s in yir heart, Paitrick: the Almichty "ill ken the lave (rest) Himsel"."
So Drumsheugh knelt and prayed with many pauses.
"Almichty G.o.d ... dinna be hard on Weelum MacLure, for he"s no been hard wi" onybody in Drumtochty.... Be kind tae him as he"s been tae us a" for forty year.... We"re a" sinners afore Thee.... Forgive him what he"s dune wrang, an" dinna cuist it up tae him.... Mind the fouk he"s helpit ... the weemen an" bairnies ... an" gie him a welcome name, for he"s sair needin"t after a" his wark.... Amen."
"Thank ye, Paitrick, and gude nicht tae ye. Ma ain true freend, gie"s yir hand, for a"ll maybe no ken ye again.
"Noo a"ll say ma mither"s prayer and hae a sleep, but ye "ill no leave me till a" is ower."
Then he repeated as he had done every night of his life:
"This night I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, And if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take."
He was sleeping quietly when the wind drove the snow against the window with a sudden "swish ;" and he instantly awoke, so to say, in his sleep. Some one needed him.
"Are ye frae Glen Urtach?" and an unheard voice seemed to have answered him.
"Worse is she, an" sufferin" awfu"; that"s no lichtsome; ye did richt tae come.
"The front door"s drifted up; gang roond tae the back, an" ye "ill get intae the kitchen; a"ll be ready in a meenut.
"Gie"s a hand wi" the lantern when a"m saidling Jess, an" ye needna come on till daylicht; a" ken the road."
Then he was away in his sleep on some errand of mercy, and struggling through the storm.
"It"s a coorse nicht, Jess, an" heavy traivellin"; can ye see afore ye, la.s.s? for a"m clean confused wi" the snaw; bide a wee till a"
find the diveesion o" the roads; it"s aboot here back or forrit.
"Steady, la.s.s, steady, dinna plunge; it"s a drift we"re in, but ye"re no sinkin"; ... up noo; ... there ye are on the road again.
"Eh, it"s deep the nicht, an" hard on us baith, but there"s a puir wumman micht dee if we didna warstle through; ... that"s it; ye ken fine what a"m sayin".
"We "ill hae tae leave the road here, an" tak tae the muir. Sandie "ill no can leave the wife alane tae meet us; ... feel for yersel", la.s.s, and keep oot o" the holes.
"Yon"s the hoose black in the snaw. Sandie! man, ye frichtened us; a" didna see ye ahint the d.y.k.e; hoo"s the wife?"
After a while he began again:
"Ye"re fair dune, Jess, and so a" am masel"; we"re baith gettin"
auld, an" dinna tak sae weel wi" the nicht wark.
"We "ill sune be hame noo; this is the black wood, and it"s no lang aifter that; we"re ready for oor beds, Jess; ... ay, ye like a clap at a time; mony a mile we"ve gaed hegither.
"Yon"s the licht in the kitchen window; nae wonder ye"re nickering (neighing); ... it"s been a stiff journey; a"m tired, la.s.s ... a"m tired tae deith," and the voice died into silence.
Drumsheugh held his friend"s hand, which now and again tightened in his, and as he watched, a change came over the face on the pillow beside him. The lines of weariness disappeared, as if G.o.d"s hand had pa.s.sed over it; and peace began to gather round the closed eyes.
The doctor has forgotten the toil of later years, and has gone back to his boyhood.
"The Lord"s my Shepherd, I"ll not want,"
he repeated, till he came to the last verse, and then he hesitated.
"Goodness and mercy all my life Shall surely follow me.
"Follow me ... and ... and ... what"s next? Mither said I wes tae haed ready when she cam.
""A"ll come afore ye gang tae sleep, Wullie, but ye "ill no get yir kiss unless ye can feenish the psalm."
"And ... in G.o.d"s house ... for evermore my ... hoo dis it rin? a"
canna mind the next word ... my, my--
"It"s ower dark noo tae read it, an" mither "ill sune be comin"."
Drumsheugh, in an agony, whispered into his ear, ""My dwelling-place,"
Weelum."
"That"s it, that"s it a" noo; wha said it?
"And in G.o.d"s house for evermore My dwelling-place shall be.
"A"m ready noo, an" a"ll get ma kiss when mither comes; a" wish she wud come, for a"m tired an" wantin" tae sleep.
"Yon"s her step ... an" she"s carryin" a licht in her hand; a" see it through the door.
"Mither! a" kent ye wudna forget yir laddie, for ye promised tae come, and a"ve feenished ma psalm.
"And in G.o.d"s house for evermore My dwelling-place shall be.
"Gie me the kiss, mither, for a"ve been waitin" for ye, an" a"ll sune be asleep."
The grey morning light fell on Drumsheugh, still holding his friend"s cold hand, and staring at a hearth where the fire had died down into white ashes; but the peace on the doctor"s face was of one who rested from his labours.
V