"The college has its own tailor, Christine. I believe the gowns are difficult to make. And what is more, I shall be obligated to have a new kirk suit. You see I go out with Ballister a good deal--very best families and all that--and I must have the clothes conforming to the company. Ballister might--nae doubt would--lend me the money--but----"
"What are you talking anent? Borrowing is sorrowing, aye and shaming, likewise. I"m fairly astonished at you naming such a thing! If you are put to a shift like that, Christine can let you hae the price o" a suit o" clothing."
"O Christine, if you would do that, it would be a great favor, and a great help to me. I"ll pay you back, out of the first money I make.
The price o" the books I shall have to coax from Mother."
"You"ll hae no obligation to trouble Mother. Ask your feyther for the books you want. He would be the vera last to grudge them to you. Speak to him straight, and bold, and you"ll get the siller wi" a smile and a good word."
"If _you_ would ask him for me."
"I will not!"
"Yes, you will, Christine. I have reasons for not doing so."
"You hae just one reason--simple cowardice. O Man! If you are a coward anent asking a new suit o" clothes for yoursel", what kind o" a lawyer will you mak" for ither folk?"
"You know how Father is about giving money."
"Ay, Feyther earns his money wi" his life in his hands. He wants to be sure the thing sought is good and necessary. Feyther"s right. Now my money was maistly gi"en me, I can mair easily risk it."
"There is no risk in my promise to pay."
"You havna any sure contract wi" Good Fortune, Neil, and it will be good and bad wi" you, as it is wi" ither folk."
"I do not approve of your remarks, Christine. When people are talking of the fundamentals--and surely money is one of them--they ought to avoid irritating words."
"You"ll mak" an extraordinar lawyer, if you do that, but I"m no sure that you will win your case, wanting them. I thought they were sort o"
necessitated; but crooked and straight is the law, and it is well known that what it calls truth today, may be far from truth tomorrow."
"What ails you today, Christine? Has the law injured you in any way?"
"Ay, it played us a" a trick. When you took up the books, and went to the big school i" the toun to prepare for Aberdeen, we all o" us thought it was King"s College you were bound for, and then when you were ready for Aberdeen, you turned your back on King"s College, and went to the Maraschal."
"King"s College is for the theology students. The Maraschal is the law school."
"I knew that. We a" know it. The Maraschal spelt a big disappointment to feyther and mysel"."
"I have some work to finish, Christine, and I will be under an obligation if you will leave me now. You are in an upsetting temper, and I think you have fairly forgotten yourself."
"Well I"m awa, but mind you! When the fishing is on, I canna be at your bidding. I"m telling you!"
"Just so."
"I"ll hae no time for you, and your writing. I"ll be helping Mither wi" the fish, from the dawn to the dark."
"Would you do that?"
"Would I not?"
She was at the open door of the room as she spoke, and Neil said with provoking indifference: "If you are seeing Father, you might speak to him anent the books I am needing."
"I"ll not do it! What are you feared for? You"re parfectly unreasonable, parfectly ridic-lus!" And she emphasized her a.s.sertions by her decided manner of closing the door.
On going into the yard, she found her father standing there, and he was looking gravely over the sea. "Feyther!" she said, and he drew her close to his side, and looked into her lovely face with a smile.
"Are you watching for the fish, Feyther?"
"Ay, I am! They are long in coming this year."
"Every year they are long in coming. Perhaps we are impatient."
"Just sae. We are a" ready for them--watching for them--Cluny went to Cupar Head to watch. He has a fine sea-sight. If they are within human ken, he will spot them, nae doubt. What hae you been doing a" the day lang?"
"I hae been writing for Neil. He is uncommon anxious about this session, Feyther."
"He ought to be."
"He is requiring some expensive books, and he is feared to name them to you; he thinks you hae been sae liberal wi" him already--if I was you, Feyther, I would be asking him--quietly when you were by your twa sel"s--if he was requiring anything i" the way o" books."
"He has had a big sum for that purpose already, Christine."
"I know it, Feyther, but I"m not needing to tell you that a man must hae the tools his wark is requiring, or he canna do it. If you set Neil to mak" a table, you"d hae to gie him the saw, and the hammer, and the full wherewithals, for the makin" o" a table; and when you are for putting him among the Edinbro" Law Lords, you"ll hae to gie him the books that can teach him their secrets. Isn"t that fair, Feyther?"
"I"m not denying it."
"Weel then, you"ll do the fatherly thing, and seeing the laddie is feared to ask you for the books, you"ll ask him, "Are you wanting any books for the finishing up, Neil?" You see it is just here, Feyther, he could borrow the books----"
"Hang borrowing!"
"Just sae, you are quite right, Feyther. Neil says if he has to borrow, he"ll never get the book when he wants it, and that he would never get leave to keep it as long as he needed. Now Neil be to hae his ain books, Feyther, he will mak" good use o" them, and we must not fail him at the last hour."
"Wha"s talking o" failing him? Not his feyther, I"m sure! Do I expect to catch herrings without the nets and accessories? And I ken that I"ll not mak" a lawyer o" Neil, without the Maraschal and the books it calls for."
"You are the wisest and lovingest o" feythers. When you meet Neil, and you twa are by yoursel"s, put your hand on Neil"s shoulder, and ask Neil, "Are you needing any books for your last lessons?""
"I"ll do as you say, dear la.s.s. It is right I should."
"Nay, but he should ask you to do it. If it was mysel", I could ask you for anything I ought to have, but Neil is vera shy, and he kens weel how hard you wark for your money. He canna bear to speak o" his necessities, sae I"m speaking the word for him."
"Thy word goes wi" me--always. I"ll ne"er say nay to thy yea," and he clasped her hand, and looked with a splendid smile of affection into her beautiful face. An English father would have certainly kissed her, but Scotch fathers rarely give this token of affection. Christine did not expect it, unless it was her birthday, or New Year"s morning.
It was near the middle of July, when the herring arrived. Then early one day, Ruleson, watching the sea, smote his hands triumphantly, and lifting his cap with a shout of welcome, cried--
"There"s our boat! Cluny is sailing her! He"s bringing the news! They hae found the fish! Come awa" to the pier to meet them, Christine."
With hurrying steps they took the easier landward side of descent, but when they reached the pier there was already a crowd of men and women there, and the _Sea Gull_, James Ruleson"s boat, was making for it.
She came in close-hauled to the wind, with a double reef in her sail.
She came rushing across the bay, with the water splashing her gunwale.