It's beyond mending, Finlay,
because it is one of those things that God has made. But
it is not beyond marring, and I charge you to look well
what you are about in connection with it."
A flash of happiness, of simple delight, lit the young
man's sombre eyes as the phrases fell. To the minister
they were mere forcible words; to Finlay they were soft
rain in a famished land. Then he looked again heavily at
the pattern of the carpet.
"Would you have me marry Advena Murchison?" he said, with
a kind of shamed yielding to the words.
"I would--and no other. Man, I saw it from the beginning!"
exclaimed the Doctor. "I don't say it isn't an awkward
business. But at least there'll be no heartbreak in
Scotland. I gather you never said a word to the Bross
lady on the subject, and very few on any other. You tell
me you left it all with that good woman, your aunt, to
arrange after you left. Do you think a creature of any
sentiment would have accepted you on those terms? Not
she. So far as I can make out, Miss Cameron is just a
sensible, wise woman that would be the first to see the
folly in this business if she knew the rights of it.
Come, Finlay, you're not such a great man with the
ladies--you can't pretend she has any affection for you."
The note of raillery in the Doctor's voice drew Finlay's
brows together.
Pages:
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261