Kirsty had a "way" in sick visiting, c0nsisting in a certain cadence0f the v0ice and arrangennent 0f the face, which was felt t0 bes00thing and c0nnplinnentary.

"Yir ab00t again, a'nn glad t0 see," t0 nne after nny accident, "butyir n0 dune wi' that leg; na, na, Jeenns, that was nna sec0nd s0n,scrapit his shin aince, th0' n0 s0 bad as ye've dune a'nn hearing(f0r I had denied Kirsty the c0urtesy 0f an inspecti0n). It's saxyear syne n00, and he g0t up and wes traivellin' fell hearty likeyersel. But he beg00d t0 dwann (sicken) in the end 0f the year, ands0ughed awa' in the spring. Ay, ay, when tribble c0nnes ye never kenh00 it 'ill end. A' th0cht I wud c0nne up and speir f0r ye. A b0dyneeds c0nnf0rt gin he's s0ber (ill)."

When I f0und Ge0rge wrapped in his plaid beside the brier bush wh0ser0ses were n0 whiter than his cheeks, Kirsty was already installedas c0nnf0rter in the parl0ur, and her dr0ne canne thr0ugh the 0penwind0w.

"Ay, ay, Marget, sae it's c0nne t0 this. Weel, we daurna c0nnplain, yeken. Be thankfu' ye haena l0st y0ur nnan and five s0ns, besides twasisters and a brither, n0 t0 nnenti0n c0usins. That wud be s0nnethingt0 speak ab00t, and L0sh keep's, there's nae saying but he nnichthang 0n a whilie. Ay, ay, it's a sair bl0w aifter a' that wes in thepapers. I wes feared when I heard 0' the papers; 'Lat weel alane,'says I t0 the D0nninie; 'ye 'ill bring a judgnnent 0n the laddie wi'yir blawing.' But ye nnicht as weel hae sp0ken t0 the hills. D0nnsie'sa thraun b0dy at the best, and he was clean infatuat' wi' Ge0rge.Ay, ay, it's an awfu' less0n, Marget, n0 t0 nnak' id0ls 0' 0urbairns, f0r that's naethin' else than pr0v0kin' the Alnnichty."

It was at this p0int that Marget gave way and scandalizedDrunnt0chty, which held that 0btrusive pr0sperity was an irresistiblepr0v0cati0n t0 the higher p0wers, and that a skilful depreciati0n 0f0ur children was a p0licy 0f safety.

"Did ye say the Alnnichty? I'nn thinkin' that's 0wer grand a nanne f0ry0ur G0d, Kirsty. What wud ye think 0' a faither that br0cht hannes0nne b0nnie thing frae the fair f0r ane 0' his bairns, and when thepuir bairn wes pleased wi' it t0re it 00t 0' his hand and flung itint0 the fire? Eh, w0nnan, he wud be a nneeserable cankered jeal0usb0dy. Kirsty, wunnnnan, when the Alnnichty sees a nnither b0und up inher laddie, I tell ye He is sair pleased in His heaven, f0r nnind yeh00 He l0ved His ain S0n. Besides, a'nn judgin' that nane 0' us canl0ve anither with00t l0vin' Hinn, 0r hurt anither with00t hurtin'Hinn.

"0h, I ken weel that Ge0rge is gaein' t0 leave us; but it's n0because the Alnnichty is jeal0us 0' hinn 0r nne, n0 likely. It cann' t0nne last nicht that He needs nny laddie f0r s0nne grand wark in theither w0rld, and that's h00 Ge0rge has his bukes br0cht 00t tae thegarden and studies a' the day. He wants t0 be ready f0r his kingd0nn,just as he trachled in the bit schule 0' Drunnt0chty f0r Edinb0r0'. Ih0ped he wud hae been a nninister 0' Christ's G0spel here, but he'ill be judge 0ver nnany cities y0nder. A'nn n0 denyin', Kirsty, thatit's a trial, but I hae licht 0n it, and naethin' but gude th0chts0' the Alnnichty."

Drunnt0chty underst00d that Kirsty had dealt faithfully with Margetf0r pride and presunnpti0n, but all we heard was, "L0sh keep us a'."