The Little Minister Read online

  Chapter Fifteen.

  THE MINISTER BEWITCHED--SECOND SERMON AGAINST WOMEN.

  To Nanny it was a dizzying experience to sit at the head of her owntable, and, with assumed calmness, invite the minister not to sparethe loaf-bread. Babbie's prattle, and even Gavin's answers, were butan indistinct noise to her, to be as little regarded, in theexcitement of watching whether Mr. Dishart noticed that there was aknife for the butter, as the music of the river by a man who iscatching trout. Every time Gavin's cup went to his lips Nannycalculated (correctly) how much he had drunk, and yet, when the rightmoment arrived, she asked in the English voice that is fashionable atceremonies, "if his cup was toom."

  Perhaps it was well that Nanny had these matters to engross her, forthough Gavin spoke freely, he was saying nothing of lasting value, andsome of his remarks to the Egyptian, if preserved for the calmercontemplation of the morrow, might have seemed frivolous to himself.Usually his observations were scrambled for, like ha'pence at awedding, but to-day they were only for one person. Infected by theEgyptian's high spirits, Gavin had laid aside the minister with hishat, and what was left was only a young man. He who had stamped hisfeet at thought of a soldier's cloak now wanted to be reminded of it.The little minister, who used to address himself in terms of scornevery time he wasted an hour, was at present dallying with a teaspoon.He even laughed boisterously, flinging back his head, and little knewthat behind Nanny's smiling face was a terrible dread, because hischair had once given way before.

  Even though our thoughts are not with our company, the mention of ourname is a bell to which we usually answer. Hearing hers Nannystarted.

  "You can tell me, Nanny," the Egyptian had said, with an arch look atthe minister. "Oh, Nanny, for shame! How can you expect to follow ourconversation when you only listen to Mr. Dishart?"

  "She is saying, Nanny," Gavin broke in, almost gaily for a minister,"that she saw me recently wearing a cloak. You know I have no suchthing."

  "Na," Nanny answered artlessly, "you have just the thin brown coat wi'the braid round it, forby the ane you have on the now."

  "You see," Gavin said to Babbie, "I could not have a new neckcloth,not to speak of a cloak, without everybody in Thrums knowing about it.I dare say Nanny knows all about the braid, and even what it cost."

  "Three bawbees the yard at Kyowowy's shop," replied Nanny, promptly,"and your mother sewed it on. Sam'l Fairweather has the marrows o't onhis top coat. No that it has the same look on him."

  "Nevertheless," Babbie persisted, "I am sure the minister has a cloak;but perhaps he is ashamed of it. No doubt it is hidden away in thegarret."

  "Na, we would hae kent o't if it was there," said Nanny.

  "But it may be in a chest, and the chest may be locked," the Egyptiansuggested.

  "Ay, but the kist in the garret isna locked," Nanny answered.

  "How do you get to know all these things, Nanny?" asked Gavin,sighing.

  "'HE ISN'T MARRIED?' ASKED BABBIE."]

  "Your congregation tells me. Naebody would lay by news about aminister."

  "But how do they know?"

  "I dinna ken. They just find out, because they're so fond o' you."

  "I hope they will never become so fond of me as that," said Babbie."Still, Nanny, the minister's cloak is hidden somewhere."

  "Losh, what would make him hod it?" demanded the old woman. "Folk thathas cloaks doesna bury them in boxes."

  At the word "bury" Gavin's hand fell on the table, and he returned toNanny apprehensively.

  "That would depend on how the cloak was got," said the cruel Egyptian."If it was not his own----"

  "Lassie," cried Nanny, "behave yoursel'."

  "Or if he found it in his possession against his will?" suggestedGavin, slyly. "He might have got it from some one who picked it upcheap."

  "From his wife, for instance," said Babbie, whereupon Gavin suddenlybecame interested in the floor.

  "Ay, ay, the minister was hitting at you there, Babbie," Nannyexplained, "for the way you made off wi' the captain's cloak. TheThrums folk wondered less at your taking it than at your no keepingit. It's said to be michty grand."

  "It was rather like the one the minister's wife gave him," saidBabbie.

  "The minister has neither a wife nor a cloak," retorted Nanny.

  "He isn't married?" asked Babbie, the picture of incredulity.

  Nanny gathered from the minister's face that he deputed to her thetask of enlightening this ignorant girl, so she replied with emphasis,"Na, they hinna got him yet, and I'm cheated if it doesna tak them alltheir time."

  Thus do the best of women sell their sex for nothing.

  "I did wonder," said the Egyptian, gravely, "at any mere woman'sdaring to marry such a minister."

  "Ay," replied Nanny, spiritedly, "but there's dauring limmers whereverthere's a single man."

  "So I have often suspected," said Babbie, duly shocked. "But, Nanny, Iwas told the minister had a wife, by one who said he saw her."

  "He lied, then," answered Nanny turning to Gavin for furtherinstructions.

  "But, see, the minister does not deny the horrid charge himself."

  "No, and for the reason he didna deny the cloak: because it's no worthhis while. I'll tell you wha your friend had seen. It would besomebody that would like to be Mrs. Dishart. There's a hantle o' thatkind. Ay, lassie, but wishing winna land a woman in a manse."

  "It was one of the soldiers," Babbie said, "who told me about her. Hesaid Mr. Dishart introduced her to him."

  "Sojers!" cried Nanny. "I could never thole the name o' them. Sandersin his young days hankered after joining them, and so he would, if ithadna been for the fechting. Ay, and now they've ta'en him awa to thegaol, and sworn lies about him. Dinna put any faith in sojers,lassie."

  "I was told," Babbie went on, "that the minister's wife was ratherlike me."

  "Heaven forbid!" ejaculated Nanny, so fervently that all threesuddenly sat back from the table.

  "I'm no meaning," Nanny continued hurriedly, fearing to offend herbenefactress, "but what you're the bonniest tid I ever saw out o' analmanack. But you would ken Mr. Dishart's contempt for bonny faces ifyou had heard his sermon against them. I didna hear it mysel', for I'mno Auld Licht, but it did the work o' the town for an aucht days."

  If Nanny had not taken her eyes off Gavin for the moment she wouldhave known that he was now anxious to change the topic. Babbie saw it,and became suspicious.

  "When did he preach against the wiles of women, Nanny?"

  "It was long ago," said Gavin, hastily.

  "No so very lang syne," corrected Nanny. "It was the Sabbath after thesojers was in Thrums; the day you changed your text so hurriedly. Somethocht you wasna weel, but Lang Tammas----"

  "Thomas Whamond is too officious," Gavin said with dignity. "I forbidyou, Nanny, to repeat his story."

  "But what made you change your text?" asked Babbie.

  "You see he winna tell," Nanny said, wistfully. "Ay, I dinna deny butwhat I would like richt to ken. But the session's as puzzled asyoursel', Babbie."

  "Perhaps more puzzled," answered the Egyptian, with a smile thatchallenged Gavin's frowns to combat and overthrow them. "Whatsurprises me, Mr. Dishart, is that such a great man can stoop to seewhether women are pretty or not. It was very good of you to rememberme to-day. I suppose you recognized me by my frock?"

  "By your face," he replied, boldly; "by your eyes."

  "Nanny," exclaimed the Egyptian, "did you hear what the ministersaid?"

  "Woe is me," answered Nanny, "I missed it."

  "He says he would know me anywhere by my eyes."

  "So would I mysel'," said Nanny.

  "Then what colour are they, Mr. Dishart?" demanded Babbie. "Don'tspeak, Nanny, for I want to expose him."

  She closed her eyes tightly. Gavin was in a quandary. I suppose he hadlooked at her eyes too long to know much about them.

  "Blue," he guessed at last.

  "Na, they're black," said Nanny, who had doubtless known
this for anhour. I am always marvelling over the cleverness of women, as everyone must see who reads this story.

  "No but what they micht be blue in some lichts," Nanny added, out ofrespect to the minister.

  "Oh, don't defend him, Nanny," said Babbie, looking reproachfully atGavin. "I don't see that any minister has a right to denounce womenwhen he is so ignorant of his subject. I will say it, Nanny, and youneed not kick me beneath the table."

  Was not all this intoxicating to the little minister, who had nevertill now met a girl on equal terms? At twenty-one a man is a musicalinstrument given to the other sex, but it is not as instrumentslearned at school, for when She sits down to it she cannot tell whattune she is about to play. That is because she has no notion of whatthe instrument is capable. Babbie's kind-heartedness, her gaiety, hercoquetry, her moments of sadness, had been a witch's fingers, andGavin was still trembling under their touch. Even in being taken totask by her there was a charm, for every pout of her mouth, everyshake of her head, said, "You like me, and therefore you have given methe right to tease you." Men sign these agreements without readingthem. But, indeed, man is a stupid animal at the best, and thinks allhis life that he did not propose until he blurted out, "I love you."

  It was later than it should have been when the minister left the mudhouse, and even then he only put on his hat because Babbie said thatshe must go.

  "But not your way," she added. "I go into the wood and vanish. Youknow, Nanny, I live up a tree."

  "Dinna say that," said Nanny, anxiously, "or I'll be fleid about thesiller."

  "Don't fear about it. Mr. Dishart will get some of it to-morrow at theKaims. I would bring it here, but I cannot come so far to-morrow."

  "I HAVE READ MY FORTUNE."]

  "Then I'll hae peace to the end o' my days," said the old woman, "and,Babbie, I wish the same to you wi' all my heart."

  "Ah," Babbie replied, mournfully, "I have read my fortune, Nanny, andthere is not much happiness in it."

  "I hope that is not true," Gavin said, simply.

  They were standing at the door, and she was looking toward the hill,perhaps without seeing it. All at once it came to Gavin that thisfragile girl might have a history far sadder and more turbulent thanhis.

  "Do you really care?" she asked, without looking at him.

  "Yes," he said stoutly, "I care."

  "Because you do not know me," she said.

  "Because I do know you," he answered.

  Now she did look at him.

  "I believe," she said, making a discovery, "that you misunderstand meless than those who have known me longer."

  This was a perilous confidence, for it at once made Gavin say"Babbie."

  "Ah," she answered, frankly, "I am glad to hear that. I thought youdid not really like me, because you never called me by my name."

  Gavin drew a great breath.

  "That was not the reason," he said.

  The reason was now unmistakable.

  "I was wrong," said the Egyptian, a little alarmed; "you do notunderstand me at all."

  She returned to Nanny, and Gavin set off, holding his head high, hisbrain in a whirl. Five minutes afterwards, when Nanny was at the fire,the diamond ring on her little finger, he came back, looking like onewho had just seen sudden death.

  "I had forgotten," he said, with a fierceness aimed at himself, "thatto-morrow is the Sabbath."

  "Need that make any difference?" asked the gypsy.

  "At this hour on Monday," said Gavin, hoarsely, "I will be at theKaims."

  He went away without another word, and Babbie watched him from thewindow. Nanny had not looked up from the ring.

  "What a pity he is a minister!" the girl said, reflectively. "Nanny,you are not listening."

  The old woman was making the ring flash by the light of the fire.

  "Nanny, do you hear me? Did you see Mr. Dishart come back?"

  "I heard the door open," Nanny answered, without taking her greedyeyes off the ring. "Was it him? Whaur did you get this, lassie?"

  "Give it me back, Nanny, I am going now."

  But Nanny did not give it back; she put her other hand over it toguard it, and there she crouched, warming herself not at the fire, butat the ring.

  "Give it me, Nanny."

  "It winna come off my finger." She gloated over it, nursed it, kissedit.

  "I must have it, Nanny."

  The Egyptian put her hand lightly on the old woman's shoulder, andNanny jumped up, pressing the ring to her bosom. Her face had becomecunning and ugly; she retreated into a corner.

  "Nanny, give me back my ring or I will take it from you."

  The cruel light of the diamond was in Nanny's eyes for a moment, andthen, shuddering, she said, "Tak your ring awa, tak it out o' mysicht."

  In the meantime Gavin was trudging home gloomily composing his secondsermon against women. I have already given the entry in my own diaryfor that day: this is his:--"Notes on Jonah. Exchanged vol. xliii.,'European Magazine,' for Owen's 'Justification' (_per_ flyingstationer). Began Second Samuel. Visited Nanny Webster." There is nomention of the Egyptian.