“I cud gie ye sicht o’ ’im, I daursay, but what better wad ye be for that? Gien ye hed a’ the lawyers o’ Embrough at yer back, ye wadna touch Gibbie upo’ Glashgar.”
“But you could persuade him, I am sure, Mistress Grant. You have only to call him in your own way, and he will come at once.”
“What wad ye hae me perswaud him till, sir? To onything ’at’s richt, Gibbie wants nae perswaudin’; an’ for this ’at’s atween ye, the laddies are jist verra brithers, an’ I hae no richt to interfere wi’ what the tane wad for the tither, the thing seemin’ to me rizon eneuch.”
“What sort of lad is this son of yours? The boy seems much attached to him!”
“He’s a laddie ’at’s been gi’en ower till ’s buik sin ever I learnt him to read mysel’,” Janet answered. “But he’ll be here the nicht, I’m thinkin’, to see the last o’ puir Gibbie, an’ ye can jeedge for yersel’.”
It required but a brief examination of Donal to satisfy Mr. Sclater that he was more than prepared for the university. But I fear me greatly the time is at hand when such as Donal will no more be able to enter her courts. Unwise and unpatriotic are any who would rather have a few prime scholars sitting about the wells of learning, than see those fountains flow freely for the poor, who are yet the strength of a country. It is better to have many upon the high road of learning, than a few even at its goal, if that were possible.
As to Donal’s going to Mr. Sclater’s house, Janet soon relieved him.
“Na, na, sir,” she said; “it wad be to learn w’ys ’at wadna be fittin’ a puir lad like him.”
“It would be much safer for him,” said Mr. Sclater, but incidentally.
“Gien I cudna lippen my Donal till ’s ain company an’ the hunger for better, I wad begin to doobt wha made the warl’,” said his mother; and Donal’s face flushed with pleasure at her confidence. “Na, he maun get a garret roomie some gait i’ the toon, an’ there haud till ’s buik; an ye’ll lat Gibbie gang an’ see him whiles whan he can be spared. There maun be many a dacent wuman ’at wad be pleased to tak him in.”