ALICK. I’ve missed it sore, David. Even now I feel the want of it in the very marrow of me. I’m ashamed to think I never gave you your chance. But when you were young I was so desperate poor, how could I do it, Maggie?
MAGGIE. It wasn’t possible, father.
ALICK [gazing at the book-shelves]. To be able to understand these books! To up with them one at a time and scrape them as clean as though they were a bowl of brose. Lads, it’s not to riches, it’s to scholarship that I make my humble bow.
JAMES [who is good at bathos]. There’s ten yards of them. And they were selected by the minister of Galashiels. He said—
DAVID [quickly]. James.
JAMES. I mean—I mean—
MAGGIE [calmly]. I suppose you mean what you say, James. I hear, David, that the minister of Galashiels is to be married on that Miss Turnbull.
DAVID [on guard]. So they were saying.
ALICK. All I can say is she has made a poor bargain.
MAGGIE [the damned]. I wonder at you, father. He’s a very nice gentleman. I’m sure I hope he has chosen wisely.