Roderick brightened up on the entrance of Mr. Sangster, and looked enquiringly in his face, but he did not venture to ask the question that was so near his lips. Mr. Sangster was cordial even beyond his wont, and answered his enquiries about the different members of his family at full length; but he did not say what Roderick was so impatient to hear; he could not, for his wife had told him nothing about it.
The entrance of the elders and deacons made further personal converse impossible. They walked up to the bed, took the sick man's hand one after another, but could scarcely command their lips to frame the ordinary inquiries after his health. Singularly to them, the minister received them with perfect composure, and all his wonted friendliness, while their eyes fell and wandered while the words died away upon their lips. 'Who was the sinner?' Ebenezer Prittie very nearly inquired aloud. Here were they, twelve just men and righteous, endowed in their own sight and that of their neighbours with all the virtues and christian graces in plenteous abundance, and yet this one impenitent sinner, laid out before them, snared in the full bloom and luxuriance of his iniquity, was able to outface them all, while they, his judges and accusers could scarce look him straight in the face, and had not a word to say.
The proceedings began in the usual manner. Roderick however, found he could scarce even whisper the opening prayer, and he therefore requested Mr. Sangster to act in his stead. They had been called together to make the concluding arrangements as to their new church. Widow Forester had come to terms about the ground, and they were therefore to set to work with all the expedition in their power, to raise the walls and secure a roof to shelter them, before the arrival of the winter storms. The day before had given them warning if that were needed, that the fine summer weather was drawing to a close, and that in a very few weeks the season of cold and storm would be upon them.
It was decided to commence work without any delay whatever, and that on the Thursday they should hold a religious service to inaugurate the work. Roderick had already bespoken the assistance of Mr. Dowlas, who had agreed to come over from his own parish whatever day he might be summoned. All therefore that had to be done was to notify him that Thursday was to be the day, and that owing to Roderick's illness he would have to assume the whole duty himself, instead of merely taking part, unless on so short notice he could induce his neighbour Mr. Geddie to accompany him.
No one present seemed disposed to speak unnecessarily, a somewhat unusual circumstance, for the deacons especially, being new to office, were prone to eloquence on ordinary occasions. Roderick accepted this taciturnity as a mark of consideration for his weakness and felt grateful. Indeed no more judicious mode of showing consideration could have been devised, for he felt himself getting worse under the stir and excitement very quickly. The meeting broke up as speedily as possible, and he was left alone, for Mr. Sangster had been carried away by the rest. He had been counting on another talk with him and perhaps of yet hearing from him the thing he most desired, but his own voice had entirely gone, so it was but natural his friend should not think of remaining with him when he could not speak.
He lay back on his pillow and solaced himself by thinking all manner of good of the men who had just left. The poor, the lower classes, who are thought so gross and rude in their perceptions! What people could have shown a more delicate intuition of what would be grateful to him in his weakness, than those rough-spoken, hard-handed men? He had been vexing himself with thoughts of their indifference and neglect, during his illness, but see how considerate and forbearing they had been this evening, notwithstanding the well known crotchets of this one and that, which would certainly have been brought out on any other occasion.
It was a beautiful thought, though not, in the circumstances a very accurate one, and helped him much in dropping peacefully to sleep not long after.
CHAPTER XXI.
[CIRCE].
On Monday morning Mr. Wallowby was the first to appear in the breakfast-room,--an unusual circumstance. There was meditation in the noiseless tread of his slippered feet, and he rubbed his hands thoughtfully, one over the other. So, a reflective cat will softly move her paws and undulate her tail, while she is planning her next raid on a neighbouring mouse hole. His enquiries after Peter's health were solicitous and tender, and the regret and disappointment at his being still confined to his room, perhaps excessive, considering his strong recommendations over-night, that the patient should keep his bed altogether next day, and, by making a regular lay up of it, get well the sooner. He asked Mr. Sangster to lend him a horse and trap to drive over to Inchbracken, still lamenting Peter's indisposition and deploring the necessity of having to go alone, but persistently deaf to the suggestion that he should wait a day or two till Peter got better.