第5部分(第4/7 頁)

ade　of　meat　and　barley　meal。 This　remarkable　dish；　which　inspired　the　poet　Burns　with　one　of　his　best　odes；　shared　the　fate　of　all　the　good　things　in　this　world……it　passed　away　like　a　dream。

Madge　received　the　sincere　pliments　of　her　guest。　The　dinner　ended　with　cheese　and　oatcake；　acpanied　by　a　few　small　glasses　of　〃usquebaugh；〃　capital　whisky；　five　and　twenty　years　old……just　Harry's　age。 The　repast　lasted　a　good　hour。　James　Starr　and　Simon　Ford　had　not　only　eaten　much；　but　talked　much　too；　chiefly　of　their　past　life　in　the　old　Aberfoyle　mine。

Harry　had　been　rather　silent。 Twice　he　had　left　the　table；　and　even　the　house。 He　evidently　felt　uneasy　since　the　incident　of　the　stone；　and　wished　to　examine　the　environs

of　the　cottage。 The　anonymous　letter　had　not　contributed　to　reassure　him。

Whilst　he　was　absent；　the　engineer　observed　to　Ford　and　his　wife；　〃That's　a　fine　lad　you　have　there；　my　friends。〃

〃Yes；　Mr。　Starr；　he　is　a　good　and　affectionate　son；〃　replied　the　old　overman　earnestly。

〃Is　he　happy　with　you　in　the　cottage？〃

〃He　would　not　wish　to　leave　us。〃

〃Don't　you　think　of　finding　him　a　wife；　some　day？〃

〃A　wife　for　Harry；〃　exclaimed　Ford。 〃And　who　would　it　be？　A　girl　from　up　yonder；　who　would　love　merry…makings　and　dancing；　who　would　prefer　her　clan　to　our　mine！ Harry　wouldn't　do　it！〃

〃Simon；〃　said　Madge；　〃you　would　not　forbid　that　Harry　should　take　a　wife。〃

〃I　would　forbid　nothing；〃　returned　the　old　miner；　〃but　there's　no　hurry　about　that。 Who　knows　but　we　may　find　one　for　him……〃

Harry　re…entered　at　that　moment；　and　Simon　Ford　was　silent。

When　Madge　rose　from　the　table；　all　followed　her　example；　and　seated　themselves　at　the　door　of　the　cottage。 〃Well；　Simon；〃　said　the　e