“Do eat something, Mr. Sutherland,” said Margaret.

Hugh looked at her involuntarily.  She did not understand his look, and it alarmed her.  His countenance was changed.

“What is the matter, dear —­ Hugh?” she said, rising, and laying her hand on his shoulder.

“Hoots! lassie,” broke in her mother; “are ye makin’ love till a man, a gentleman, afore my verra een?”

“He did it first, mother,” answered Margaret, with a smile.

A pang of hope shot through Hugh’s heart.

“Ow! that’s the gait o’t, is’t?  The bairn’s gane dementit!  Ye’re no efter merryin’ a gentleman, Maggy?  Na, na, lass!”

So saying, the old lady, rather crossly, and very imprudently, left the room to fill the teapot in the kitchen.

“Do you remember this?” said Margaret, —­ who felt that Hugh must have misunderstood something or other, —­ taking from her pocket a little book, and from the book a withered flower.

Hugh saw that it was like a primrose, and hoped against hope that it was the one which he had given to her, on the spring morning in the fir-wood.  Still, a feeling very different from his might have made her preserve it.  He must know all about it.

“Why did you keep that?” he said.

“Because I loved you.”

“Loved me?”

“Yes.  Didn’t you know?”

“Why did you say, then, that you didn’t care if —­ if —­ ?”

“Because love is enough, Hugh. —­ That was why.”

THE END.

1 ch guttural.  The land-rail is a corn-scraich.

2 Goldsmith; twice, in the Citizen of the World.

Note from John Bechard, creator of this Electronic text.

The following is a list of Scottish words which are found in George MacDonald’s “David Elginbrod”.  I have compiled this list myself and worked out the definitions from context with the help of Margaret West, from Leven in Fife, Scotland, and also by referring to a word list found in a collection of poems by Robert Burns.  There are about 6 words which we could not work out definitions for and would welcome any feedback on those words or any others in the list which may be wrong (my e-mail address is JaBBechard@aol.com).  This was never meant to be a comprehensive list of the National Scottish Language, but rather an aid to understanding some of Mr MacDonald’s conversations which are carried out in the Broad Scots.  I do apologise for any mistakes or omissions.  I aimed for my list to be very comprehensive, and it often repeats the same word in a plural or diminutive form.  As well, it includes words that are quite obvious to native English speakers.

There is a web site under construction which will feature the Scottish language; and the National Scottish Dictionary can be consulted if you have access to one.