CHAPTER XV: PORTLOSSIE
Mr Crathie, seeing nothing more of Malcolm, believed himself at
last well rid of him; but it was days before his wrath ceased to
flame, and then it went on smouldering. Nothing occurred to take
him to the Seaton, and no business brought any of the fisher people
to his office during that time. Hence he heard nothing of the mode
of Malcolm's departure. When at length in the course of ordinary
undulatory propagation the news reached him that Malcolm had taken
the yacht with him, he was enraged beyond measure at the impudence
of the theft, as he called it, and ran to the Seaton in a fury.
He had this consolation, however: the man who had accused him of
dishonesty and hypocrisy had proved but a thief.
He found the boathouse indeed empty, and went storming from cottage
to cottage, but came upon no one from whom his anger could draw
nourishment, not to say gain satisfaction. At length he reached the
Partan's, found him at home, and commenced, at haphazard, abusing
him as an aider and abettor of the felony. But Meg Partan was at
home also, as Mr Crathie soon learned to his cost; for, hearing
him usurp her unique privilege of falling out upon her husband,
she stole from the ben end, and having stood for a moment silent
in the doorway, listening for comprehension, rushed out in a storm
of tongue.
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