"
From Malcolm's words she had scarcely gathered even a false meaning
--not a glimmer of his nature--not even a suspicion that he meant
something. To her he was but a handsome, brutal young groom. From
the world of thought and reasoning that lay behind his words, not
an echo had reached her.
"It would be a great satisfaction to my old Adam to let him try
her," said Malcolm.
"The Bible again!" said the lady to herself.
"But it would be murder," he added, "not knowing myself what
experience he has had."
"I see," said the lady to herself; but loud enough for Malcolm to
hear, for her tender heartedness had made her both angry and unjust,
"his self conceit is equal to his cruelty--just what I might have
expected!"
With the words she turned her horse's head and rode away, leaving
a lump in Malcolm's throat.
"I wuss fowk"--he still spoke in Scotch in his own chamber--
"wad du as they're tell't, an' no jeedge ane anither. I'm sure it's
Kelpie's best chance o' salvation 'at I gang on wi' her. Stable men
wad ha'e had her brocken doon a'thegither by this time; an' life
wad ha'e had little relish left."
It added hugely to the bitterness of being thus rebuked, that
he had never in his life seen such a radiance of beauty's softest
light as shone from the face and form of the reproving angel.
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