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.Him and me was bairnsthegither, and I ken the natur o' him, and tak his pairt again ye, for, oot o'pride and ambition, ye're an enemy til him: I div not believe ever he promisedto merry ye! He's behaved ill eneuch wantin that-lattin a gowk o' a lassie likeyou believe what ye likit, and him only carryin on wi' ye for the ploy o' 't,haeing naething to du, and sick o' his ain toom heid and still toomer hert; buta man's word's his word, and Francie's no sae ill as your tale wud mak him!There, Phemy, I hae said my say!'She loosened her arms.But Phemy lay still, and putting her arms round Kirsty'sneck, wept in a bitter silence.CHAPTER XXMUTUAL MINISTRATIONIn a minute or so the door opened, and Steenie coming one step into the kitchen,stood and stared with such a face of concern that Kirsty was obliged to speak.Ido not believe he had ever before seen a woman weeping.He shivered visibly.'Phemy's no that weel,' she said.'Her hert's sae sair it gars her greit.Shecanna help greitin, puir dauty!'Phemy lifted her face from Kirsty's bosom, where, like a miserable child, shehad been pressing it hard, and, seeming to have lost in the depth of her griefall her natural shyness, looked at Steenie with the most pitiful look evercountenance wore: her rage had turned to self-commiseration.The cloud ofmingled emotion and distress on the visage of Steenie wavered, shifted, changed,and settled into the divinest look of pity and protection.Kirsty said she neversaw anything so unmistakably Godlike upon human countenance.Involuntarily shemurmured, 'Eh, the bonny man!' He turned away from them, and, his head bent uponhis breast, stood for a time utterly motionless.Even Phemy, overpowered andstilled by that last look he cast upon her, gazed at him with involuntaryreverence.But only Kirsty knew that the half-witted had sought and foundaudience with the Eternal, and was now in his presence.He remained in this position, Kirsty thought, about three minutes.Then helifted his head, and walked straight from the house, nor turned nor spoke.Kirsty did not go after him: she feared to tread on holy ground uninvited.Norwould she leave Phemy until her mother came.She got up, set the poor girl on the chair, and began to get ready the mid-daymeal, hoping Phemy would help her, and gain some comfort from activity.Nor wasshe disappointed.With a childish air of abstraction, Phemy rose and began, asof old in the house, to busy herself, and Kirsty felt much relieved.'But, oh,' she said to herself, 'the sairness o' that wee herty i' the inside o'her!'Phemy never spoke, and went about her work mechanically.When at length Mrs.Barclay came into the kitchen, Kirsty thought it better to leave them together,and went to find Steenie.She spent the rest of the day with him.Neither said aword about Phemy, but Steenie's countenance shone all the afternoon, and sheleft him at night in his house on the Horn, still in the after-glow of themediation which had irradiated him in the morning.When she came home, Kirsty found that her mother had put Phemy to bed.The poorchild had scarcely spoken all day, and seemed to have no life in her.In theevening an attack of shivering, with other symptoms, showed she was physicallyill.Mrs.Barclay had sent for her father, but the girl was asleep when he came.Aware that he would not hear a word casting doubt on his daughter's discretion,and fearing therefore that, if she told him how she came to be there, he wouldtake her home at any risk, where she would not be so well cared for as at theKnowe, she had told him nothing of what had taken place; and he, thinking herailment would prove but a bad cold, had gone back to his books without seeingher.At Mrs.Barclay's entreaty he had promised to send the doctor, but neverthought of it again.Kirsty found her very feverish, breathing with difficulty, and in considerablepain.She sat by her through the night.She had seen nothing of illness, butsympathetic insight is the first essential endowment of a good nurse.All the night long-and Kirsty knew he was near-Steenie was roving within sightof the window where the light was burning.He did not know that Phemy was ill;pity for her heart-ache drew him thither.As soon as he thought his sister wouldbe up, he went in: the door was never locked.She heard him, and came to him.The moment he learned Phemy's condition, he said he would go for the doctor.Kirsty in vain begged him to have some breakfast first: he took a piece ofoatcake in his hand and went.The doctor returned with him, and pronounced the attack pleurisy.Phemy did notseem to care what became of her.She was ill a long time, and for a fortnightthe doctor came every day.There was now so much to be done, that Kirsty could seldom go with Steenie tothe hill.Nor did Steenie himself care to go for any time, and was never a nightfrom the house
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