I took her into the confidence,
that is, of my love affair, and I had no sooner mentioned a young
lady with whom my affections were engaged than she turned upon me a
face of awful gravity.
'Is she bonny?' she inquired.
I gave her full assurances upon that.
'To what denoamination does she beloang?' came next, and was so
unexpected as almost to deprive me of breath.
'Upon my word, ma'am, I have never inquired,' cried I; 'I only know
that she is a heartfelt Christian, and that is enough.'
'Ay!' she sighed, 'if she has the root of the maitter! There's a
remnant practically in most of the denoaminations. There's some in
the McGlashanites, and some in the Glassites, and mony in the
McMillanites, and there's a leeven even in the Estayblishment.'
'I have known some very good Papists even, if you go to that,' said
I.
'Mr. Ducie, think shame to yoursel'!' she cried.
'Why, my dear madam! I only--' I began.
'You shouldnae jest in sairious maitters,' she interrupted.
On the whole, she entered into what I chose to tell her of our
idyll with avidity, like a cat licking her whiskers over a dish of
cream; and, strange to say--and so expansive a passion is that of
love!--that I derived a perhaps equal satisfaction from confiding
in that breast of iron. It made an immediate bond: from that hour
we seemed to be welded into a family-party; and I had little
difficulty in persuading her to join us and to preside over our
tea-table.
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