But
why did it look so like fact, if it was only a dream? Horrible thought!
Could it?-???It could???-It must be???-It was a fact!
Haggard with horror as well as revelry, he rushed towards the stair,
but was met by Mrs Leslie, who stopped him and said:
"Mr Forbes, gin you and Mr Cupples gang on at this rate, I'll be forced
to gie ye baith warnin' to flit. I oucht to hae written to yer mither
afore noo. Ye'll brack her hert or a' be dune. Eh! it's a sair thing
whan young lads tak to drink, and turn reprobates in a jiffie
(moment)."
"I dinna gang to your kirk, and ye needna preach to me. What's the
maitter wi' Mr Cupples? He hasna ta'en to drink in a jiffie, has he?"
"Ye scorner! He cam hame last nicht bleedin' at the heid, and i' the
han's o' the watchman. Puir man! he cud hardly win up the stair. I
canna think hoo he cam' to fa' sae sair; for they say there's a special
Providence watches ower drunk men and bairns. He was an awfu' sicht,
honest man! A terrible mixter o' reid and white."
"What said he about it?" asked Alec, trembling.
"Ow, naething. He had naething till say. Ye maunna gang near him; for I
left him fest asleep. Gang awa benn to yer ain room, and I'll be in wi'
yer brakfast in ten minutes.
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