And whaur wad be the place to discuss
sic a queston but afore a' meetin o' the church? Ca' ye that the
public, sir? Wasna the church institute for the sake o' discipleen? Sic
things are no to be ironed oot in a hole an' a corner, atween you and
the deycons, sir. They belang to the haill body. We're a' wranged
thegither, and the Holy Ghost, whase temple we sud be, is wranged
forby. You at least micht ken, sir, that he's withdrawn his presence
frae oor mids', and we are but a candle under a bushel, and not a city
set upon a hill. We beir no witness. And the cause o' his displeesur'
is the accursed thing which the Ahchan in oor camp has hidden i' the
Coonty Bank, forby mony ither causes that come hame to us a'. And the
warl' jist scoffs at oor profession o' religion, whan it sees sic a man
as that in oor mids'."
"All this is nothing to the point, Mr Crann," said Mr Turnbull in
displeasure.
"It's to the verra hert o' the pint," returned Thomas, equally
displeased. "Gin Robert Bruce saw the inscription the day the lassie
broucht hame the buik, will he tell me hoo it was that he cam' to lea'
the note i' the buik till that Sawbath nicht?"
"I luikit for 't, but I cudna fin' 't, and thocht she had ta'en 't oot
upo' the road hame.
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