A Knight of the Nets | Page 8

And afterwards "the books" were opened, and
Andrew, who was the priest of the family, asked the blessing of the
Infinite One on all its relationships. Then the happiness that had been
full of smiles and words became too deep for such expression, and they
clasped hands and kissed each other "good night" in a silence, that was
too sweetly solemn and full of feeling for the translation of mere
language.
Before the morning light, Mistress Binnie had fully persuaded herself
that Christina was going to make an unusually prosperous marriage. All
her doubts had fled. Jamie had spoken out like a man, he had the best
of prospects, and the wedding was likely to be something beyond a
simple fisherman's bridal. She could hardly wait until the day's work
was over, and the evening far enough advanced for a gossiping call on
her crony, Marget Roy. Last night she had fancied Marget told her of
Flora Thompson's betrothal with an air of pity for Christina; there was

now a delightful retaliation in her power. But she put on an expression
of dignified resignation, rather than one of pleasure, when she made
known the fact of Christina's approaching marriage.
"I am glad to hear tell of it," said Marget frankly. "Christina will make
a good wife, and she will keep a tidy house, I'll warrant her."
"She will, Marget. And it is a very important thing; far more so than
folks sometimes think. You may put godliness into a woman after she
is a wife, but you can not put cleanliness; it will have to be born in her."
"And so Jamie Logan is to have a berth from the Hendersons? That is
far beyond a place in Lowrie's herring boats."
"I'm thinking he just stopped with Lowrie for the sake of being near-by
to Christina. A lad like him need not have spent good time like that."
"Well, Janet, it is a good thing for your Christina, and I am glad of it."
"It is;" answered Janet, with a sigh and a smile. "The lad is sure to get
on; and he's a respectable lad--a Fifer from Kirkcaldy--handsome and
well-spoken of; and I am thinking the Line has a big bargain in him,
and is proud of it. Still, I'm feared for my lassie, in such an awful, big,
wicked-like town as Glasgow."
"She'll not require to take the whole town in. She will have her Bible,
and her kirk, and her own man. There is nothing to fear you. Christina
has her five senses."
"No doubt. And she is to have a floor of her own and all things
convenient; so there is comfort and safety in the like of that."
"What for are you worrying yourself then?"
"There's contingencies, Marget,--contingencies. And you know
Christina is my one lassie, and I am sore to lose her. But 'lack a day! we
cannot stop the clock. And marriage is like death--it is what we must all
come to."

"Well Janet, your Christina has been long spared from it. She'll be past
twenty, I'm thinking."
"Christina has had her offers, Marget. But what will you? We must all
wait for the right man, or go to the de'il with the wrong one."
Thus the conversation went on, until Janet had exhausted all the
advantages and possibilities that were incident to Christina's good
fortune. And perhaps it was out of a little feeling of weariness of the
theme, that Marget finally reminded her friend that she would be
"lonely enough wanting her daughter," adding, "I was hearing too, that
Andrew is not to be kept single much longer; and it will be what no one
expects if Sophy Traill ever fills Christina's shoes."
"Sophy is well enough," answered Janet with a touch of pride. "She
suits Andrew, and it is Andrew that has to live with her."
"And you too, Janet?"
"Not I! Andrew is to build his own bigging. I have the life rent of mine.
But I shall be a deal in Glasgow myself. Jamie has his heart fairly set
on that."
She made this statement with an air of prideful satisfaction that was
irritating to Mistress Roy; and she was not inclined to let Janet enter
anew into a description of all the fine sights she was to see, the grand
guns of preachers she was to hear, and the trips to Greenock and
Rothesay, which Jamie said "would just fall naturally in the way of
their ordinary life." So Marget showed such a hurry about her
household affairs as made Janet uncomfortable, and she rose with a
little offence and said abruptly:--
"I must be going. I have the kirkyard to pass; and between the day and
the dark it is but a mournful spot"
"It is that," answered