ay
trying one thing after another to interest himself withhal, but in vain.
He knew nothing about east winds; but not the less did this dreary wind
of the dreary March world prove itself upon his soul. For such a wind
has a shadow wind along with it, that blows in the minds of men.
There was nothing genial, no growth in it. It killed, and killed most
dogmatically. But it is an ill wind that blows nobody good. Even an east
wind must bear some blessing on its ugly wings. And as Robert looked
down from the gable, the wind was blowing up the street before it
half-a-dozen footfaring students from Aberdeen, on their way home at the
close of the session, probably to the farm-labours of the spring.

This was a glad sight, as that of the returning storks in Denmark.
Robert knew where they would put up, sought his cap, and went out. His
grandmother never objected to his going to see Miss Napier; it was in
her house that the weary men would this night rest.

It was not without reason that Lord Rothie had teased his hostess about
receiving foot-passengers, for to such it was her invariable custom to
make some civil excuse, sending Meg or Peggy to show them over the way
to the hostelry next in rank, a proceeding recognized by the inferior
hostess as both just and friendly, for the good woman never thought of
measuring The Star against The Boar's Head. More than one comical story
had been the result of this law of The Boar's Head, unalterable almost
as that of the Medes and Persians. I say almost, for to one class of
the footfaring community the official ice about the hearts of the three
women did thaw, yielding passage to a full river of hospitality and
generosity; and that was the class to which these wayfarers belonged.

Well may Scotland rejoice in her universities, for whatever may be said
against their system--I have no complaint to make--they are divine in
their freedom: men who follow the plough in the spring and reap
the harvest in the autumn, may, and often do, frequent their sacred
precincts when the winter comes--so fierce, yet so welcome--so severe,
yet so blessed--opening for them the doors to yet harder toil and yet
poorer fare. I fear, however, that of such there will be fewer and
fewer, seeing one class which supplied a portion of them has almost
vanished from the country--that class which was its truest, simplest,
and noblest strength--that class which at one time rendered it something
far other than ridicule to s