less. True, she was aye some--what ye micht ca' a bit cheengeable
in her w'ys; but she was aye, whan she had the chance, unco' willin' to
gie her faither there or mysel' a spark o' glaidness like. It pleased
her to be pleasin' i' the eyes o' the auld fowk, though they war but
her ain. But noo we maunna say a word til her. We hae nae business to
luik til her for naething! No 'at she's aye like that; but it comes sae
aft 'at at last we daur hardly open oor moo's for the fear o' hoo
she'll tak it. Only a' the time it's mair as gien she was flingin'
something frae her, something she didna like an' wud fain be rid o',
than 'at she cared sae verra muckle aboot onything we said no til her
min'. She taks a haud o' the words, no doobt! but I canna help thinkin'
'at 'maist whatever we said, it wud be the same. Something to compleen
o' 's never wantin' whan ye're ill-pleast a'ready!"

"It's no the duin' o' the richt, ye see," said the cobbler, "--I mean,
that's no itsel' the en', but the richt humour o' the sowl towards a'
things thoucht or felt or dune! That's richteousness, an' oot o' that
comes, o' the verra necessity o' natur', a' richt deeds o' whatever
kin'. Whaur they comena furth, it's whaur the sowl, the thoucht o' the
man 's no richt. Oor puir lassie shaws a' mainner o' sma' infirmities
jist 'cause the humour o' her sowl 's no hermonious wi' the trowth, no
hermonious in itsel', no at ane wi' the true thing--wi' the true
man--wi' the true God. It may even be said it's a sma' thing 'at a man
sud du wrang, sae lang as he's capable o' duin' wrang, an' lovesna the
richt wi' hert an' sowl. But eh, it's no a sma' thing 'at he sud be
capable!"

"Surely, Anerew," interposed his wife, holding up her hands in mild
deprecation, "ye wudna lat the lassie du wrang gien ye could haud her
richt?"

"No, I wudna," replied her husband, "--supposin' the haudin' o' her
richt to fa' in wi' ony degree o' perception o' the richt on her pairt.
But supposin' it was only the haudin' o' her frae ill by ootward
constraint, leavin' her ready upo' the first opportunity to turn aside;
whereas, gien she had dune wrang, she wud repent o' 't, an' see what a
foul thing it was to gang again' the holy wull o' him 'at made an'
dee'd for her--I lea' ye to jeedge for yersel' what ony man 'at luved
God an' luved the lass an' luved the richt, wud chuise. We maun haud
baith een open upo' the trowth, an' no blink sidewise upo' the warl'
an' its richteousness wi'