Slowly he took the money, turned it over, and put it in his pocket.
"I am going, Andrew Blair," he said quietly, "I am going now. I will not
say to him that is there in the silence, A chuid do Pharas da!--nor will
I say to you, Gu'n gleidheadh Dia thu,--nor will I say to this dwelling
that is the home of thee and thine, Gu'n beannaic-headh Dia an
tigh!"[12]
[Footnote 12: A chuid do Pharas da! "His share of heaven be his." Gu'n
gleidheadh Dia thu, "May God preserve you." Gu'n beannaic-headh Dia an
tigh! "God's blessing on this house."]
Here there was a pause. All listened. Andrew Blair shifted uneasily, the
furtive eyes of him going this way and that, like a ferret in the grass.
"But, Andrew Blair, I will say this: when you fare abroad, _Droch caoidh
ort!_ and when you go upon the water, _Gaoth gun direadh ort_! Ay, ay,
Anndra-mhic-Adam, _Dia ad aghaidh 's ad aodann ... agus bas dunach ort!
Dhonas 's dholas ort, agus leat-sa!_"[13]
[Footnote 13: Droch caoidh ort! "May a fatal accident happen to you"
(_lit._ "bad moan on you"). Gaoth gun direadh ort! "May you drift to
your drowning" (_lit._ "wind without direction on you"). Dia ad aghaidh,
etc., "God against thee and in thy face ... and may a death of woe be
yours.... Evil and sorrow to thee and thine!"]
The bitterness of these words was like snow in June upon all there. They
stood amazed. None spoke. No one moved.
Neil Ross turned upon his heel, and, with a bright light in his eyes,
walked away from the dead and the living. He went by the byres, whence
he had come. Andrew Blair remained where he was, now glooming at the
corpse, now biting his nails and staring at the damp sods at his feet.
When Neil reached the end of the milk-shed he saw Maisie Macdonald
there, waiting.
"These were ill sayings of yours, Neil Ross," she said in a low voice,
so that she might not be overheard from the house.
"So, it is knowing me you are."
"Sheen Macarthur told me."
"I have good cause."
"That is a true word. I know it."
"Tell me this thing. What is the rune that is said for the throwing into
the sea of the sins of the dead? See here, Maisie Macdonald. There is no
money of that man that I would carry a mile with me. Here it is. It is
yours, if you will tell me that rune."
Maisie took the money hesitatingly. Then, stooping, she said slowly the
few lines of the old, old rune.
"Will you be remembering that?"
"It is not forgetting it I will be, Maisie."
"Wait a moment. There is some warm milk here."
With that she went, and then, from within, beckoned to him to enter.
"There is no one here, Neil Ross. Drink the milk."
He drank; and while he did so she drew a leather pouch from some hidden
place in her dress.
"And now I have this to give you."
She counted out ten pennies and two farthings.
"It is all the coppers I have. You are welcome to them. Take them,
friend of my friend. They will give you the food you need, and the ferry
across the Sound."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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