Fiction > Book editions > London, 1889 - Master of Ballantrae

THE master's second ABSENCE. ] 83
1, "^for Christian people. I tliink I will give you mine
on some more evangelical occasion.''''
This I said, smiling a little ; but as for my lord, he
went from the room laughing aloud.
For my lord's slavery to the child, I can find no
expression adequate. He lost himself in that continual
thought : business, friends, and wife being all alike for-
gotten, or only remembered with a painful effort, like
that of one struggling with a posset. It was most
notable in the mutter of his wife. Since I had known
Durrisdeer, she had been the burthen of his thought and
the loadstone of his eyes ; and now she was quite cast
out. I have seen him come to the door of a room, look
round, and pass my lady over as though she were a
dog before the lire. It would be Alexander he was seek-
ing, and my lady knew it well. I have heard him
speak to her so ruggedly that I nearly found it in my
heart to intervene : the cause would still be the same,
that she had in some way thwarted Alexander. With-
out doubt this was in the nature of a judgment on my
lady. Without doubt she had the tables turned upon
her, as only Providence can do it ; she who had been
cold so many years to every mark of tenderness, it was
her part now to be neglected : the more praise to her
that she played it well.
An odd situation resulted : that we had once more
two parties in the housCj and that now I was of my