Fiction > Book editions > New York, 1889 - Master of Ballantrae

178 THE MASTER OF BALLANTRAE.
his character, smiling at them with a good conscience ;
and when the day of the funeral came round, doing the
honours with exact propriety. I could perceive besides,
that he found a solid gratification in his accession to the
title ; the which he was punctilious in exacting.
And now there came upon the scene a new character,
and one that played his part too in the story ; I mean
the present lord, Alexander, whose birth (17th July,
1757) filled the cup of my poor master's happiness.
There was nothing then left him to wish for ; nor
yet leisure to wish for it. Indeed there never was a
parent so fond and doting as he showed himself. He
was continually uneasy in his son's absence. Was the
child abroad ? the father would be watching the clouds
in case it rained. Was it night ? he would rise out of
his bed to observe its slumbers. His conversation grew
even wearyful to strangers, since he talked of little but
his son. In matters relating to tbe estate, all was
designed with a particular eye to Alexander ; and it
would be : — " Let us jjut it in hand at once, that the
wood may be grown against Alexander's majority ; "
or " this will fall in again handsomely for Alexander's
marriage." Every day this absorption of the man's
nature became more observable, with many touching
and some very blameworthy particulars. Soon the child
could walk abroad Avith him, at first on the terrace hand
in hand, and afterward at large about the policies ; and