diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 5420-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 24653 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 5420-h/5420-h.htm | 1228 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 5420.txt | 1045 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 5420.zip | bin | 0 -> 23058 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/rbhfr10.txt | 1022 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/rbhfr10.zip | bin | 0 -> 22551 bytes |
9 files changed, 3311 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/5420-h.zip b/5420-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e8aa559 --- /dev/null +++ b/5420-h.zip diff --git a/5420-h/5420-h.htm b/5420-h/5420-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..81c8eef --- /dev/null +++ b/5420-h/5420-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1228 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="us-ascii"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + Rab and his Friends, by John Brown, M.d. + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + .side { float: right; font-size: 75%; width: 25%; padding-left: 0.8em; + border-left: dashed thin; margin-left: 0.8em; text-align: left; + text-indent: 0; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; + font-weight: bold; color: black; background: #eeeeee; border: solid 1px;} + pre { font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 100%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Rab and His Friends, by John Brown + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Rab and His Friends + +Author: John Brown + + +Release Date: April, 2004 [EBook #5420] +This file was first posted on July 14, 2002 +Last Updated: July 3, 2013 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RAB AND HIS FRIENDS *** + + + + +Text file produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team + +HTML file produced by David Widger + + + + +</pre> + + <div style="height: 8em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h1> + RAB AND HIS FRIENDS + </h1> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <h2> + By John Brown, M.D. + </h2> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h4> + With Illustrations By Hermann Simon and Edmund H. Garrett.<br /> + (Illustrations not available in this edition) <br /> <br /> Philadelphia: + <br /> 1890. + </h4> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <p> + <b>CONTENTS</b> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_PREF"> PREFACE. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0003"> RAB AND HIS FRIENDS. </a> + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_PREF" id="link2H_PREF"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + PREFACE. + </h2> + <p> + Four years ago, my uncle, the Rev. Dr. Smith of Biggar, asked me to give a + lecture in my native village, the shrewd little capital of the Upper Ward. + I never lectured before; I have no turn for it; but Avunculus was urgent, + and I had an odd sort of desire to say something to these strong-brained, + primitive people of my youth, who were boys and girls when I left them. I + could think of nothing to give them. At last I said to myself, "I'll tell + them Ailie's story." I had often told it to myself; indeed, it came on me + at intervals almost painfully, as if demanding to be told, as if I heard + Rab whining at the door to get in or out,— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Whispering how meek and gentle he could be,"— +</pre> + <p> + or as if James was entreating me on his death-bed to tell all the world + what his Ailie was. But it was easier said than done. I tried it over and + over, in vain. At last, after a happy dinner at Hanley—why are the + dinners always happy at Hanley?—and a drive home alone through + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "The gleam, the shadow, and the peace supreme" +</pre> + <p> + of a midsummer night, I sat down about twelve and rose at four, having + finished it. I slunk off to bed, satisfied and cold. I don't think I made + almost any changes in it. I read it to the Biggar folk in the + school-house, very frightened, and felt I was reading it ill, and their + honest faces intimated as much in their affectionate puzzled looks. I gave + it on my return home to some friends, who liked the story; and the first + idea was to print it, as now, with illustrations, on the principle of + Rogers's joke, "that it would be dished except for the plates." + </p> + <p> + But I got afraid of the public, and paused. Meanwhile, some good friend + said Rab might be thrown in among the other idle hours, and so he was; and + it is a great pleasure to me to think how many new friends he got. + </p> + <p> + I was at Biggar the other day, and some of the good folks told me, with a + grave smile peculiar to that region, that when Rab came to them in print + he was so good that they wouldn't believe he was the same Rab I had + delivered in the school-room,—a testimony to my vocal powers of + impressing the multitude somewhat conclusive. + </p> + <p> + I need not add that this little story is, in all essentials, true, though, + if I were Shakespeare, it might be curious to point out where Phantasy + tried her hand, sometimes where least suspected. + </p> + <p> + It has been objected to it as a work of art that there is too much pain; + and many have said to me, with some bitterness, "Why did you make me + suffer so?" But I think of my father's answer when I told him this: "And + why shouldn't they suffer? SHE suffered; it will do them good; for pity, + genuine pity, is, as old Aristotle says, 'of power to purge the mind.'" + And though in all works of art there should be a plus of delectation, the + ultimate overcoming of evil and sorrow by good and joy,—the end of + all art being pleasure,—whatsoever things are lovely first, and + things that are true and of good report afterwards in their turn,—still + there is a pleasure, one of the strangest and strongest in our nature, in + imaginative suffering with and for others,— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "In the soothing thoughts that spring + Out of human suffering;" +</pre> + <p> + for sympathy is worth nothing, is, indeed, not itself, unless it has in it + somewhat of personal pain. It is the hereafter that gives to + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "the touch of a vanished hand, + And the sound of a voice that is still," +</pre> + <p> + its own infinite meaning. Our hearts and our understandings follow Ailie + and her "ain man" into that world where there is no pain, where no one + says, "I am sick." What is all the philosophy of Cicero, the wailing of + Catullus, and the gloomy playfulness of Horace's variations on "Let us eat + and drink," with its terrific "for," to the simple faith of the carrier + and his wife in "I am the resurrection and the Life"? + </p> + <p> + I think I can hear from across the fields of sleep and other years Ailie's + sweet, dim, wandering voice trying to say,— + </p> + <p> + Our bonnie bairn's there, John, She was baith gude and fair, John, And we + grudged her sair, John, To the land o' the leal. + </p> + <p> + But sorrow's sel' wears past, John, The joys are comin' fast, John, The + joys that aye shall last, John, In the land o' the leal. + </p> + <h3> + EDINBURGH, 1861. + </h3> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + {Illustration: a cherub} +</pre> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <p> + <b>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.</b> + </p> + <p> + Portrait, Dr. John Brown . . . . . . . Frontispiece. + </p> + <p> + Rab . . . . . . . . Hermann Simon + </p> + <p> + "He is muzzled!". . . . . Hermann Simon + </p> + <p> + "He lifted down Ailie his wife" . . . Edmund H. Garrett + </p> + <p> + "One look at her quiets the students" . . Edmund H. Garrett + </p> + <p> + "Rab looked perplexed and dangerous" . . Hermann Simon + </p> + <p> + "—And passed away so gently" . . Edmund H. Garrett + </p> + <p> + "Down the hill through Auchindinny woods" Edmund H. Garrett + </p> + <p> + Rab and Jess . . . . . . Hermann Simon + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0003" id="link2H_4_0003"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + RAB AND HIS FRIENDS. + </h2> + <p> + Four-and-thirty years ago, Bob Ainslie and I were coming up Infirmary + Street from the High School, our heads together, and our arms + intertwisted, as only lovers and boys know how, or why. + </p> + <p> + When we got to the top of the street, and turned north, we espied a crowd + at the Tron Church. "A dog-fight!" shouted Bob, and was off; and so was I, + both of us all but praying that it might not be over before we got up! And + is not this boy-nature? and human nature too? and don't we all wish a + house on fire not to be out before we see it? Dogs like fighting; old + Isaac says they "delight" in it, and for the best of all reasons; and boys + are not cruel because they like to see the fight. They see three of the + great cardinal virtues of dog or man—courage, endurance, and skill—in + intense action. This is very different from a love of making dogs fight, + and enjoying, and aggravating, and making gain by their pluck. A boy,—be + he ever so fond himself of fighting,—if he be a good boy, hates and + despises all this, but he would have run off with Bob and me fast enough: + it is a natural, and a not wicked interest, that all boys and men have in + witnessing intense energy in action. + </p> + <p> + Does any curious and finely-ignorant woman wish to know how Bob's eye at a + glance announced a dog-fight to his brain? He did not, he could not, see + the dogs fighting: it was a flash of an inference, a rapid induction. The + crowd round a couple of dogs fighting is a crowd masculine mainly, with an + occasional active, compassionate woman fluttering wildly round the outside + and using her tongue and her hands freely upon the men, as so many + "brutes;" it is a crowd annular, compact, and mobile; a crowd centripetal, + having its eyes and its heads all bent downwards and inwards, to one + common focus. + </p> + <p> + Well, Bob and I are up, and find it is not over: a small thoroughbred + white bull terrier is busy throttling a large shepherd's dog, unaccustomed + to war, but not to be trifled with. They are hard at it; the scientific + little fellow doing his work in great style, his pastoral enemy fighting + wildly, but with the sharpest of teeth and a great courage. Science and + breeding, however, soon had their own; the Game Chicken, as the premature + Bob called him, working his way up, took his final grip of poor Yarrow's + throat,—and he lay gasping and done for. His master, a brown, + handsome, big young shepherd from Tweedsmuir, would have liked to have + knocked down any man, would "drink up Esil, or eat a crocodile," for that + part, if he had a chance: it was no use kicking the little dog; that would + only make him hold the closer. Many were the means shouted out in + mouthfuls, of the best possible ways of ending it. "Water!" but there was + none near, and many cried for it who might have got it from the well at + Blackfriar's Wynd. "Bite the tail!" and a large, vague, benevolent, + middle-aged man, more desirous than wise, with some struggle got the bushy + end of Yarrow's tail into his ample mouth, and bit it with all his might. + This was more than enough for the much-enduring, much-perspiring shepherd, + who, with a gleam of joy over his broad visage, delivered a terrific facer + upon our large, vague, benevolent, middle-aged friend,—who went down + like a shot. + </p> + <p> + Still the Chicken holds; death not far off. "Snuff! a pinch of snuff!" + observed a calm, highly-dressed young buck, with an eye-glass in his eye. + "Snuff, indeed!" growled the angry crowd, affronted and glaring. "Snuff! a + pinch of snuff!" again observes the buck, but with more urgency; whereon + were produced several open boxes, and from a mull which may have been at + Culloden he took a pinch, knelt down, and presented it to the nose of the + Chicken. The laws of physiology and of snuff take their course; the + Chicken sneezes, and Yarrow is free! + </p> + <p> + The young pastoral giant stalks off with Yarrow in his arms, comforting + him. + </p> + <p> + But the Bull Terrier's blood is up, and his soul unsatisfied; he grips the + first dog he meets, and discovering she is not a dog, in Homeric phrase, + he makes a brief sort of amende, and is off. The boys, with Bob and me at + their head, are after him: down Niddry Street he goes, bent on mischief; + up the Cowgate like an arrow,—Bob and I, and our small men, panting + behind. + </p> + <p> + There, under the single arch of the South Bridge, is a huge mastiff, + sauntering down the middle of the causeway, as if with his hands in his + pockets: he is old, gray, brindled, as big as a little Highland bull, and + has the Shakespearian dewlaps shaking as he goes. + </p> + <p> + The Chicken makes straight at him, and fastens on his throat. To our + astonishment the great creature does nothing but stand still, hold himself + up, and roar,—yes, roar; a long, serious, remonstrative roar. How is + this? Bob and I are up to them. HE IS MUZZLED! The bailies had proclaimed + a general muzzling, and his master, studying strength and economy mainly, + had encompassed his huge jaws in a home-made apparatus constructed out of + the leather of some ancient breechin. His mouth was open as far as it + could; his lips curled up in rage,—a sort of terrible grin; his + teeth gleaming, ready, from out the darkness; the strap across his mouth + tense as a bow-string; his whole frame stiff with indignation and + surprise; his roar asking us all around, "Did you ever see the like of + this?" He looked a statue of anger and astonishment done in Aberdeen + granite. + </p> + <p> + We soon had a crowd: the Chicken held on. "A knife!" cried Bob; and a + cobbler gave him his knife: you know the kind of knife, worn away + obliquely to a point, and always keen. I put its edge to the tense + leather; it ran before it; and then!—one sudden jerk of that + enormous head, a sort of dirty mist about his mouth, no noise,—and + the bright and fierce little fellow is dropped, limp and dead. A solemn + pause; this was more than any of us had bargained for. I turned the little + fellow over, and saw he was quite dead; the mastiff had taken him by the + small of the back like a rat, and broken it. + </p> + <p> + He looked down at his victim appeased, ashamed, and amazed, snuffed him + all over, stared at him, and, taking a sudden thought, turned round and + trotted off. Bob took the dead dog up, and said, "John, we'll bury him + after tea." "Yes," said I, and was off after the mastiff. He made up the + Cowgate at a rapid swing; he had forgotten some engagement. He turned up + the Candlemaker Row, and stopped at the Harrow Inn. + </p> + <p> + There was a carrier's cart ready to start, and a keen, thin, impatient, + black-a-vised little man, his hand at his gray horse's head, looking about + angrily for something. "Rab, ye thief!" said he, aiming a kick at my great + friend, who drew cringing up, and, avoiding the heavy shoe with more + agility than dignity, and watching his master's eye, slunk dismayed under + the cart, his ears down, and as much as he had of tail down too. + </p> + <p> + What a man this must be,—thought I,—to whom my tremendous hero + turns tail! The carrier saw the muzzle hanging, cut and useless, from his + neck, and I eagerly told him the story, which Bob and I always thought, + and still think, Homer, or King David, or Sir Walter, alone were worthy to + rehearse. The severe little man was mitigated, and condescended to say, + "Rab, ma man, puir Rabbie!"—whereupon the stump of a tail rose up, + the ears were cocked, the eyes filled, and were comforted; the two friends + were reconciled. "Hupp!" and a stroke of the whip were given to Jess; and + off went the three. + </p> + <p> + Bob and I buried the Game Chicken that night (we had not much of a tea) in + the back-green of his house, in Melville Street, No. 17, with considerable + gravity and silence; and being at the time in the Iliad, and, like all + boys, Trojans, we called him Hector, of course. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <p> + Six years have passed,—a long time for a boy and a dog: Bob Ainslie + is off to the wars; I am a medical student, and clerk at Minto House + Hospital. Rab I saw almost every week, on the Wednesday; and we had much + pleasant intimacy. I found the way to his heart by frequent scratching of + his huge head, and an occasional bone. When I did not notice him he would + plant himself straight before me, and stand wagging that bud of a tail, + and looking up, with his head a little to the one side. His master I + occasionally saw; he used to call me "Maister John," but was laconic as + any Spartan. + </p> + <p> + One fine October afternoon, I was leaving the hospital, when I saw the + large gate open, and in walked Rab, with that great and easy saunter of + his. He looked as if taking general possession of the place; like the Duke + of Wellington entering a subdued city, satiated with victory and peace. + After him came Jess, now white from age, with her cart, and in it a woman + carefully wrapped up,—the carrier leading the horse anxiously, and + looking back. When he saw me, James (for his name was James Noble) made a + curt and grotesque "boo," and said, "Maister John, this is the mistress; + she's got a trouble in her breest,—some kind o' an income, we're + thinkin'." + </p> + <p> + By this time I saw the woman's face; she was sitting on a sack filled with + straw, her husband's plaid round her, and his big-coat, with its large + white metal buttons, over her feet. + </p> + <p> + I never saw a more unforgettable face,—pale, serious, LONELY, + </p> + <p> + {Footnote: It is not easy giving this look by one word: it was expressive + of her being so much of her life alone.} delicate, sweet, without being at + all what we call fine. She looked sixty, and had on a mutch, white as + snow, with its black ribbon; her silvery, smooth hair setting off her + dark-gray eyes,—eyes such as one sees only twice or thrice in a + lifetime, full of suffering, full also of the overcoming of it; her + eyebrows black and delicate, and her mouth firm, patient, and contented, + which few mouths ever are. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> +{Footnote: + "Black brows, they say, + Become some women best; so that there be not + Too much hair there, BUT IN A SEMICIRCLE + OR A HALF-MOON MADE WITH A PEN."—A WINTER'S TALE.} +</pre> + <p> + As I have said, I never saw a more beautiful countenance, or one more + subdued to settled quiet. "Ailie," said James, "this is Maister John, the + young doctor; Rab's freend, ye ken. We often speak aboot you, doctor." She + smiled, and made a movement, but said nothing, and prepared to come down, + putting her plaid aside and rising. Had Solomon, in all his glory, been + handing down the Queen of Sheba at his palace gate, he could not have done + it more daintily, more tenderly, more like a gentleman, than did James the + Howgate carrier, when he lifted down Ailie his wife. The contrast of his + small, swarthy, weather-beaten, keen, worldly face to hers—pale, + subdued, and beautiful—was something wonderful. Rab looked on + concerned and puzzled, but ready for anything that might turn up,—were + it to strangle the nurse, the porter, or even me. Ailie and he seemed + great friends. + </p> + <p> + "As I was sayin', she's got a kind o' trouble in her breest, doctor: wull + ye tak' a look at it?" We walked into the consulting-room, all four, Rab + grim and comic, willing to be happy and confidential if cause could be + shown, willing also to be the reverse on the same terms. Ailie sat down, + undid her open gown and her lawn handkerchief round her neck, and, without + a word, showed me her right breast. I looked at and examined it carefully,—she + and James watching me, and Rab eying all three. What could I say? There it + was, that had once been so soft, so shapely, so white, so gracious and + bountiful, so "full of all blessed conditions,"—hard as a stone, a + centre of horrid pain, making that pale face, with its gray, lucid, + reasonable eyes, and its sweet resolved mouth, express the full measure of + suffering overcome. Why was that gentle, modest, sweet woman, clean and + lovable, condemned by God to bear such a burden? + </p> + <p> + I got her away to bed. "May Rab and me bide?" said James. "YOU may; and + Rab, if he will behave himself." "I'se warrant he's do that, doctor;" and + in slunk the faithful beast. I wish you could have seen him. There are no + such dogs now. He belonged to a lost tribe. As I have said, he was + brindled, and gray like Rubislaw granite; his hair short, hard, and close, + like a lion's; his body thick-set, like a little bull,—a sort of + compressed Hercules of a dog. He must have been ninety pounds' weight, at + the least; he had a large blunt head; his muzzle black as night, his mouth + blacker than any night, a tooth or two—being all he had—gleaming + out of his jaws of darkness. His head was scarred with the records of old + wounds, a sort of series of fields of battle all over it; one eye out, one + ear cropped as close as was Archbishop Leighton's father's; the remaining + eye had the power of two; and above it, and in constant communication with + it, was a tattered rag of an ear, which was forever unfurling itself, like + an old flag; and then that bud of a tail, about one inch long, if it could + in any sense be said to be long, being as broad as long,—the + mobility, the instantaneousness of that bud were very funny and + surprising, and its expressive twinklings and winkings, the + intercommunications between the eye, the ear, and it, were of the oddest + and swiftest. + </p> + <p> + Rab had the dignity and simplicity of great size; and, having fought his + way all along the road to absolute supremacy, he was as mighty in his own + line as Julius Caesar or the Duke of Wellington, and had the gravity + {Footnote: A Highland game-keeper, when asked why a certain terrier, of + singular pluck, was so much more solemn than the other dogs, said, "Oh, + sir, life's full o' sairiousness to him: he just never can get eneuch o' + fechtin'."} of all great fighters. + </p> + <p> + You must have often observed the likeness of certain men to certain + animals, and of certain dogs to men. Now, I never looked at Rab without + thinking of the great Baptist preacher, Andrew Fuller. {Footnote: Fuller + was in early life, when a farmer lad at Soham, famous as a boxer; not + quarrelsome, but not without "the stern delight" a man of strength and + courage feels in their exercise. Dr. Charles Stewart, of Dunearn, whose + rare gifts and graces as a physician, a divine, a scholar, and a gentleman + live only in the memory of those few who knew and survive him, liked to + tell how Mr. Fuller used to say that when he was in the pulpit, and saw a + buirdly man come along the passage, he would instinctively draw himself + up, measure his imaginary antagonist, and forecast how he would deal with + him, his hands meanwhile condensing into fists and tending to "square." He + must have been a hard hitter if he boxed as he preached,—what "The + Fancy" would call an "ugly customer."} The same large, heavy, menacing, + combative, sombre, honest countenance, the same deep inevitable eye, the + same look,—as of thunder asleep, but ready,—neither a dog nor + a man to be trifled with. + </p> + <p> + Next day, my master, the surgeon, examined Ailie. There was no doubt it + must kill her, and soon. It could be removed; it might never return; it + would give her speedy relief: she should have it done. She courtesied, + looked at James, and said, "When?" "To-morrow," said the kind surgeon,—a + man of few words. She and James and Rab and I retired. I noticed that he + and she spoke little, but seemed to anticipate everything in each other. + </p> + <p> + The following day, at noon, the students came in, hurrying up the great + stair. At the first landing-place, on a small well-known black board, was + a bit of paper fastened by wafers, and many remains of old wafers beside + it. On the paper were the words, "An operation to-day.—J.B., CLERK" + </p> + <p> + Up ran the youths, eager to secure good places: in they crowded, full of + interest and talk. "What's the case?" "Which side is it?" + </p> + <p> + Don't think them heartless; they are neither better nor worse than you or + I; they get over their professional horrors, and into their proper work; + and in them pity, as an EMOTION, ending in itself or at best in tears and + a long-drawn breath, lessens,—while pity, as a MOTIVE, is quickened, + and gains power and purpose. It is well for poor human nature that it is + so. + </p> + <p> + The operating theatre is crowded; much talk and fun, and all the + cordiality and stir of youth. The surgeon with his staff of assistants is + there. In comes Ailie: one look at her quiets and abates the eager + students. That beautiful old woman is too much for them; they sit down, + and are dumb, and gaze at her. These rough boys feel the power of her + presence. She walks in quickly, but without haste; dressed in her mutch, + her neckerchief, her white dimity short-gown, her black bombazine + petticoat, showing her white worsted stockings and her carpet shoes. + Behind her was James with Rab. James sat down in the distance, and took + that huge and noble head between his knees. Rab looked perplexed and + dangerous; forever cocking his ear and dropping it as fast. + </p> + <p> + Ailie stepped up on a seat, and laid herself on the table, as her friend + the surgeon told her; arranged herself, gave a rapid look at James, shut + her eyes, rested herself on me, and took my hand. The operation was at + once begun; it was necessarily slow; and chloroform—one of God's + best gifts to his suffering children—was then unknown. The surgeon + did his work. The pale face showed its pain, but was still and silent. + Rab's soul was working within him; he saw that something strange was going + on,—blood flowing from his mistress, and she suffering; his ragged + ear was up, and importunate; he growled and gave now and then a sharp + impatient yelp; he would have liked to have done something to that man. + But James had him firm, and gave him a GLOWER from time to time, and an + intimation of a possible kick;—all the better for James, it kept his + eye and his mind off Ailie. + </p> + <p> + It is over: she is dressed, steps gently and decently down from the table, + looks for James; then, turning to the surgeon and the students, she + courtesies, and in a low, clear voice begs their pardon if she has behaved + ill. The students—all of us—wept like children; the surgeon + happed her up carefully, and, resting on James and me, Ailie went to her + room, Rab following. We put her to bed. James took off his heavy shoes, + crammed with tackets, heel-capt and toe-capt, and put them carefully under + the table, saying, "Maister John, I'm for nane o' yer strynge nurse bodies + for Ailie. I'll be her nurse, and I'll gang aboot on my stockin' soles as + canny as pussy." And so he did; and handy and clever and swift and tender + as any woman was that horny-handed, snell, peremptory little man. + Everything she got he gave her: he seldom slept; and often I saw his small + shrewd eyes out of the darkness, fixed on her. As before, they spoke + little. + </p> + <p> + Rab behaved well, never moving, showing us how meek and gentle he could + be, and occasionally, in his sleep, letting us know that he was + demolishing some adversary. He took a walk with me every day, generally to + the Candlemaker Row; but he was sombre and mild, declined doing battle, + though some fit cases offered, and indeed submitted to sundry indignities, + and was always very ready to turn, and came faster back, and trotted up + the stair with much lightness, and went straight to that door. + </p> + <p> + Jess, the mare, had been sent, with her weather-worn cart, to Howgate, and + had doubtless her own dim and placid meditations and confusions on the + absence of her master and Rab and her unnatural freedom from the road and + her cart. + </p> + <p> + For some days Ailie did well. The wound healed "by the first intention;" + for, as James said, "Oor Ailie's skin's ower clean to beil." The students + came in quiet and anxious, and surrounded her bed. She said she liked to + see their young, honest faces. The surgeon dressed her, and spoke to her + in his own short kind way, pitying her through his eyes, Rab and James + outside the circle,—Rab being now reconciled, and even cordial, and + having made up his mind that as yet nobody required worrying, but, as you + may suppose, semper paratus. + </p> + <p> + So far well; but four days after the operation my patient had a sudden and + long shivering, a "groosin'," as she called it. I saw her soon after; her + eyes were too bright, her cheek colored; she was restless, and ashamed of + being so; the balance was lost; mischief had begun. On looking at the + wound, a blush of red told the secret: her pulse was rapid, her breathing + anxious and quick; she wasn't herself, as she said, and was vexed at her + restlessness. We tried what we could. James did everything, was + everywhere; never in the way, never out of it; Rab subsided under the + table into a dark place, and was motionless, all but his eye, which + followed every one. Ailie got worse; began to wander in her mind, gently; + was more demonstrative in her ways to James, rapid in her questions, and + sharp at times. He was vexed, and said, "She was never that way afore,—no, + never." For a time she knew her head was wrong, and was always asking our + pardon,—the dear, gentle old woman: then delirium set in strong, + without pause. Her brain gave way, and then came that terrible spectacle,— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "The intellectual power, through words and things, + Went sounding on its dim and perilous way;" +</pre> + <p> + she sang bits of old songs and Psalms, stopping suddenly, mingling the + Psalms of David, and the diviner words of his Son and Lord, with homely + odds and ends and scraps of ballads. + </p> + <p> + Nothing more touching, or in a sense more strangely beautiful, did I ever + witness. Her tremulous, rapid, affectionate, eager, Scotch voice, the + swift, aimless, bewildered mind, the baffled utterance, the bright and + perilous eye, some wild words, some household cares, something for James, + the names of the dead, Rab called rapidly and in a "fremyt" voice, and he + starting up, surprised, and slinking off as if he were to blame somehow, + or had been dreaming he heard. Many eager questions and beseechings which + James and I could make nothing of, and on which she seemed to set her all + and then sink back ununderstood. It was very sad, but better than many + things that are not called sad. James hovered about, put out and + miserable, but active and exact as ever; read to her, when there was a + lull, short bits from the Psalms, prose and metre, chanting the latter in + his own rude and serious way, showing great knowledge of the fit words, + bearing up like a man, and doting over her as his "ain Ailie." "Ailie, ma + woman!" "Ma ain bonnie wee dawtie!" + </p> + <p> + The end was drawing on: the golden bowl was breaking; the silver cord was + fast being loosed; that animula blandula, vagula, hospes, comesque, was + about to flee. The body and the soul—companions for sixty years—were + being sundered, and taking leave. She was walking, alone, through the + valley of that shadow into which one day we must all enter; and yet she + was not alone, for we know whose rod and staff were comforting her. + </p> + <p> + One night she had fallen quiet, and, as we hoped, asleep; her eyes were + shut. We put down the gas, and sat watching her. Suddenly she sat up in + bed, and, taking a bed-gown which was lying on it rolled up, she held it + eagerly to her breast,—to the right side. We could see her eyes + bright with a surprising tenderness and joy, bending over this bundle of + clothes. She held it as a woman holds her sucking child; opening out her + night-gown impatiently, and holding it close, and brooding over it, and + murmuring foolish little words, as over one whom his mother comforteth, + and who sucks and is satisfied. It was pitiful and strange to see her + wasted dying look, keen and yet vague,—her immense love. + </p> + <p> + "Preserve me!" groaned James, giving way. And then she rocked backward and + forward, as if to make it sleep, hushing it, and wasting on it her + infinite fondness. "Wae's me, doctor! I declare she's thinkin' it's that + bairn." "What bairn?" "The only bairn we ever had; our wee Mysie, and + she's in the Kingdom forty years and mair." It was plainly true: the pain + in the breast, telling its urgent story to a bewildered, ruined brain, was + misread and mistaken; it suggested to her the uneasiness of a breast full + of milk, and then the child; and so again once more they were together, + and she had her ain wee Mysie in her bosom. + </p> + <p> + This was the close. She sank rapidly: the delirium left her; but, as she + whispered, she was "clean silly;" it was the lightening before the final + darkness. After having for some time lain still, her eyes shut, she said, + "James!" He came close to her, and, lifting up her calm, clear, beautiful + eyes, she gave him a long look, turned to me kindly but shortly, looked + for Rab but could not see him, then turned to her husband again, as if she + would never leave off looking, shut her eyes and composed herself. She lay + for some time breathing quick, and passed away so gently that, when we + thought she was gone, James, in his old-fashioned way, held the mirror to + her face. After a long pause, one small spot of dimness was breathed out; + it vanished away, and never returned, leaving the blank clear darkness + without a stain. "What is our life? it is even a vapor, which appeareth + for a little time, and then vanisheth away." + </p> + <p> + Rab all this time had been fully awake and motionless: he came forward + beside us: Ailie's hand, which James had held, was hanging down; it was + soaked with his tears; Rab licked it all over carefully, looked at her, + and returned to his place under the table. + </p> + <p> + James and I sat, I don't know how long, but for some time, saying nothing: + he started up abruptly, and with some noise went to the table, and, + putting his right fore and middle fingers each into a shoe, pulled them + out, and put them on, breaking one of the leather latchets, and muttering + in anger, "I never did the like o' that afore!" + </p> + <p> + I believe he never did; nor after either. "Rab!" he said, roughly, and + pointing with his thumb to the bottom of the bed. Rab leaped up, and + settled himself, his head and eye to the dead face. "Maister John, ye'll + wait for me," said the carrier; and disappeared in the darkness, + thundering downstairs in his heavy shoes. I ran to a front window; there + he was, already round the house, and out at the gate, fleeing like a + shadow. + </p> + <p> + I was afraid about him, and yet not afraid: so I sat down beside Rab, and, + being wearied, fell asleep. I awoke from a sudden noise outside. It was + November, and there had been a heavy fall of snow. Rab was in statu quo; + he heard the noise too, and plainly knew it, but never moved. I looked + out; and there, at the gate, in the dim morning,—for the sun was not + up,—was Jess and the cart, a cloud of steam rising from the old + mare. I did not see James; he was already at the door, and came up the + stairs and met me. It was less than three hours since he left, and he must + have posted out—who knows how?—to Howgate, full nine miles + off, yoked Jess, and driven her astonished into town. He had an armful of + blankets, and was streaming with perspiration. He nodded to me, spread out + on the floor two pairs of clean old blankets having at their corners "A. + G., 1794," in large letters in red worsted. These were the initials of + Alison Graeme, and James may have looked in at her from without—himself + unseen but not unthought of—when he was "wat, wat, and weary," and, + after having walked many a mile over the hills, may have seen her sitting, + while "a' the lave were sleepin'," and by the firelight working her name + on the blankets for her ain James's bed. + </p> + <p> + He motioned Rab down, and, taking his wife in his arms, laid her in the + blankets, and happed her carefully and firmly up, leaving the face + uncovered; and then, lifting her, he nodded again sharply to me, and, with + a resolved but utterly miserable face, strode along the passage, and + down-stairs, followed by Rab. I followed with a light; but he didn't need + it. I went out, holding stupidly the candle in my hand in the calm frosty + air; we were soon at the gate. I could have helped him, but I saw he was + not to be meddled with, and he was strong and did not need it. He laid her + down as tenderly, as safely, as he had lifted her out ten days before,—as + tenderly as when he had her first in his arms when she was only "A. G.,"—sorted + her, leaving that beautiful sealed face open to the heavens; and then, + taking Jess by the head, he moved away. He did not notice me; neither did + Rab, who presided behind the cart. + </p> + <p> + I stood till they passed through the long shadow of the College and turned + up Nicolson Street. I heard the solitary cart sound through the streets + and die away and come again; and I returned, thinking of that company + going up Libberton Brae, then along Roslin Muir, the morning light + touching the Pentlands and making them like on-looking ghosts, then down + the hill through Auchindinny woods, past "haunted Woodhouselee;" and as + daybreak came sweeping up the bleak Lammermuirs, and fell on his own door, + the company would stop, and James would take the key, and lift Ailie up + again, laying her on her own bed, and, having put Jess up, would return + with Rab and shut the door. + </p> + <p> + James buried his wife, with his neighbors mourning, Rab watching the + proceedings from a distance. It was snow, and that black ragged hole would + look strange in the midst of the swelling spotless cushion of white. James + looked after everything; then rather suddenly fell ill, and took to bed; + was insensible when the doctor came, and soon died. A sort of low fever + was prevailing in the village, and his want of sleep, his exhaustion, and + his misery made him apt to take it. The grave was not difficult to reopen. + A fresh fall of snow had again made all things white and smooth; Rab once + more looked on, and slunk home to the stable. + </p> + <p> + And what of Rab? I asked for him next week at the new carrier who got the + good-will of James's business and was now master of Jess and her cart. + "How's Rab?" He put me off, and said, rather rudely, "What's YOUR business + wi' the dowg?" I was not to be so put off. "Where's Rab?" He, getting + confused and red, and intermeddling with his hair, said, '"Deed, sir, + Rab's deid." "Dead! what did he die of?" "Weel, sir," said he, getting + redder, "he didna exactly dee; he was killed. I had to brain him wi' a + rackpin; there was nae doin' wi' him. He lay in the treviss wi' the mear, + and wadna come oot. I tempit him wi' kail and meat, but he wad tak' + naething, and keepit me fra feedin' the beast, and he was aye gur gurrin', + and grup gruppin' me by the legs. I was laith to mak' awa wi' the auld + dowg, his like wasna atween this and Thornhill,—but, 'deed, sir, I + could do naething else." I believed him. Fit end for Rab, quick and + complete. His teeth and his friends gone, why should he keep the peace and + be civil? + </p> + <p> + He was buried in the braeface, near the burn, the children of the village, + his companions, who used to make very free with him and sit on his ample + stomach as he lay half asleep at the door in the sun, watching the + solemnity. + </p> + <p> + {Illustration of a grave} + </p> + <div style="height: 6em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Rab and His Friends, by John Brown + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RAB AND HIS FRIENDS *** + +***** This file should be named 5420-h.htm or 5420-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/5/4/2/5420/ + + +Text file produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team + +HTML file produced by David Widger + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at + www.gutenberg.org/license. + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 +North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email +contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the +Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + + +</pre> + + </body> +</html> diff --git a/5420.txt b/5420.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dc81cdd --- /dev/null +++ b/5420.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1045 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Rab and His Friends, by John Brown + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Rab and His Friends + +Author: John Brown + + +Release Date: April, 2004 [EBook #5420] +This file was first posted on July 14, 2002 +Last Updated: July 3, 2013 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RAB AND HIS FRIENDS *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + + + + + + + + +RAB AND HIS FRIENDS + +By John Brown, M.D. + +With Illustrations By Hermann Simon and Edmund H. Garrett. + +Philadelphia: + +1890. + + + + +PREFACE. + +Four years ago, my uncle, the Rev. Dr. Smith of Biggar, asked me to give +a lecture in my native village, the shrewd little capital of the Upper +Ward. I never lectured before; I have no turn for it; but Avunculus +was urgent, and I had an odd sort of desire to say something to these +strong-brained, primitive people of my youth, who were boys and girls +when I left them. I could think of nothing to give them. At last I +said to myself, "I'll tell them Ailie's story." I had often told it +to myself; indeed, it came on me at intervals almost painfully, as if +demanding to be told, as if I heard Rab whining at the door to get in or +out,-- + + "Whispering how meek and gentle he could be,"-- + +or as if James was entreating me on his death-bed to tell all the world +what his Ailie was. But it was easier said than done. I tried it over +and over, in vain. At last, after a happy dinner at Hanley--why are the +dinners always happy at Hanley?--and a drive home alone through + + "The gleam, the shadow, and the peace supreme" + +of a midsummer night, I sat down about twelve and rose at four, having +finished it. I slunk off to bed, satisfied and cold. I don't think +I made almost any changes in it. I read it to the Biggar folk in the +school-house, very frightened, and felt I was reading it ill, and their +honest faces intimated as much in their affectionate puzzled looks. I +gave it on my return home to some friends, who liked the story; and the +first idea was to print it, as now, with illustrations, on the principle +of Rogers's joke, "that it would be dished except for the plates." + +But I got afraid of the public, and paused. Meanwhile, some good friend +said Rab might be thrown in among the other idle hours, and so he was; +and it is a great pleasure to me to think how many new friends he got. + +I was at Biggar the other day, and some of the good folks told me, with +a grave smile peculiar to that region, that when Rab came to them in +print he was so good that they wouldn't believe he was the same Rab I +had delivered in the school-room,--a testimony to my vocal powers of +impressing the multitude somewhat conclusive. + +I need not add that this little story is, in all essentials, true, +though, if I were Shakespeare, it might be curious to point out where +Phantasy tried her hand, sometimes where least suspected. + +It has been objected to it as a work of art that there is too much pain; +and many have said to me, with some bitterness, "Why did you make me +suffer so?" But I think of my father's answer when I told him this: "And +why shouldn't they suffer? SHE suffered; it will do them good; for pity, +genuine pity, is, as old Aristotle says, 'of power to purge the mind.'" +And though in all works of art there should be a plus of delectation, +the ultimate overcoming of evil and sorrow by good and joy,--the end of +all art being pleasure,--whatsoever things are lovely first, and things +that are true and of good report afterwards in their turn,--still there +is a pleasure, one of the strangest and strongest in our nature, in +imaginative suffering with and for others,-- + + "In the soothing thoughts that spring + Out of human suffering;" + +for sympathy is worth nothing, is, indeed, not itself, unless it has in +it somewhat of personal pain. It is the hereafter that gives to + + "the touch of a vanished hand, + And the sound of a voice that is still," + +its own infinite meaning. Our hearts and our understandings follow Ailie +and her "ain man" into that world where there is no pain, where no one +says, "I am sick." What is all the philosophy of Cicero, the wailing of +Catullus, and the gloomy playfulness of Horace's variations on "Let +us eat and drink," with its terrific "for," to the simple faith of the +carrier and his wife in "I am the resurrection and the Life"? + +I think I can hear from across the fields of sleep and other years +Ailie's sweet, dim, wandering voice trying to say,-- + +Our bonnie bairn's there, John, She was baith gude and fair, John, And +we grudged her sair, John, To the land o' the leal. + +But sorrow's sel' wears past, John, The joys are comin' fast, John, The +joys that aye shall last, John, In the land o' the leal. + +EDINBURGH, 1861. + + [Illustration: a cherub] + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. + +Portrait, Dr. John Brown . . . . . . . Frontispiece. + +Rab . . . . . . . . Hermann Simon + +"He is muzzled!". . . . . Hermann Simon + +"He lifted down Ailie his wife" . . . Edmund H. Garrett + +"One look at her quiets the students" . . Edmund H. Garrett + +"Rab looked perplexed and dangerous" . . Hermann Simon + +"--And passed away so gently" . . Edmund H. Garrett + +"Down the hill through Auchindinny woods" Edmund H. Garrett + +Rab and Jess . . . . . . Hermann Simon + + + + + +RAB AND HIS FRIENDS. + +Four-and-thirty years ago, Bob Ainslie and I were coming up Infirmary +Street from the High School, our heads together, and our arms +intertwisted, as only lovers and boys know how, or why. + +When we got to the top of the street, and turned north, we espied a +crowd at the Tron Church. "A dog-fight!" shouted Bob, and was off; and +so was I, both of us all but praying that it might not be over before we +got up! And is not this boy-nature? and human nature too? and don't +we all wish a house on fire not to be out before we see it? Dogs like +fighting; old Isaac says they "delight" in it, and for the best of all +reasons; and boys are not cruel because they like to see the fight. +They see three of the great cardinal virtues of dog or man--courage, +endurance, and skill--in intense action. This is very different from +a love of making dogs fight, and enjoying, and aggravating, and making +gain by their pluck. A boy,--be he ever so fond himself of fighting,--if +he be a good boy, hates and despises all this, but he would have run off +with Bob and me fast enough: it is a natural, and a not wicked interest, +that all boys and men have in witnessing intense energy in action. + +Does any curious and finely-ignorant woman wish to know how Bob's eye at +a glance announced a dog-fight to his brain? He did not, he could +not, see the dogs fighting: it was a flash of an inference, a rapid +induction. The crowd round a couple of dogs fighting is a crowd +masculine mainly, with an occasional active, compassionate woman +fluttering wildly round the outside and using her tongue and her +hands freely upon the men, as so many "brutes;" it is a crowd annular, +compact, and mobile; a crowd centripetal, having its eyes and its heads +all bent downwards and inwards, to one common focus. + +Well, Bob and I are up, and find it is not over: a small thoroughbred +white bull terrier is busy throttling a large shepherd's dog, +unaccustomed to war, but not to be trifled with. They are hard at it; +the scientific little fellow doing his work in great style, his pastoral +enemy fighting wildly, but with the sharpest of teeth and a great +courage. Science and breeding, however, soon had their own; the Game +Chicken, as the premature Bob called him, working his way up, took his +final grip of poor Yarrow's throat,--and he lay gasping and done for. +His master, a brown, handsome, big young shepherd from Tweedsmuir, would +have liked to have knocked down any man, would "drink up Esil, or eat a +crocodile," for that part, if he had a chance: it was no use kicking +the little dog; that would only make him hold the closer. Many were the +means shouted out in mouthfuls, of the best possible ways of ending it. +"Water!" but there was none near, and many cried for it who might have +got it from the well at Blackfriar's Wynd. "Bite the tail!" and a large, +vague, benevolent, middle-aged man, more desirous than wise, with some +struggle got the bushy end of Yarrow's tail into his ample mouth, +and bit it with all his might. This was more than enough for the +much-enduring, much-perspiring shepherd, who, with a gleam of joy over +his broad visage, delivered a terrific facer upon our large, vague, +benevolent, middle-aged friend,--who went down like a shot. + +Still the Chicken holds; death not far off. "Snuff! a pinch of snuff!" +observed a calm, highly-dressed young buck, with an eye-glass in his +eye. "Snuff, indeed!" growled the angry crowd, affronted and glaring. +"Snuff! a pinch of snuff!" again observes the buck, but with more +urgency; whereon were produced several open boxes, and from a mull which +may have been at Culloden he took a pinch, knelt down, and presented +it to the nose of the Chicken. The laws of physiology and of snuff take +their course; the Chicken sneezes, and Yarrow is free! + +The young pastoral giant stalks off with Yarrow in his arms, comforting +him. + +But the Bull Terrier's blood is up, and his soul unsatisfied; he grips +the first dog he meets, and discovering she is not a dog, in Homeric +phrase, he makes a brief sort of amende, and is off. The boys, with Bob +and me at their head, are after him: down Niddry Street he goes, bent on +mischief; up the Cowgate like an arrow,--Bob and I, and our small men, +panting behind. + +There, under the single arch of the South Bridge, is a huge mastiff, +sauntering down the middle of the causeway, as if with his hands in his +pockets: he is old, gray, brindled, as big as a little Highland bull, +and has the Shakespearian dewlaps shaking as he goes. + +The Chicken makes straight at him, and fastens on his throat. To our +astonishment the great creature does nothing but stand still, hold +himself up, and roar,--yes, roar; a long, serious, remonstrative roar. +How is this? Bob and I are up to them. HE IS MUZZLED! The bailies had +proclaimed a general muzzling, and his master, studying strength and +economy mainly, had encompassed his huge jaws in a home-made apparatus +constructed out of the leather of some ancient breechin. His mouth was +open as far as it could; his lips curled up in rage,--a sort of terrible +grin; his teeth gleaming, ready, from out the darkness; the strap across +his mouth tense as a bow-string; his whole frame stiff with indignation +and surprise; his roar asking us all around, "Did you ever see the like +of this?" He looked a statue of anger and astonishment done in Aberdeen +granite. + +We soon had a crowd: the Chicken held on. "A knife!" cried Bob; and +a cobbler gave him his knife: you know the kind of knife, worn away +obliquely to a point, and always keen. I put its edge to the tense +leather; it ran before it; and then!--one sudden jerk of that enormous +head, a sort of dirty mist about his mouth, no noise,--and the bright +and fierce little fellow is dropped, limp and dead. A solemn pause; this +was more than any of us had bargained for. I turned the little fellow +over, and saw he was quite dead; the mastiff had taken him by the small +of the back like a rat, and broken it. + +He looked down at his victim appeased, ashamed, and amazed, snuffed him +all over, stared at him, and, taking a sudden thought, turned round and +trotted off. Bob took the dead dog up, and said, "John, we'll bury him +after tea." "Yes," said I, and was off after the mastiff. He made up the +Cowgate at a rapid swing; he had forgotten some engagement. He turned up +the Candlemaker Row, and stopped at the Harrow Inn. + +There was a carrier's cart ready to start, and a keen, thin, impatient, +black-a-vised little man, his hand at his gray horse's head, looking +about angrily for something. "Rab, ye thief!" said he, aiming a kick at +my great friend, who drew cringing up, and, avoiding the heavy shoe with +more agility than dignity, and watching his master's eye, slunk dismayed +under the cart, his ears down, and as much as he had of tail down too. + +What a man this must be,--thought I,--to whom my tremendous hero turns +tail! The carrier saw the muzzle hanging, cut and useless, from his +neck, and I eagerly told him the story, which Bob and I always thought, +and still think, Homer, or King David, or Sir Walter, alone were worthy +to rehearse. The severe little man was mitigated, and condescended to +say, "Rab, ma man, puir Rabbie!"--whereupon the stump of a tail rose +up, the ears were cocked, the eyes filled, and were comforted; the two +friends were reconciled. "Hupp!" and a stroke of the whip were given to +Jess; and off went the three. + +Bob and I buried the Game Chicken that night (we had not much of a +tea) in the back-green of his house, in Melville Street, No. 17, with +considerable gravity and silence; and being at the time in the Iliad, +and, like all boys, Trojans, we called him Hector, of course. + + + + Six years have passed,--a long time for a boy and a dog: Bob Ainslie is +off to the wars; I am a medical student, and clerk at Minto House +Hospital. Rab I saw almost every week, on the Wednesday; and we had much +pleasant intimacy. I found the way to his heart by frequent scratching +of his huge head, and an occasional bone. When I did not notice him he +would plant himself straight before me, and stand wagging that bud of a +tail, and looking up, with his head a little to the one side. His master +I occasionally saw; he used to call me "Maister John," but was laconic +as any Spartan. + +One fine October afternoon, I was leaving the hospital, when I saw the +large gate open, and in walked Rab, with that great and easy saunter of +his. He looked as if taking general possession of the place; like the +Duke of Wellington entering a subdued city, satiated with victory and +peace. After him came Jess, now white from age, with her cart, and in it +a woman carefully wrapped up,--the carrier leading the horse anxiously, +and looking back. When he saw me, James (for his name was James Noble) +made a curt and grotesque "boo," and said, "Maister John, this is the +mistress; she's got a trouble in her breest,--some kind o' an income, +we're thinkin'." + +By this time I saw the woman's face; she was sitting on a sack filled +with straw, her husband's plaid round her, and his big-coat, with its +large white metal buttons, over her feet. + +I never saw a more unforgettable face,--pale, serious, LONELY, +[Footnote: It is not easy giving this look by one word: it was +expressive of her being so much of her life alone.] delicate, sweet, +without being at all what we call fine. She looked sixty, and had on a +mutch, white as snow, with its black ribbon; her silvery, smooth hair +setting off her dark-gray eyes,--eyes such as one sees only twice or +thrice in a lifetime, full of suffering, full also of the overcoming of +it; her eyebrows [Footnote: "Black brows, they say, + Become some women best; so that there be not + Too much hair there, BUT IN A SEMICIRCLE + OR A HALF-MOON MADE WITH A PEN."--A WINTER'S TALE.] + black and delicate, and her mouth firm, patient, and contented, which +few mouths ever are. + +As I have said, I never saw a more beautiful countenance, or one more +subdued to settled quiet. "Ailie," said James, "this is Maister John, +the young doctor; Rab's freend, ye ken. We often speak aboot you, +doctor." She smiled, and made a movement, but said nothing, and prepared +to come down, putting her plaid aside and rising. Had Solomon, in all +his glory, been handing down the Queen of Sheba at his palace gate, +he could not have done it more daintily, more tenderly, more like a +gentleman, than did James the Howgate carrier, when he lifted down Ailie +his wife. The contrast of his small, swarthy, weather-beaten, keen, +worldly face to hers--pale, subdued, and beautiful--was something +wonderful. Rab looked on concerned and puzzled, but ready for anything +that might turn up,--were it to strangle the nurse, the porter, or even +me. Ailie and he seemed great friends. + +"As I was sayin', she's got a kind o' trouble in her breest, doctor: +wull ye tak' a look at it?" We walked into the consulting-room, all +four, Rab grim and comic, willing to be happy and confidential if cause +could be shown, willing also to be the reverse on the same terms. Ailie +sat down, undid her open gown and her lawn handkerchief round her +neck, and, without a word, showed me her right breast. I looked at and +examined it carefully,--she and James watching me, and Rab eying all +three. What could I say? There it was, that had once been so soft, so +shapely, so white, so gracious and bountiful, so "full of all blessed +conditions,"--hard as a stone, a centre of horrid pain, making that +pale face, with its gray, lucid, reasonable eyes, and its sweet resolved +mouth, express the full measure of suffering overcome. Why was that +gentle, modest, sweet woman, clean and lovable, condemned by God to bear +such a burden? + +I got her away to bed. "May Rab and me bide?" said James. "YOU may; and +Rab, if he will behave himself." "I'se warrant he's do that, doctor;" +and in slunk the faithful beast. I wish you could have seen him. There +are no such dogs now. He belonged to a lost tribe. As I have said, he +was brindled, and gray like Rubislaw granite; his hair short, hard, and +close, like a lion's; his body thick-set, like a little bull,--a sort of +compressed Hercules of a dog. He must have been ninety pounds' weight, +at the least; he had a large blunt head; his muzzle black as night, his +mouth blacker than any night, a tooth or two--being all he had--gleaming +out of his jaws of darkness. His head was scarred with the records of +old wounds, a sort of series of fields of battle all over it; one eye +out, one ear cropped as close as was Archbishop Leighton's father's; +the remaining eye had the power of two; and above it, and in constant +communication with it, was a tattered rag of an ear, which was forever +unfurling itself, like an old flag; and then that bud of a tail, about +one inch long, if it could in any sense be said to be long, being as +broad as long,--the mobility, the instantaneousness of that bud were +very funny and surprising, and its expressive twinklings and winkings, +the intercommunications between the eye, the ear, and it, were of the +oddest and swiftest. + +Rab had the dignity and simplicity of great size; and, having fought his +way all along the road to absolute supremacy, he was as mighty in his +own line as Julius Caesar or the Duke of Wellington, and had the gravity +[Footnote: A Highland game-keeper, when asked why a certain terrier, of +singular pluck, was so much more solemn than the other dogs, said, "Oh, +sir, life's full o' sairiousness to him: he just never can get eneuch o' +fechtin'."] of all great fighters. + +You must have often observed the likeness of certain men to certain +animals, and of certain dogs to men. Now, I never looked at Rab without +thinking of the great Baptist preacher, Andrew Fuller. [Footnote: Fuller +was in early life, when a farmer lad at Soham, famous as a boxer; not +quarrelsome, but not without "the stern delight" a man of strength and +courage feels in their exercise. Dr. Charles Stewart, of Dunearn, +whose rare gifts and graces as a physician, a divine, a scholar, and a +gentleman live only in the memory of those few who knew and survive him, +liked to tell how Mr. Fuller used to say that when he was in the pulpit, +and saw a buirdly man come along the passage, he would instinctively +draw himself up, measure his imaginary antagonist, and forecast how +he would deal with him, his hands meanwhile condensing into fists and +tending to "square." He must have been a hard hitter if he boxed as he +preached,--what "The Fancy" would call an "ugly customer."] The same +large, heavy, menacing, combative, sombre, honest countenance, the +same deep inevitable eye, the same look,--as of thunder asleep, but +ready,--neither a dog nor a man to be trifled with. + +Next day, my master, the surgeon, examined Ailie. There was no doubt it +must kill her, and soon. It could be removed; it might never return; it +would give her speedy relief: she should have it done. She courtesied, +looked at James, and said, "When?" "To-morrow," said the kind +surgeon,--a man of few words. She and James and Rab and I retired. +I noticed that he and she spoke little, but seemed to anticipate +everything in each other. + +The following day, at noon, the students came in, hurrying up the great +stair. At the first landing-place, on a small well-known black board, +was a bit of paper fastened by wafers, and many remains of old wafers +beside it. On the paper were the words, "An operation to-day.--J.B., +CLERK" + +Up ran the youths, eager to secure good places: in they crowded, full of +interest and talk. "What's the case?" "Which side is it?" + +Don't think them heartless; they are neither better nor worse than you +or I; they get over their professional horrors, and into their proper +work; and in them pity, as an EMOTION, ending in itself or at best in +tears and a long-drawn breath, lessens,--while pity, as a MOTIVE, is +quickened, and gains power and purpose. It is well for poor human nature +that it is so. + +The operating theatre is crowded; much talk and fun, and all the +cordiality and stir of youth. The surgeon with his staff of assistants +is there. In comes Ailie: one look at her quiets and abates the eager +students. That beautiful old woman is too much for them; they sit down, +and are dumb, and gaze at her. These rough boys feel the power of her +presence. She walks in quickly, but without haste; dressed in her +mutch, her neckerchief, her white dimity short-gown, her black bombazine +petticoat, showing her white worsted stockings and her carpet shoes. +Behind her was James with Rab. James sat down in the distance, and took +that huge and noble head between his knees. Rab looked perplexed and +dangerous; forever cocking his ear and dropping it as fast. + +Ailie stepped up on a seat, and laid herself on the table, as her friend +the surgeon told her; arranged herself, gave a rapid look at James, shut +her eyes, rested herself on me, and took my hand. The operation was at +once begun; it was necessarily slow; and chloroform--one of God's best +gifts to his suffering children--was then unknown. The surgeon did his +work. The pale face showed its pain, but was still and silent. Rab's +soul was working within him; he saw that something strange was going +on,--blood flowing from his mistress, and she suffering; his ragged +ear was up, and importunate; he growled and gave now and then a sharp +impatient yelp; he would have liked to have done something to that man. +But James had him firm, and gave him a GLOWER from time to time, and an +intimation of a possible kick;--all the better for James, it kept his +eye and his mind off Ailie. + +It is over: she is dressed, steps gently and decently down from the +table, looks for James; then, turning to the surgeon and the students, +she courtesies, and in a low, clear voice begs their pardon if she has +behaved ill. The students--all of us--wept like children; the surgeon +happed her up carefully, and, resting on James and me, Ailie went to her +room, Rab following. We put her to bed. James took off his heavy shoes, +crammed with tackets, heel-capt and toe-capt, and put them carefully +under the table, saying, "Maister John, I'm for nane o' yer strynge +nurse bodies for Ailie. I'll be her nurse, and I'll gang aboot on my +stockin' soles as canny as pussy." And so he did; and handy and +clever and swift and tender as any woman was that horny-handed, snell, +peremptory little man. Everything she got he gave her: he seldom slept; +and often I saw his small shrewd eyes out of the darkness, fixed on her. +As before, they spoke little. + +Rab behaved well, never moving, showing us how meek and gentle he +could be, and occasionally, in his sleep, letting us know that he was +demolishing some adversary. He took a walk with me every day, generally +to the Candlemaker Row; but he was sombre and mild, declined doing +battle, though some fit cases offered, and indeed submitted to sundry +indignities, and was always very ready to turn, and came faster back, +and trotted up the stair with much lightness, and went straight to that +door. + +Jess, the mare, had been sent, with her weather-worn cart, to Howgate, +and had doubtless her own dim and placid meditations and confusions on +the absence of her master and Rab and her unnatural freedom from the +road and her cart. + +For some days Ailie did well. The wound healed "by the first intention;" +for, as James said, "Oor Ailie's skin's ower clean to beil." The +students came in quiet and anxious, and surrounded her bed. She said +she liked to see their young, honest faces. The surgeon dressed her, and +spoke to her in his own short kind way, pitying her through his eyes, +Rab and James outside the circle,--Rab being now reconciled, and +even cordial, and having made up his mind that as yet nobody required +worrying, but, as you may suppose, semper paratus. + +So far well; but four days after the operation my patient had a sudden +and long shivering, a "groosin'," as she called it. I saw her soon +after; her eyes were too bright, her cheek colored; she was restless, +and ashamed of being so; the balance was lost; mischief had begun. On +looking at the wound, a blush of red told the secret: her pulse was +rapid, her breathing anxious and quick; she wasn't herself, as she said, +and was vexed at her restlessness. We tried what we could. James did +everything, was everywhere; never in the way, never out of it; Rab +subsided under the table into a dark place, and was motionless, all but +his eye, which followed every one. Ailie got worse; began to wander in +her mind, gently; was more demonstrative in her ways to James, rapid +in her questions, and sharp at times. He was vexed, and said, "She was +never that way afore,--no, never." For a time she knew her head was +wrong, and was always asking our pardon,--the dear, gentle old woman: +then delirium set in strong, without pause. Her brain gave way, and then +came that terrible spectacle,-- + + "The intellectual power, through words and things, + Went sounding on its dim and perilous way;" + +she sang bits of old songs and Psalms, stopping suddenly, mingling the +Psalms of David, and the diviner words of his Son and Lord, with homely +odds and ends and scraps of ballads. + +Nothing more touching, or in a sense more strangely beautiful, did I +ever witness. Her tremulous, rapid, affectionate, eager, Scotch voice, +the swift, aimless, bewildered mind, the baffled utterance, the bright +and perilous eye, some wild words, some household cares, something +for James, the names of the dead, Rab called rapidly and in a "fremyt" +voice, and he starting up, surprised, and slinking off as if he were to +blame somehow, or had been dreaming he heard. Many eager questions and +beseechings which James and I could make nothing of, and on which she +seemed to set her all and then sink back ununderstood. It was very +sad, but better than many things that are not called sad. James hovered +about, put out and miserable, but active and exact as ever; read to +her, when there was a lull, short bits from the Psalms, prose and metre, +chanting the latter in his own rude and serious way, showing great +knowledge of the fit words, bearing up like a man, and doting over her +as his "ain Ailie." "Ailie, ma woman!" "Ma ain bonnie wee dawtie!" + +The end was drawing on: the golden bowl was breaking; the silver cord +was fast being loosed; that animula blandula, vagula, hospes, comesque, +was about to flee. The body and the soul--companions for sixty +years--were being sundered, and taking leave. She was walking, alone, +through the valley of that shadow into which one day we must all +enter; and yet she was not alone, for we know whose rod and staff were +comforting her. + +One night she had fallen quiet, and, as we hoped, asleep; her eyes were +shut. We put down the gas, and sat watching her. Suddenly she sat up in +bed, and, taking a bed-gown which was lying on it rolled up, she held it +eagerly to her breast,--to the right side. We could see her eyes bright +with a surprising tenderness and joy, bending over this bundle of +clothes. She held it as a woman holds her sucking child; opening out her +night-gown impatiently, and holding it close, and brooding over it, and +murmuring foolish little words, as over one whom his mother comforteth, +and who sucks and is satisfied. It was pitiful and strange to see her +wasted dying look, keen and yet vague,--her immense love. + +"Preserve me!" groaned James, giving way. And then she rocked backward +and forward, as if to make it sleep, hushing it, and wasting on it her +infinite fondness. "Wae's me, doctor! I declare she's thinkin' it's that +bairn." "What bairn?" "The only bairn we ever had; our wee Mysie, and +she's in the Kingdom forty years and mair." It was plainly true: the +pain in the breast, telling its urgent story to a bewildered, ruined +brain, was misread and mistaken; it suggested to her the uneasiness of +a breast full of milk, and then the child; and so again once more they +were together, and she had her ain wee Mysie in her bosom. + +This was the close. She sank rapidly: the delirium left her; but, as she +whispered, she was "clean silly;" it was the lightening before the final +darkness. After having for some time lain still, her eyes shut, she +said, "James!" He came close to her, and, lifting up her calm, clear, +beautiful eyes, she gave him a long look, turned to me kindly but +shortly, looked for Rab but could not see him, then turned to her +husband again, as if she would never leave off looking, shut her eyes +and composed herself. She lay for some time breathing quick, and +passed away so gently that, when we thought she was gone, James, in his +old-fashioned way, held the mirror to her face. After a long pause, +one small spot of dimness was breathed out; it vanished away, and never +returned, leaving the blank clear darkness without a stain. "What is our +life? it is even a vapor, which appeareth for a little time, and then +vanisheth away." + +Rab all this time had been fully awake and motionless: he came forward +beside us: Ailie's hand, which James had held, was hanging down; it was +soaked with his tears; Rab licked it all over carefully, looked at her, +and returned to his place under the table. + +James and I sat, I don't know how long, but for some time, saying +nothing: he started up abruptly, and with some noise went to the table, +and, putting his right fore and middle fingers each into a shoe, pulled +them out, and put them on, breaking one of the leather latchets, and +muttering in anger, "I never did the like o' that afore!" + +I believe he never did; nor after either. "Rab!" he said, roughly, and +pointing with his thumb to the bottom of the bed. Rab leaped up, and +settled himself, his head and eye to the dead face. "Maister John, +ye'll wait for me," said the carrier; and disappeared in the darkness, +thundering downstairs in his heavy shoes. I ran to a front window; there +he was, already round the house, and out at the gate, fleeing like a +shadow. + +I was afraid about him, and yet not afraid: so I sat down beside Rab, +and, being wearied, fell asleep. I awoke from a sudden noise outside. It +was November, and there had been a heavy fall of snow. Rab was in statu +quo; he heard the noise too, and plainly knew it, but never moved. I +looked out; and there, at the gate, in the dim morning,--for the sun +was not up,--was Jess and the cart, a cloud of steam rising from the old +mare. I did not see James; he was already at the door, and came up the +stairs and met me. It was less than three hours since he left, and he +must have posted out--who knows how?--to Howgate, full nine miles off, +yoked Jess, and driven her astonished into town. He had an armful of +blankets, and was streaming with perspiration. He nodded to me, spread +out on the floor two pairs of clean old blankets having at their corners +"A. G., 1794," in large letters in red worsted. These were the +initials of Alison Graeme, and James may have looked in at her from +without--himself unseen but not unthought of--when he was "wat, wat, and +weary," and, after having walked many a mile over the hills, may +have seen her sitting, while "a' the lave were sleepin'," and by the +firelight working her name on the blankets for her ain James's bed. + +He motioned Rab down, and, taking his wife in his arms, laid her in +the blankets, and happed her carefully and firmly up, leaving the face +uncovered; and then, lifting her, he nodded again sharply to me, and, +with a resolved but utterly miserable face, strode along the passage, +and down-stairs, followed by Rab. I followed with a light; but he didn't +need it. I went out, holding stupidly the candle in my hand in the calm +frosty air; we were soon at the gate. I could have helped him, but I saw +he was not to be meddled with, and he was strong and did not need it. He +laid her down as tenderly, as safely, as he had lifted her out ten days +before,--as tenderly as when he had her first in his arms when she was +only "A. G.,"--sorted her, leaving that beautiful sealed face open to +the heavens; and then, taking Jess by the head, he moved away. He did +not notice me; neither did Rab, who presided behind the cart. + +I stood till they passed through the long shadow of the College and +turned up Nicolson Street. I heard the solitary cart sound through the +streets and die away and come again; and I returned, thinking of that +company going up Libberton Brae, then along Roslin Muir, the morning +light touching the Pentlands and making them like on-looking +ghosts, then down the hill through Auchindinny woods, past "haunted +Woodhouselee;" and as daybreak came sweeping up the bleak Lammermuirs, +and fell on his own door, the company would stop, and James would take +the key, and lift Ailie up again, laying her on her own bed, and, having +put Jess up, would return with Rab and shut the door. + +James buried his wife, with his neighbors mourning, Rab watching the +proceedings from a distance. It was snow, and that black ragged hole +would look strange in the midst of the swelling spotless cushion of +white. James looked after everything; then rather suddenly fell ill, and +took to bed; was insensible when the doctor came, and soon died. A sort +of low fever was prevailing in the village, and his want of sleep, his +exhaustion, and his misery made him apt to take it. The grave was not +difficult to reopen. A fresh fall of snow had again made all things +white and smooth; Rab once more looked on, and slunk home to the stable. + +And what of Rab? I asked for him next week at the new carrier who got +the good-will of James's business and was now master of Jess and her +cart. "How's Rab?" He put me off, and said, rather rudely, "What's YOUR +business wi' the dowg?" I was not to be so put off. "Where's Rab?" He, +getting confused and red, and intermeddling with his hair, said, '"Deed, +sir, Rab's deid." "Dead! what did he die of?" "Weel, sir," said he, +getting redder, "he didna exactly dee; he was killed. I had to brain him +wi' a rackpin; there was nae doin' wi' him. He lay in the treviss wi' +the mear, and wadna come oot. I tempit him wi' kail and meat, but he wad +tak' naething, and keepit me fra feedin' the beast, and he was aye gur +gurrin', and grup gruppin' me by the legs. I was laith to mak' awa wi' +the auld dowg, his like wasna atween this and Thornhill,--but, 'deed, +sir, I could do naething else." I believed him. Fit end for Rab, quick +and complete. His teeth and his friends gone, why should he keep the +peace and be civil? + +He was buried in the braeface, near the burn, the children of the +village, his companions, who used to make very free with him and sit on +his ample stomach as he lay half asleep at the door in the sun, watching +the solemnity. + +[Illustration of a grave] + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Rab and His Friends, by John Brown + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RAB AND HIS FRIENDS *** + +***** This file should be named 5420.txt or 5420.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/5/4/2/5420/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at + www.gutenberg.org/license. + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 +North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email +contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the +Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + diff --git a/5420.zip b/5420.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b684d94 --- /dev/null +++ b/5420.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ed26250 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #5420 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5420) diff --git a/old/rbhfr10.txt b/old/rbhfr10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9c59d05 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/rbhfr10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1022 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Rab and His Friends, by John Brown, M. D. + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Rab and His Friends + +Author: John Brown, M. D. + +Release Date: April, 2004 [EBook #5420] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on July 14, 2002] +[Date last updated: August 16, 2005] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RAB AND HIS FRIENDS *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + + + +RAB AND HIS FRIENDS + +BY JOHN BROWN, M.D. + +WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY HERMANN SIMON AND +EDMUND H. GARRETT. + +PHILADELPHIA: +1890. + + + + +PREFACE. + +Four years ago, my uncle, the Rev. Dr. Smith of Biggar, asked me to give +a lecture in my native village, the shrewd little capital of the Upper +Ward. I never lectured before; I have no turn for it; but Avunculus was +urgent, and I had an odd sort of desire to say something to these +strong-brained, primitive people of my youth, who were boys and girls +when I left them. I could think of nothing to give them. At last I said +to myself, "I'll tell them Ailie's story." I had often told it to +myself; indeed, it came on me at intervals almost painfully, as if +demanding to be told, as if I heard Rab whining at the door to get in or +out,-- + + "Whispering how meek and gentle he could be,"-- + +or as if James was entreating me on his death-bed to tell all the world +what his Ailie was. But it was easier said than done. I tried it over +and over, in vain. At last, after a happy dinner at Hanley--why are the +dinners always happy at Hanley?--and a drive home alone through + + "The gleam, the shadow, and the peace supreme" + +of a midsummer night, I sat down about twelve and rose at four, having +finished it. I slunk off to bed, satisfied and cold. I don't think I +made almost any changes in it. I read it to the Biggar folk in the +school-house, very frightened, and felt I was reading it ill, and their +honest faces intimated as much in their affectionate puzzled looks. I +gave it on my return home to some friends, who liked the story; and the +first idea was to print it, as now, with illustrations, on the principle +of Rogers's joke, "that it would be dished except for the plates." + +But I got afraid of the public, and paused. Meanwhile, some good friend +said Rab might be thrown in among the other idle hours, and so he was; +and it is a great pleasure to me to think how many new friends he got. + +I was at Biggar the other day, and some of the good folks told me, with +a grave smile peculiar to that region, that when Rab came to them in +print he was so good that they wouldn't believe he was the same Rab I +had delivered in the school-room,--a testimony to my vocal powers of +impressing the multitude somewhat conclusive. + +I need not add that this little story is, in all essentials, true, +though, if I were Shakespeare, it might be curious to point out where +Phantasy tried her hand, sometimes where least suspected. + +It has been objected to it as a work of art that there is too much pain; +and many have said to me, with some bitterness, "Why did you make me +suffer so?" But I think of my father's answer when I told him this: "And +why shouldn't they suffer? SHE suffered; it will do them good; for pity, +genuine pity, is, as old Aristotle says, 'of power to purge the mind.'" +And though in all works of art there should be a plus of delectation, +the ultimate overcoming of evil and sorrow by good and joy,--the end of +all art being pleasure,--whatsoever things are lovely first, and things +that are true and of good report afterwards in their turn,--still there +is a pleasure, one of the strangest and strongest in our nature, in +imaginative suffering with and for others,-- + + "In the soothing thoughts that spring + Out of human suffering;" + +for sympathy is worth nothing, is, indeed, not itself, unless it has in +it somewhat of personal pain. It is the hereafter that gives to + + "the touch of a vanished hand, + And the sound of a voice that is still," + +its own infinite meaning. Our hearts and our understandings follow Ailie +and her "ain man" into that world where there is no pain, where no one +says, "I am sick." What is all the philosophy of Cicero, the wailing of +Catullus, and the gloomy playfulness of Horace's variations on "Let us +eat and drink," with its terrific "for," to the simple faith of the +carrier and his wife in "I am the resurrection and the Life"? + +I think I can hear from across the fields of sleep and other years +Ailie's sweet, dim, wandering voice trying to say,-- + +Our bonnie bairn's there, John, +She was baith gude and fair, John, +And we grudged her sair, John, + To the land o' the leal. + +But sorrow's sel' wears past, John, +The joys are comin' fast, John, +The joys that aye shall last, John, + In the land o' the leal. + +EDINBURGH, 1861. + + [Illustration: a cherub] + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. + +Portrait, Dr. John Brown . . . . . . . Frontispiece. + +Rab . . . . . . . . Hermann Simon + +"He is muzzled!". . . . . Hermann Simon + +"He lifted down Ailie his wife" . . . Edmund H. Garrett + +"One look at her quiets the students" . . Edmund H. Garrett + +"Rab looked perplexed and dangerous" . . Hermann Simon + +"--And passed away so gently" . . Edmund H. Garrett + +"Down the hill through Auchindinny woods" Edmund H. Garrett + +Rab and Jess . . . . . . Hermann Simon + + + + + +RAB AND HIS FRIENDS. + +Four-and-thirty years ago, Bob Ainslie and I were coming up Infirmary +Street from the High School, our heads together, and our arms +intertwisted, as only lovers and boys know how, or why. + +When we got to the top of the street, and turned north, we espied a +crowd at the Tron Church. "A dog-fight!" shouted Bob, and was off; and +so was I, both of us all but praying that it might not be over before we +got up! And is not this boy-nature? and human nature too? and don't we +all wish a house on fire not to be out before we see it? Dogs like +fighting; old Isaac says they "delight" in it, and for the best of all +reasons; and boys are not cruel because they like to see the fight. They +see three of the great cardinal virtues of dog or man--courage, +endurance, and skill--in intense action. This is very different from a +love of making dogs fight, and enjoying, and aggravating, and making +gain by their pluck. A boy,--be he ever so fond himself of fighting,--if +he be a good boy, hates and despises all this, but he would have run off +with Bob and me fast enough: it is a natural, and a not wicked interest, +that all boys and men have in witnessing intense energy in action. + +Does any curious and finely-ignorant woman wish to know how Bob's eye at +a glance announced a dog-fight to his brain? He did not, he could not, +see the dogs fighting: it was a flash of an inference, a rapid +induction. The crowd round a couple of dogs fighting is a crowd +masculine mainly, with an occasional active, compassionate woman +fluttering wildly round the outside and using her tongue and her hands +freely upon the men, as so many "brutes;" it is a crowd annular, +compact, and mobile; a crowd centripetal, having its eyes and its heads +all bent downwards and inwards, to one common focus. + +Well, Bob and I are up, and find it is not over: a small thoroughbred +white bull terrier is busy throttling a large shepherd's dog, +unaccustomed to war, but not to be trifled with. They are hard at it; +the scientific little fellow doing his work in great style, his pastoral +enemy fighting wildly, but with the sharpest of teeth and a great +courage. Science and breeding, however, soon had their own; the Game +Chicken, as the premature Bob called him, working his way up, took his +final grip of poor Yarrow's throat,--and he lay gasping and done for. +His master, a brown, handsome, big young shepherd from Tweedsmuir, would +have liked to have knocked down any man, would "drink up Esil, or eat a +crocodile," for that part, if he had a chance: it was no use kicking the +little dog; that would only make him hold the closer. Many were the +means shouted out in mouthfuls, of the best possible ways of ending it. +"Water!" but there was none near, and many cried for it who might have +got it from the well at Blackfriar's Wynd. "Bite the tail!" and a large, +vague, benevolent, middle-aged man, more desirous than wise, with some +struggle got the bushy end of Yarrow's tail into his ample mouth, and +bit it with all his might. This was more than enough for the much- +enduring, much-perspiring shepherd, who, with a gleam of joy over his +broad visage, delivered a terrific facer upon our large, vague, +benevolent, middle-aged friend,--who went down like a shot. + +Still the Chicken holds; death not far off. "Snuff! a pinch of snuff!" +observed a calm, highly-dressed young buck, with an eye-glass in his +eye. "Snuff, indeed!" growled the angry crowd, affronted and glaring. +"Snuff! a pinch of snuff!" again observes the buck, but with more +urgency; whereon were produced several open boxes, and from a mull which +may have been at Culloden he took a pinch, knelt down, and presented it +to the nose of the Chicken. The laws of physiology and of snuff take +their course; the Chicken sneezes, and Yarrow is free! + +The young pastoral giant stalks off with Yarrow in his arms, comforting +him. + +But the Bull Terrier's blood is up, and his soul unsatisfied; he grips +the first dog he meets, and discovering she is not a dog, in Homeric +phrase, he makes a brief sort of amende, and is off. The boys, with Bob +and me at their head, are after him: down Niddry Street he goes, bent on +mischief; up the Cowgate like an arrow,--Bob and I, and our small men, +panting behind. + +There, under the single arch of the South Bridge, is a huge mastiff, +sauntering down the middle of the causeway, as if with his hands in his +pockets: he is old, gray, brindled, as big as a little Highland bull, +and has the Shakespearian dewlaps shaking as he goes. + +The Chicken makes straight at him, and fastens on his throat. To our +astonishment the great creature does nothing but stand still, hold +himself up, and roar,--yes, roar; a long, serious, remonstrative roar. +How is this? Bob and I are up to them. HE IS MUZZLED! The bailies had +proclaimed a general muzzling, and his master, studying strength and +economy mainly, had encompassed his huge jaws in a home-made apparatus +constructed out of the leather of some ancient breechin. His mouth was +open as far as it could; his lips curled up in rage,--a sort of terrible +grin; his teeth gleaming, ready, from out the darkness; the strap across +his mouth tense as a bow-string; his whole frame stiff with indignation +and surprise; his roar asking us all around, "Did you ever see the like +of this?" He looked a statue of anger and astonishment done in Aberdeen +granite. + +We soon had a crowd: the Chicken held on. "A knife!" cried Bob; and a +cobbler gave him his knife: you know the kind of knife, worn away +obliquely to a point, and always keen. I put its edge to the tense +leather; it ran before it; and then!--one sudden jerk of that enormous +head, a sort of dirty mist about his mouth, no noise,--and the bright +and fierce little fellow is dropped, limp and dead. A solemn pause; this +was more than any of us had bargained for. I turned the little fellow +over, and saw he was quite dead; the mastiff had taken him by the small +of the back like a rat, and broken it. + +He looked down at his victim appeased, ashamed, and amazed, snuffed him +all over, stared at him, and, taking a sudden thought, turned round and +trotted off. Bob took the dead dog up, and said, "John, we'll bury him +after tea." "Yes," said I, and was off after the mastiff. He made up the +Cowgate at a rapid swing; he had forgotten some engagement. He turned up +the Candlemaker Row, and stopped at the Harrow Inn. + +There was a carrier's cart ready to start, and a keen, thin, impatient, +black-a-vised little man, his hand at his gray horse's head, looking +about angrily for something. "Rab, ye thief!" said he, aiming a kick at +my great friend, who drew cringing up, and, avoiding the heavy shoe with +more agility than dignity, and watching his master's eye, slunk dismayed +under the cart, his ears down, and as much as he had of tail down too. + +What a man this must be,--thought I,--to whom my tremendous hero turns +tail! The carrier saw the muzzle hanging, cut and useless, from his +neck, and I eagerly told him the story, which Bob and I always thought, +and still think, Homer, or King David, or Sir Walter, alone were worthy +to rehearse. The severe little man was mitigated, and condescended to +say, "Rab, ma man, puir Rabbie!"--whereupon the stump of a tail rose up, +the ears were cocked, the eyes filled, and were comforted; the two +friends were reconciled. "Hupp!" and a stroke of the whip were given to +Jess; and off went the three. + +Bob and I buried the Game Chicken that night (we had not much of a tea) +in the back-green of his house, in Melville Street, No. 17, with +considerable gravity and silence; and being at the time in the Iliad, +and, like all boys, Trojans, we called him Hector, of course. + + + + Six years have passed,--a long time for a boy and a dog: Bob Ainslie is +off to the wars; I am a medical student, and clerk at Minto House +Hospital. Rab I saw almost every week, on the Wednesday; and we had much +pleasant intimacy. I found the way to his heart by frequent scratching +of his huge head, and an occasional bone. When I did not notice him he +would plant himself straight before me, and stand wagging that bud of a +tail, and looking up, with his head a little to the one side. His master +I occasionally saw; he used to call me "Maister John," but was laconic +as any Spartan. + +One fine October afternoon, I was leaving the hospital, when I saw the +large gate open, and in walked Rab, with that great and easy saunter of +his. He looked as if taking general possession of the place; like the +Duke of Wellington entering a subdued city, satiated with victory and +peace. After him came Jess, now white from age, with her cart, and in it +a woman carefully wrapped up,--the carrier leading the horse anxiously, +and looking back. When he saw me, James (for his name was James Noble) +made a curt and grotesque "boo," and said, "Maister John, this is the +mistress; she's got a trouble in her breest,--some kind o' an income, +we're thinkin'." + +By this time I saw the woman's face; she was sitting on a sack filled +with straw, her husband's plaid round her, and his big-coat, with its +large white metal buttons, over her feet. + +I never saw a more unforgettable face,--pale, serious, LONELY, +[Footnote: It is not easy giving this look by one word: it was +expressive of her being so much of her life alone.] delicate, sweet, +without being at all what we call fine. She looked sixty, and had on a +mutch, white as snow, with its black ribbon; her silvery, smooth hair +setting off her dark-gray eyes,--eyes such as one sees only twice or +thrice in a lifetime, full of suffering, full also of the overcoming of +it; her eyebrows [Footnote: + "Black brows, they say, + Become some women best; so that there be not + Too much hair there, BUT IN A SEMICIRCLE + OR A HALF-MOON MADE WITH A PEN."--A WINTER'S TALE.] +black and delicate, and her mouth firm, patient, and contented, which +few mouths ever are. + +As I have said, I never saw a more beautiful countenance, or one more +subdued to settled quiet. "Ailie," said James, "this is Maister John, +the young doctor; Rab's freend, ye ken. We often speak aboot you, +doctor." She smiled, and made a movement, but said nothing, and prepared +to come down, putting her plaid aside and rising. Had Solomon, in all +his glory, been handing down the Queen of Sheba at his palace gate, he +could not have done it more daintily, more tenderly, more like a +gentleman, than did James the Howgate carrier, when he lifted down Ailie +his wife. The contrast of his small, swarthy, weather-beaten, keen, +worldly face to hers--pale, subdued, and beautiful--was something +wonderful. Rab looked on concerned and puzzled, but ready for anything +that might turn up,--were it to strangle the nurse, the porter, or even +me. Ailie and he seemed great friends. + +"As I was sayin', she's got a kind o' trouble in her breest, doctor: +wull ye tak' a look at it?" We walked into the consulting-room, all +four, Rab grim and comic, willing to be happy and confidential if cause +could be shown, willing also to be the reverse on the same terms. Ailie +sat down, undid her open gown and her lawn handkerchief round her neck, +and, without a word, showed me her right breast. I looked at and +examined it carefully,--she and James watching me, and Rab eying all +three. What could I say? There it was, that had once been so soft, so +shapely, so white, so gracious and bountiful, so "full of all blessed +conditions,"--hard as a stone, a centre of horrid pain, making that pale +face, with its gray, lucid, reasonable eyes, and its sweet resolved +mouth, express the full measure of suffering overcome. Why was that +gentle, modest, sweet woman, clean and lovable, condemned by God to bear +such a burden? + +I got her away to bed. "May Rab and me bide?" said James. "YOU may; and +Rab, if he will behave himself." "I'se warrant he's do that, doctor;" +and in slunk the faithful beast. I wish you could have seen him. There +are no such dogs now. He belonged to a lost tribe. As I have said, he +was brindled, and gray like Rubislaw granite; his hair short, hard, and +close, like a lion's; his body thick-set, like a little bull,--a sort of +compressed Hercules of a dog. He must have been ninety pounds' weight, +at the least; he had a large blunt head; his muzzle black as night, his +mouth blacker than any night, a tooth or two--being all he had--gleaming +out of his jaws of darkness. His head was scarred with the records of +old wounds, a sort of series of fields of battle all over it; one eye +out, one ear cropped as close as was Archbishop Leighton's father's; the +remaining eye had the power of two; and above it, and in constant +communication with it, was a tattered rag of an ear, which was forever +unfurling itself, like an old flag; and then that bud of a tail, about +one inch long, if it could in any sense be said to be long, being as +broad as long,--the mobility, the instantaneousness of that bud were +very funny and surprising, and its expressive twinklings and winkings, +the intercommunications between the eye, the ear, and it, were of the +oddest and swiftest. + +Rab had the dignity and simplicity of great size; and, having fought his +way all along the road to absolute supremacy, he was as mighty in his +own line as Julius Caesar or the Duke of Wellington, and had the gravity +[Footnote: A Highland game-keeper, when asked why a certain terrier, of +singular pluck, was so much more solemn than the other dogs, said, "Oh, +sir, life's full o' sairiousness to him: he just never can get eneuch o' +fechtin'."] of all great fighters. + +You must have often observed the likeness of certain men to certain +animals, and of certain dogs to men. Now, I never looked at Rab without +thinking of the great Baptist preacher, Andrew Fuller. [Footnote: Fuller +was in early life, when a farmer lad at Soham, famous as a boxer; not +quarrelsome, but not without "the stern delight" a man of strength and +courage feels in their exercise. Dr. Charles Stewart, of Dunearn, whose +rare gifts and graces as a physician, a divine, a scholar, and a +gentleman live only in the memory of those few who knew and survive him, +liked to tell how Mr. Fuller used to say that when he was in the pulpit, +and saw a buirdly man come along the passage, he would instinctively +draw himself up, measure his imaginary antagonist, and forecast how he +would deal with him, his hands meanwhile condensing into fists and +tending to "square." He must have been a hard hitter if he boxed as he +preached,--what "The Fancy" would call an "ugly customer."] The same +large, heavy, menacing, combative, sombre, honest countenance, the same +deep inevitable eye, the same look,--as of thunder asleep, but ready,-- +neither a dog nor a man to be trifled with. + +Next day, my master, the surgeon, examined Ailie. There was no doubt it +must kill her, and soon. It could be removed; it might never return; it +would give her speedy relief: she should have it done. She courtesied, +looked at James, and said, "When?" "To-morrow," said the kind surgeon,-- +a man of few words. She and James and Rab and I retired. I noticed that +he and she spoke little, but seemed to anticipate everything in each +other. + +The following day, at noon, the students came in, hurrying up the great +stair. At the first landing-place, on a small well-known black board, +was a bit of paper fastened by wafers, and many remains of old wafers +beside it. On the paper were the words, "An operation to-day.--J.B., +CLERK" + +Up ran the youths, eager to secure good places: in they crowded, full of +interest and talk. "What's the case?" "Which side is it?" + +Don't think them heartless; they are neither better nor worse than you +or I; they get over their professional horrors, and into their proper +work; and in them pity, as an EMOTION, ending in itself or at best in +tears and a long-drawn breath, lessens,--while pity, as a MOTIVE, is +quickened, and gains power and purpose. It is well for poor human nature +that it is so. + +The operating theatre is crowded; much talk and fun, and all the +cordiality and stir of youth. The surgeon with his staff of assistants +is there. In comes Ailie: one look at her quiets and abates the eager +students. That beautiful old woman is too much for them; they sit down, +and are dumb, and gaze at her. These rough boys feel the power of her +presence. She walks in quickly, but without haste; dressed in her mutch, +her neckerchief, her white dimity short-gown, her black bombazine +petticoat, showing her white worsted stockings and her carpet shoes. +Behind her was James with Rab. James sat down in the distance, and took +that huge and noble head between his knees. Rab looked perplexed and +dangerous; forever cocking his ear and dropping it as fast. + +Ailie stepped up on a seat, and laid herself on the table, as her friend +the surgeon told her; arranged herself, gave a rapid look at James, shut +her eyes, rested herself on me, and took my hand. The operation was at +once begun; it was necessarily slow; and chloroform--one of God's best +gifts to his suffering children--was then unknown. The surgeon did his +work. The pale face showed its pain, but was still and silent. Rab's +soul was working within him; he saw that something strange was going +on,--blood flowing from his mistress, and she suffering; his ragged ear +was up, and importunate; he growled and gave now and then a sharp +impatient yelp; he would have liked to have done something to that man. +But James had him firm, and gave him a GLOWER from time to time, and an +intimation of a possible kick;--all the better for James, it kept his +eye and his mind off Ailie. + +It is over: she is dressed, steps gently and decently down from the +table, looks for James; then, turning to the surgeon and the students, +she courtesies, and in a low, clear voice begs their pardon if she has +behaved ill. The students--all of us--wept like children; the surgeon +happed her up carefully, and, resting on James and me, Ailie went to her +room, Rab following. We put her to bed. James took off his heavy shoes, +crammed with tackets, heel-capt and toe-capt, and put them carefully +under the table, saying, "Maister John, I'm for nane o' yer strynge +nurse bodies for Ailie. I'll be her nurse, and I'll gang aboot on my +stockin' soles as canny as pussy." And so he did; and handy and clever +and swift and tender as any woman was that horny-handed, snell, +peremptory little man. Everything she got he gave her: he seldom slept; +and often I saw his small shrewd eyes out of the darkness, fixed on her. +As before, they spoke little. + +Rab behaved well, never moving, showing us how meek and gentle he could +be, and occasionally, in his sleep, letting us know that he was +demolishing some adversary. He took a walk with me every day, generally +to the Candlemaker Row; but he was sombre and mild, declined doing +battle, though some fit cases offered, and indeed submitted to sundry +indignities, and was always very ready to turn, and came faster back, +and trotted up the stair with much lightness, and went straight to that +door. + +Jess, the mare, had been sent, with her weather-worn cart, to Howgate, +and had doubtless her own dim and placid meditations and confusions on +the absence of her master and Rab and her unnatural freedom from the +road and her cart. + +For some days Ailie did well. The wound healed "by the first intention;" +for, as James said, "Oor Ailie's skin's ower clean to beil." The +students came in quiet and anxious, and surrounded her bed. She said she +liked to see their young, honest faces. The surgeon dressed her, and +spoke to her in his own short kind way, pitying her through his eyes, +Rab and James outside the circle,--Rab being now reconciled, and even +cordial, and having made up his mind that as yet nobody required +worrying, but, as you may suppose, semper paratus. + +So far well; but four days after the operation my patient had a sudden +and long shivering, a "groosin'," as she called it. I saw her soon +after; her eyes were too bright, her cheek colored; she was restless, +and ashamed of being so; the balance was lost; mischief had begun. On +looking at the wound, a blush of red told the secret: her pulse was +rapid, her breathing anxious and quick; she wasn't herself, as she said, +and was vexed at her restlessness. We tried what we could. James did +everything, was everywhere; never in the way, never out of it; Rab +subsided under the table into a dark place, and was motionless, all but +his eye, which followed every one. Ailie got worse; began to wander in +her mind, gently; was more demonstrative in her ways to James, rapid in +her questions, and sharp at times. He was vexed, and said, "She was +never that way afore,--no, never." For a time she knew her head was +wrong, and was always asking our pardon,--the dear, gentle old woman: +then delirium set in strong, without pause. Her brain gave way, and then +came that terrible spectacle,-- + + "The intellectual power, through words and things, + Went sounding on its dim and perilous way;" + +she sang bits of old songs and Psalms, stopping suddenly, mingling the +Psalms of David, and the diviner words of his Son and Lord, with homely +odds and ends and scraps of ballads. + +Nothing more touching, or in a sense more strangely beautiful, did I +ever witness. Her tremulous, rapid, affectionate, eager, Scotch voice, +the swift, aimless, bewildered mind, the baffled utterance, the bright +and perilous eye, some wild words, some household cares, something for +James, the names of the dead, Rab called rapidly and in a "fremyt" +voice, and he starting up, surprised, and slinking off as if he were to +blame somehow, or had been dreaming he heard. Many eager questions and +beseechings which James and I could make nothing of, and on which she +seemed to set her all and then sink back ununderstood. It was very sad, +but better than many things that are not called sad. James hovered +about, put out and miserable, but active and exact as ever; read to her, +when there was a lull, short bits from the Psalms, prose and metre, +chanting the latter in his own rude and serious way, showing great +knowledge of the fit words, bearing up like a man, and doting over her +as his "ain Ailie." "Ailie, ma woman!" "Ma ain bonnie wee dawtie!" + +The end was drawing on: the golden bowl was breaking; the silver cord +was fast being loosed; that animula blandula, vagula, hospes, comesque, +was about to flee. The body and the soul--companions for sixty years-- +were being sundered, and taking leave. She was walking, alone, through +the valley of that shadow into which one day we must all enter; and yet +she was not alone, for we know whose rod and staff were comforting her. + +One night she had fallen quiet, and, as we hoped, asleep; her eyes were +shut. We put down the gas, and sat watching her. Suddenly she sat up in +bed, and, taking a bed-gown which was lying on it rolled up, she held it +eagerly to her breast,--to the right side. We could see her eyes bright +with a surprising tenderness and joy, bending over this bundle of +clothes. She held it as a woman holds her sucking child; opening out her +night-gown impatiently, and holding it close, and brooding over it, and +murmuring foolish little words, as over one whom his mother comforteth, +and who sucks and is satisfied. It was pitiful and strange to see her +wasted dying look, keen and yet vague,--her immense love. + +"Preserve me!" groaned James, giving way. And then she rocked backward +and forward, as if to make it sleep, hushing it, and wasting on it her +infinite fondness. "Wae's me, doctor! I declare she's thinkin' it's that +bairn." "What bairn?" "The only bairn we ever had; our wee Mysie, and +she's in the Kingdom forty years and mair." It was plainly true: the +pain in the breast, telling its urgent story to a bewildered, ruined +brain, was misread and mistaken; it suggested to her the uneasiness of a +breast full of milk, and then the child; and so again once more they +were together, and she had her ain wee Mysie in her bosom. + +This was the close. She sank rapidly: the delirium left her; but, as she +whispered, she was "clean silly;" it was the lightening before the final +darkness. After having for some time lain still, her eyes shut, she +said, "James!" He came close to her, and, lifting up her calm, clear, +beautiful eyes, she gave him a long look, turned to me kindly but +shortly, looked for Rab but could not see him, then turned to her +husband again, as if she would never leave off looking, shut her eyes +and composed herself. She lay for some time breathing quick, and passed +away so gently that, when we thought she was gone, James, in his old- +fashioned way, held the mirror to her face. After a long pause, one +small spot of dimness was breathed out; it vanished away, and never +returned, leaving the blank clear darkness without a stain. "What is our +life? it is even a vapor, which appeareth for a little time, and then +vanisheth away." + +Rab all this time had been fully awake and motionless: he came forward +beside us: Ailie's hand, which James had held, was hanging down; it was +soaked with his tears; Rab licked it all over carefully, looked at her, +and returned to his place under the table. + +James and I sat, I don't know how long, but for some time, saying +nothing: he started up abruptly, and with some noise went to the table, +and, putting his right fore and middle fingers each into a shoe, pulled +them out, and put them on, breaking one of the leather latchets, and +muttering in anger, "I never did the like o' that afore!" + +I believe he never did; nor after either. "Rab!" he said, roughly, and +pointing with his thumb to the bottom of the bed. Rab leaped up, and +settled himself, his head and eye to the dead face. "Maister John, ye'll +wait for me," said the carrier; and disappeared in the darkness, +thundering downstairs in his heavy shoes. I ran to a front window; there +he was, already round the house, and out at the gate, fleeing like a +shadow. + +I was afraid about him, and yet not afraid: so I sat down beside Rab, +and, being wearied, fell asleep. I awoke from a sudden noise outside. It +was November, and there had been a heavy fall of snow. Rab was in statu +quo; he heard the noise too, and plainly knew it, but never moved. I +looked out; and there, at the gate, in the dim morning,--for the sun was +not up,--was Jess and the cart, a cloud of steam rising from the old +mare. I did not see James; he was already at the door, and came up the +stairs and met me. It was less than three hours since he left, and he +must have posted out--who knows how?--to Howgate, full nine miles off, +yoked Jess, and driven her astonished into town. He had an armful of +blankets, and was streaming with perspiration. He nodded to me, +spread out on the floor two pairs of clean old blankets having at their +corners "A. G., 1794," in large letters in red worsted. These were the +initials of Alison Graeme, and James may have looked in at her from +without--himself unseen but not unthought of--when he was "wat, wat, and +weary," and, after having walked many a mile over the hills, may have +seen her sitting, while "a' the lave were sleepin'," and by the +firelight working her name on the blankets for her ain James's bed. + +He motioned Rab down, and, taking his wife in his arms, laid her in the +blankets, and happed her carefully and firmly up, leaving the face +uncovered; and then, lifting her, he nodded again sharply to me, and, +with a resolved but utterly miserable face, strode along the passage, +and down-stairs, followed by Rab. I followed with a light; but he didn't +need it. I went out, holding stupidly the candle in my hand in the calm +frosty air; we were soon at the gate. I could have helped him, but I saw +he was not to be meddled with, and he was strong and did not need it. He +laid her down as tenderly, as safely, as he had lifted her out ten days +before,--as tenderly as when he had her first in his arms when she was +only "A. G.,"--sorted her, leaving that beautiful sealed face open to +the heavens; and then, taking Jess by the head, he moved away. He did +not notice me; neither did Rab, who presided behind the cart. + +I stood till they passed through the long shadow of the College and +turned up Nicolson Street. I heard the solitary cart sound through the +streets and die away and come again; and I returned, thinking of that +company going up Libberton Brae, then along Roslin Muir, the morning +light touching the Pentlands and making them like on-looking ghosts, +then down the hill through Auchindinny woods, past "haunted Woodhouselee;" +and as daybreak came sweeping up the bleak Lammermuirs, and +fell on his own door, the company would stop, and James would take the +key, and lift Ailie up again, laying her on her own bed, and, having put +Jess up, would return with Rab and shut the door. + +James buried his wife, with his neighbors mourning, Rab watching the +proceedings from a distance. It was snow, and that black ragged hole +would look strange in the midst of the swelling spotless cushion of +white. James looked after everything; then rather suddenly fell ill, and +took to bed; was insensible when the doctor came, and soon died. A sort +of low fever was prevailing in the village, and his want of sleep, his +exhaustion, and his misery made him apt to take it. The grave was not +difficult to reopen. A fresh fall of snow had again made all things +white and smooth; Rab once more looked on, and slunk home to the stable. + +And what of Rab? I asked for him next week at the new carrier who got +the good-will of James's business and was now master of Jess and her +cart. "How's Rab?" He put me off, and said, rather rudely, "What's YOUR +business wi' the dowg?" I was not to be so put off. "Where's Rab?" He, +getting confused and red, and intermeddling with his hair, said, '"Deed, +sir, Rab's deid." "Dead! what did he die of?" "Weel, sir," said he, +getting redder, "he didna exactly dee; he was killed. I had to brain him +wi' a rackpin; there was nae doin' wi' him. He lay in the treviss wi' +the mear, and wadna come oot. I tempit him wi' kail and meat, but he wad +tak' naething, and keepit me fra feedin' the beast, and he was aye gur +gurrin', and grup gruppin' me by the legs. I was laith to mak' awa wi' +the auld dowg, his like wasna atween this and Thornhill,--but, 'deed, +sir, I could do naething else." I believed him. Fit end for Rab, quick +and complete. His teeth and his friends gone, why should he keep the +peace and be civil? + +He was buried in the braeface, near the burn, the children of the +village, his companions, who used to make very free with him and sit on +his ample stomach as he lay half asleep at the door in the sun, watching +the solemnity. + +[Illustration of a grave] + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Rab and His Friends, by John Brown, M. D. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RAB AND HIS FRIENDS *** + +This file should be named rbhfr10.txt or rbhfr10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, rbhfr11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, rbhfr10a.txt + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we usually do not +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +We are now trying to release all our eBooks one year in advance +of the official release dates, leaving time for better editing. +Please be encouraged to tell us about any error or corrections, +even years after the official publication date. + +Please note neither this listing nor its contents are final til +midnight of the last day of the month of any such announcement. +The official release date of all Project Gutenberg eBooks is at +Midnight, Central Time, of the last day of the stated month. A +preliminary version may often be posted for suggestion, comment +and editing by those who wish to do so. + +Most people start at our Web sites at: +http://gutenberg.net or +http://promo.net/pg + +These Web sites include award-winning information about Project +Gutenberg, including how to donate, how to help produce our new +eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter (free!). + + +Those of you who want to download any eBook before announcement +can get to them as follows, and just download by date. This is +also a good way to get them instantly upon announcement, as the +indexes our cataloguers produce obviously take a while after an +announcement goes out in the Project Gutenberg Newsletter. + +http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext03 or +ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/gutenberg/etext03 + +Or /etext02, 01, 00, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90 + +Just search by the first five letters of the filename you want, +as it appears in our Newsletters. + + +Information about Project Gutenberg (one page) + +We produce about two million dollars for each hour we work. The +time it takes us, a rather conservative estimate, is fifty hours +to get any eBook selected, entered, proofread, edited, copyright +searched and analyzed, the copyright letters written, etc. Our +projected audience is one hundred million readers. If the value +per text is nominally estimated at one dollar then we produce $2 +million dollars per hour in 2002 as we release over 100 new text +files per month: 1240 more eBooks in 2001 for a total of 4000+ +We are already on our way to trying for 2000 more eBooks in 2002 +If they reach just 1-2% of the world's population then the total +will reach over half a trillion eBooks given away by year's end. + +The Goal of Project Gutenberg is to Give Away 1 Trillion eBooks! +This is ten thousand titles each to one hundred million readers, +which is only about 4% of the present number of computer users. + +Here is the briefest record of our progress (* means estimated): + +eBooks Year Month + + 1 1971 July + 10 1991 January + 100 1994 January + 1000 1997 August + 1500 1998 October + 2000 1999 December + 2500 2000 December + 3000 2001 November + 4000 2001 October/November + 6000 2002 December* + 9000 2003 November* +10000 2004 January* + + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been created +to secure a future for Project Gutenberg into the next millennium. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +As of February, 2002, contributions are being solicited from people +and organizations in: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, +Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, +Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, +Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New +Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, +Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South +Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West +Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. + +We have filed in all 50 states now, but these are the only ones +that have responded. + +As the requirements for other states are met, additions to this list +will be made and fund raising will begin in the additional states. +Please feel free to ask to check the status of your state. + +In answer to various questions we have received on this: + +We are constantly working on finishing the paperwork to legally +request donations in all 50 states. If your state is not listed and +you would like to know if we have added it since the list you have, +just ask. + +While we cannot solicit donations from people in states where we are +not yet registered, we know of no prohibition against accepting +donations from donors in these states who approach us with an offer to +donate. + +International donations are accepted, but we don't know ANYTHING about +how to make them tax-deductible, or even if they CAN be made +deductible, and don't have the staff to handle it even if there are +ways. + +Donations by check or money order may be sent to: + +Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +PMB 113 +1739 University Ave. +Oxford, MS 38655-4109 + +Contact us if you want to arrange for a wire transfer or payment +method other than by check or money order. + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been approved by +the US Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization with EIN +[Employee Identification Number] 64-622154. Donations are +tax-deductible to the maximum extent permitted by law. As fund-raising +requirements for other states are met, additions to this list will be +made and fund-raising will begin in the additional states. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +You can get up to date donation information online at: + +http://www.gutenberg.net/donation.html + + +*** + +If you can't reach Project Gutenberg, +you can always email directly to: + +Michael S. Hart <hart@pobox.com> + +Prof. Hart will answer or forward your message. + +We would prefer to send you information by email. + + +**The Legal Small Print** + + +(Three Pages) + +***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS**START*** +Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers. +They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with +your copy of this eBook, even if you got it for free from +someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our +fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement +disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how +you may distribute copies of this eBook if you want to. + +*BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS EBOOK +By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +eBook, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept +this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive +a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this eBook by +sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person +you got it from. If you received this eBook on a physical +medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request. + +ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM EBOOKS +This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBooks, +is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor Michael S. Hart +through the Project Gutenberg Association (the "Project"). +Among other things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright +on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and +distribute it in the United States without permission and +without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth +below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this eBook +under the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark. + +Please do not use the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark to market +any commercial products without permission. + +To create these eBooks, the Project expends considerable +efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain +works. Despite these efforts, the Project's eBooks and any +medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other +things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other +intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged +disk or other eBook medium, a computer virus, or computer +codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. + +LIMITED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES +But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below, +[1] Michael Hart and the Foundation (and any other party you may +receive this eBook from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook) disclaims +all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including +legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR +UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, +INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE +OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE +POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. + +If you discover a Defect in this eBook within 90 days of +receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) +you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that +time to the person you received it from. If you received it +on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and +such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement +copy. If you received it electronically, such person may +choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to +receive it electronically. + +THIS EBOOK IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS +TO THE EBOOK OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT +LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A +PARTICULAR PURPOSE. + +Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or +the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the +above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you +may have other legal rights. + +INDEMNITY +You will indemnify and hold Michael Hart, the Foundation, +and its trustees and agents, and any volunteers associated +with the production and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm +texts harmless, from all liability, cost and expense, including +legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the +following that you do or cause: [1] distribution of this eBook, +[2] alteration, modification, or addition to the eBook, +or [3] any Defect. + +DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm" +You may distribute copies of this eBook electronically, or by +disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this +"Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg, +or: + +[1] Only give exact copies of it. Among other things, this + requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the + eBook or this "small print!" statement. You may however, + if you wish, distribute this eBook in machine readable + binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form, + including any form resulting from conversion by word + processing or hypertext software, but only so long as + *EITHER*: + + [*] The eBook, when displayed, is clearly readable, and + does *not* contain characters other than those + intended by the author of the work, although tilde + (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may + be used to convey punctuation intended by the + author, and additional characters may be used to + indicate hypertext links; OR + + [*] The eBook may be readily converted by the reader at + no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent + form by the program that displays the eBook (as is + the case, for instance, with most word processors); + OR + + [*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at + no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the + eBook in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC + or other equivalent proprietary form). + +[2] Honor the eBook refund and replacement provisions of this + "Small Print!" statement. + +[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Foundation of 20% of the + gross profits you derive calculated using the method you + already use to calculate your applicable taxes. If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation" + the 60 days following each date you prepare (or were + legally required to prepare) your annual (or equivalent + periodic) tax return. Please contact us beforehand to + let us know your plans and to work out the details. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +Project Gutenberg is dedicated to increasing the number of +public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed +in machine readable form. + +The Project gratefully accepts contributions of money, time, +public domain materials, or royalty free copyright licenses. +Money should be paid to the: +"Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +If you are interested in contributing scanning equipment or +software or other items, please contact Michael Hart at: +hart@pobox.com + +[Portions of this eBook's header and trailer may be reprinted only +when distributed free of all fees. Copyright (C) 2001, 2002 by +Michael S. Hart. Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be +used in any sales of Project Gutenberg eBooks or other materials be +they hardware or software or any other related product without +express permission.] + +*END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS*Ver.02/11/02*END* + diff --git a/old/rbhfr10.zip b/old/rbhfr10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..17930f1 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/rbhfr10.zip |