It was the way to produce a complete prig, but
somehow ThomasCarlyle was not the ordinary prig.
Long and solemnly heperpended the question of the
ministry.
It is the foible of a Scot that he can never cut
the bonds whichbind him to his own country.
No undergraduate protagonisthad a single physical,
mental, or moral oddity which wentunadvertised.
He had the lookof one continually surprised at
life, and a little lost in it.
A bright fire crackled on thehearth, for the
October evenings at Blaweary were chilly.
Were going into the Canonry, said Jaikie. Is
Dougalgoing to sow tares by the roadside? Im always burning orfreezing, and you keep
a nice, average, normal temperature. But it was in the hard case of Evallonia that
he speciallyinterested himself.
Then ensued torrential confessions of faith
andaudacious ambition. In foreignaffairs alone he allowed himself a certain
latitude.
Experts complained that whenever he condescended
todetails he talked nonsense. Much of this success wasdue to Thomas himself. If I
think theres dirty work going on Im for starting arevolution.
The caustic asked who had made this tripe-merchant
a judge inIsrael. In all theserespects he was the image of Thomas Carlyle Craw. He
had recovered his onlyconfidant, and did not mean to spare him.
He became a prey to the most devastating
fear.
Not that you havent got the other kind too. He
would like to, said Jaikie, but he wont be allowed.
His true weapon, hefeels, is the pen, not the
tongue. There followed a statement of ideals which was noblyeclectic. Mr McCunn
spoke of those who had years before acknowledged Dougalssway.
After the war came the Liberalrevival, and he saw
his chance. Among them he ruled as a mildtyrant, arbitrary but not unkindly. But the
eyes remained the same, grey-green, deep-set,sullen, smouldering with a fierce
vitality. If I want a thing changed I must drive at it like a young
bull.
It was the way to produce a complete prig, but
somehow ThomasCarlyle was not the ordinary prig. It was a drizzling evening, the
same weather whichthat day had graced the Kangaroo match. So his sensitiveness
became a disease, and he guarded his seclusionwith a vestal jealousy. Im a poor sort
of crusader, said Dougal ruefully. But you say youre not heeding theelection. Hell
risein the world no doubt, for he has a great head for figures.