In the interview between Wallace and Hazelrig in the house
in the Wellgate in Lanark, when Wallace dramatically draws his sword in
answer to the supplication for mercy, and says: "Ay, the same mercy as
you showed my Marion," Robert's voice would thunder forth the words with
terrible sternness, while Nellie would gasp and catch her breath in a
quick little sob of excitement, as the feeling of satisfied justice
filled her heart. And when the blow fell that laid the English governor
low, she would burst out: "Serves him richt, the dirty tyrant. He's got
what he deserved, an' it serves him right!"
On another occasion Robert would suddenly burst out laughing, when
reading Delta's chronicle of the adventures of Mansie Waugh, the
Scottish "Handy Andy."
"What are you laughing at, Robin?" Nellie would enquire, a smile
breaking over her face also.
"Oh, it's Mansie Waugh, mither. Oh, but it's a gran' bit. Listen to
this," and he would begin to read the passage, where Mansie, simple soul
that he was, was described as going into the byre in the morning to
learn if the cow had calved during the night, and finding, on opening
the door, the donkey of a traveling tinker, he turned and ran into the
house, crying: "Mither! Mither! The coo has calved, an' it's a cuddy!"
Whenever he reached this part of the story, his mother would go off into
a fit of uncontrollable laughter which left her helpless and crumpled up
in a heap upon the nearest chair.
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