Chapter 23

GRIZEL PAYS THREE VISITS

Less alarming but more irritating was the attempt of the youth of
Monypenny and the West town end, to establish a rival firm of Jacobites
(without even being sure of the name). They started business (Francie
Crabb leader, because he had a kilt) on a flagon of porter and an
ounce of twist, which they carried on a stick through the Den, saying
"Bowf!" like dogs, when they met anyone, and then laughing doubtfully.
The twist and porter were seized by Tommy and his followers, and
Haggerty-Taggerty, Major, arrived home with his head so firmly secured
in the flagon that the solder had to be melted before he saw the world
again. Francie was in still worse plight, for during the remainder of
the evening he had to hide in shame among the brackens, and Tommy wore a
kilt.

One cruel revenge the beaten rivals had. They waylaid Grizel, when she
was alone, and thus assailed her, she answering not a word.

"What's a father?"

"She'll soon no have a mither either!"

"The Painted Lady needs to paint her cheeks no longer!"

"Na, the red spots comes themsels now."

"Have you heard her hoasting?"

"Ay, it's the hoast o' a dying woman."

"The joiner heard it, and gave her a look, measuring her wi' his eye for
the coffin. 'Five and a half by one and a half would hold her snod,' he
says to himsel'."

"Ronny-On's auld wife heard it, and says she, 'Dinna think, my leddy, as
you'll be buried in consecrated ground.'"

"Na, a'body kens she'll just be hauled at the end o' a rope to the hole
where the witches was shooled in."

"Wi' a paling spar through her, to keep her down on the day o'
judgment."

Well, well, these children became men and women in time, one of them
even a bit of a hero, though he never knew it.

Are you angry with them? If so, put the cheap thing aside, or think only
of Grizel, and perhaps God will turn your anger into love for her.

Great-hearted, solitary child! She walked away from them without
flinching, but on reaching the Den, where no one could see her--she lay
down on the ground, and her cheeks were dry, but little wells of water
stood in her eyes.

She would not be the Lady Grizel that night. She went home instead, but
there was something she wanted to ask Tommy now, and the next time she
saw him she began at once. Grizel always began at once, often in the
middle, she saw what she was making for so clearly.

"Do you know what it means when there are red spots in your cheeks, that
used not to be there?"

Tommy knew at once to whom she was referring, for he had heard the