to understand shop signs and notices in the windows; after they had
again and again imagined themselves back at a place they had left
miles away; after many a useless effort to lay hold of directions
given so rapidly that the very sense could not gather the sounds,
they at length stood--not in Portland Place, but in front of
Westminster Abbey. Inquiring what it was, and finding they could
go in, they entered.

For some moments not a word was spoken between them, but when they
had walked slowly halfway up the nave Malcolm turned and said, "Eh,
Peter! sic a blessin'!" and Peter replied, "There canna be muckle
o' this i' the warl'!"

Comparing impressions afterwards, Peter said that the moment he
stepped in, he heard the rush of the tide on the rocks of Scaurnose;
and Malcolm declared he felt as if he had stepped out of the world
into the regions of eternal silence.

"What a mercy it maun be," he went on, "to mony a cratur', in sic
a whummle an' a rum'le an' a remish as this Lon'on, to ken 'at
there is sic a cave howkit oot o' the din, 'at he can gang intill
an' say his prayers intill! Man, Peter! I'm jist some feared whiles
'at the verra din i' my lugs mayna 'maist drive the thoucht o' God
oot o' me."

At length they found their way into Regent Street, and leaving
its mean assertion behind, reached the stately modesty of Portland
Place; and Malcolm was pleased to think the house he sought was
one of those he now saw.