by the ghastly efforts of chirpy little Southerners to look solemn
on occasion, but his dreams were satisfied at the sight of men like
Drumsheugh and Hillocks in their Sabbath blacks. Nature lent an
initial advantage in face, but it was an instinct in the blood that
brought our manner to perfection, and nothing could be more awful
than a group of those austere figures, each man gazing into vacancy
without a trace of expression, and refusing to recognise his nearest
neighbour by word or look. Drumtochty gave itself to a "beerial"
with chastened satisfaction, partly because it lay near to the
sorrow of things, and partly because there was nothing of speculation
in it. "Ye can hae little rael pleesure in a merrige," explained our
gravedigger, in whom the serious side had been perhaps abnormally
developed, "for ye never ken hoo it will end; but there's nae risk
about a 'beerial.'"

It came with a shock upon townsmen that the ceremony began with a
"service o' speerits," and that an attempt of the Free Kirk minister
to replace this by the reading of Scripture was resisted as an
"innovation." Yet every one admitted that the seriousness of
Drumtochty pervaded and sanctified this function. A tray of glasses
was placed on a table with great solemnity by the "wricht," who made
no sign and invited none. You might have supposed that the
circumstance had escaped the notice of the company, so abstracted
and unconscious was their manner, had it not been that two graven
images a minute later are standing at the table.

"Ye 'ill taste, Tammas," with settled melancholy.

"Na, na; I've nae incleenation the day; it's an awfu' dispensation
this, Jeems. She wud be barely saxty."