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Chapter 3
ButIamnobeggar;Ilookfornofavoursatyourhands,andIwantnonethatarenotfreelygiven.ForaspoorasIappear,Ihavefriendsofmyownthatwillbeblithetohelpme.”
“Hoot-toot!”saidUncleEbenezer,“dinnaeflyupinthesnuffatme.We’llagreefineyet.And,Davie,myman,ifyou’redonewiththatbitparritch,Icouldjusttakeasupofitmyself.Ay,”hecontinued,assoonashehadoustedmefromthestoolandspoon,“they’refine,halesomefood—they’regrandfood,parritch.”Hemurmuredalittlegracetohimselfandfellto.“Yourfatherwasveryfondofhismeat,Imind;hewasahearty,ifnotagreateater;butasforme,Icouldneverdomairthanpykeatfood.”Hetookapullatthesmallbeer,whichprobablyremindedhimofhospitableduties,forhisnextspeechranthus:“Ifye’redryye’llfindwaterbehindthedoor.”
TothisIreturnednoanswer,standingstifflyonmytwofeet,andlookingdownuponmyunclewithamightyangryheart.He,onhispart,continuedtoeatlikeamanundersomepressureoftime,andtothrowoutlittledartingglancesnowatmyshoesandnowatmyhome-spunstockings.Onceonly,whenhehadventuredtolookalittlehigher,oureyesmet;andnothieftakenwithahandinaman’spocketcouldhaveshownmorelivelysignalsofdistress.Thissetmeinamuse,whetherhistimidityarosefromtoolongadisuseofanyhumancompany;andwhetherperhaps,uponalittletrial,itmightpassoff,andmyunclechangeintoanaltogetherdifferentman.
