Valuablerowsofbookslookeddownupontheplaceoftorture；
　　andIcouldhearsparrowschirpinginthegarden，andmysprightlycousinalreadybangingthepianoandpouringforthanacidstreamofsongfromthedrawing-roomoverhead。
　　Itwasinthesecircumstancesthat，withallbrevityofspeechandacertainboyishsullennessofmanner，lookingthewhileuponthefloor，Iinformedmyrelativesofmyfinancialsituation：theamountIowedPinkerton；thehopelessnessofanymaintenancefromsculpture；thecareerofferedmeintheStates；andhow，beforebecomingmorebeholdentoastranger，Ihadjudgeditrighttolaythecasebeforemyfamily。
　　“Iamonlysorryyoudidnotcometomeatfirst。”saidUncleAdam。“Itakethelibertytosayitwouldhavebeenmoredecent。”
　　“Ithinksotoo，UncleAdam。”Ireplied；“butyoumustbearinmindIwasignorantinwhatlightyoumightregardmyapplication。”
　　“IhopeIwouldneverturnmybackonmyownfleshandblood。”hereturnedwithemphasis；buttomyanxiousear，withmoreoftemperthanaffection。“Icouldneverforgetyouweremysister’sson。Iregardthisasamanifestduty。Ihavenochoicebuttoaccepttheentireresponsibilityofthepositionyouhavemade。”
　　Ididnotknowwhatelsetodobutmurmur“thankyou。”
　　“Yes。”hepursued，“andthereissomethingprovidentialinthecircumstancethatyoucomeattherighttime。Inmyoldfirmthereisavacancy；theycallthemselvesItalianWarehousemennow。”hecontinued，regardingmewithatwinkleofhumour；
　　“soyoumaythinkyourselfinluck：wewereonlygrocersinmyday。Ishallplaceyouthereto-morrow。”
　　“Stopamoment，UncleAdam。”Ibrokein。“ThisisnotatallwhatIamasking。IaskyoutopayPinkerton，whoisapoorman。Iaskyoutoclearmyfeetofdebt，nottoarrangemylifeoranypartofit。”
　　“IfIwishedtobeharsh，Imightremindyouthatbeggarscannotbechoosers。”saidmyuncle；“andastomanagingyourlife，youhavetriedyourownwayalready，andyouseewhatyouhavemadeofit。Youmustnowaccepttheguidanceofthoseolderandwhateveryoumaythinkofitwiserthanyourself。AlltheseschemesofyourfriendofwhomIknownothing，bythebyandtalkofopeningsintheWest，Isimplydisregard。Ihavenoideawhateverofyourgoingtrokingacrossacontinentonawild-goosechase。Inthissituation，whichI
　　amfortunatelyabletoplaceatyourdisposal，andwhichmanyawell-conductedyoungmanwouldbegladtojumpat，youwillreceive，tobeginwith，eighteenshillingsaweek。”
　　“Eighteenshillingsaweek！”Icried。“Why，mypoorfriendgavememorethanthatfornothing！”
　　“AndIthinkitisthisveryfriendyouarenowtryingtorepay？”
　　observedmyuncle，withanairofoneadvancingastrongargument。
　　“Aadam！”saidmygrandfather。
　　“I’mvexedyoushouldbepresentatthisbusiness。”quothUncleAdam，swingingratherobsequiouslytowardsthestonemason；
　　“butImustremindyouitisofyourownseeking。”
　　“Aadam！”repeatedtheoldman。
　　“Well，sir，Iamlistening。”saysmyuncle。
　　Mygrandfathertookapuffortwoinsilence；andthen，“Ye’remakin’anawfu’poorappearance，Aadam。”saidhe。
　　Myunclevisiblyrearedattheaffront。“I’msorryyoushouldthinkso。”saidhe，“andstillmoresorryyoushouldsaysobeforepresentcompany。”
　　“Abelievethat；Akenthat，Aadam。”returnedoldLoudon，dryly；“andthecuriisthingis，I’mnoverycarin’。Seehere，maman。”hecontinued，addressinghimselftome。“A’myourgrandfaither，amn’tInot？NeveryoumindwhatAadamsays。
　　A’llseejusticedinye。A’mrich。”
　　“Father。”saidUncleAdam，“Iwouldlikeonewordwithyouinprivate。”
　　Irosetogo。
　　“Setdownuponyourhinderlands。”criedmygrandfather，almostsavagely。“IfAadamhasanythingtosay，lethimsayit。
　　It’smethathasthemoneyhere；andbyGravy！I’mgoin’tobeobeyed。”
　　Uponthisscurvyencouragement，itappearedthatmyunclehadnoremarktooffer：twicechallengedto“speakoutandbedonewithit。”hetwicesullenlydeclined；andImaymentionthataboutthisperiodoftheengagement，Ibegantobesorryforhim。
　　“Seehere，then，Jeannie’syin！”resumedmygrandfather。“A’mgoin’togiveyeaset-off。Yourmitherwasalwaysmyfav’rite，forAnevercouldagreewithAadam。Alikeyefineyoursel’；
　　there’snaenoansenseabootye；ye’veafinenayteralideeofbuilder’swork；ye’vebeentoFrance，wheretheytellmethey’regrandatthestuccy。Asplendidthingforceilin’s，thestuccy！
　　andit’savailyabledisguise，too；Adon’tbelievethere’sabuilderinScotlandhasusedmorestuccythanme。ButasA
　　wassayin’，ifye’llfolliethattrade，withthecapitalthatA’mgoin’togiveye，yemayliveyettobeasrichasmysel’。Yesee，yewouldhavealwayshadashareofitwhenAwasgone；itappearsye’reneedin’itnow；well，ye’llgettheless，asisonlyjustandproper。”
　　UncleAdamclearedhisthroat。“Thisisveryhandsome，father。”saidhe；“andIamsureLoudonfeelsitso。Veryhandsome，andasyousay，veryjust；butwillyouallowmetosaythatithadbetter，perhaps，beputinblackandwhite？”
　　Theenmityalwayssmoulderingbetweenthetwomenatthisill-judgedinterruptionalmostburstinflame。Thestonemasonturneduponhisoffspring，hislongupperlippulleddown，foralltheworld，likeamonkey’s。Hestaredawhileinvirulentsilence；andthen“GetGregg！”saidhe。
　　Theeffectofthesewordswasveryvisible。“Hewillbegonetohisoffice。”stammeredmyuncle。
　　“GetGregg！”repeatedmygrandfather。
　　“Itellyou，hewillbegonetohisoffice。”reiteratedAdam。
　　“AndItellye，he’stakin’hissmoke。”retortedtheoldman。
　　“Verywell，then。”criedmyuncle，gettingtohisfeetwithsomealacrity，asuponasuddenchangeofthought，“Iwillgethimmyself。”
　　“Yewillnot！”criedmygrandfather。“Yewillsitthereuponyourhinderland。”
　　“ThenhowthedevilamItogethim？”myunclebrokeforth，withnotunnaturalpetulance。
　　Mygrandfatherhavingnopossibleanswergrinnedathissonwiththemaliceofaschoolboy；thenherangthebell。
　　“Takethegardenkey。”saidUncleAdamtotheservant；“goovertothegarden，andifMr。Greggthelawyeristherehegenerallysitsundertheredhawthorn，givehimoldMr。
　　Loudon’scompliments，andwillhestepinhereforamoment？”
　　“Mr。Greggthelawyer！”AtonceIunderstoodwhathadbeenpuzzlingmethesignificanceofmygrandfatherandthealarmofmypooruncle：thestonemason’swill，itwassupposed，hungtremblinginthebalance。
　　“Lookhere，grandfather。”Isaid，“Ididn’twantanyofthis。AllIwantedwasaloanofsaytwohundredpounds。Icantakecareofmyself；Ihaveprospectsandopportunities，goodfriendsintheStates——“
　　Theoldmanwavedmedown。“It’smethatspeakshere。”hesaidcurtly；andwewaitedthecomingofthelawyerinatriplesilence。Heappearedatlast，themaidusheringhimin——aspectacled，dry，butnotungeniallookingman。
　　“Here，Gregg。”criedmygrandfather。“Justaquestion：WhathasAadamgottodowithmywill？”
　　“I’mafraidIdon’tquiteunderstand。”saidthelawyer，staring。
　　“Whathashegottodowithit？”repeatedtheoldman，smitingwithhisfistuponthearmofhischair。“Ismymoneymine’s，orisitAadam’s？CanAadaminterfere？”
　　“O，Isee。”saidMr。Gregg。“Certainlynot。Onthemarriageofbothofyourchildrenacertainsumwaspaiddownandacceptedinfulloflegitim。Youhavesurelynotforgottenthecircumstance，Mr。Loudon？”
　　“Sothat，ifIlike。”concludedmygrandfather，hammeringouthiswords，“IcanleaveeverydoitIdiepossessedoftotheGreatMagunn？”——meaningprobablytheGreatMogul。
　　“Nodoubtofit。”repliedGregg，withashadowofasmile。
　　“Yehearthat，Aadam？”askedmygrandfather。
　　“ImaybeallowedtosayIhadnoneedtohearit。”saidmyuncle。
　　“Verywell。”saysmygrandfather。“YouandJeannie’syincangoforabitwalk。MeandGregghasbusiness。”
　　WhenonceIwasinthehallalonewithUncleAdam，Iturnedtohim，sickatheart。“UncleAdam。”Isaid，“youcanunderstand，betterthanIcansay，howverypainfulallthisistome。”
　　“Yes，Iamsorryyouhaveseenyourgrandfatherinsounamiablealight。”repliedthisextraordinaryman。“Youshouldn’tallowittoaffectyourmindthough。Hehassterlingqualities，quiteanextraordinarycharacter；andIhavenofearbuthemeanstobehavehandsomelytoyou。”
　　Hiscomposurewasbeyondmyimitation：thehousecouldnotcontainme，norcouldIevenpromisetoreturntoit：inconcessiontowhichweakness，itwasagreedthatIshouldcallinaboutanhourattheofficeofthelawyer，whomasheleftthelibraryUncleAdamshouldwaylayandinformofthearrangement。Isupposetherewasneveramoretopsy-turvysituation：youwouldhavethoughtitwasIwhohadsufferedsomerebuff，andthatiron-sidedAdamwasagenerousconquerorwhoscornedtotakeadvantage。
　　ItwasplainenoughthatIwastobeendowed：towhatextentanduponwhatconditionsIwasnowleftforanhourtomeditateinthewideandsolitarythoroughfaresofthenewtown，takingcounselwithstreet-cornerstatuesofGeorgeIV。
　　andWilliamPitt，improvingmymindwiththepicturesinthewindowofamusic-shop，andrenewingmyacquaintancewithEdinburgheastwind。BytheendofthehourImademywaytoMr。Gregg’soffice，whereIwasplaced，withafewappropriatewords，inpossessionofachequefortwothousandpoundsandasmallparcelofarchitecturalworks。
　　“Mr。Loudonbidsmeadd。”continuedthelawyer，consultingalittlesheetofnotes，“thatalthoughthesevolumesareveryvaluabletothepracticalbuilder，youmustbecarefulnottoloseoriginality。Hetellsyoualsonottobe’haddendoun’——hisownexpression——bythetheoryofstrains，andthatPortlandcement，properlysanded，willgoalongway。”
　　Ismiled，andremarkedthatIsupposeditwould。
　　“Ioncelivedinoneofmyexcellentclient’shouses。”observedthelawyer；“andIwastempted，inthatcase，tothinkithadgonefarenough。”
　　“Underthesecircumstances，sir。”saidI，“youwillberatherrelievedtohearthatIhavenointentionofbecomingabuilder。”
　　Atthis，hefairlylaughed；and，theicebeingbroken，Iwasabletoconsulthimastomyconduct。HeinsistedImustreturntothehouse，atleast，forluncheon，andoneofmywalkswithMr。
　　Loudon。“Fortheevening，Iwillfurnishyouwithanexcuse，ifyouplease。”saidhe，“byaskingyoutoabachelordinnerwithmyself。Buttheluncheonandthewalkareunavoidable。Heisanoldman，and，Ibelieve，reallyfondofyou；hewouldnaturallyfeelaggrievediftherewereanyappearanceofavoidinghim；andasforMr。Adam，doyouknow，Ithinkyourdelicacyoutofplace。Andnow，Mr。Dodd，whatareyoutodowiththismoney？”
　　Ay，therewasthequestion。Withtwothousandpounds——fiftythousandfrancs——ImightreturntoParisandthearts，andbeaprinceandmillionaireinthatthriftyLatinQuarter。IthinkI
　　hadthegrace，withonecornerofmymind，tobegladthatIhadsenttheLondonletter：Iknowverywellthatwiththerestandworstofme，Irepentedbitterlyofthatprecipitateact。Ononepoint，however，mywholemultiplexestateofmanwasunanimous：theletterbeinggone，therewasnohelpbutImustfollow。Themoneywasaccordinglydividedintwounequalshares：forthefirst，Mr。GregggotmeabillinthenameofDijontomeetmyliabilitiesinParis；forthesecond，asIhadalreadycashinhandfortheexpensesofmyjourney，hesuppliedmewithdraftsonSanFrancisco。
　　TherestofmybusinessinEdinburgh，nottodwellonaveryagreeabledinnerwiththelawyerorthehorrorsofthefamilyluncheon，tooktheformofanexcursionwiththestonemason，wholedmethistimetonosuburborworkofhisoldhands，butwithanimpulsebothnaturalandpretty，tothatmoreenduringhomewhichhehadchosenforhisclay。Itwasinacemetery，bysomestrangechance，immuredwithinthebulwarksofaprison；standing，besides，onthemarginofacliff，crowdedwithelderlystonememorials，andgreenwithturfandivy。TheeastwindwhichIthoughttooharshfortheoldman
　　continuallyshooktheboughs，andthethinsunofaScottishsummerdrewtheirdancingshadows。