Few days of my life have been fuller of vexation than the day of that hobbleshow in Chucky Stanes: I have ever since, in memory of what I suffered, called it the Black Wednesday.

On my return to the Hillocks, after the precognition at the provost’s, I felt myself much out of spirits, fatigued, and an all-overishness about me, as if I had been unwell; so I went and threw myself down on the sofa, the scene of the outrage, incapable of guiding my own thoughts.

I would have sent for my son, and explained to him the much ado about nothing; but, upon reflection, I thought it a subject he had better hear of from another. Sometimes my mind was inclined to abandon Chucky Stanes and Mrs. Greenknowe at once; then I recollected my two forlorn daughters, and how well that lady was calculated to be of the greatest service to them; and that, though on the near side of thirty, as concerned me, she was still a handsome young woman. Thus, my thoughts rising and falling like the sea-waves chafing a sandy shore, I lay ruminating for some time; at last I fell asleep.

When I was roused for dinner, there was a note from my son on the table, telling me he had gone to Kelso races with another young man; and that he would not be back before Saturday, when he hoped to find me well and comfortable. I had but little appetite, and this letter did not sharpen it: at first I was vexed that he had not told me of his intended excursion; but when I considered what had happened, I was obliged to acknowledge he had certainly acted judiciously in getting out of the way, and I wished I could have done the same. It showed me, however, what I had not thought of before, that the time was drawing near when he would probably be quitting his father's house altogether. This led me on to think that my other children, one after another, would be doing the same; and that the day was not very distant when I might find myself a lonely old man, in want of some such worthy companion as Mrs. Greenknowe, who, being younger, was the better able to take care of my old age.