For there were deep furrows on
Alister's brow, but far deeper was the despondency of his soul. He was
in the lowest possible spirits, and with a Scotchman that is low indeed.
He had made out his way to his cousin's place of business, and had heard
a very satisfactory report of the commercial success, but--the cousin
had gone "to the States."
Alister felt himself very much ill-used by fate, and I believe Dennis
felt himself very much ill-used by Alister, that evening, but I maintain
that I alone was the person really to be pitied, because I had to keep
matters smooth between the two. The gloom into which Alister relapsed,
his prophecies, prognostications, warnings, raven-like croakings,
parallel instances, general reflections and personal applications, as
well as his obstinate notion that he would be "a burden and a curse" to
"the two of us," and that it would have been small wonder had the
sailors cast him forth into the Atlantic, like the Prophet Jonah, as
being certain to draw ill-luck on his companions, were trying enough;
but it was no joke that misfortune had precisely the opposite effect
upon Dennis.
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