The encounter fortunately took place upon a Friday, so that the combatants had both Saturday and Sunday, with the deodand of a slight fine for being absent from chapel, to recover appearances.

Alec kept to the house both days, and read hard at his medical and anatomical books.
His landlady took charge of his eye, and ministered to it with assiduity and discretion, asking no questions, and courting no confidences, only looking at him comically now and then out of gray motherly eyes, that might have been trusted with the universe.

She knew the ways of students.

In the course of one of the dressings, she said: "Ye'll be thinkin' lang (ennuye), Mr Forbes, at haein' to bide i' the hoose wi' that blackamoor ee o' yours.

Hoo dinna ye gang up the stair to Mr Cupples, and hae a lauch wi' him ?" "I didna ken ye had onybody up the stair.