In the course of her study of Milton, Annie had come upon Samson's lamentation over his blindness; and had found, soon after, the passage in which Milton, in his own person, bewails the loss of light.

The thought that she would read them to Tibbie Dyster was a natural one.
She borrowed the volumes from Mrs Forbes; and, the next evening, made her way to Tibbie's cottage, where she was welcomed as usual by her gruff voice of gratefulness.
"Ye're a gude bairn to come a' this gait through the snaw to see an auld blin' body like me.

It's dingin' on (snowing or raining)--is na 't, bairn ?" "Ay is't.

Hoo do ye ken, Tibbie ?" "I dinna ken hoo I ken.

I was na sure.