Nashon laughed at the fears of Dione, and, before they parted, assumed the boldness of sealing the protestations of his affection, and the sincerity of his views of ultimate prudence and amendment, by a kiss, which, though it produced a blush extending from bandeau to tucker, was, in the end, forgiven with such a sweetness of expression and so modest a demeanour, that a stoic could not have resisted the impulse which stimulated the thief to a repetition of the petty larceny.
Nashon's subsequent proceedings were of the same character as those already detailed. He attended the races in a borrowed tandem, without hinting anything concerning the proprietorship of what was presumed to be his own. His generosity in being the contributor of the prize of the next steeple-chase was lauded by all those who got a chance for winning it. Dinners followed at Eyrymount and other places; and Nashon, following in the wake of Græme, though sometimes leading the way, appeared to be fast hurrying to the gulf which awaits the victims of passions whose gratification holds no proportion to the means of supporting a dissolute life. A year passed on, during which a great deal of money was spent by Græme, and not a little by Nashon, whose resources from the funds he got as executor of the proprietor of Outfieldhaugh were, however, more than sufficient for a much greater expenditure. In the midst of this dissipation he was repeatedly attempted to be reclaimed by those who wished him well, and, among others, his old master, Langbane, had many interviews with him, with a view of producing some salutary sense of the imprudence of his conduct.
"I hae warned you," said the old miser, "an' my warnins are nae beetles' sangs i' the auld wa's o' spaein wives. But the truth o' our proverbs works out in spite o' a' the warnins o' Solomon; an I think we hae ane that says, 'Set a beggar on horseback an' he'll ride to the deevil.' I hae seen that verified often i' my day; and anither o' the same kind--'Reek comes aye down again, however high it flees'--is just as pithy and pertinent to your case. I never mak an apology for gi'en a man a guid advice; because, if he taks the poker and drives me out o' his house, he just verifies another guid auld sayin--'He that comes atween a fule and his ruin, is like him wha interferes atween a man an' his wife--he's sure o' the reddin straik.'"