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hang； nor her to gang disgraced； puir thing！ She can be naething
mair to me； as I say； but I wud like weel the wringin' o' a lord's
neck！ It wud be like killin' a shark！〃
〃Why do you tell me this？〃 asked Donal。
〃'Cause I look to you to get me to word o' the man。〃
〃That you may wring his neck？You should not have told me that： I
should be art and part in his murder！〃
〃Wud ye hae me lat the lassie tak her chance ohn dune onything？〃
said the fisherman with scorn。
〃By no means。 I would do something myself whoever the girl wasand
she is the granddaughter of my best friends。〃
〃Sir； ye winna surely fail me！〃
〃I will help you somehow； but I will not do what you want me。 I
will turn the thing over in my mind。 I promise you I will do
somethingwhat； I cannot say offhand。 You had better go home
again； and I will come to you to…morrow。〃
〃Na； na； that winna do！〃 said the man； half doggedly； half fiercely。
〃The hert ill be oot o' my body gien I dinna du something！ This
verra nicht it maun be dune！ I canna bide in hell ony langer。 The
thoucht o' the rascal slaverin' his lees ower my Eppy 's killin' me！
My brain 's like a fire： I see the verra billows o' the ocean as
reid 's blude。〃
〃If you come near the castle to…night； I will have you taken up。 I
am too much your friend to see you hanged！ But if you go home and
leave the matter to me； I will do my best； and let you know。 She
shall be saved if I can compass it。 What； man！ you would not have
God against you？〃
〃He'll be upo' the side o' the richt； I'm thinkin'！〃
〃Doubtless； but he has said； 'Vengeance is mine！' He can't trust us
with that。 He won't have us interfering。 It's more his concern
than yours yet that the lassie have fair play。 I will do my part。〃
They walked on in gloomy silence for some time。 Suddenly the
fisherman put out his hand； seized Donal's with a convulsive grasp；
was possibly reassured by the strength with which Donal's responded；
turned； and without a word went back。
Donal had to think。 Here was a most untoward affair！ What could he
do？ What ought he to attempt？ From what he had seen of the young
lord； he could not believe he intended wrong to the girl； but he
might he selfishly amusing himself； and was hardly one to reflect
that the least idle familiarity with her was a wrong！ The thing； if
there was the least truth in it； must be put a stop to at once！ but
it might be all a fancy of the justly jealous lover； to whom the
girl had not of late been behaving as she ought！ Or might there not
be somebody else？ At the same time there was nothing absurd in the
idea that a youth； fresh from college and suddenly discompanioned at
home； without society； possessed by no love of literature； and with
almost no amusements； should； if only for very ennui； be attracted
by the pretty face and figure of Eppy； and then enthralled by her
coquetries of instinctive response。 There was danger to the girl
both in silence and in speech： if there was no ground for the
apprehension； the very supposition was an injurymight even suggest
the thing it was intended to frustrate！ Still something must be
risked！ He had just been reading in sir Philip Sidney； that
〃whosoever in great things will think to prevent all objections；
must lie still and do nothing。〃 But what was he to do？ The
readiest and simplest thing was to go to the youth； tell him what he
had heard； and ask him if there was any ground for it。 But they
must find the girl another situation！ in either case distance must
be put between them！ He would tell her grandparents； but he feared；
if there was any truth in it； they would have no great influence
with her。 If on the other hand； the thing was groundless； they
might make it up between her and her fisherman； and have them
married！ She might only have been teasing him！He would certainly
speak to the young lord！ Yet again； what if he should actually put
the mischief into his thoughts！ If there should be ever so slight a
leaning in the direction； might he not so give a sudden and fatal
impulse？ He would take the housekeeper into his counsel！ She must
understand the girl！ Things would at once show themselves to her on
the one side or the other； which might reveal the path he ought to
take。 But did he know mistress Brookes well enough？ Would she be
prudent； or spoil everything by precipitation？ She might ruin the
girl if she acted without sympathy； caring only to get the
appearance of evil out of the house！
The way the legally righteous act the policeman in the moral world
would be amusing were it not so sad。 They are always making the
evil 〃move on；〃 driving it to do its mischiefs to other people
instead of them； dispersing nests of the degraded to crowd them the
more； and with worse results； in other parts： why should such be
shocked at the idea of sending out of the world those to whom they
will not give a place in it to lay their heads？ They treat them in
this world as； according to the old theology； their God treats them
in the next； keeping them alive for sin and suffering。
Some with the bright lamp of their intellect； others with the smoky
lamp of their life； cast a shadow of God on the wall of the
universe； and then believe or disbelieve in the shadow。
Donal was still in meditation when he reached home； and still
undecided what he should do。 Crossing a small court on his way to
his aerie； he saw the housekeeper making signs to him from the
window of her room。 He turned and went to her。 It was of Eppy she
wanted to speak to him！ How often is the discovery of a planet； of
a truth； of a scientific fact； made at once in different places far
apart！ She asked him to sit down； and got him a glass of milk；
which was his favourite refreshment； little imagining the expression
she attributed to fatigue arose from the very thing occupying her
own thoughts。
〃It's a queer thing；〃 she began； 〃for an auld wife like me to come
til a yoong gentleman like yersel'； sir； wi' sic a tale； but； as the
sayin' is； 'needs maun whan the deil drives'； an' here's like to be
an unco stramash aboot the place； gien we comena thegither upo' some
gait oot o' 't。 Dinna luik sae scaret like； sir； we may be in time
yet er' the warst come to the warst； though it's some ill to say
what may be the warst in sic an ill coopered kin' o' affair！
There's thae twa fules o' bairnstroth； they're nae better； an'
the tane 's jist as muckle to blame as the titheronly the lass is
waur to blame nor the lad； bein' made sharper； an' kennin' better
nor him what comes o' sic！Eh； but she is a gowk！〃
Here Mrs。 Brookes paused； lost in contemplation of the gowkedness of
Eppy。
She was a florid； plump； good…looking woman； over forty； with thick
auburn hair； brushed smoothone of those women comely in soul as
well as body； who are always to the discomfiture of wrong and the
healing of strife。 Left a young widow； she had refused many offers：
once was all that was required of her in the way of marriage！ She
had found her husband good enough not to be followed by another； and
marriage hard enough to favour the same result。 When she sat down；
smoothing her apron