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〃What　the　deuce　is　that　to　you？〃

〃I　wish　your　lordship　to　understand　that　whatever　comes　to　my
knowledge　concerning　your　proceedings　in　regard　to　her；　I　will
report　to　your　father　if　I　see　fit。〃

〃The　warning　is　unnecessary。　Few　informers；　however；　would　have
given　me　the　advantage；　and　I　thank　you：　so　far　I　am　indebted　to
you。　None　the　less　the　shame　of　the　informer　remains！〃

〃Your　lordship's　judgment　of　me　is　no　more　to　me　than　that　of　yon
rook　up　there。〃

〃You　doubt　my　honour？〃　said　Forgue　with　a　sneer。

〃I　do。　I　doubt　you。　You　do　not　know　yourself。　Time　will　show。　For
God's　sake；　my　lord；　look　to　yourself！　You　are　in　terrible　danger。〃

〃I　would　rather　do　wrong　for　love　than　right　for　fear。　I　scorn　such
threats。〃

〃Threats；　my　lord！〃　echoed　Donal。　〃Is　it　a　threat　to　warn　you　that
your　very　consciousness　may　become　a　curse　to　you？　that　to　know
yourself　may　be　your　hell？　that　you　may　come　to　make　it　your　first
care　to　forget　what　you　are？　Do　you　know　what　Shakspere　says　of
Tarquin

　　　　　Besides；　his　soul's　fair　temple　is　defaced；
　　　　　To　whose　weak　ruins　muster　troops　of　cares；
　　　　　To　ask　the　spotted　princess　how　she　fares？〃

〃Oh；　hang　your　preaching！〃　cried　Forgue；　and　turned　away。

〃My　lord；〃　said　Donal；　〃if　you　will　not　hear　me；　there　are　preachers
you　must。〃

〃They　will　not　be　quite　so　long…winded　then！〃　Forgue　answered。

〃You　are　right；〃　said　Donal；　〃they　will　not。〃

All　Forgue's　thoughts　were　now　occupied　with　the　question　how　with
least　danger　Eppy　and　he　were　to　meet。　He　did　not　contemplate
treachery。　At　this　time　of　his　life　he　could　not　have　respected
himself；　little　as　was　required　for　that；　had　he　been　consciously
treacherous；　but　no　man　who　in　love　yet　loves　himself　more；　is　safe
from　becoming　a　traitor：　potentially　he　is　one　already。　Treachery　to
him　who　is　guilty　of　it　seems　only　natural　self…preservation；　the
man　who　can　do　a　vile　thing　is　incapable　of　seeing　it　as　it　is；　and
that　ought　to　make　us　doubtful　of　our　judgments　of　ourselves；
especially　defensive　judgments。　Forgue　did　not　suspect　himselfnot
although　he　knew　that　his　passion　had　but　just　regained　a　lost
energy；　revived　at　the　idea　of　another　man　having　the　girl！　It　did
not　shame　him　that　he　had　begun　to　forget　her；　or　that　he　had　been
so　roused　to　fresh　desire。　If　he　had　stayed　away　six　months；　he
would　practically　have　forgotten　her　altogether。　Some　may　think
that；　if　he　had　devotion　enough　to　surmount　the　vulgarities　of　her
position　and　manners　and　ways　of　thought；　his　love　could　hardly　be
such　as　to　yield　so　soon；　but　Eppy　was　not　in　herself　vulgar。　Many
of　even　humbler　education　than　she　are　far　less　really　vulgar　than
some　in　the　forefront　of　society。　No　doubt　the　conventionalities　of
a　man　like　Forgue　must　have　been　sometimes　shocked　in　familiar
intercourse　with　one　like　Eppy；　but　while　he　was　merely　flirting
with　her；　the　very　things　that　shocked　would　also　amuse　himfor　I
need　hardly　say　he　was　not　genuinely　refined；　and　by　and　by　the
growing　passion　obscured　them。　There　is　no　doubt　that；　had　she　been
confronted　as　his　wife　with　the　common　people　of　society；　he　would
have　become　aware　of　many　things　as　vulgarities　which　were　only
simplicities；　but　in　the　meantime　she　was　no　more　vulgar　to　him　than
a　lamb　or　a　baby　is　vulgar；　however　unfit　either　for　a　Belgravian
drawing…room。　Vulgar；　at　the　same　time；　he　would　have　thought　and
felt　her；　but　for　the　love　that　made　him　do　her　justice。　Love　is　the
opener　as　well　as　closer　of　eyes。　But　men　who；　having　seen；　become
blind　again；　think　they　have　had　their　eyes　finally　opened。

For　some　time　there　was　no　change　in　Eppy's　behaviour　but　that　she
was　not　tearful　as　before。　She　continued　diligent；　never　grumbled　at
the　hardest　work；　and　seemed　desirous　of　making　up　for　remissness　in
the　past；　when　in　truth　she　was　trying　to　make　up　for　something　else
in　the　present：　she　would　atone　for　what　she　would　not　tell；　by
doing　immediate　duty　with　the　greater　devotion。　But　by　and　by　she
began　occasionally　to　show；　both　in　manner　and　countenance；　a　little
of　the　old　pertness；　mingled　with　uneasiness。　The　phenomenon；
however；　was　so　intermittent　and　unpronounced；　as　to　be　manifest
only　to　eyes　familiar　with　her　looks　and　ways：　to　Donal　it　was　clear
that　the　relation　between　her　and　Forgue　was　resumed。　Yet　she　never
went　out　in　the　evening　except　sent　by　her　grandmother；　and　then　she
always　came　home　even　with　hasteanxious；　it　might　have　seemed；　to
avoid　suspicion。

It　was　the　custom　with　Donal　and　Davie　to　go　often　into　the　fields
and　woods　in　the　fine　weatherthey　called　this　their　observation
classto　learn　what　they　might　of　the　multitudinous　goings　on　in
this　or　that　of　Nature's　workshops：　there　each　for　himself　and　the
other　exercised　his　individual　powers　of　seeing　and　noting　and
putting　together。　Donal　knew　little　of　woodland　matters；　having　been
chiefly　accustomed　to　meadows　and　bare　hill…sides；　yet　in　the　woods
he　was　the　keener　of　the　two　to　observe；　and　could　the　better　teach
that　he　was　but　a　better　learner。

One　day；　as　they　were　walking　together　under　the　thin　shade　of　a
fir…thicket；　Davie　said；　with　a　sudden　change　of　subject

〃I　wonder　if　we　shall　meet　Forgue　to…day！　he　gets　up　early　now；　and
goes　out。　It　is　neither　to　fish　nor　shoot；　for　he　doesn't　take　his
rod　or　gun；　he　must　be　watching　or　looking　for　something！Shouldn't
you　say　so；　Mr。　Grant？〃

This　set　Donal　thinking。　Eppy　was　never　out　at　night；　or　only　for　a
few　minutes；　and　Forgue　went　out　early　in　the　morning！　But　if　Eppy
would　meet　him；　how　could　he　or　anyone　help　it？




CHAPTER　XLV。

A　LAST　ENCOUNTER。

Now　for　a　while；　Donal　seldom　saw　lady　Arctura；　and　when　he　did；
received　from　her　no　encouragement　to　address　her。　The　troubled　look
had　reappeared　on　her　face。　In　her　smile；　as　they　passed　in　hall　or
corridor；　glimmered　an　expression　almost　patheticsomething　like　an
appeal；　as　if　she　stood　in　sore　need　of　his　help；　but　dared　not　ask
for　it。　She　was　again　much　in　the　company　of　Miss　Carmichael；　and
Donal　had　good　cause　to　fear　that　the　pharisaism　of　her　would…be
directress　was　coming　down　upon　her　spirit；　not　like　rain　on　the
mown　grass；　but　like　frost　on　the　spring　flowers。　The　impossibility
of　piercing　the　Christian　pharisee　holding　the　traditions　of　the
elders；　in　any　vital　partso　pachydermatous　is　he　to　any　spiritual
argumentis　a　sore　trial　to　the　old　Adam　still　unslain　in　lovers　of
the　truth。　At　the　same　time　nothing　gives　patience　better
opportunity　for　her　perfect　work。　And　it　is　well　they　cannot　be
reached　by　argument　and　so　persuaded；　they　would　but　enter　the
circles　of　the　faithful　to　work　fresh　schisms　and　breed　fresh
imposthumes。

But　Donal　had　begun　to　think　that　he　had　been　too　forbearing　towards
the　hideous　doctrines　advocated　by　Miss　Carmichael。　It　is　one　thing
where　evil　doctrines　are　quietly　held；　and　the　truth　associated　with
them　assimilated　by　good　people　doing　their　best　with　what　has　been
taught　them；　and　quite　another　thing　where　they　are　forced　upon　some
shrinking　nature；　weak　to　resist　through　the　very　reverence　which　is
its　excellence。　The　finer　nature；　from　inability　to　think　another　of
less　pure　intent　than　itself；　is　often　at　a　great　disadvantage　in
the　hands　of　the　coarser。　He　made　up　his　mind　that；　risk　as　it　was
to　enter　into　disputations　with　a　worshipper　of　the　letter；　inasmuch
as　for　argument　the　letter　is　immeasurably　more　available　than　the
spiritfor　while　the　spirit　lies　in　the　letter　unperceived；　it　has
no　force；　and　the　letter…worshipper　is　incapable　of　seeing　that　God
could　not　possibly　mean　what　he　makes　of　itnotwithstanding　the
risk；　he　resolved　to　hold　himself　ready；　and　if　anything　was　given
him；　to　cry　it　out　and　not　spare。　Nor　had　he　long　resolved　ere　the
opportunity　came。

It　had　come　to　be　known　that　Donal　frequented　the　old　avenue；　and　it
was　with　intent；　in　the　pride　of　her　acquaintance　with　scripture；
and　her　power　to　use　it；　that　Miss　Carmichael　one　afternoon　led　her
unwilling；　rather　recusant；　and　very　unhappy　disciple　thither：　she
sought　an　encounter　with　him：　his　insolence　towards　the
old…established　faith　must　be　confounded；　his　obnoxious　influence　on
Arctura　frustrated！　It　was　a　bright　autumnal　day。　The　trees　were
sorely　bereaved；　but　some　foliage　yet　hung　in　thin　yellow　clouds
upon　their　patient　boughs。　There　was　plenty　of　what　Davie　called
scushlin；　that　is　the　noise　of　walking　with　scarce　lifted　feet
amongst　the　thick…lying　withered　leaves。　But　less　foliage　means　more
sunlight。

Donal　was　sauntering　along；　his　book　in　his　hand；　now　and　then
reading　a　little；　now　and　then　looking　up　to　the　half…bared
branches；　now　and　then；　like　Davie；　sweeping　a　cloud　of　the　fallen
multitude　before　him。　He　was　in　this　childish　act　when；　looking　up；
he　saw　the　two　ladies　approaching；　he　did　not　see　the　peculiar
glance　Miss　Carmichael　threw　her　companion：　〃Behold　your　prophet！〃
it　said。　He　would　have　passed　with　lifted　bonnet；　but　Miss
Carmichael　stopped；　smiling：　her　smile　was　bright　because　it　showed
her　good　teeth；　but　was　not　pleasant　because　it　showed　nothing　else。

〃Glorying　over　the　fallen；　Mr。　Grant？〃　she　said。

Donal　in　his　turn　smiled。

〃That　is　not　Mr。　Grant's　way；〃　said　Arctura；　〃so　far　at　least　as　I
have　known　him！〃

〃How　careless　the　trees　are　of　their　poor　children！〃　said　Miss
Carmichael；　affecting　sympathy　for　the　leaves。

〃Pardon　me；〃　said　Donal；　〃if　I　grudge　them　your　pity：　there　is
nothing　more　of　children　in　those　leaves　than　there　is　in　the　hair
that　falls　on　the　barber's　floor。〃

〃It　is　not　very　gracious　to　pull　a　lady　up　so　sharply！〃　returned
Miss　Carmichael；　still　smiling：　〃I　spoke　poetically。〃

〃There　is　no　poetry　in　what　is　not　true；〃　rejoined　Donal。　〃Those　are
not　the　children　of　the　tree。〃

〃Of　course；〃　said　Miss　Carmichael；　a　little　surprised　to　find　their
foils　crossed　already；　〃a　tree　has　no　children！　but〃

〃A　tree　no　children！〃　exclaimed　Donal。　〃What　then　are　all　those
beech…nuts　under　the　leaves？　Are　they　not　the　children　of　the　tree？〃

〃Yes；　and　lost　like　the　leaves！〃　sighed　Miss　Carmichael。

〃Why　do　you　say　they　are　lost？　They　must　fulfil　the　end　for　which
they　were　made；　a