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til himsel' no to rin； he pat oot mair nor his han' upo' them 'at
cam to tak him： he strak them sair wi' the pooer itsel' 'at muvs a'
airms。 But no varra sair naitherhe but knockit them doon！jist
to lat them ken they war to du as he bade them； an' lat his fowk
be；an' maybe to lat them ken 'at gien he loot them tak him； it was
no 'at he couldna hin'er them gien he likit。 I canna help thinkin'
we may stan' up for ither fowk。 An' I'm no sayin' 'at we arena to
defen' oorsels frae a set attack wi' design。But there's something
o' mair importance yet nor kennin' the richt o' ony queston。〃
〃What can that be？ What can be o' mair importance nor doin' richt
i' the sicht o' God？〃 said Donal。
〃Bein' richt wi' the varra thoucht o' God； sae 'at we canna mistak；
but maun ken jist what he wad hae dune。 That's the big Richt； the
mother o' a' the lave o' the richts。 That's to be as the maister
was。 Onygait； whatever we du； it maun be sic as to be dune； an' it
maun be dune i' the name o' God； whan we du naething we maun du that
naething i' the name o' God。 A body may weel say； 'O Lord； thoo
hasna latten me see what I oucht to du； sae I'll du naething！' Gien
a man ought to defen' himsel'； but disna du 't； 'cause he thinks God
wadna hae him du 't； wull God lea' him oondefent for that？ Or gien
a body stan's up i' the name o' God； an' fronts an airmy o' enemies；
div ye think God 'ill forsake him 'cause he 's made a mistak？
Whatever's dune wantin' faith maun be sinit canna help it；
whatever's dune in faith canna be sin； though it may be a mistak。
Only latna a man tak presumption for faith！ that's a fearsome
mistak； for it's jist the opposite。〃
〃I thank ye；〃 said Donal。 〃I'll consider wi' my best endeevour what
ye hae said。〃
〃But o' a' things；〃 resumed the cobbler； 〃luik 'at ye lo'e fairplay。
Fairplay 's a won'erfu' worda gran' thing constantly lost sicht
o'。 Man； I hae been tryin' to win at the duin' o' the richt this
mony a year； but I daurna yet lat mysel' ac' upo' the spur o' the
moment whaur my ain enterest 's concernt： my ain side micht yet
blin' me to the ither man's side o' the business。 Onybody can
un'erstan' his ain richt； but it taks trible an' thoucht to
un'erstan' what anither coonts his richt。 Twa richts canna weel
clash。 It's a wrang an' a richt； or pairt wrang an' a pairt richt
'at clashes。〃
〃Gien a'body did that； I doobt there wad be feow fortins made！〃 said
Donal。
〃Aboot that I canna say； no kennin'； I daurna discover a law whaur I
haena knowledge！ But this same fairplay lies； alang wi' love； at
the varra rute and f'undation o' the universe。 The theologians had
a glimmer o' the fac' whan they made sae muckle o' justice； only
their justice is sic a meeserable sma' bit plaister eemage o'
justice； 'at it maist gars an honest body lauch。 They seem to me
like shepherds 'at rive doon the door…posts； an' syne block up the
door wi' them。〃
Donal told him of the quarrel he had had with lord Forgue； and asked
him whether he thought he had done right。
〃Weel；〃 answered the cobbler； 〃I'm as far frae blamin' you as I am
frae justifeein' the yoong lord。〃
〃He seems to me a fine kin' o' a lad；〃 said Donal； 〃though some
owerbeirin'。〃
〃The likes o' him are mair to be excused for that nor ither fowk；
for they hae great disadvantages i' the position an' the upbringin'。
It's no easy for him 'at's broucht up a lord to believe he's jist
ane wi' the lave。〃
Donal went for a stroll through the town； and met the minister； but
he took no notice of him。 He was greatly annoyed at the march which
he said the fellow had stolen upon him； and regarded him as one who
had taken an unfair advantage of him。 But he had little influence
at the castle。 The earl never by any chance went to church。 His
niece； lady Arctura； did； however； and held the minister for an
authority at things spiritualone of whom living water was to be
had without money and without price。 But what she counted spiritual
things were very common earthly stuff； and for the water； it was but
stagnant water from the ditches of a sham theology。 Only what was a
poor girl to do who did not know how to feed herself； but apply to
one who pretended to be able to feed others？ How was she to know
that he could not even feed himself？ Out of many a difficulty she
thought he helped heronly the difficulty would presently clasp her
again； and she must deal with it as she best could； until a new one
made her forget it； and go to the minister； or rather to his
daughter； again。 She was one of those who feel the need of some
help to livesome upholding that is not of themselves； but who；
through the stupidity of teachers unconsciously false；men so unfit
that they do not know they are unfit； direct their efforts； first
towards having correct notions； then to work up the feelings that
belong to those notions。 She was an honest girl so far as she had
been taughtperhaps not so far as she might have been without
having been taught。 How was she to think aright with scarce a
glimmer of God's truth？ How was she to please God； as she called
it； who thought of him in a way repulsive to every loving soul？ How
was she to be accepted of God； who did not accept her own neighbour；
but looked down； without knowing it； upon so many of her
fellow…creatures？ How should such a one either enjoy or recommend
her religion？ It would have been the worse for her if she had
enjoyed itthe worse for others if she had recommended it！
Religion is simply the way home to the Father。 There was little of
the path in her religion except the difficulty of it。 The true way
is difficult enough because of our unchildlikenessuphill； steep；
and difficult； but there is fresh life on every surmounted height； a
purer air gained； ever more life for more climbing。 But the path
that is not the true one is not therefore easy。 Up hill is hard
walking； but through a bog is worse。 Those who seek God with their
faces not even turned towards him； who； instead of beholding the
Father in the Son； take the stupidest opinions concerning him and
his ways from other menwhat should they do but go wandering on
dark mountains； spending their strength in avoiding precipices and
getting out of bogs； mourning and sighing over their sins instead of
leaving them behind and fleeing to the Father； whom to know is
eternal life。 Did they but set themselves to find out what Christ
knew and meant and commanded； and then to do it； they would soon
forget their false teachers。 But alas！ they go on bowing before
long…faced； big…worded authoritythe more fatally when it is
embodied in a good man who； himself a victim to faith in men； sees
the Son of God only through the theories of others； and not with the
sight of his own spiritual eyes。
Donal had not yet seen the lady。 He neither ate； sat； nor held
intercourse with the family。 Away from Davie； he spent his time in
his tower chamber； or out of doors。 All the grounds were open to
him except a walled garden on the south…eastern slope； looking
towards the sea； which the earl kept for himself； though he rarely
walked in it。 On the side of the hill away from the town； was a
large park reaching down to the river； and stretching a long way up
its bankwith fine trees； and glorious outlooks to the sea in one
direction； and to the mountains in the other。 Here Donal would
often wander； now with a book； now with Davie。 The boy's presence
was rarely an interruption to his thoughts when he wanted to think。
Sometimes he would thrown himself on the grass and read aloud； then
Davie would throw himself beside him； and let the words he could not
understand flow over him in a spiritual cataract。 On the river was
a boat； and though at first he was awkward enough in the use of the
oars； he was soon able to enjoy thoroughly a row up or down the
stream； especially in the twilight。
He was alone with his book under a beech…tree on a steep slope to
the river； the day after his affair with lord Forgue： reading aloud；
he did not hear the approach of his lordship。
〃Mr。 Grant；〃 he said； 〃if you will say you are sorry you threw me
from my horse； I will say I am sorry I struck you。〃
〃I am very sorry；〃 said Donal； rising； 〃that it was necessary to
throw you from your horse； and perhaps your lordship may remember
that you struck me before I did so。〃
〃That has nothing to do with it。 I propose an accommodation； or
compromise； or what you choose to call it： if you will do the one； I
will do the other。〃
〃What I think I ought to do； my lord； I do without bargaining。 I am
not sorry I threw you from your horse； and to say so would be to
lie。〃
〃Of course everybody thinks himself in the right！〃 said his lordship
with a small sneer。
〃It does not follow that no one is ever in the right！〃 returned
Donal。 〃Does your lordship think you were in the righteither
towards me or the poor animal who could not obey you because he was
in torture？〃
〃I don't say I do。〃
〃Then everybody does not think himself in the right！ I take your
lordship's admission as an apology。〃
〃By no means： when I make an apology； I will do it； I will not sneak
out of it。〃
He was evidently at strife with hims