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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 on her lap； and looking him in the face with
clear blue eyes； he must have been either a suspicious or an
unfortunate man who would not trust her。 She was a general softener
of shocks； foiler of encounters； and soother of angers。 She was not
one of those housekeepers always in black silk and lace； but was
mostly to be seen in a cotton gownvery clean； but by no means
imposing。 She would put her hands to anythingshow a young servant
how a thing ought to be done； or relieve cook or housemaid who was
ill or had a holiday。 Donal had taken to her； as like does to like。
He did not hurry her； but waited。
〃I may as weel gie ye the haill story； sir！〃 she recommenced。 〃Syne
ye'll be whaur I am mysel'。
〃I was oot i' the yard to luik efter my hensI never lat onybody
but mysel' meddle wi' them； for they're jist as easy sp'ilt as ither
fowk's bairns； an' the twa doors o' the barn stan'in open； I took
the straucht ro'd throuw the same to win the easier at my feathert
fowk； as my auld minnie used to ca' them。 I'm but a saft kin' o' a
bein'； as my faither used to tell me； an' mak but little din whaur I
gang； sae they couldna hae h'ard my fut as I gaed； but what sud I
hearbut I maun tell ye it was i' the gloamin' last nicht； an' I
wad hae tellt ye the same this mornin'； sir； seekin' yer fair
coonsel； but ye was awa' 'afore I kenned； an' I was resolvt no to
lat anither gloamin' come ohn ta'en precautionswhat sud I hear； I
say； as I was sayin'； but a laich tshetshetshe； somewhaur； I
couldna tell whaur； as gien some had mair to say nor wud be spoken
oot！ Weel； ye see； bein' ane accoontable tae ithers for them 'at's
accoontable to me； I stude still an' hearkent： gien a' was richt；
nane wad be the waur for me； an' gien a' wasna richt； a' sud be
wrang gien I could make it sae！ Weel； as I say； I hearkentbut eh；
sir！ jist gie a keek oot at that door； an' see gein there bena
somebody there hearkin'； for that EppyI wudna lippen til her ae
hair！ she's as sly as an edder！ Naebody there？ Weel； steek ye the
door； sir； an' I s' gang on wi' my tale。 I stude an' hearkent； as I
was sayin'； an' what sud I hear but a twasome toot…moot； as my auld
auntie frae Ebberdeen wud hae ca'd itae v'ice that o' a man； an'
the ither that o' a wuman； for it's strange the differ even whan
baith speyks their laichest！ I was aye gleg i' the hearin'； an' hae
reason for the same to be thankfu；' but I couldna； for a' my
sharpness； mak oot what they war sayin'。 So； whan I saw 'at I wasna
to hear； I jist set aboot seein'； an' as quaietly as my saft
fitit's safter nor it's lichtwud carry me； I gaed aboot the
barnflure； luikin' whaur onybody could be hidden awa'。
〃There was a great heap o' strae in ae corner； no hard again' the
wa'； an' 'atween the wa' an' that heap o' thrashen strae； sat the
twa。 Up gat my lord wi' a spang； as gien he had been ta'en
stealin'。 Eppy wud hae bidden； an' creepit oot like a moose ahint
my back； but I was ower sharp for her： 'Come oot o' that； my lass；'
says I。 'Oh； mistress Brookes！' says my lord； unco ceevil； 'for my
sake don't be hard upon her。' Noo that angert me！ For though I say
the lass is mair to blame nor the lad； it's no for the lad； be he
lord or labourer； to lea' himsel' oot whan the blame comes。 An'
says I； 'My lord；' says I； 'ye oucht to ken better！ I s' say nae
mair i' the noo； for I'm ower angry。 Gang yer waysbut na！ no
thegither； my lord！ I s' luik weel to that！Gang up til yer ain
room； Eppy！' I said； 'an' gien I dinna see ye there whan I come in；
it's awa' to your grannie I gang this varra nicht！'
〃Eppy she gaed； an' my lord he stude there； wi' a face 'at glowert
white throuw the gloamin'。 I turned upon him like a wild beast； an'
says I； 'I winna speir what ye 're up til； my lord； but ye ken weel
eneuch what it luiks like！ an' I wud never hae expeckit it o' ye！'
He began an' he stammert； an' he beggit me to believe there was
naething 'atween them； an' he wudna harm the lassie to save his