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As soon as Mrs。 Brookes left Donal with lord Forgue； she went to
Eppy's room； and found her in bed； pretending to be asleep。 She
left her undisturbed； thinking to come easier at the truth if she
took her unprepared to lie。 It came out afterwards that she was not
so heartless as she seemed。 She found lord Forgue waiting her upon
the road； and almost immediately Kennedy came up to them。 Forgue
told her to run home at once： he would soon settle matters with the
fellow。 She went off like a hare； and till she was out of sight the
men stood looking at each other。 Kennedy was a powerful man； and
Forgue but a stripling； the latter trusted； however； to his skill；
and did not fear his adversary。 He did not know what he was。
He seemed now in no danger； and his attendants agreed to be silent
till he recovered。 It was given out that he was keeping his room
for a few days； but that nothing very serious was the matter with
him。
In the afternoon； Donal went to find Kennedy； loitered a while about
the village； and made several inquiries after him； but no one had
seen him。
Forgue recovered as rapidly as could have been expected。 Davie was
troubled that he might not go and see him； but he would have been
full of question； remark； and speculation！ For what he had himself
to do in the matter； Donal was but waiting till he should be strong
enough to be taken to task。
CHAPTER XXVI。
CONFRONTMENT。
At length one evening Donal knocked at the door of Forgue's room；
and went in。 He was seated in an easy chair before a blazing fire；
looking comfortable； and showing in his pale face no sign of a
disturbed conscience。
〃My lord；〃 said Donal； 〃you will hardly be surprised to find I have
something to talk to you about！〃
His lordship was so much surprised that he made him no answeronly
looked in his face。 Donal went on：
〃I want to speak to you about Eppy Comin；〃 he said。
Forgue's face flamed up。 The devil of pride； and the devil of fear；
and the devil of shame； all rushed to the outworks to defend the
worthless self。 But his temper did not at once break bounds。
〃Allow me to remind you； Mr。 Grant；〃 he said； 〃that； although I have
availed myself of your help； I am not your pupil； and you have no
authority over me。〃
〃The reminder is unnecessary； my lord；〃 answered Donal。 〃I am not
your tutor； but I am the friend of the Comins； and therefore of
Eppy。〃
His lordship drew himself up yet more erect in his chair； and a
sneer came over his handsome countenance。 But Donal did not wait
for him to speak。
〃Don't imagine me； my lord；〃 he said； 〃presuming on the fact that I
had the good fortune to carry you home： that I should have done for
the stable…boy in similar plight。 But as I interfered for you then；
I have to interfere for Eppie now。〃
〃Damn your insolence！ Do you think because you are going to be a
parson； you may make a congregation of me！〃
〃I have not the slightest intention of being a parson；〃 returned
Donal quietly； 〃but I do hope to be an honest man； and your lordship
is in great danger of ceasing to be one！〃
〃Get out of my room；〃 cried Forgue。
Donal took a seat opposite him。
〃If you do not； I will！〃 said the young lord； and rose。
But ere he reached the door； Donal was standing with his back
against it。 He locked it； and took out the key。 The youth glared
at him； unable to speak for fury； then turned； caught up a chair；
and rushed at him。 One twist of Donal's ploughman…hand wrenched it
from him。 He threw it over his head upon the bed； and stood
motionless and silent； waiting till his rage should subside。 In a
few moments his eye began to quail； and he went back to his seat。
〃Now； my lord；〃 said Donal； following his example and sitting down；
〃will you hear me？〃
〃I'll be damned if I do！〃 he answered； flaring up again at the first
sound of Donal's voice。
〃I'm afraid you'll be damned if you don't；〃 returned Donal。
His lordship took the undignified expedient of thrusting his fingers
in his ears。 Donal sat quiet until he removed them。 But the moment
he began to speak he thrust them in again。 Donal rose； and seizing
one of his hands by the wrist； said；
〃Be careful； my lord； if you drive me to extremity； I will speak so
that the house shall hear me； if that will not do； I go straight to
your father。〃
〃You are a spy and a sneak！〃
〃A man who behaves like you； should have no terms held with him。〃
The youth broke out in a fresh passion。 Donal sat waiting till the
futile outburst should be over。 It was presently exhausted； the
rage seeming to go out for want of fuel。 Nor did he again stop his
ears against the truth he saw he was doomed to hear。
〃I am come；〃 said Donal； 〃to ask your lordship whether the course
you are pursuing is not a dishonourable one。〃
〃I know what I am about。〃
〃So much the worsebut I doubt it。 For your mother's sake； if for
no other； you should scorn to behave to a woman as you are doing
now。〃
〃What do you please to imagine I am doing now？〃
〃There is no imagination in thisthat you are behaving to Eppy as
no man ought except he meant to marry her。〃
〃How do you know I do not mean to marry her？〃
〃Do you mean to marry her； my lord？〃
〃What right have you to ask？〃
〃At least I live under the same roof with you both。〃
〃What if she knows I do not intend to marry her？〃
〃My duty is equally plain： I am the friend of her only relatives。
If I did not do my best for the poor girl； I dared not look my
Master in the face！Where is your honour； my lord？〃
〃I never told her I would marry her。〃
〃I never supposed you had。〃
〃Well； what then？〃
〃I repeat； such attentions as yours must naturally be supposed by
any innocent girl to mean marriage。〃
〃Bah！ she is not such a fool！〃
〃I fear she is fool enough not to know to what they must then
point！〃
〃They point to nothing。〃
〃Then you take advantage of her innocence to amuse yourself with
her。〃
〃What if she be not quite so innocent as you would have her。〃
〃My lord； you are a scoundrel。〃
For one moment Forgue seemed to wrestle with an all but
uncontrollable fury； the next he laughedbut it was not a nice
laugh。
〃Come now；〃 he said； 〃I'm glad I've put you in a rage！ I've got
over mine。 I'll tell you the whole truth： there is nothing between
me and the girlnothing whatever； I give you my word； except an
innocent flirtation。 Ask herself。〃
〃My lord；〃 said Donal； 〃I believe what you mean me to understand。 I
thought nothing worse of it myself。〃
〃Then why the devil kick up such an infernal shindy about it？〃
〃For these reasons； my lord：〃
〃Oh； come！ don't be long…winded。〃
〃You must hear me。〃
〃Go on。〃
〃I will suppose she does not imagine you mean to marry her。〃
〃She can't！〃
〃Why not？〃
〃She's not a fool； and she can't imagine me such an idiot！〃
〃But may she not suppose you love her？〃
He tried to laugh。
〃You have never told her so？never said or done anything to make
her think so？〃
〃Oh； well！ she may think soafter a sort of a fashion！〃
〃Would she speak to you again if she heard you talking so of the
love you give her？〃
〃You know as well as I do the word has many meanings？〃
〃And which is she likely to take？ That which is confessedly false
and worth nothing？〃
〃She may take which she pleases； and drop it when she pleases。〃
〃But now； does she not take your words of love for more than they
are worth？〃
〃She says I will soon forget her。〃
〃Will any saying keep her from being so in love with you as to reap
misery？ You don't know what the consequences may be！ Her love
wakened by yours； may be infinitely stronger than yours！〃
〃Oh； women don't now…a…days die for love！〃 said his lordship；
feeling a little flattered。
〃It would be well for some of them if they did！ they never get over
it。 She mayn't die； true！ but she may live to hate the man that led
her to think he loved her； and taught her to believe in nobody。 Her
whole life may be darkened because you would amuse yourself。〃
〃She has her share of the amusement； and I have my share； by Jove；
of the danger！ She's a very pretty； clever； engaging girlthough
she is but a housemaid！〃 said Forgue； as if uttering a sentiment of
quite communistic liberality。
〃What you say shows the more danger to her！ If you admire her so
much you must have behaved to her so much the more like a genuine
lover？ But any suffering the affair may have caused you； will
hardly； I fear； persuade you to the only honourable escape！〃
〃By Jupiter！〃 cried Forgue。 〃Would you have me marry the girl？
That's coming it rather strong with your friendship for the
cobbler！〃
〃No； my lord； if things are as you represent； I have no such desire。
What I want is to put a stop to the whole affair。 Every man has to
be his brother's keeper； and if our western notions concerning women
be true； a man is yet more bound to be his sister's keeper。 He who
does not recognize this； be he earl or prince； is viler than the
murderous prowler after a battle。 For a man to say 'she can take
care of herself；' is to speak out of essential hell。 The beauty of
love is； that it does not take care of itself； but of the person