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He raised his whip again； the more enraged that the groom stood
looking on with his mouth open。
〃I tell your lordship；〃 said Donal； 〃it is my turn to strike； and if
you hit the animal again before that chain is slackened； I will
pitch you out of the saddle。〃
For answer Forgue struck the horse over the head。 The same moment
he was on the ground； Donal had taken him by the leg and thrown him
off。 He was not horseman enough to keep his hold of the reins； and
Donal led the horse a little way off； and left him to get up in
safety。 The poor animal was pouring with sweat； shivering and
trembling； yet throwing his head back every moment。 Donal could
scarcely undo the chain； it was twistedhis lordship had fastened
it himselfand sharp edges pressed his jaw at the least touch of
the rein。 He had not yet rehooked it； when Forgue was upon him with
a second blow of his whip。 The horse was scared afresh at the
sound； and it was all he could do to hold him； but he succeeded at
length in calming him。 When he looked about him； Forgue was gone。
He led the horse into the stable； put him in his stall； and
proceeded to unsaddle him。 Then first he was re…aware of the
presence of Davie。 The boy was stampingwith fierce eyes and white
facechoking with silent rage。
〃Davie； my child！〃 said Donal； and Davie recovered his power of
speech。
〃I'll go and tell my father！〃 he said； and made for the stable door。
〃Which of us are you going to tell upon？〃 asked Donal with a smile。
〃Percy； of course！〃 he replied； almost with a scream。 〃You are a
good man； Mr。 Grant； and he is a bad fellow。 My father will give it
him well。 He doesn't oftenbut oh； can't he just！ To dare to
strike you！ I'll go to him at once； whether he's in bed or not！〃
〃No； you won't； my boy！ Listen to me。 Some people think it's a
disgrace to be struck： I think it a disgrace to strike。 I have a
right over your brother by that blow； and I mean to keep itfor his
good。 You didn't think I was afraid of him？〃
〃No； no； anybody could see you weren't a bit afraid of him。 I would
have struck him again if he had killed me for it！〃
〃I don't doubt you would。 But when you understand； you will not be
so ready to strike。 I could have killed your brother more easily
than held his horse。 You don't know how strong I am； or what a blow
of my fist would be to a delicate fellow like that。 I hope his fall
has not hurt him。〃
〃I hope it hasa little； I mean； only a little；〃 said the boy；
looking in the face of his tutor。 〃But tell me why you did not
strike him。 It would be good for him to be well beaten。〃
〃It will； I hope； be better for him to be well forgiven： he will be
ashamed of himself the sooner； I think。 But why I did not strike
him was； that I am not my own master。〃
〃But my father； I am sure； would not have been angry with you。 He
would have said you had a right to do it。〃
〃Perhaps； but the earl is not the master I mean。〃
〃Who is； then？〃
〃Jesus Christ。〃
〃Ooh！〃
〃He says I must not return evil for evil； a blow for a blow。 I
don't mind what people say about it： he would not have me disgrace
myself！ He never even threatened those that struck him。〃
〃But he wasn't a man； you know！〃
〃Not a man！ What was he then？〃
〃He was God； you know。〃
〃And isn't God a manand ever so much more than a man？〃
The boy made no answer； and Donal went on。
〃Do you think God would have his child do anything disgraceful？
Why； Davie； you don't know your own Father！ What God wants of us
is to be down…right honest； and do what he tells us without fear。〃
Davie was silent。 His conscience reproved him； as the conscience of
a true…hearted boy will reprove him at the very mention of the name
of God； until he sets himself consciously to do his will。 Donal
said no more； and they went for their walk。
CHAPTER XVI。
COLLOQUIES。
In the evening Donal went to see Andrew Comin。
〃Weel； hoo are ye gettin' on wi' the yerl？〃 asked the cobbler。
〃You set me a good example of saying nothing about him；〃 answered
Donal； 〃and I will follow itat least till I know more： I have
scarce seen him yet。〃
〃That's right！〃 returned the cobbler with satisfaction。 〃I'm
thinkin' ye'll be ane o' the feow 'at can rule their ane hoosethat
is； haud their ain tongues till the hoor for speech be come。 Stick
ye to that； my dear sir； an' mair i'll be weel nor in general is
weel。〃
〃I'm come to ye for a bit o' help though； I want licht upon a
queston 'at 's lang triblet me。What think ye？hoo far does the
comman' laid upo' 's； as to warfare 'atween man an' man； reach？ Are
we never ta raise the han' to human bein'； think ye？〃
〃Weel； I hae thoucht a heap aboot it； an' I daurna say 'at I'm jist
absolute clear upo' the maitter。 But there may be pairt clear whaur
a' 's no clear； an' by what we un'erstan' we come the nearer to what
we dinna un'erstan'。 There's ae thing unco plain'at we're on no
accoont to return evil for evil： onybody 'at ca's himsel' a
Christian maun un'erstan' that muckle。 We're to gie no place to
revenge； inside or oot。 Therefore we're no to gie blow for blow。
Gien a man hit ye； ye're to take it i' God's name。 But whether
things mayna come to a p'int whaurat ye're bu'n'； still i' God's
name； to defen' the life God has gien ye； I canna sayI haena the
licht to justifee me in denyin' 't。 There maun surely； I hae said
to mysel'； be a time whan a man may hae to du what God dis sae
aftenmak use o' the strong han'！ But it's clear he maunna do 't
in ragethat's ower near hatean' hate 's the deevil's ain。 A man
may； gien he live varra near the Lord； be whiles angry ohn sinned：
but the wrath o' man worketh not the richteousness o' God； an' the
wrath that rises i' the mids o' encoonter； is no like to be o' the
natur o' divine wrath。 To win at it； gien 't be possible； lat's
consider the Lordhoo he did。 There's no word o' him ever liftin'
han' to protec' himsel'。 The only thing like it was for ithers。 To
gar them lat his disciples alanemaybe till they war like eneuch
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