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follow。
〃But； Davie；〃 Donal went on； 〃however unlikely it must have seemed
to those who heard it； I believe every word of it。〃
A ripple of contempt passed over Miss Carmichael's face。
〃For；〃 continued Donal； 〃the man said he was the son of God； come
down from his father to see his brothers； his father's children； and
take home with him to his father those who would go。〃
〃Excuse me；〃 interrupted Miss Carmichael； with a pungent smile：
〃what he said was； that if any man believed in him； he should be
saved。〃
〃Run along； Davie；〃 said Donal。 〃I will tell you more of what he
said next lesson。 Don't forget what I've told you now。〃
〃No； sir；〃 answered Davie； and ran off。
Donal lifted his hat； and would have gone towards the river。 But
Miss Carmichael； stepping forward； said；
〃Mr。 Grant； I cannot let you go till you answer me one question： do
you believe in the atonement？〃
〃I do；〃 answered Donal。
〃Favour me then with your views upon it；〃 she said。
〃Are you troubled in your mind on the subject？〃 asked Donal。
〃Not in the least；〃 she replied； with a slight curl of her lip。
〃Then I see no occasion for giving you my views。〃
〃But I insist。〃
Donald smiled。
〃Of what consequence can my opinions be to you； ma'am？ Why should
you compel a confession of my faith？〃
〃As the friend of this family； and the daughter of the clergyman of
this parish； I have a right to ask what your opinions are： you have
a most important charge committed to youa child for whose soul you
have to account！〃
〃For that I am accountable； but； pardon me； not to you。〃
〃You are accountable to lord Morven for what you teach his child。〃
〃I am not。〃
〃What！ He will turn you away at a moment's notice if you say so to
him。〃
〃I should be quite ready to go。 If I were accountable to him for
what I taught； I should of course teach only what he pleased。 But
do you suppose I would take any situation on such a condition？〃
〃It is nothing to me； or his lordship either； I presume； what you
would or would not do。〃
〃Then I see no reason why you should detain me。Lady Arctura； I did
not offer to give my lesson in the presence of any other than
yourself： I will not do so again。 You will be welcome； for you have
a right to know what I am teaching him。 If you bring another；
except it be my lord Morven； I will take David to my own room。〃
With these words he left them。
Lady Arctura was sorely bewildered。 She could not but feel that her
friend had not shown to the better advantage； and that the behaviour
of Donal had been dignified。 But surely he was very wrong！ what he
said to Davie sounded so very different from what was said at
church； and by her helper； Miss Carmichael！ It was a pity they had
heard so little！ He would have gone on if only Sophy had had
patience and held her peace！ Perhaps he might have spoken better
things if she had not interfered！ It would hardly be fair to
condemn him upon so little！ He had said that he believed every word
of the New Testamentor something very like it！
〃I have heard enough！〃 said Miss Carmichael： 〃I will speak to my
father at once。〃
The next day Donal received a note to the following effect：
〃Sir； in consequence of what I felt bound to report to my father of
the conversation we had yesterday； he desires that you will call
upon him at your earliest convenience He is generally at home from
three to five。 Yours truly； Sophia Agnes Carmichael。〃
To this Donal immediately replied：
〃Madam； notwithstanding the introduction I brought him from another
clergyman； your father declined my acquaintance； passing me
afterwards as one unknown to him。 From this fact； and from the
nature of the report which your behaviour to me yesterday justifies
me in supposing you must have carried to him； I can hardly mistake
his object in wishing to see me。 I will attend the call of no man
to defend my opinions； your father's I have heard almost every
Sunday since I came to the castle； and have been from childhood
familiar with them。 Yours truly； Donal Grant。〃
Not a word more came to him from either of them。 When they happened
to meet； Miss Carmichael took no more notice of him than her father。
But she impressed it upon the mind of her friend that； if unable to
procure his dismission； she ought at least to do what she could to
protect her cousin from the awful consequences of such false
teaching： if she was present； he would not say such things as he
would in her absence； for it was plain he was under restraint with
her！ She might even have some influence with him if she would but
take courage to show him where he was wrong！ Or she might find
things such that her uncle must see the necessity of turning him
away； as the place belonged to her； he would never go dead against
her！ She did not see that that was just the thing to fetter the
action of a delicate…minded girl。
Continually haunted； however； with the feeling that she ought to do
something； lady Arctura felt as if she dared not absent herself from
the lesson； however disagreeable it might prove： that much she could
do！ Upon the next occasion； therefore； she appeared in the
schoolroom at the hour appointed； and with a cold bow took the chair
Donal placed for her。
〃Now； Davie；〃 said Donal； 〃what have you done since our last
lesson？〃
Davie stared。
〃You didn't tell me to do anything； Mr。 Grant！〃
〃No； but what then did I give you the lesson for？ Where is the good
of such a lesson if it makes no difference to you！ What was it I
told you？〃
Davie； who had never thought about it since； the lesson having been
broken off before Donal could bring it to its natural fruit；
considered； and said；
〃That Jesus Christ rose from the dead。〃
〃Wellwhere is the good of knowing that？〃
Davie was silent； he knew no good of knowing it； neither could
imagine any。 The Catechism； of which he had learned about half；
suggested nothing。
〃Come； Davie； I will help you： is Jesus dead； or is he alive？〃
Davie considered。
〃Alive；〃 he answered。
〃What does he do？〃
Davie did not know。
〃What did he die for？〃
Here Davie had an answera cut and dried one：
〃To take away our sins；〃 he said。
〃Then what does he live for？〃
Davie was once more silent。
〃Do you think if a man died for a thing； he would be likely to
forget it the minute he rose again？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃Do you not think he would just go on doing the same thing as
before？〃
〃I do； sir。〃
〃Then； as he died to take away our sins； he lives to take them
away！〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃What are sins； Davie？〃
〃Bad things； sir。〃
〃Yes； the bad things we think； and the bad things we feel； and the
bad things we do。 Have you any sins； Davie？〃
〃Yes； I am very wicked。〃
〃Oh！ are you？ How do you know it？〃
〃Arkie told me。〃
〃What is being wicked？〃
〃Doing bad things。〃
〃What bad things do you do？〃
〃I don't know； sir。〃
〃Then you don't know that you are wicked； you only know that Arkie
told you so！〃
Lady Arctura drew herself up； but Donal was too intent to perceive
the offence he had given。
〃I will tell you；〃 Donal went on； 〃something you did wicked to…day。〃
Davie grew