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〃If you do not mind the trouble！〃
〃I will come and help；〃 said Davie。
〃You mustn't leave lady Arctura。 I am not sure if I can get it up
the stair； I am afraid it is too long。 If I cannot； we will haul it
up as we did the coal。〃
He went； and the cousins sat down to wait his return。 It was a cold
evening； but Arctura was well wrapt up； and Davie was hardy。 They
sat at the foot of the chimney…stack； and began to talk。
〃It is such a long time since you told me anything； Arkie！〃 said the
boy。
〃You do not need me now to tell you anything： you have Mr。 Grant！
You like him much better than ever you did me！〃
〃You see；〃 said Davie； thoughtfully； and making no defence against
her half…reproach； 〃he began by making me afraid of himnot that he
meant to do it； I think！ he only meant that I should do what he told
me： I was never afraid of you； Arkie！〃
〃I was much crosser to you than Mr。 Grant； I am sure！〃
〃Mr。 Grant is never cross to me； and if ever you were； I've
forgotten it； Arkie。 I only remember that I was not good to you。 I
am sorry for it now when I lie awake in bed； but I say to myself you
forgive me； and go to sleep。〃
〃What makes you think I forgive you； Davie？〃
〃Because I love you。〃
This was not very logical； and set Arctura thinking。 She did not
forgive the boy because he loved her； but the boy's love to her
might make him sure she forgave him！ Love is its own justification；
and sees itself in all its objects： forgiveness is an essential
belonging of love； and must be seen where love is seen。
〃Are you fond of my brother？〃 asked Davie； after a pause。
〃Why do you ask me？〃
〃Because they say you and he are going to be married some day； yet
you don't seem to care much to be together。〃
〃It is all nonsense！〃 replied Arctura； reddening。 〃I wish people
would not talk foolishness！〃
〃Well； I do think he's not so fond of you as of Eppy！〃
〃Hush！ hush！ you must not speak of such thing。〃
〃I saw him once kiss Eppy； and I never saw him kiss you！〃
〃No； indeed！〃
〃Is it right of Forgue； if he's going to marry you； to kiss
Eppy？That's what I want to know！〃
〃He is not going to marry me。〃
〃He would； if you told him you wished it。 Papa wishes it。〃
〃How do you know that？〃
〃From many thing。 Once I heard him say； 'Afterwards； when the house
is our own；' and I asked him what he meant； and he said； 'When
Forgue marries Arctura； then the castle will be Forgue's。 That is
how it ought to be； you know！ Property and title ought never to be
parted。'〃
The hot blood rose to Arctura's temples： was she a mere wrappage to
her propertythe paper of the parcel！ But she called to mind how
strange her uncle was： but for that could he have been so imprudent
as to talk in such a way to a boy whose simplicity rendered the
confidence dangerous？
〃You would not like having to give away your castlewould you；
Arkie？〃 he went on。
〃Not to any one I did not love。〃
〃If I were you； I would not marry； but keep my castle to myself。 I
don't see why Forgue should have your castle！〃
〃You think I should make my castle my husband？〃
〃He would be a good big husband anyhow； and a strongone to defend
you from your enemies； and not talk to you when you wanted to be
quiet。〃
〃That is all true； but one might get weary of a stupid husband；
however big and strong he was。〃
〃There's another thing； though！he wouldn't be a cruel husband！
I've heard papa often speak about some cruel husband！ I fancied
sometimes he meant himself； but that could not be； you know。〃
Arctura made no reply。 All but vanished memories of things she had
heard； hints and signs here and there that all was not right between
her uncle and aunt； vaguely returned： could it be that he now
repented of harshness to his wife； that the thought of it was
preying upon him； that it drove him to his drugs for
forgetfulness？But in the presence of the boy she could not go on
thinking in such a direction about his father。 She felt relieved by
the return of Donal。
He had found it rather difficult to get the ladder round the sharp
curves of the stair； but at last they saw him with it on his
shoulder coming over a distant roof。
〃Now we shall see！〃 he said； as he leaned it up against the chimney；
and stood panting。
〃You have tired yourself！〃 said lady Arctura。
〃Where's the harm； my lady？ A man must get tired a few times before
he lies down！〃 rejoined Donald lightly。
Said Davie；
〃Must a woman； Mr。 Grant； marry a man she does not love？〃
〃No； certainly； Davie。〃
〃Mr。 Grant；〃 said Arctura； in dread of what Davie might say next；
〃what do you take to be the duty of one inheriting a property？ Ought
a woman to get rid of it； or attend to it herself？〃
Donal thought a little。
〃We must first settle the main duty of property；〃 he said； 〃and that
I am hardly prepared to do。〃
〃Is there not a duty owing to your family？〃
〃There are a thousand duties owing to your family。〃
〃I don't mean those you are living with merely； but those also who
transmitted the property to you。 This property belongs to my family
rather than to me； and if I had had a brother it would have gone to
him： should I not do better for the family by giving it up to the
next heir？ I am not disinterested in starting the question；
possession and power are of no great importance in my eyes； they are
hindrances to me。〃
〃It seems to me；〃 said Donal； 〃that the fact that you would not have
succeeded had there been a son； points to the fact of a disposer of
events： you were sent into the world to take the property。 If so；
God expects you to perform the duties of it； they are not to be got
rid of by throwing the thing aside； or giving them to another to do
for you。 If your family and not God were the real giver of the
property； the question you put might arise； but I should hardly take
interest enough in it to be capable of discussing it。 I understand
my duty to my sheep or cattle； to my master； to my father or mother；
to my brother or sister； to my pupil Davie here； I owe my ancestors
love and honour； and the keeping of their name unspotted； though
that duty is forestalled by a higher； but as to the property they
leave behind them； over which they have no more power； and which now
I trust they never think about； I do not see what obligation I can
be under to them with regard to it； other than is comprised in the
duties of the property itself。〃
〃But a family is not merely those that are gone before； there are
those that will come after！〃
〃The best thing for those to come after； is to receive the property
with its duties performed； with the light of righteousness radiating
from it。〃
〃But what then do you call the duties of property？〃
〃In what does the property consist？〃
〃In land； to begin with。〃
〃If the land were of no value； would the possession of it involve
duties？〃
〃I suppose not。〃
〃In what does the value of the land consist？〃
Lady Arctura did not attempt an answer to the question； and Donal；
after a little pause； resumed。
〃If you valued things as the world values them； I should not care to
put the question； but I fear you may have some lingering notion
that； though God's