"It's all very fine," he concluded, "but in my opinion papa has no right

to be it. And it seems that's not the worst yet of it. It seems he's

called "The Hanging judge" - it seems he's crooool. I'll tell you what

it is, mamma, there's a tex' borne in upon me: It were better for that

man if a milestone were bound upon his back and him flung into the

deepestmost pairts of the sea."

"O, my lamb, ye must never say the like of that!" she cried. "Ye're to

honour faither and mother, dear, that your days may be long in the land.

It's Atheists that cry out against him - French Atheists, Erchie! Ye

would never surely even yourself down to be saying the same thing as

French Atheists? It would break my heart to think that of you. And O,

Erchie, here are'na YOU setting up to JUDGE? And have ye no forgot

God's plain command - the First with Promise, dear? Mind you upon the

beam and the mote!"

Having thus carried the war into the enemy's camp, the terrified lady

breathed again. And no doubt it is easy thus to circumvent a child with

catchwords, but it may be questioned how far it is effectual. An

instinct in his breast detects the quibble, and a voice condemns it. He

will instantly submit, privately hold the same opinion. For even in

this simple and antique relation of the mother and the child,

hypocrisies are multiplied.

When the Court rose that year and the family returned to Hermiston, it

was a common remark in all the country that the lady was sore failed.

She seemed to loose and seize again her touch with life, now sitting

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