the rest, to whom the week’s interval had been a terrible one. He was pale under his freckles, with a dismal look in his wide eyes, the impression of the funeral still too strong upon him for any other feeling. But the others were relieved; it is impossible to use another word. “The country will be very quiet this year with nobody at the castle,” said Mary in subdued tones. “It will make little difference to ainy of you,” replied Miss Eelen, her black bows nodding in her cap, “for if there had been fifty balls, ye could not in decency have gone to ainy one o’ them.” “There are more folk in the country than us,” said Mary, with a little sharpness. “But I hear Lady Chatty’s far from happy, poor thing. For my part I never had any confidence in the man.” “The man was well enough; there’s nothing to be said against the man; they’re just both spenders, and no siller to spend.” “That is what I am saying,” said Mary. “The Duke’s daughter, and her beauty, and her fashion, and all that--and at the last to take up with a poor man.” “What do you think, Drumcarro, of this Catholic Emancipation that is making such a noise?” said Glendochart, as the ladies continued to argue over the subject of Lady Chatty. “I just think that we’ll have all the wild Irish and the wild North on our hands before we know where we are--and Jesuits going to and fro over the face of the earth like Sawtan in the Scriptures--if the Government doesn’t stand firm.” “I cannot but think, however,” said Glendochart, “that there’s something to be said on the other side. A large number of our country folk just put out of the question altogether.” “There’s nothing to be said on the other side of the question,” cried Drumcarro, with his fierce look. “Fellow subjects! just thae deevils of Irish and a whean idle Crofters that will neither fish the seas nor delve the land--and a horde of priests at the head of them. Them that think the Pope of Rome should have a hand in governing this country will get little backing from me.” “I allow,” said Mr. Pyper, “that it’s a difficult question with modern notions of toleration, and all that--but violent evils must have violent remedies--and when ye think, Glendochart, what this country has suffered from Papal rule--” “I would just have no dealings with the pooers of darkness,” said Mr. Douglas, bringing down his hand upon the table with a force which made everything tremble. “Bless me,” cried Miss Eelen, “what’s wrong with ye, Drumcarro? Ye’ll break all the glasses. Eh, but the pooers o’ darkness are no so easy to make or meddle with. The minister will tell ye that they are just in our hearts and at our doors.” “Ye may say that, Miss Eelen,” said Mr. Pyper, shaking his head professionally; “but it was in the sphere of politics our friend was meaning. It would be a fine thing if, with all our progress, we were to find ourselves back again in the hands of the Inquiseetion and yon wild Irishman O’Connell.”