Various subjects of conversation were begun in a languid way, but Dr. Mackenzie ingeniously and successfully turned them all into a religious channel in a very short space of time. He did not approve, upon principle, of any conversation on Sunday upon matters of a more profane nature than the merits of popular preachers, the existence or non-existence of Sunday-schools and Bible-classes in various places, the spread of Presbyterianism in England, and similar topics. As soon as anyone wandered away to secular subjects, Dr. Mackenzie went out, and headed him, so to speak, and drove him back. The meal proved, in consequence, a dull one, and matters did not improve when it was over and the little party returned to the library. ‘Folk don’t keep the Sabbath as they used to do in my young days,’ said Miss Lindsay, with a weak attempt to propitiate the minister. ‘So much the worse for them, ma’am,’ said Dr. Mackenzie. ‘When I was a young woman, everybody attended both diets of worship. Walking for pleasure on the Sabbath, reading story-books, and the like, was never heard of.’ ‘Of course not; but the old godly ways are deserted now. Do you think it is a right thing to read such a paper as that on this holy day?’ he continued, speaking to Alec, who had thoughtlessly picked up the _Saturday Review_. ‘I see no harm in it,’ returned Alec shortly. He looked up and saw Semple, who (fortunately for him) was out of Dr. Mackenzie’s range of vision, lay down one of Ouida’s novels, making a grimace at Laura as he did so. ‘You defy the law of God, then, and choose the portion of the Sabbath-breaker. You----’ ‘Dr. Mackenzie,’ said Alec quietly, ‘have I presumed to pass judgment on your actions, and condemn them?’ The minister only stared. ‘You do not pretend to any sacerdotal authority, I believe?’ ‘Certainly not.’ ‘Then by what power or authority, I may ask, do you claim to interfere with me?’ And having said this, Alec tossed the newspaper aside and left the room, with the words ‘law of God,’ ‘Fourth Commandment,’ ‘judgment,’ ringing in his ears. After ascertaining that his uncle had fallen asleep, Alec went off to his own lodgings in no very Christian frame of mind. And Dr. Mackenzie neither forgot nor forgave the way in which the reprobate (as he considered him) had received his timely reproof. CHAPTER XX. MR. LINDSAY’S WILL. Early the following morning Dr. Mackenzie despatched a note in Mr. Lindsay’s name to Messrs. Hatchett, Small, and Hatchett, asking that one of the firm should call upon him as soon as possible, and take his instructions for the making of his will. This note was delivered in the afternoon, and was in due course passed on to Mr. Beattie, with the words pencilled across it, ‘Please attend to this at once.’ Mr. Hatchett and Mr. Small were both too important men to attend in person and take instructions for a will, and the junior partner happened to be in America.