To all this Barbara had been paying little heed. She was revolving whether she ought to tell Richard what she had just heard. Neither then nor as she rode home, however, could she come to a conclusion. If Richard was not the heir, why should she trouble him? But he might be the heir, and what then? She must seek counsel! But of whom? Not of her mother! As certainly not of her father! She had no ground for trusting the judgment of either. Having got rid of Miss Brown, she walked to the parsonage. But she did not find there such a readiness to give advice as she had expected. “The thing is not my business,” said Wingfold. “Not!” returned the impetuous Barbara. “I thought you were so much interested in the young man! He told me the other day that he had seen you again, and had a long talk with you, and that you thought the popular idea of the inspiration of the scriptures the greatest nonsense!” “Did he tell you that I said it was much nearer the truth after all than the fancy that the Bible had no claim beyond any other book?” “Yes, he did.” “That's all right!--Tell me then, Miss Wylder: are you interested in the young man because he is possibly heir to a baronetcy?” “Certainly not!” answered Barbara with indignation. “Then why should I be?” pursued the parson. “What is it to me? I am not a county-magistrate even!” “I cannot understand you, Mr. Wingfold!” protested Barbara, “You say you are there not for yourself but for the people, yet you will not move to see right done!” “I would move a long way to see that Mr. Tuke cared to do right: that is my business. It is not much to me, and nothing to my business, whether Mr. Tuke be rich or poor, a baronet or a bookbinder; it is everything to me whether Mr. Tuke will be an honest fellow or not.” “But if he should prove to have a right to the property?” “Then he ought to have the property. But it is not my business to discover or to enforce the right. My business is to help the young man to make little of the matter, whether he find himself the lawful heir, or a much injured man through his deceived mother.--Tell me whose servant I am.” “You are the servant of Jesus Christ.” “--Who said the servant must be as his master.--Do you remember how he did when a man came asking him to see justice done between him and his brother?--He said, 'Man, who made me a judge and a divider over you? Take heed and beware of covetousness.'--It may be _your_ business to see about it; I don't know; I scarcely think it is. My advice would be to keep quiet yet a while, and see what will come. There appears no occasion for hurry. The universe does not hang on the question of Richard's rights. Will it be much whether your friend go into the other world as late heir, or even late owner of Mortgrange, or as the son of Tuke, the bookbinder? Will the dead be moved from beneath to meet the young baronet at his coming? Will the bookbinder go out into dry places, seeking rest and finding none?”