"Would you not have them take idle ladies as well?" "I would see first how they behaved when the men were gone." "You believe, then," said Mercy, "we have a right to make the lower animals work?" "I think it is our duty," answered Alister. "At all events, if we do not, we must either kill them off by degrees, or cede them this world, and emigrate. But even that would be a bad thing for my little bulls there! It is not so many years since the last wolf was killed--here, close by! and if the dogs turned to wolves again, where would they be? The domestic animals would then have wild beasts instead of men for their masters! To have the world a habitable one, man must rule." "Men are nothing but tyrants to them!" said Christina. "Most are, I admit." Ere he could prevent her, she had walked up to the near bull, and begun to pat him. He poked a sharp wicked horn sideways at her, catching her cloak on it, and grazing her arm. She started back very white. Alister gave him a terrible tug. The beast shook his head, and began to paw the earth. "It wont do to go near him," he said. "--But you needn't be afraid; he can't touch you. That iron band round his nose has spikes in it." "Poor fellow!" said Christina; "it is no wonder he should be out of temper! It must hurt him dreadfully!" "It does hurt him when he pulls against it, but not when he is quiet." "I call it cruel!" "I do not. The fellow knows what is wanted of him--just as well as any naughty child." "How can he when he has no reason!" "Oh, hasn't he!" "Animals have no reason; they have only instinct!" "They have plenty of reason--more than many men and women. They are not so far off us as pride makes most people think! It is only those that don't know them that talk about the instinct of animals!" "Do you know them?" "Pretty well for a man; but they're often too much for me." "Anyhow that poor thing does not know better." "He knows enough; and if he did not, would you allow him to do as he pleased because he didn't know better? He wanted to put his horn into you a moment ago!" "Still it must be hard to want very much to do a thing, and not be able to do it!" said Mercy. "I used to feel as if I could tear my old nurse to pieces when she wouldn't let me do as I wanted!" said Christina. "I suppose you do whatever you please now, ladies?" "No, indeed. We wanted to go to London, and here we are for the winter!" "And you think it hard?" "Yes, we do." "And so, from sympathy, you side with my cattle?" "Well--yes!" "You think I have no right to keep them captive, and make them work?" "None at all," said Christina. "Then it is time I let them go!" Alister made for the animals' heads. "No, no! please don't!" cried both the girls, turning, the one white, the other red.