“Sanctioned!” said Mr. Woodburn, “so have wars and wholesale robberies, under the name of reprisals in other countries, been sanctioned. Duelling was an old and venerable institution, and had the sanction of great names, but this did not make any of these barbarous and insane practices the less base, or unchristian. My dear fellow, we must not be led by past sanctions, or by the nose, we must be led by reason and humanity. Our ancestors were savages, shall we on that account remain savage? Take my word for it, Thorsby, however our public schools may have answered, they would have answered much better, had they been conducted on better principles; and I hope you don’t call outrage of the weak by the strong a good principle. Let full-grown men, if they will, be brutes, and stand up in fair fight against one another, equally matched; but I repeat it, a big man who assaults a little creature, who cannot help or defend himself, is a coward of the vilest, the most odious stamp, and ought to be scouted from society.” With this he stepped to the book-case, took down the second volume of Addison’s “Spectator,” and opening at No. 157, said, “now hear what a really enlightened man, who had passed through our public schools, thought on such things.” Having read that admirable article, he said:— “There! Thorsby, you may lend that to Howell Crusoe if you like.” “No, thank you!” said Thorsby, laughing heartily. “I think Crusoe got his cure in Cotmanhaye Wood.” One more symptom we may add of the returning sunshine to Woodburn. Dr. Leroy has returned, has resumed his practice in Great Castleborough, and has been seen, more than once, driving towards Fair Manor, in Mr. Heritage’s carriage, as that gentleman returned home after business. William Fairfax, meeting David Qualm in the street, says, “Castleborough is getting all right again. Thorsby and Dr. Leroy have played out their silly antics, and are really now going about like men of sense.” To which David nodded assent, for his words get fewer and fewer every year. “I think Frank Leroy dreams a little yet, however,” said William Fairfax. “Dost thou?” said David, with a surprising effort. “Yes, he dreams of old times at Fair Manor, I fancy; and dost not thou think Millicent dreams a little that way, too?” “I understand thee,” said David, and walked on smiling, but most meekly, to himself. FOOTNOTES: [1] A midland county phrase for gnawing by rats or mice. [2] A mole. CHAPTER VI. THE TRIAL, AND TALK AT WOODBURN.