There is an effort to see into the
soul of others that is essentially treacherous; wherever, friendship
being the ostensible bond, inquiry outruns regard, it is
treachery--an endeavour to grasp more than the friend would
knowingly give.
They went for a little walk in the grounds; as they returned they
met Donal going out with Davie. Arctura and Donal passed with a bow
and a friendly smile; Davie stopped and spoke to the ladies, then
bounded after his friend.
"Have you attended the scripture-lesson regularly?" asked Miss
Carmichael.
"Yes; I have been absent only once, I think, since you left,"
replied Arctura.
"Good, my dear! You have not been leaving your lamb to the wolf!"
"I begin to doubt if he be a wolf."
"Ah! does he wear his sheepskin so well? Are you sure he is not
plotting to devour sheep and shepherd together?" said Miss
Carmichael, with an open glance of search.
"Don't you think," suggested Arctura, "when you are not able to say
anything, it would be better not to be present? Your silence looks
like agreement."
"But you can always protest! You can assert he is all wrong. You can
say you do not in the least agree with him!"
"But what if you are not sure that you do not agree with him?"
"I thought as much!" said Miss Carmichael to herself. "I might have
foreseen this!"--Here she spoke.--"If you are not sure you do agree,
you can say, 'I can't say I agree with you!' It is always safer to
admit little than much.
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