Sophia Carmichael, the
minister's daughter--to whom her father had communicated his
dissatisfaction with the character of Donal, and poured out his
indignation at his conduct. He ought to have left the parish at once!
whereas he had instead secured for himself the best, the only situation
in it, without giving him a chance of warning his lordship! The more
injustice her father spoke against him, the more Miss Carmichael
condemned him; for she was a good daughter, and looked up to her father
as the wisest and best man in the parish. Very naturally therefore she
repeated his words to lady Arctura. She in her turn conveyed them to
her uncle. He would not, however, pay much attention to them. The
thing was done, he said. He had himself seen and talked with Donal,
and liked him! The young man had himself told him of the clergyman's
disapprobation! He would request him to avoid all reference to
religious subjects! Therewith he dismissed the matter, and forgot all
about it. Anything requiring an effort of the will, an arrangement of
ideas, or thought as to mode, his lordship would not encounter. Nor
was anything to him of such moment that he must do it at once. Lady
Arctura did not again refer to the matter: her uncle was not one to
take liberties with--least of all to press to action. But she
continued painfully doubtful whether she was not neglecting her duty,
trying to persuade herself that she was waiting only till she should
have something definite to say of her own knowledge against him.

And now what was she to conclude from his reading the Apocrypha? The
fact was not to be interpreted to his advantage: was he not reading
what was not the Bible as if it were the Bible, and when he might have
been reading the Bible itself? Besides, the Apocrypha came so near the
Bible when it was not the Bible! it must be at least rather wicked! At
the same time she could not drive from her mind the impressiveness both
of the matter she had heard, and his manner of reading it: the strong
sound of judgment and condemnation in it came home to her--she could
not have told how or why, except generally because of her sins. She
was one of those--not very few I think--who from conjunction of a
lovely conscience with an ill-instructed mind, are doomed for a season
to much suffering. She was largely different from her friend: the
religious opinions of the latter--they were in reality rather
metaphysical than religious, and bad ei