Bryerly?--a serious injury. You have
no idea how entirely that house is condemned and avoided, and the very name
of its inmates tabooed.'

'How monstrous--how cruel!' I exclaimed.

'Very unpleasant, my dear, but perfectly natural. You are to recollect that
quite independently of the story of Mr. Charke, the house was talked about,
and the county people had cut your uncle Silas long before that adventure
was dreamed of; and as to the circumstance of your being placed in his
charge by his brother, who took, from strong family feeling, a totally
one-sided view of the affair from the first, having the slightest effect in
restoring his position in the county, you must quite give that up. Except
me, if he will allow me, and the clergyman, not a soul in the country will
visit at Bartram-Haugh. They may pity you, and think the whole thing the
climax of folly and cruelty; but they won't visit at Bartram, or know
Silas, or have anything to do with his household.'

'They will see, at all events, what my dear papa's opinion was.'

'They know that already,' answered she, 'and it has not, and ought not to
have, the slightest weight with them. There are people there who think
themselves just as great as the Ruthyns, or greater; and your poor father's
idea of carrying it by a demonstration was simply the dream of a man who
had forgotten the world, and learned to exaggerate himself in his long
seclusion. I know he was beginning himself to hesitate; and I think if he
had been spared another year that provision of his will would have been
struck out.'

Doctor Bryerly nodded, and he said--

'And if he had the power to dictate _now_, would he insist on that
direction? It is a mistake every way, injurious to you, his child; and
should you happen to die during your sojourn under your uncle's care, it
would woefully defeat the testator's object, and raise such a storm of
surmise and inquiry as would awaken all England, and send the old scandal
on the wing through the world again.'

'Doctor Bryerly will, I have no doubt, arrange it all. In fact, I do not
think it would be very difficult to bring Silas to terms; and if you do not
consent to his trying, Maud, mark my words, you will live to repent it.'

Here were two persons viewing the question from totally different points;
both perfectly disinterested; both in their different ways, I believe,
shrewd and even wise; and both honourable, urging me against it, and in a
way that undefinably