e forgiveness, and that
we may part and remain friends."

"Would such a thing be expedient, think you? Or consistent with the
glory of God? I doubt it."

"I can think of nothing that would be more so. Is it not consistent
with every precept of the Gospel? Come, brother, say that our
reconciliation is complete."

"Oh yes, certainly! I tell you, brother, according to the flesh: it is
just as complete as the lark's is with the adder, no more so, nor ever
can. Reconciled, forsooth! To what would I be reconciled?"

As he said this, he strode indignantly away. From the moment that he
heard his life was safe, he assumed his former insolence and revengeful
looks--and never were they more dreadful than on parting with his
brother that morning on the top of the hill. "Well, go thy way," said
George; "some would despise, but I pity thee. If thou art not a limb of
Satan, I never saw one."

The sun had now dispelled the vapours; and, the morning being lovely
beyond description, George sat himself down on the top of the hill, and
pondered deeply on the unaccountable incident that had befallen to him
that morning. He could in no-wise comprehend it; but, taking it with
other previous circumstances, he could not get quit of a conviction
that he was haunted by some evil genius in the shape of his brother, as
well as by that dark and mysterious wretch himself. In no other way
could he account for the apparition he saw that morning on the face of
the rock, nor for several sudden appearances of the same being, in
places where there was no possibility of any foreknowledge that he
himself was to be there, and as little that the same being, if he were
flesh and blood like other men, could always start up in the same
position with regard to him. He determined, therefore, on reaching
home, to relate all that had happened, from beginning to end, to his
father, asking his counsel and his assistance, although he knew full
well that his father was not the fittest man in the world to solve such
a problem. He was now involved in party politics, over head and ears;
and, moreover, he could never hear the names of either of the Wringhims
mentioned without getting into a quandary of disgust and anger; and all
that he would deign to say of them was, to call them by all the
opprobrious names he could invent.

It turned out as the young man from the first suggested: old Dalcastle
would listen to nothing concerning them with any patience. George
compl