sympathy. He went into the house, however, for a Bible,
and coming back with it sat down and read quietly and steadfastly the
beautiful words in Isaiah:

'"To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to
let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke. ... To deal
thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out
to thy house; when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that
thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh."'

'It would take a good deal of money, certainly,' said Miss Frere, 'to
do all that; indeed, I hardly think all the fortunes in the world would
be sufficient.'

Pitt made no answer. He sat looking down at the page from which he had
been reading.

'Nobody is required to do more than his part of the work,' said Mrs.
Dallas. 'If Pitt will be contented with that'--

'What is my part of it, mother?'

'Why, your share; what you can do properly and comfortably, without any
fanaticism of sacrifice.'

'Must I not do all I can?'

'No, not all you _can_. You _could_ spend your whole fortune in it.'

'I was thinking, easily,' observed Miss Frere.

'What is the Bible rule? "When thou seest the naked, that thou cover
him"--"that ye break every yoke." And, "he that hath two coats, let him
impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do
likewise."'

'You can find Scripture to quote for everything, said Mrs. Dallas,
rising in anger; 'that is the way Methodists and fanatics always do, as
I have heard. But I can tell you one thing, Pitt, which you may not
have taken into account; if you persist in this foolishness, your
father, I know, will take care that the fortune you have to throw away
shall not be large!'

With these words she swept into the house. The two left behind were for
some moments very still. Pitt had drooped his head a little, and rested
his brow in his hand; Miss Betty watched him. Her dismay and dislike of
Pitt's disclosures were scarcely less than his mother's, but different.
Disappointed pride was not here in question. That he should give up a
splendid and opulent career did not much trouble her. In the first
place, he might modify his present views; in the second place, if he
did not, if he lived up to his principles, there was something in her
which half recognised the beauty and dignity and truth of such a life.
But in either case, alas, alas! how far was he drifted away out of her
sphere, and beyond her reach? F