第44章

Eachmusedovertheparticularsoftheexamination，andeachvieweditthroughthemediumofhisownfeelings。Bothweremenofreadyandacutetalent，andbothwereequallycompetenttocombinevariouspartsofevidence，andtodeducefromthemthenecessaryconclusions。Butthewidedifferenceoftheirhabitsandeducationoftenoccasionedagreatdiscrepancyintheirrespectivedeductionsfromadmittedpremises。

MajorMelvillehadbeenversedincampsandcities；hewasvigilantbyprofession，andcautiousfromexperience；hadmetwithmuchevilintheworld，andtherefore，thoughhimselfanuprightmagistrateandanhonourableman，hisopinionsofotherswerealwaysstrict，andsometimesunjustlysevere。Mr。

Morton，onthecontrary，hadpassedfromtheliterarypursuitsofacollege，wherehewasbelovedbyhiscompanions，andrespectedbyhisteachers，tothecaseandsimplicityofhispresentcharge，wherehisopportunitiesofwitnessingevilwerefew，andneverdweltuponbutinordertoencouragerepentanceandamendment；andwheretheloveandrespectofhisparishionersrepaidhisaffectionatezealintheirbehalf，byendeavouringtodisguisefromhimwhattheyknewwouldgivehimthemostacutepain，namely，theirownoccasionaltransgressionsofthedutieswhichitwasthebusinessofhislifetorecommend。Thusitwasacommonsayingintheneighbourhood(thoughbothwerepopularcharacters)，thatthelairdknewonlytheillintheparish，andtheministeronlythegood。

Aloveofletters，thoughkeptinsubordinationtohisclericalstudiesandduties，alsodistinguishedthepastorofCairnvreckan，andhadtingedhismindinearlierdayswithaslightfeelingofromance，whichnoafterincidentsofreallifehadentirelydissipated。Theearlylossofanamiableyoungwoman，whomhehadmarriedforlove，andwhowasquicklyfollowedtothegravebyanonlychild，hadalsoserved，evenafterthelapseofmanyyears，tosoftenadispositionnaturallymildandcontemplative。

Hisfeelingsonthepresentoccasionwerethereforelikelytodifferfromthoseoftheseveredisciplinarian，strictmagistrate，anddistrustfulmanoftheworld。

Whentheservantshadwithdrawn，thesilenceofbothpartiescontinued，untilMajorMelville，fillinghisglass，andpushingthebottletoMr。Morton，commenced。

Adistressingaffairthis，Mr。Morton。Ifearthisyoungsterhasbroughthimselfwithinthecompassofahalter。’’

Godforbid！’’answeredtheclergyman。

Marry，andamen，’’saidthetemporalmagistrate；butI

thinkevenyourmercifullogicwillhardlydenytheconclusion。’’

Surely，Major，’’answeredtheclergyman，Ishouldhopeitmightbeaverted，foraughtwehaveheardto-night？’’

Indeed！’’repliedMelville。But，mygoodparson，youareoneofthosewhowouldcommunicatetoeverycriminalthebenefitofclergy。’’

UnquestionablyIwould：mercyandlong-sufferingarethegroundsofthedoctrineIamcalledtoteach。’’

True，religiouslyspeaking；butmercytoacriminalmaybegrossinjusticetothecommunity。Idon’tspeakofthisyoungfellowinparticular，whoIheartilywishmaybeabletoclearhimself，forIlikebothhismodestyandhisspirit。ButIfearhehasrusheduponhisfate。’’

Andwhy？HundredsofmisguidedgentlemenarenowinarmsagainsttheGovernment；many，doubtless，uponprincipleswhicheducationandearlyprejudicehavegildedwiththenamesofpatriotismandheroism；-Justice，whensheselectshervictimsfromsuchamultitude(forsurelyallwillnotbedestroyed)，mustregardthemoralmotive。Hewhomambition，orhopeofpersonaladvantage，hasledtodisturbthepeaceofawell-orderedgovernment，lethimfallavictimtothelaws；

butsurelyyouth，misledbythewildvisionsofchivalryandimaginaryloyalty，maypleadforpardon。’’

Ifvisionarychivalryandimaginaryloyaltycomewithinthepredicamentofhightreason，’’repliedthemagistrate，IknownocourtinChristendom，mydearMr。Morton，wheretheycansueouttheirHabeasCorpus。’’

ButIcannotseethatthisyouth’sguiltisatallestablishedtomysatisfaction，’’saidtheclergyman。

Becauseyourgoodnatureblindsyourgoodsense，’’repliedMajorMelville。Observenow：thisyoungman，descendedofafamilyofhereditaryJacobites，hisu