David Fleming's Forgiveness. Margaret M. Robertson
sermon was not just in the style of old Mr. Hollister’s.”
“I doubt you werena in the way of taking much heed of Mr. Hollister’s sermons, and you can ask Mr. Maxwell the meaning of his words if you are not satisfied. What was lacking in the sermon the years will supply to those that are to follow it. It was written at the bidding of the doctors o’ divinity at the college, was it not?”
“Yes,” said Mr. Maxwell with some hesitation, “it was written for them.”
“Oh! they would surely be pleased with it. It was sound and sensible and conclusive; that is, you said in it what you set out to say, and that doesna ay happen in sermons. You’ll put more heart in your ministrations when you have been a while among us, I hope.”
There was a few minutes’ silence.
“There is a grave charge implied in your words, Mrs. Fleming, and I fear a true one,” said the minister.
“I meant none,” said Mrs. Fleming earnestly. “As for your sermon, what could you expect? It was all the work of your head, your heart had little part in it. It was the doctors of divinity, and the lads, your fellow-students—ilka ane o’ them waiting to get a hit at you—that you had in your mind when you were writing it, and no’ the like of us poor folk, who are needing to be guided and warned and fed. But it is a grand thing to have a clear head, and to be able to put things in the right way, and, according to the established rules: yon was a fine discourse; though you seemed to take little pleasure in it yourself, sir, I thought, as you went on.”
Mr. Maxwell smiled rather ruefully. “I took little pleasure in it indeed.”
“I saw that. But you have no call to be discouraged. We have the treasure in earthen vessels, as Paul says himself. But a clear head and a ready tongue are wonderful gifts for the Master’s use, when they go with a heart that He has made His dwelling. Have patience with yourself. If you are the willing servant of your Master, His word is given for your success in His work. It is Him you are to look to, and not to yourself.”
“Ay! there is comfort in that.”
“It must be a great change for you coming to a place like this from the companionship of wise men, living and dead, and you are but young and likely to feel it. But you’ll come to yourself when the strangeness wears off. Your work lies at your hand, and plenty of it. You’ll have thraward folk to counter you, and folk kind and foolish to praise you and your words and works, whatever they may be. A few will give you wholesome counsel, and a smaller few wholesome silence, and you must take them as they come, and carry them one and all to His feet, and there’s no fear of you.”
The minister said nothing. Clifton looked curiously at his grave face over his sister’s shoulder.
“Wholesome silence! It’s not much of that he is likely to get in Gershom,” said he.
“But,” said Mrs. Fleming earnestly, “you are not to put on a grave face like that, or I shall think your visit hasna done you good, and that would grieve me. You have no call to look doubtfully before you. You have the very grandest of work laid ready to your hand, and you have the will to do it, and I daresay you are no just that ill prepared for it. At least you are prepared to learn in God’s school that He has put you in. And you have His promise that you cannot fail. It is wonderful to think of.”
“Who is sufficient for these things?” said the minister gravely.
“Him that God sends He makes sufficient,” said Mrs. Fleming, cheerfully. “Put your trust in Him, and take good care of yourself, and above all, I would have you to beware of Mrs. Jacob Holt’s Yankee pies and cakes and hot bread, for they would be just the ruination of you, health and temper, and all. But you needna say I told you.”
Elizabeth and Clifton laughed heartily at the anticlimax. Mr. Maxwell laughed too, and hung his head, remembering Mrs. Jacob’s dainties, which he had not yet been able to do justice to. Mrs. Fleming might have enlarged on the subject if time allowed, but they had a long walk before them.
“I hope you’ll no be such a stranger now that you have found your way back again,” said Mrs. Fleming, as Elizabeth was putting on her shawl. “I mind the old days, and you have ay been kind to my Katie, who is growing a woman now, and more in need of kindness and counsel than ever,” added she, looking wistfully from the one to the other. For answer, Elizabeth turned and kissed Katie, and then touched with her lips the brown wrinkled hand of the grandmother.
“God bless you and keep you, and give you the desire of your heart,” said Mrs. Fleming, “if it be the best thing for you,” she added, moved by a prudent after-thought, which came to her to-night more quickly than such thoughts were apt to come to her. “I’m no feared for you or Katie. Why should I be? You are both in good keeping. And if you are no dealt with to your pleasure, you will be to your profit, and that is the chief thing.”
They had a pleasant walk through the dewy fields in the moonlight, and much to say to one another, but they had fallen into silence before they paused at the gate to say “good-night.”
“I suppose on the whole our visit may be considered a success,” said Clifton as they lingered.
“Altogether a success,” said Elizabeth.
“I am glad I went in your company,” said the minister.
“Thank you,” said Elizabeth.
“Your are welcome,” said her brother, and then he added, laughing, “I hope all the rest of the world will be as well pleased.”
This was to be doubted. Mrs. Jacob was by no means pleased for one. She had said nothing to Elizabeth on the occasion when Mr. Maxwell had stayed away from the sewing-circle, but Elizabeth knew that her silence did not imply either forgetfulness or forgiveness. She could wait long for an opportunity to speak, and could then put much into a few words for the hearing of the offender. It was a renewal of the offence that the minister should have been taken to the hill-farm by Clifton, and then to Ythan Brae by him and his sister, though why she could not have easily explained. Whatever Clifton did was apt to take the form of an indiscretion in her eyes, but neither her sharp words nor her soft words were heeded by him, and she rarely wasted them upon him. But it was different where his sister was concerned. She had turns now and then of taking upon herself the responsibility of Elizabeth, as of a young girl to whom she stood as the nearest female relation, and she knew how to hurt her when she tried. Elizabeth rarely resented openly her little thrusts, but all the same, she unconsciously armed herself for defence in Mrs. Jacob’s presence, and an attitude of defence is always uncomfortable where relations who meet often are concerned.
They had met a good many times, however, before any allusion was made to the visits which had displeased her. She came one day into Elizabeth’s sitting-room to find Mr. Maxwell there in animated discussion with Clifton. She hardly recognised him in the new brightness of his face, and the animation of his voice and manner. He was as unlike as possible to the silent, constrained young man who daily sat at her table, and who responded so inadequately to her efforts for his entertainment. She liked the minister, and wished to make him happy in her house, and there was real pain mingled with the unreasonable anger she felt as she watched him. Her first few minutes were occupied in answering the old squire’s questions about Jacob and the children. She had startled him from his afternoon’s sleep, and he was a little querulous and exacting, as was usual at such times. But in a little she said:
“Mr. Maxwell had good visits at the Hill, and at Mr. Fleming’s, he told us. It is a good thing you thought of going with him, Elizabeth. You and Cousin Betsey have become reconciled.”
“Reconciled!” repeated Elizabeth; “we have never quarrelled.”
“Oh, of course not. That would not do at all. But you have never been very fond of one another, you know.”
“I respect Cousin Betsey entirely, though we do not often see one another,” said Elizabeth. “I did not go to the Hill the other day, however. Clifton went with Mr. Maxwell, and they enjoyed it, as you say.”