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“I will speak to my son about it,” answered lady Ann, and went away, feeling that Richard would be a dangerous enemy.  She did not hate him:  she only regarded him as what might possibly prove an adverse force to be encountered and frustrated because of her family, and because of the right way of things—­that those, namely, who had nothing should be kept from getting anything.  In the meantime the only thing clear was, that he had better be got out of the neighbourhood!  It was well sir Wilton had hardly seen the young man:  if there was anything about him capable of rousing old memories, it were well it should not have the chance!  Sir Wilton was not fond of books, and it could be no great pleasure to him to have the library set to rights; he was annoyed at being kept out of it, for he liked to smoke his cigar there, and shuddered at the presence of a working man except in the open air:  she was certain he would feel nowise aggrieved if the design were abandoned midway!  The only person she feared would oppose Tuke’s departure, was Arthur.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

RICHARD AND ARTHUR.

She went to find him, told him what had happened to the young man, and, feeling her way, proposed that he should go to his grandfather’s for a few days.  Arthur started.  Send him where he and Barbara would be constantly meeting!  Must he for ever imagine them walking up and down that field, among the dandelions and daisies!  He had discovered, he believed, all that was between them, but was not therewith satisfied:  she had found out, he said to himself, that the fellow was an infidel, did not believe in God, or a resurrection—­was so low that he did not care to live for ever, and she was trying to convert him.  Arthur would rather he remained unconverted than that she should be the means of converting him.  Nor indeed would he be much injured by having the growth of such a faith as Arthur’s prevented in him:  Arthur prided himself in showing due respect to the Deity by allowing that he existed.  But the fellow was too clever by half, he said, and would be much too much for her.  Any theory wild enough would be attractive to her, who never cared a pin-head what the rest of the world believed!  She had indeed a strong tendency to pantheism, for she expected the animals to rise again—­a most unpleasant notion!  Doubtless it was she that sought his company; a fellow like that could not presume to seek hers!  He was only laughing at her all the time!  What could an animal like him care about the animals:  he had not even a dog to love!  He would not have him go to his grandfather’s! he would a thousand times rather give up the library!  There should be no more bookbinding at Mortgrange!  He would send the books to London to him!  It would be degrading to allow personal feeling to affect his behaviour to such a fellow; he should have the work all the same, but not at Mortgrange!