, they
say, and has bad health; yet he is a good-looking man enough - a great friend of
your Lord High Commissioner of the Kirk, Mr. Butler.«
    »Then he is the friend of a very worthy and honourable nobleman,« said
Butler.
    »Does he admire his lady as much as other people do?« said Jeanie, in a low
voice.
    »Who - Sir George? They say he is very fond of her,« said the Duke; »but I
observe she trembles a little when he fixes his eye on her, and that is no good
sign - But it is strange how I am haunted by this resemblance of yours to Lady
Staunton, in look and tone of voice. One would almost swear you were sisters.«
    Jeanie's distress became uncontrollable, and beyond concealment. The Duke of
Argyle was much disturbed, good-naturedly ascribing it to his having unwittingly
recalled to her remembrance her family misfortunes. He was too well-bred to
attempt to apologise; but hastened to change the subject, and arrange certain
points of dispute which had occurred betwixt Duncan of Knock and the minister,
acknowledging that his worthy substitute was sometimes a little too obstinate,
as well as too energetic, in his executive measures.
    Mr. Butler admitted his general merits; but said, »He would presume to apply
to the worthy gentleman the words of the poet to Marrucinus Asinius,
 
Manu -
Non belle uteris in joco atque vino.«
 
The discourse being thus turned on parish business, nothing farther occurred
that can interest the reader.
 

                              Chapter Forty-Eighth

 Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown,
 And put a barren sceptre in my gripe,
 Thence to be wrench'd by an unlineal hand,
 No son of mine succeeding.
                                                                        Macbeth.
 
After this period, but under the most strict precautions against discovery, the
sisters corresponded occasionally, exchanging letters about twice every year.
Those of Lady Staunton spoke of her husband's health and spirits as being
deplorably uncertain; her own seemed also to be sinking, and one of the topics
on which she most frequently dwelt was their want of family. Sir George
Staunton, always violent, had taken some aversion at the next heir, whom he
suspected of having irritated his friends against him during his absence; and he
declared, he would bequeath Willingham and all its lands to an hospital, ere
that fetch-and-carry tell-tale should inherit an acre of it.
    »Had he but a child,« said the unfortunate wife, »or had that luckless
infant survived, it would
