 mission. But
the most important difficulty remained behind, and it had not occurred to her
until that very evening. It was the want of money; without which it was
impossible she could undertake so distant a journey as she now meditated.
    David Deans, as we have said, was easy, and even opulent in his
circumstances. But his wealth, like that of the patriarchs of old, consisted in
his kine and herds, and in two or three sums lent out at interest to neighbours
or relatives, who, far from being in circumstances to pay anything to account of
the principal sums, thought they did all that was incumbent on them when, with
considerable difficulty, they discharged the »annual rent.« To these debtors it
would be in vain, therefore, to apply, even with her father's concurrence; nor
could she hope to obtain such concurrence, or assistance in any mode, without
such a series of explanations and debates as she felt might deprive her totally
of the power of taking the step, which, however daring and hazardous, she felt
was absolutely necessary for trying the last chance in favour of her sister.
Without departing from filial reverence, Jeanie had an inward conviction that
the feelings of her father, however just, and upright, and honourable, were too
little in unison with the spirit of the time to admit of his being a good judge
of the measures to be adopted in this crisis. Herself more flexible in manner,
though no less upright in principle, she felt that to ask his consent to her
pilgrimage would be to encounter the risk of drawing down his positive
prohibition, and under that she believed her journey could not be blessed in its
progress and event. Accordingly, she had determined upon the means by which she
might communicate to him her undertaking and its purpose, shortly after her
actual departure. But it was impossible to apply to him for money without
altering this arrangement, and discussing fully the propriety of her journey;
pecuniary assistance from that quarter, therefore, was laid out of the question.
    It now occurred to Jeanie that she should have consulted with Mrs.
Saddletree on this subject. But, besides the time that must now necessarily be
lost in recurring to her assistance, Jeanie internally revolted from it. Her
heart acknowledged the goodness of Mrs. Saddletree's general character, and the
kind interest she took in their family misfortunes; but still she felt that Mrs.
Saddletree was a woman of an ordinary and worldly way of thinking, incapable,
from habit and temperament, of taking a keen or enthusiastic view of such a
resolution
