“He’ll come direckly, my lord.”

“Of course he will,” said the marquis.

“Jist as readily, my lord, as he wad gang to ony tramp ’at sent for ’im at sic a time,” returned Malcolm, who did not relish either the remark or its tone.

“What do you mean by that? You don’t think it such a serious affair, do you?”

“My lord, ye haena a chance.”

The marquis was dumb.  He had actually begun once more to buoy himself up with earthly hopes.

Dreading a recall of his commission, Malcolm slipped from the room, sent Mrs. Courthope to take his place, and sped to the schoolmaster.  The moment Mr. Graham heard the marquis’s message he rose without a word and led the way from the cottage.  Hardly a sentence passed between them as they went, for they were on a solemn errand.

“Mr. Graham’s here, my lord,” said Malcolm.

“Where?  Not in the room?” returned the marquis.

“Waitin’ at the door, my lord.”

“Bah!  You needn’t have been so ready.  Have you told the sexton to get a new spade?  But you may let him in; and leave him alone with me.”

Mr. Graham walked gently up to the bedside.

“Sit down, sir,” said the marquis courteously, pleased with the calm, self-possessed, unobtrusive bearing of the man.  “They tell me I’m dying, Mr. Graham.”

“I’m sorry it seems to trouble you, my lord.”

“What! wouldn’t it trouble you, then?”

“I don’t think so, my lord.”

“Ah! you’re one of the elect, no doubt?”

“That’s a thing I never did think about, my lord.”

“What do you think about, then?”

“About God.”

“And when you die you’ll go straight to heaven, of course?”

“I don’t know, my lord.  That’s another thing I never trouble my head about.”

“Ah! you’re like me, then. I don’t care much about going to heaven.  What do you care about?”

“The will of God.  I hope your lordship will say the same.”

“No I won’t:  I want my own will.”

“Well, that is to be had, my lord.”

“How?”

“By taking his for yours as the better of the two, which it must be every way.”

“That’s all moonshine.”

“It is light, my lord.”

“Well, I don’t mind confessing, if I am to die, I should prefer heaven to the other place, but I trust I have no chance of either.  Do you now honestly believe there are two such places?”

“I don’t know, my lord.”

“You don’t know?  And you come here to comfort a dying man!”

“Your lordship must first tell me what you mean by ’two such places.’  And as to comfort, going by my notions, I cannot tell which you would be more or less comfortable in; and that, I presume, would be the main point with your lordship.”

“And what, pray, sir, would be the main point with you?”

“To get nearer to God.”