“There is then no justice in this land,” cried the young man.

“I have thus far,” Winthrop went on without heeding the exclamation, “considered the case, under the supposition of a denial on the part of Master Spikeman (whom thou dost not deny to be the rightly constituted guardian of Mistress Dunning) of the facts which, in thy opinion, impose on him a duty to give thee his ward in marriage.  But suppose, as I have said, he were to demur to thy declaration, that is to say, admit the truth of all thou hast said, but deny that any obligation resulted therefrom to comply with thy wishes, would thy condition be thereby bettered?”

“Admitting the facts, I see not how he could do otherwise than hasten to perform the desire of his deceased friend; but this he will never do, forsworn and treacherous that he is.”

“Thus may passion speak, but not so the unprejudiced reason concerning thy difference with Master Spikeman.  Might he not reply to thy reproaches—­that it was only when Master Dunning was weakened by sickness that he did yield to importunity; but that in the days of unclouded health, and when the mind sat like a king upon his throne, he did steadily oppose thy union with his daughter, and then ask thee which he was in duty bound to obey—­the settled purpose of his friend, as demonstrated by his daily life and conversation, or a chance word of sickness, perhaps, of delirium?  That Edmund Dunning did at first, even till his death-bed, deny thee his daughter, thou dost admit; and this is a weighty argument, hard to be overcome by a dying whisper.  The reason thereof will satisfy most, for is it not written, ’Be ye not unequally yoked with unbelievers?’ Seest thou not that it is only thyself who dost stand in the way of thy happiness?  Oh! that the light of Divine truth might penetrate thy mind, and make thee, in all respects, worthy of the lovely lady.”

“Eveline Dunning would despise me, were I, even for the sake of her hand, to renounce the faith of my fathers.”

“Not for the sake of her hand, (that would be only a collateral blessing,) but for other and worthier motives.  Very precious and encouraging is the promise in the Scripture, ’Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven, and all other things shall be added unto you,’ Doubt it not, and consider also how sweet is the tie that doth bind consenting hearts with one true faith—­a faith consoling exceedingly—­a faith to lift high above the tempests of adversity—­to heal the wounds of earth, and to be crowned with glory and immortality in heaven.”

“Were I even to join the congregation, which, in my present way of thinking, I might not do without guilt, Master Spikeman would, doubtless, find means to make vain my suit.”

“Judge him not so harshly.  What motive can he have, other than to perform his duty to the living and to the dead?  Think, rather, that Providence hath, in its own wonderful way, determined to lead thee by the silken cord of thy affections unto grace.  Be not disobedient unto the heavenly impulse.”