"Indeed he won't. He's got his own troubles to attend to, and they will be much heavier than they are now, if he isn't careful."
"What do you propose to do? Help him out?"
"That all depends upon you, Stanton."
"Upon me! Why, what can I do?"
"Say the word, and I will refuse to assist him. He can go under, and the parish will be rid of him. Isn't that what you want?"
For a while Douglas was silent. It would be a choice revenge to see the blustering and impudent bully crushed by a single word. He thought of Ben and the haughty and sarcastic sisters. How delightful it would be to see them wince under the blow of financial failure. This temptation was only of short duration, however, for it was succeeded by a nobler feeling. He must not allow the spirit of revenge to affect him in the least. All that he wanted was justice, and freedom for Church work in Rixton. The Stubbles were in the way, and if pressure could now be brought to bear, either to bring them to their senses or to force them out of the parish, then it was right to do so.
"Is it hard to decide?" the lawyer asked, noting his hesitation and preoccupied air.
"Yes, it is. I wish to do what is fair. The tempter's advice is to get even now for the injury that has been done. But a nobler voice bids me to rise above such a feeling and do nothing in the spirit of revenge, but merely for the welfare of Rixton."
"But should not the Stubbles be taught a severe lesson? Is it right that they should escape all punishment?"
"I suppose not, but punishment should not be carried out in the spirit of revenge. When the State punishes a man, say with imprisonment, for some crime, it is not done in the spirit of revenge, but in order to safeguard society in general, as well as to teach a severe lesson. The same applies to parental authority over children. Now, I want to do something similar to that in this affair. I wish to do it without any vindictiveness on my part."