"It was a rusty implement, and you tried weight instead of edge. Now it
is infinitely brighter."
"But, Alick," she said, leaving the thought of herself for that of her
child, "I believe you may be right about Una, for," she added in low
voice, "she is like the most practically clever person I ever saw."
"True," he answered gravely, "I see it every day, in every saucy gesture
and coaxing smile, when she tries to turn away displeasure in her
naughty fits. I hardly knew how to look on at her airs with Keith,
it was so exactly like the little sister I first knew. Rachel, such
cleverness as that is a far more perilous gift to woman than your
plodding intellectuality could ever be. God grant," he added, with
one of the effusions which sometimes broke through his phlegmatic
temperament, "that this little fellow may be a kinder, wiser brother
than ever I was, and that we may bring her up to your own truth and
unselfishness. Then such power would be a happy endowment."
"Yes," said Rachel, "may she never be out of your influence, or be left
to untrustworthy hands. I should have been much better if I had had
either father or brother to keep me in order. Poor child, she has a
wonderful charm, not all my fancy, Alick. And yet there is one whose
real working talent has been more than that of any of us, who has made
it effective for herself and others, and has let it do her only good,
not harm."
"You are right. If we are to show Una how intellect and brilliant power
can be no snares, but only blessings helping the spirits in infirmity
and trouble, serving as a real engine for independence and usefulness,
winning love and influence for good, genuine talents in the highest
sense of the word, then commend me to such a Clever Woman of the family
as Ermine Keith."