robert falconer-第85节

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from　its　side　the　skipper　found　an　opportunity　of　giving　her

Robert's　letter。　　It　was　the　poorest　of　chances；　but　Robert　could

think　of　no　other。　　She　started　on　receiving　it；　but　regarding　the

skipper's　significant　gestures　put　it　quietly　away。　　She　looked

anything　but　happy；　for　her　illness　had　deprived　her　of　courage；　and

probably　roused　her　conscience。　　Robert　followed　the　pair；　saw　them

enter　The　Great　Labourerwhat　could　the　name　mean？　could　it　mean

The　Good　Shepherd？and　turned　away　helpless；　objectless　indeed；　for

he　had　done　all　that　he　could；　and　that　all　was　of　no　potency。　　A

world　of　innocence　and　beauty　was　about　to　be　hurled　from　its　orbit

of　light　into　the　blackness　of　outer　chaos；　he　knew　it；　and　was

unable　to　speak　word　or　do　deed　that　should　frustrate　the　power　of　a

devil　who　so　loved　himself　that　he　counted　it　an　honour　to　a　girl　to

have　him　for　her　ruin。　　Her　after　life　had　no　significance　for　him；

save　as　a　trophy　of　his　victory。　　He　never　perceived　that　such

victory　was　not　yielded　to　him；　that　he　gained　it　by　putting　on　the

garments　of　light；　that　if　his　inward　form　had　appeared　in　its　own

ugliness；　not　one　of　the　women　whose　admiration　he　had　secured　would

not　have　turned　from　him　as　from　the　monster　of　an　old　tale。



Robert　wandered　about　till　he　was　so　weary　that　his　head　ached　with

weariness。　　At　length　he　came　upon　the　open　space　before　the

cathedral；　whence　the　poplar…spire　rose　aloft　into　a　blue　sky

flecked　with　white　clouds。　　It　was　near　sunset；　and　he　could　not　see

the　sun；　but　the　upper　half　of　the　spire　shone　glorious　in　its

radiance。　　From　the　top　his　eye　sank　to　the　base。　　In　the　base　was　a

little　door　half　open。　　Might　not　that　be　the　lowly　narrow　entrance

through　the　shadow　up　to　the　sun…filled　air？　　He　drew　near　with　a

kind　of　tremor；　for　never　before　had　he　gazed　upon　visible　grandeur

growing　out　of　the　human　soul；　in　the　majesty　of　everlastingnessa

tree　of　the　Lord's　planting。　　Where　had　been　but　an　empty　space　of

air　and　light　and　darkness；　had　risen；　and　had　stood　for　ages；　a

mighty　wonder　awful　to　the　eye；　solid　to　the　hand。　　He　peeped

through　the　opening　of　the　door：　there　was　the　foot　of　a

stairmarvellous　as　the　ladder　of　Jacob's　dreamturning　away

towards　the　unknown。　　He　pushed　the　door　and　entered。　　A　man

appeared　and　barred　his　advance。　　Robert　put　his　hand　in　his　pocket

and　drew　out　some　silver。　　The　man　took　one　piecelooked　at

itturned　it　overput　it　in　his　pocket；　and　led　the　way　up　the

stair。　　Robert　followed　and　followed　and　followed。



He　came　out　of　stone　walls　upon　an　airy　platform　whence　the　spire

ascended　heavenwards。　　His　conductor　led　upward　still；　and　he

followed；　winding　within　a　spiral　network　of　stone；　through　which

all　the　world　looked　in。　　Another　platform；　and　yet　another　spire

springing　from　its　basement。　　Still　up　they　went；　and　at　length

stood　on　a　circle　of　stone　surrounding　like　a　coronet　the　last　base

of　the　spire　which　lifted　its　apex　untrodden。　　Then　Robert　turned

and　looked　below。　　He　grasped　the　stones　before　him。　　The　loneliness

was　awful。



There　was　nothing　between　him　and　the　roofs　of　the　houses；　four

hundred　feet　below；　but　the　spot　where　he　stood。　　The　whole　city；

with　its　red　roofs；　lay　under　him。　　He　stood　uplifted　on　the　genius

of　the　builder；　and　the　town　beneath　him　was　a　toy。　　The　all　but

featureless　flat　spread　forty　miles　on　every　side；　and　the　roofs　of

the　largest　buildings　below　were　as　dovecots。　　But　the　space　between

was　alive　with　aweso　vast；　so　real！



He　turned　and　descended；　winding　through　the　network　of　stone　which

was　all　between　him　and　space。　　The　object　of　the　architect　must

have　been　to　melt　away　the　material　from　before　the　eyes　of　the

spirit。　　He　hung　in　the　air　in　a　cloud　of　stone。　　As　he　came　in　his

descent　within　the　ornaments　of　one　of　the　basements；　he　found

himself　looking　through　two　thicknesses　of　stone　lace　on　the　nearing

city。　　Down　there　was　the　beast　of　prey　and　his　victim；　but　for　the

moment　he　was　above　the　region　of　sorrow。　　His　weariness　and　his

headache　had　vanished　utterly。　　With　his　mind　tossed　on　its　own

speechless　delight；　he　was　slowly　descending　still；　when　he　saw　on

his　left　hand　a　door　ajar。　　He　would　look　what　mystery　lay　within。

A　push　opened　it。　　He　discovered　only　a　little　chamber　lined　with

wood。　　In　the　centre　stood　somethinga　bench…like　piece　of

furniture；　plain　and　worn。　　He　advanced　a　step；　peered　over　the　top

of　it；　saw　keys；　white　and　black；　saw　pedals　below：　it　was　an　organ！

Two　strides　brought　him　in　front　of　it。　　A　wooden　stool；　polished

and　hollowed　with　centuries　of　use；　was　before　it。　　But　where　was

the　bellows？　　That　might　be　down　hundreds　of　steps　below；　for　he　was

half…way　only　to　the　ground。　　He　seated　himself　musingly；　and

struck；　as　he　thought；　a　dumb　chord。　　Responded；　up　in　the　air；　far

overhead；　a　mighty　booming　clang。　　Startled；　almost　frightened；　even

as　if　Mary　St。　John　had　said　she　loved　him；　Robert　sprung　from　the

stool；　and；　without　knowing　why；　moved　only　by　the　chastity　of

delight；　flung　the　door　to　the　post。　　It　banged　and　clicked。　　Almost

mad　with　the　joy　of　the　titanic　instrument；　he　seated　himself　again

at　the　keys；　and　plunged　into　a　tempest　of　clanging　harmony。　　One

hundred　bells　hang　in　that　tower　of　wonder；　an　instrument　for　a

city；　nay；　for　a　kingdom。　　Often　had　Robert　dreamed　that　he　was　the

galvanic　centre　of　a　thunder…cloud　of　harmony；　flashing　off　from

every　finger　the　willed　lightning　tone：　such　was　the　unexpected

scale　of　this　instrumentso　far　aloft　in　the　sunny　air　rang　the

responsive　notes；　that　his　dream　appeared　almost　realized。　　The

music；　like　a　fountain　bursting　upwards；　drew　him　up　and　bore　him

aloft。　　From　the　resounding　cone　of　bells　overhead　he　no　longer

heard　their　tones　proceed；　but　saw　level…winged　forms　of　light

speeding　off　with　a　message　to　the　nations。　　It　was　only　his　roused

phantasy；　but　a　sweet　tone　is　nevertheless　a　messenger　of　God；　and　a

right　harmony　and　sequence　of　such　tones　is　a　little　gospel。



At　length　he　found　himself　following；　till　that　moment

unconsciously；　the　chain　of　tunes　he　well　remembered　having　played

on　his　violin　the　night　he　went　first　with　Ericson　to　see　Mysie；

ending　with　his　strange　chant　about　the　witch　lady　and　the　dead

man's　hand。



Ere　he　had　finished　the　last；　his　passion　had　begun　to　fold　its

wings；　and　he　grew　dimly　aware　of　a　beating　at　the　door　of　the

solitary　chamber　in　which　he　sat。　　He　knew　nothing　of　the　enormity

of　which　he　was　guiltypresenting　unsought　the　city　of　Antwerp　with

a　glorious　phantasia。　　He　did　not　know　that　only　upon　grand；　solemn；

world…wide　occasions；　such　as　a　king's　birthday　or　a　ball　at　the

H？tel　de　Ville；　was　such　music　on　the　card。　　When　he　flung　the　door

to；　it　had　closed　with　a　spring　lock；　and　for　the　last　quarter　of　an

hour　three　gens…d'arme；　commanded　by　the　sacristan　of　the　tower；　had

been　thundering　thereat。　　He　waited　only　to　finish　the　last　notes　of

the　wild　Orcadian　chant；　and　opened　the　door。　　He　was　seized　by　the

collar；　dragged　down　the　stair　into　the　street；　and　through　a　crowd

of　wondering　facespoor　unconscious　dreamer！　it　will　not　do　to

think　on　the　house…top　even；　and　you　had　been　dreaming　very　loud

indeed　in　the　church　spireaway　to　the　bureau　of　the　police。









CHAPTER　XXIV。



DEATH。



I　need　not　recount　the　proceedings　of　the　Belgian　police；　how　they

interrogated　Robert　concerning　a　letter　from　Mary　St。　John　which

they　found　in　an　inner　pocket；　how　they　looked　doubtful　over　a　copy

of　Horace　that　lay　in　his　coat；　and　put　evidently　a　momentous

question　about　some　algebraical　calculations　on　the　fly…leaf　of　it。

Fortunately　or　unfortunatelyI　do　not　know　whichRobert　did　not

understand　a　word　they　said　to　him。　　He　was　locked　up；　and　left　to

fret　for　nearly　a　week；　though　what　he　could　have　done　had　he　been

at　liberty；　he　knew　as　little　as　I　know。　　At　last；　long　after　it　was

useless　to　make　any　inquiry　about　Miss　Lindsay；　he　was　set　at

liberty。　　He　could　just　pay　for　a　steerage　passage　to　London；　whence

he　wrote　to　Dr。　Anderson　for　a　supply；　and　was　in　Aberdeen　a　few

days　after。



This　was　Robert's　first　cosmopolitan　experience。　　He　confided　the

whole　affair　to　the　doctor；　who　approved　of　all；　saying　it　could

have　been　of　no　use；　but　he　had　done　right。　　He　advised　him　to　go

home　at　once；　for　he　had　had　letters　inquiring　after　him。　　Ericson

was　growing　steadily　worsein　fact；　he　feared　Robert　might　not　see

him　alive。



If　this　news　struck　Robert　to　the　heart；　his　pain　was　yet　not

without　some　poor　alleviation：he　need　not　tell　Ericson　about

Mysie；　but　might　leave　him　to　find　out　the　truth　when；　free　of　a

dying　body；　he　would　be　better　able　to　bear　it。　　That　very　night　he

set　off　on　foot　for　Rothieden。　　There　was　no　coach　from　Aberdeen

till　eight　the　following　morning；　and　before　that　he　would　be　there。



It　was　a　dreary　jour