donal grant-第102节

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his　teeth　that；　after　all；　he　looks　to　the　main　chance　as　keenly　as
another！　He　would　starve　before　he　would　have　men　say　soyes；　even
say　so　falsely。　I　am　as　sure　he　did　not　marry　lady　Arctura　for　her
money；　as　I　am　sure　lord　Forgue；　or　you；　Hector；　would　have　done　it
if　you　had　had　a　chance。There！My　conviction　is　that　the　bumpkin
sought　a　fit　opening　to　tell　you　that　the　will　was　to　go　for
nothing；　and　that　no　word　need　be　said　about　the　marriage。　You　know
he　made　you　promise　not　to　mention　itonly　I　wormed　it　out　of　you！〃

〃That's　just　like　you　women！　The　man　you　take　a　fancy　to　is　always
head　and　shoulders　above　other　men！〃

〃As　you　take　it　so；　I　will　tell　you　more：　that　man　will　never　marry
again！〃

〃Wait　a　bit。　Admiration　is　sometimes　mutual：　who　knows　but　he　may
ask　you　next！〃

〃If　he　did　ask　me；　I　might　take　him；　but　I　should　never　think　so
much　of　him！〃

〃Heroic　Kate！〃

〃If　you　had　been　a　little　more　heroic；　Hector；　you　would　have
responded　to　himand　found　it　considerably　to　your　advantage。〃

〃You　don't　imagine　I　would　be　indebted〃

〃Hush！　Hush！　Don't　pledge　yourself　in　a　hurryeven　to　me！〃　said
Kate。　〃Leave　as　wide　a　sea…margin　about　your　boat　as　you　may。　You
don't　know　what　you　would　or　would　not。　Mr。　Grant　knows；　but　you　do
not。〃

〃Mr。　Grant　again！Well！〃

〃Well！we　shall　see！〃

And　they　soon　did。　For　that　same　evening　Donal　called；　and　asked　to
see　Miss　Graeme。

〃I　am　sorry　my　brother　is　gone　down　to　the　town；〃　she　said。

〃It　was　you　I　wanted　to　see；〃　he　answered。　〃I　wish　to　speak　openly
to　you；　for　I　imagine　you　will　understand　me　better　than　your
brother。　Perhaps　I　ought　rather　to　sayI　shall　be　better　able　to
explain　myself　to　you。〃

There　was　that　in　his　countenance　which　seemed　to　seize　and　hold
hera　calm　exaltation；　as　of　a　man　who　had　outlived　weakness　and
was　facing　the　eternal。　The　spirit　of　a　smile　hovered　about　his
mouth　and　eyes；　embodying　itself　now　and　then　in　a　grave；　sweet；
satisfied　smile：　the　man　seemed　full　of　content；　not　with　himself；
but　with　something　he　would　gladly　share。

〃I　have　been　talking　with　your　brother；〃　he　said；　after　a　brief
pause。

〃I　know；〃　she　answered。　〃I　am　afraid　he　did　not　meet　you　as　he
ought。　He　is　a　good　and　honourable　man；　but　like　most　men　he　needs　a
moment　to　pull　himself　together。　Few　men；　Mr。　Grant；　when　suddenly
called　upon；　answer　from　the　best　that　is　in　them。〃

〃The　fact　is　simply　this；〃　resumed　Donal：　〃I　do　not　want　the　Morven
property。　I　thank　God　for　lady　Arctura：　what　was　hers　I　do　not
desire。〃

〃But　may　it　not　be　your　duty　to　take　it；　Mr。　Grant？Pardon　me　for
suggesting　duty　to　one　who　always　acts　from　it。〃

〃I　have　reflected；　and　do　not　think　God　wants　me　to　take　it。　Because
she　is　mine；　ought　I　of　necessity　to　be　enslaved　to　all　her
accidents？　Must　I；　because　I　love　her；　hoard　her　gowns　and　shoes？〃

Then　first　Miss　Graeme　noted　that　he　never　spoke　of　his　wife　as　in
the　past。

〃But　there　are　others　to　be　considered；〃　she　replied。　〃You　have　made
me　think　about　many　things；　Mr。　Grant！　My　brother　and　I　have　had
many　talks　as　to　what　we　would　do　if　the　land　were　ours。〃

〃And　yours　it　shall　be；〃　said　Donal；　〃if　you　will　take　it　as　a　trust
for　the　good　of　all　whom　it　supports。　I　have　other　work　to　do。〃

〃I　will　tell　my　brother　what　you　say；〃　answered　Miss　Graeme；　with
victory　in　her　heartfor　was　it　not　as　she　had　divined？

〃It　is　better；〃　continued　Donal；　〃to　help　make　good　men　than　happy
tenants。　Besides；　I　know　how　to　do　the　one；　and　I　do　not　know　how　to
do　the　other。　There　would　always　be　a　prejudice　against　me　too；　as
not　to　the　manner　born。　But　if　your　brother　should　accept　my　offer；
I　hope　he　will　not　think　me　interfering　if　I　talk　sometimes　of　the
principles　of　the　relation。　Things　go　wrong；　generally；　because　men
have　such　absurd　and　impossible　notions　about　possession。　They　call
things　their　own　which　it　is　impossible；　from　their　very　nature；
ever　to　possess　or　make　their　own。　Power　was　never　given　to　man　over
men　for　his　own　sake；　and　the　nearer　he　that　so　uses　it　comes　to
success；　the　more　utter　will　prove　his　discomfiture。　Talk　to　your
brother　about　it；　Miss　Graeme。　Tell　him　that；　as　heir　to　the　title；
and　as　head　of　the　family；　he　can　do　more　than　any　other　with　the
property；　and　I　will　gladly　make　it　over　to　him　without　reserve。　I
would　not　be　even　partially　turned　aside　from　my　own　calling。〃

〃I　will　tell　him　what　you　say。　I　told　him　he　had　misunderstood　you。
I　saw　into　your　generous　thought。〃

〃It　is　not　generous　at　all。　My　dear　Miss　Graeme；　you　do　not　know　how
little　of　a　temptation　such　things　are　to　me！　There　are　some　who
only　care　to　inherit　straight　from　the　first　Father。　You　may　say　the
earth　is　the　Lord's；　and　therefore　a　part　of　that　first　inheritance：
I　admit　it；　but　such　possession　as　this　in　question　would　not
satisfy　me　in　the　least。　I　must　inherit　the　earth　in　a　far　deeper；
grander；　truer　way　than　calling　the　land　mine；　before　I　shall　count
myself　to　have　come　into　my　own。　I　want　to　have　all　things　just　as
the　maker　of　me　wants　me　to　have　them。I　will　call　on　you　again
to…morrow；　I　must　now　go　back　to　the　earl。　Poor　man；　he　is　sinking
fast！　but　I　believe　he　is　more　at　peace　than　he　has　ever　been
before！〃

Donal　took　his　leave；　and　Miss　Graeme　had　plenty　to　think　of　till
her　brother's　return：　if　she　felt　a　little　triumphant；　it　may　be
pardoned　her。

He　was　ashamed；　and　not　a　little　humbled　by　what　she　told　him。　He
did　not　wait　for　Donal　to　come　to　him；　but　went　to　the　castle　early
the　next　morning。　Nor　was　he　mistaken　in　trusting　Donal　to　believe
that　it　was　not　from　eagerness　to　retrace　in　his　own　interest　the
false　step　he　had　taken；　but　from　desire　to　show　his　shame　of　having
behaved　so　ungenerously：　Donal　received　him　so　as　to　make　it　plain
he　did　not　misunderstand　him；　and　they　had　a　long　talk。　Graeme　was
all　the　readier　for　his　blunder　to　hear　what　Donal　had　to　say；　and
Donal's　unquestionable　disinterestedness　was　endlessly　potent　with
Graeme。　Their　interview　resulted　in　Donal's　thinking　still　better　of
him　than　before；　and　being　satisfied　that；　up　to　his　light；　the　man
was　honestwhich　is　saying　muchand　thence　open　to　conviction；　and
both　sides　of　a　question。　But　ere　it　was　naturally　over；　Donal　was
summoned　to　the　earl。

After　his　niece's　death；　no　one　would　do　for　him　but　Donal；　nobody
could　please　him　but　Donal。　His　mind　as　well　as　his　body　was　much
weaker。　But　the　intellect；　great　thing　though　it　be；　is　yet　but　the
soil　out　of　which；　or　rather　in　which；　higher　things　must　grow；　and
it　is　well　when　that　soil　is　not　too　strong；　so　to　speak；　for　the
most　gracious　and　lovely　of　plants　to　root　themselves　in　it。　When
the　said　soil　is　proud　and　unwilling　to　serve；　it　must　be　thinned
and　pulverized　with　sickness；　failure；　poverty；　fearthat　the　good
seeds　of　God's　garden　may　be　able　to　root　themselves　in　it；　when
they　get　up　a　little；　they　will　use　all　the　riches　and　all　the
strength　of　the　stiffest　soil。

〃Who　will　have　the　property　now？〃　he　asked　one　day。　〃Is　the　factor
anywhere　in　the　running？〃

〃Title　and　property　both　will　be　his；〃　answered　Donal。

〃And　my　poor　Davie？〃　said　the　earl；　with　wistful　question　in　the
eyes　that　gazed　up　in　Donal's　face。　〃Forgue；　the　rascal；　has　all　my
money　in　his　power　already。〃

〃I　will　see　to　Davie；〃　replied　Donal。　〃When　you　and　I　meet；　my
lordby　and　by；　I　shall　not　be　ashamed。〃

The　poor　man　was　satisfied。　He　sent　for　Davie；　and　told　him　he　was
always　to　do　as　Mr。　Grant　wished；　that　he　left　him　in　his　charge；
and　that　he　must　behave　to　him　like　a　son。

Davie　was　fast　making　acquaintance　with　deathbut　it　was　not　to　him
dreadful　as　to　most　children；　for　he　saw　it　through　the　face　and
words　of　the　man　whom　he　most　honoured。




CHAPTER　LXXXIV。

MORVEN　HOUSE。

In　the　evening　Donal　went　again　to　the　home…farm。　Finding　himself
alone　in　the　drawing…room；　he　walked　out　into　the　old　garden。

〃Thank　God；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃if　my　wife　should　come　here　some
sad；　sweet　night；　with　a　low　moon…crescent；　and　a　gently　thinking
wind；　and　wander　about　the　garden；　it　will　not　be　to　know　herself
forgotten！〃

He　went　up　and　down　the　grassy　paths。　Once　again；　all　as　long
agofor　it　seemed　long　nowhe　was　joined　by　Miss　Graeme。

〃I　couldn't　help　fancying；〃　she　said　as　she　came　up　to　him；　〃that　I
saw　lady　Arctura　walking　by　your　side。God　forgive　me！　how　could　I
be　so　heartless　as　mention　her！〃

〃Her　name　will　always　be　pleasant　in　my　ears；〃　returned　Donal。　〃I
was　thinking　of　herthat　was　how　you　felt　as　if　you　saw　her！　You
did　not　really　see　anything；　did　you？〃

〃Oh；　no！〃

〃She　is　nearer　me　than　that；〃　said　Donal。　〃She　will　be　with　me
wherever　I　am；　I　shall　never　be　sad。　God　is　with　me；　and　I　do　not
weep　that　I　cannot　see　him：　I　wait；　I　wait。〃

Miss　Graeme　was　in　tears。

〃Mr。　Grant；〃　she　said；　〃she　is　gone　a　happy　angel　to　heaven　instead
of　a　pining　woman！　That　is　your　doing！　God　bless　you！You　will　let
me　think　of　you　as　a　friend？〃

〃Always；　always：　you　loved　her。〃

〃I　did　not　at　first；　I　thought　of　her　only　as　a　poor　troubled
creature！　Now　I　know　there　was　more　life　in　her　trouble　than　in　my
content。　I　came　not　only　to　love　her；　bu