donal grant-第15节

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submitting　to　him　who　slays　for　them　the　haunting　demons　of　their
dark。　　Then　again　the　moments　were　the　small　cogs　on　the　wheels　of
time；　whereby　the　dark　castle　in　which　he　sat　was　rushing　ever
towards　the　light：　the　cogs　were　caught　and　the　wheels　turned
swiftly；　and　the　time　and　the　darkness　sped。　　He　forgot　the　labour
of　waiting。　　If　now　and　then　he　fancied　a　tone　through　the　darkness；
it　was　to　his　mind　the　music…march　of　the　morning　to　his　rescue　from
the　dungeon　of　the　night。

But　that　was　no　musical　tone　which　made　the　darkness　shudder　around
him！　　He　sprang　to　his　feet。　　It　was　a　human　groana　groan　as　of
one　in　dire　pain；　the　pain　of　a　soul's　agony。　　It　seemed　to　have
descended　the　stair　to　him。　　The　next　instant　Donal　was　feeling　his
way　upcautiously；　as　if　on　each　succeeding　step　he　might　come
against　the　man　who　had　groaned。　　Tales　of　haunted　houses　rushed
into　his　memory。　　What　if　he　were　but　pursuing　the　groan　of　an　actor
in　the　pasta　creature　the　slave　of　his　own　conscious　memorya
mere　haunter　of　the　present　which　he　could　not　influenceone
without　physical　relation　to　the　embodied；　save　in　the　groans　he
could　yet　utter！　　But　it　was　more　in　awe　than　in　fear　that　he　went。
Up　and　up　he　felt　his　way；　all　about　him　as　still　as　darkness　and
the　night　could　make　it。　　A　ghostly　cold　crept　through　his　skin；　it
was　drawn　together　as　by　a　gently　freezing　process；　and　there　was　a
pulling　at　the　muscles　of　his　chest；　as　if　his　mouth　were　being
dragged　open　by　a　martingale。

As　he　felt　his　way　along　the　wall；　sweeping　its　great　endless　circle
round　and　round　in　spiral　ascent；　all　at　once　his　hand　seemed　to　go
through　it；　he　started　and　stopped。　　It　was　the　door　of　the　room
into　which　he　had　been　shown　to　meet　the　earl！　　It　stood　wide　open。
A　faint　glimmer　came　through　the　window　from　the　star…filled　sky。
He　stepped　just　within　the　doorway。　　Was　not　that　another　glimmer
on　the　floorfrom　the　back　of　the　roomthrough　a　door　he　did　not
remember　having　seen　yesterday？　　There　again　was　the　groan；　and　nigh
at　hand！　　Someone　must　be　in　sore　need！　　He　approached　the　door　and
looked　through。　　A　lamp；　nearly　spent；　hung　from　the　ceiling　of　a
small　room　which　might　be　an　office　or　study；　or　a　place　where
papers　were　kept。　　It　had　the　look　of　an　antechamber；　but　that　it
could　not　be；　for　there　was　but　the　one　door！In　the　dim　light　he
descried　a　vague　form　leaning　up　against　one　of　the　walls；　as　if
listening　to　something　through　it！　　As　he　gazed　it　grew　plainer　to
him；　and　he　saw　a　face；　its　eyes　staring　wide；　which　yet　seemed　not
to　see　him。　　It　was　the　face　of　the　earl。　　Donal　felt　as　if　in　the
presence　of　the　disembodied；　he　stood　fascinated；　nor　made　attempt
to　retire　or　conceal　himself。　　The　figure　turned　its　face　to　the
wall；　put　the　palms　of　its　hands　against　it；　and　moved　them　up　and
down；　and　this　way　and　that；　then　looked　at　them；　and　began　to　rub
them　against　each　other。

Donal　came　to　himself。　　He　concluded　it　was　a　case　of　sleepwalking。
He　had　read　that　it　was　dangerous　to　wake　the　sleeper；　but　that　he
seldom　came　to　mischief　when　left　alone；　and　was　about　to　slip　away
as　he　had　come；　when　the　faint　sound　of　a　far…off　chord　crept
through　the　silence。　　The　earl　again　laid　his　ear　to　the　wall。　　But
there　was　only　silence。　　He　went　through　the　same　dumb　show　as
before；　then　turned　as　if　to　leave　the　place。　　Donal　turned　also；
and　hurriedly　felt　his　way　to　the　stair。　　Then　first　he　was　in
danger　of　terror；　for　in　stealing　through　the　darkness　from　one　who
could　find　his　way　without　his　eyes；　he　seemed　pursued　by　a　creature
not　of　this　world。　　On　the　stair　he　went　down　a　step　or　two；　then
lingered；　and　heard　the　earl　come　on　it　also。　　He　crept　close　to　the
newel；　leaving　the　great　width　of　the　stair　free；　but　the　steps　of
the　earl　went　upward。　　Donal　descended；　sat　down　again　at　the　bottom
of　the　stair；　and　began　again　to　wait。　　No　sound　came　to　him　through
the　rest　of　the　night。　　The　slow　hours　rolled　away；　and　the　slow
light　drew　nearer。　　Now　and　then　he　was　on　the　point　of　falling　into
a　doze；　but　would　suddenly　start　wide　awake；　listening　through　a
silence　that　seemed　to　fill　the　whole　universe　and　deepen　around　the
castle。

At　length　he　was　aware　that　the　darkness　had；　unobserved　of　him；
grown　weakerthat　the　approach　of　the　light　was　sickening　it：　the
dayspring　was　about　to　take　hold　of　the　ends　of　the　earth　that　the
wicked　might　be　shaken　out　of　its　lap。　　He　sought　the　long　passage
by　which　he　had　come；　and　felt　his　way　to　the　other　end：　it　would　be
safer　to　wait　there　if　he　could　get　no　farther。　　But　somehow　he　came
to　the　foot　of　his　own　stair；　and　sped　up　as　if　it　were　the　ladder
of　heaven。　　He　threw　himself　on　his　bed；　fell　fast　asleep；　and　did
not　wake　till　the　sun　was　high。




CHAPTER　XIV。

THE　SCHOOLROOM。

Old　Simmons；　the　butler；　woke　him。

〃I　was　afraid　something　was　the　matter；　sir。　　They　tell　me　you　did
not　come　down　last　night；　and　breakfast　has　been　waiting　you　two
hours。〃

〃I　should　not　have　known　where　to　find　it；〃　said　Donal。　〃The
knowledge　of　an　old　castle　is　not　intuitive。〃

〃How　long　will　you　take　to　dress？〃　asked　Simmons。

〃Ten　minutes；　if　there　is　any　hurry；〃　answered　Donal。

〃I　will　come　again　in　twenty；　or；　if　you　are　willing　to　save　an　old
man's　bones；　I　will　be　at　the　bottom　of　the　stair　at　that　time　to
take　charge　of　you。　　I　would　have　looked　after　you　yesterday；　but
his　lordship　was　poorly；　and　I　had　to　be　in　attendance　on　him　till
after　midnight。〃

Donal　thought　it　impossible　he　should　of　himself　have　found　his　way
to　the　schoolroom。　　With　all　he　could　do　to　remember　the　turnings；
he　found　the　endeavour　hopeless；　and　gave　it　up　with　a　not
unpleasing　despair。　　Through　strange　passages；　through　doors　in　all
directions；　up　stairs　and　down　they　went；　and　at　last　came　to　a
long；　low　room；　barely　furnished；　with　a　pleasant　outlook；　and
immediate　access　to　the　open　air。　　The　windows　were　upon　a　small
grassy　court；　with　a　sundial　in　the　centre；　a　door　opened　on　a　paved
court。　　At　one　end　of　the　room　a　table　was　laid　with　ten　times　as
many　things　as　he　could　desire　to　eat；　though　he　came　to　it　with　a
good　appetite。　　The　butler　himself　waited　upon　him。　　He　was　a
good…natured　old　fellow；　with　a　nose　somewhat　too　red　for　the
ordinary　wear　of　one　in　his　responsible　position。

〃I　hope　the　earl　is　better　this　morning；〃　said　Donal。

〃Well；　I　can't　say。　　He's　but　a　delicate　man　is　the　earl；　and　has
been；　so　long　as　I　have　known　him。　　He　was　with　the　army　in　India；
and　the　sun；　they　say；　give　him　a　stroke；　and　ever　since　he　have
headaches　that　bad！　　But　in　between　he　seems　pretty　well；　and
nothing　displeases　him　more　than　ask　after　his　health；　or　how　he
slep　the　night。　　But　he's　a　good　master；　and　I　hope　to　end　my　days
with　him。　　I'm　not　one　as　likes　new　faces　and　new　places！　　One　good
place　is　enough　for　me；　says　Iso　long　as　it　is　a　good　one。Take
some　of　this　game　pie；　sir。〃

Donal　made　haste　with　his　breakfast；　and　to　Simmons's　astonishment
had　ended　when　he　thought　him　just　well　begun。

〃How　shall　I　find　master　Davie？〃　he　asked。

〃He　is　wild　to　see　you；　sir。　　When　I've　cleared　away；　just　have　the
goodness　to　ring　this　bell　out　of　that　window；　and　he'll　be　with　you
as　fast　as　he　can　lay　his　feet　to　the　ground。〃

Donal　rang　the　handbell。　　A　shout　mingled　with　the　clang　of　it。
Then　came　the　running　of　swift　feet　over　the　stones　of　the　court；
and　Davie　burst　into　the　room。

〃Oh；　sir；〃　he　cried；　〃I　am　glad！　　It　is　good　of　you　to　come！〃

〃Well；　you　see；　Davie；〃　returned　Donal；　〃everybody　has　got　to　do
something　to　carry　the　world　on　a　bit：　my　work　is　to　help　make　a　man
of　you。　　Only　I　can't　do　much　except　you　help　me；　and　if　I　find　I　am
not　making　a　good　job　of　you；　I　shan't　stop　many　hours　after　the
discovery。　　If　you　want　to　keep　me；　you　must　mind　what　I　say；　and　so
help　me　to　make　a　man　of　you。〃

〃It　will　be　long　before　I　am　a　man！〃　said　Davie　rather
disconsolately。

〃It　depends　on　yourself。　　The　boy　that　is　longest　in　becoming　a　man；
is　the　boy　that　thinks　himself　a　man　before　he　is　a　bit　like　one。〃

〃Come　then；　let　us　do　something！〃　said　Davie。

〃Come　away；〃　rejoined　Donal。　〃What　shall　we　do　first？〃

〃I　don't　know：　you　must　tell　me；　sir。〃

〃What　would　you　like　best　to　doI　mean　if　you　might　do　what　you
pleased？〃

Davie　thought　a　little；　then　said：

〃I　should　like　to　write　a　book。〃

〃What　kind　of　a　book？〃

〃A　beautiful　story。〃

〃Isn't　it　just　as　well　to　read　such　a　book？　　Why　should　you　want　to
write　one？〃

〃Because　then　I　should　have　it　go　just　as　I　wanted　it！　　I　am
alwaysalmost　alwaysdisappointed　with　the　thing　that　comes　next。
But　if　I　wrote　it　myself；　then　I　shouldn't　get　tired　of　it；　it
would　be　what　pleased　me；　and　not　what　pleased　somebody　else。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Donal；　after　thinking　for　a　moment；　〃suppose　you　begin
to　write　a　book！〃

〃Oh；　that　will　be　fun！much　better　than　learning　verbs　and　nouns！〃

〃But　the　verbs　and　nouns　are　just　the　things　that　go　to　make　a
storywith　not　a　few　adjectives　and　adverbs；　and　a　host　of
conjunctions；　and；　if　it　be　a　very　moving　story；　a　good　many
interjections！　　These　all　you　have　got　to　put　together