donal grant-第25节

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possibility；　〃a　thing　that　from　the　outside　may　seem　an
extravagance；　may　look　quite　different　when　you　get　inside　it。〃

〃The　more　reason　for　keeping　out　of　it！　　If　acquaintance　must　make
you　in　love　with　it；　the　more　air　between　you　and　it　the　better！〃

〃Would　not　such　precaution　as　that　keep　you　from　gaining　a　true
knowledge　of　many　things？　　Nothing　almost　can　be　known　from　what
people　say。〃

〃True；　but　there　are　things　so　plainly　nonsense！〃

〃Yes；　but　there　are　things　that　seem　to　be　nonsense；　because　the　man
thinks　he　knows　what　they　are　when　he　does　not。　　Who　would　know　the
shape　of　a　chair　who　took　his　idea　of　it　from　its　shadow　on　the
floor？　　What　idea　can　a　man　have　of　religion　who　knows　nothing　of　it
except　from　what　he　hears　at　church？〃

Mr。　Graeme　was　not　fond　of　going　to　church　yet　went：　he　was　the　less
displeased　with　the　remark。　　But　he　made　no　reply；　and　the　subject
dropped。




CHAPTER　XX。

THE　OLD　GARDEN。

The　avenue　seemed　to　Donal　about　to　stop　dead　against　a　high　wall；
but　ere　they　quite　reached　the　end；　they　turned　at　right　angles；
skirted　the　wall　for　some　distance；　then　turned　again　with　it。　　It
was　a　somewhat　dreary　wallof　gray　stone；　with　mortar　as　graynot
like　the　rich…coloured　walls　of　old　red　brick　one　meets　in　England。
But　its　roof…like　coping　was　crowned　with　tufts　of　wall…plants；　and
a　few　lichens　did　something　to　relieve　the　grayness。　　It　guided　them
to　a　farm…yard。　　Mr。　Graeme　left　his　horse　at　the　stable；　and　led
the　way　to　the　house。

They　entered　it　by　a　back　door　whose　porch　was　covered　with　ivy；　and
going　through　several　low　passages；　came　to　the　other　side　of　the
house。　　There　Mr。　Graeme　showed　Donal　into　a　large；　low…ceiled；
old…fashioned　drawing…room；　smelling　of　ancient　rose…leaves；　their
odour　of　sad　hearts　rather　than　of　withered　flowersand　leaving　him
went　to　find　his　sister。

Glancing　about　him　Donal　saw　a　window　open　to　the　ground；　and　went
to　it。　　Beyond　lay　a　more　fairy…like　garden　than　he　had　ever　dreamed
of。　　But　he　had　read　of；　though　never　looked　on　such；　and　seemed　to
know　it　from　times　of　old。　　It　was　laid　out　in　straight　lines；　with
soft　walks　of　old　turf；　and　in　it　grew　all　kinds　of　straight
aspiring　things：　their　ambition　seemedto　get　up；　not　to　spread
abroad。　　He　stepped　out　of　the　window；　drawn　as　by　the　enchantment
of　one　of　childhood's　dreams；　and　went　wandering　down　a　broad　walk；
his　foot　sinking　deep　in　the　velvety　grass；　and　the　loveliness　of
the　dream　did　not　fade。　　Hollyhocks；　gloriously　impatient；　whose
flowers　could　not　wait　to　reach　the　top　ere　they　burst　into　the
flame　of　life；　making　splendid　blots　of　colour　along　their　ascending
stalks；　received　him　like　stately　dames　of　faerie；　and　enticed　him；
gently　eager　for　more；　down　the　long　walks　between　rows　of
themdeep　red　and　creamy　white；　primrose　and　yellow：　sure　they　were
leading　him　to　some　wonderful　spot；　some　nest　of　lovely　dreams　and
more　lovely　visions！　　The　walk　did　lead　to　a　bower　of　rosesa　bed
surrounded　with　a　trellis；　on　which　they　climbed　and　made　a　huge
bonfirealtar　of　incense　rather；　glowing　with　red　and　white　flame。
It　seemed　more　glorious　than　his　brain　could　receive。　　Seeing　was
hardly　believing；　but　believing　was　more　than　seeing：　though　nothing
is　too　good　to　be　true；　many　things　are　too　good　to　be　grasped。

〃Poor　misbelieving　birds　of　God；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃we　hover
about　a　whole　wood　of　the　trees　of　life；　venturing　only　here　and
there　a　peck；　as　if　their　fruit　might　be　poison；　and　the　design　of
our　creation　was　our　ruin！　we　shake　our　wise；　owl…feathered　heads；
and　declare　they　cannot　be　the　trees　of　life：　that　were　too　good　to
be　true！　　Ten　times　more　consistent　are　they　who　deny　there　is　a　God
at　all；　than　they　who　believe　in　a　middling　kind　of　Godexcept
indeed　that　they　place　in　him　a　fitting　faith！〃

The　thoughts　rose　gently　in　his　full　heart；　as　the　flowers；　one
after　the　other；　stole　in　at　his　eyes；　looking　up　from　the　dark
earth　like　the　spirits　of　its　hidden　jewels；　which　themselves　could
not　reach　the　sun；　exhaled　in　longing。　　Over　grass　which　fondled　his
feet　like　the　lap　of　an　old　nurse；　he　walked　slowly　round　the　bed　of
the　roses；　turning　again　towards　the　house。　　But　there；　half…way
between　him　and　it；　was　the　lady　of　the　garden　descending　to　meet
him！not　ancient　like　the　garden；　but　young　like　its　flowers；
light…footed；　and　full　of　life。

Prepared　by　her　brother　to　be　friendly；　she　met　him　with　a　pleasant
smile；　and　he　saw　that　the　light　which　shone　in　her　dark　eyes　had　in
it　rays　of　laughter。　　She　had　a　dark；　yet　clear　complexion；　a　good
forehead；　a　nose　after　no　recognized　generation　of　noses；　yet　an
attractive　one；　a　mouth　larger　than　to　human　judgment　might　have
seemed　necessary；　yet　a　right　pleasing　mouth；　with　two　rows　of
lovely　teeth。　　All　this　Donal　saw　approach　without　dismay。　　He　was
no　more　shy　with　women　than　with　men；　while　none　the　less　his
feeling　towards　them　partook　largely　of　the　reverence　of　the　ideal
knight　errant。　　He　would　not　indeed　have　been　shy　in　the　presence　of
an　angel　of　God；　for　his　only　courage　came　of　truth；　and　clothed　in
the　dignity　of　his　reverence；　he　could　look　in　the　face　of　the
lovely　without　perturbation。　　He　would　not　have　sought　to　hide　from
him　whose　voice　was　in　the　garden；　but　would　have　made　haste　to　cast
himself　at　his　feet。

Bonnet　in　hand　he　advanced　to　meet　Kate　Graeme。　　She　held　out　to　him
a　well…shaped；　good…sized　hand；　not　ignorant　of　workcapable　indeed
of　milking　a　cow　to　the　cow's　satisfaction。　　Then　he　saw　that　her
chin　was　strong；　and　her　dark　hair　not　too　tidy；　that　she　was　rather
tall；　and　slenderly　conceived　though　plumply　carried　out。　　Her　light
approach　pleased　him。　　He　liked　the　way　her　foot　pressed　the　grass。
If　Donal　loved　anything　in　the　green　world；　it　was　neither　roses
nor　hollyhocks；　nor　even　sweet　peas；　but　the　grass　that　is　trodden
under　foot；　that　springs　in　all　waste　places；　and　has　so　often　to　be
glad　of　the　dews　of　heaven　to　heal　the　hot　cut　of　the　scythe。　　He
had　long　abjured　the　notion　of　anything　in　the　vegetable　kingdom
being　without　some　sense　of　life；　without　pleasure　and　pain　also；　in
mild　form　and　degree。




CHAPTER　XXI。

A　FIRST　MEETING。

He　took　her　hand；　and　felt　it　an　honest　onea　safe；　comfortable
hand。

〃My　brother　told　me　he　had　brought　you；〃　she　said。　〃I　am　glad　to　see
you。〃

〃You　are　very　kind；〃　said　Donal。　　How　did　either　of　you　know　of　my
existence？　　A　few　minutes　back；　I　was　not　aware　of　yours。〃

Was　it　a　rude　utterance？　　He　was　silent　a　moment　with　the　silence
that　promises　speech；　then　added

〃Has　it　ever　struck　you　how　many　born　friends　there　are　in　the　world
who　never　meetpersons　to　love　each　other　at　first　sight；　but　who
never　in　this　world　have　that　sight？〃

〃No；〃　returned　Miss　Graeme；　with　a　merrier　laugh　than　quite
responded　to　the　remark；　〃I　certainly　never　had　such　a　thought。　　I
take　the　people　that　come；　and　never　think　of　those　who　do　not。　　But
of　course　it　must　be　so。〃

〃To　be　in　the　world　is　to　have　a　great　many　brothers　and　sisters　you
do　not　know！〃　said　Donal。

〃My　mother　told　me；〃　she　rejoined；　〃of　a　man　who　had　had　so　many
wives　and　children　that　his　son；　whom　she　had　met；　positively　did
not　know　all　his　brothers　and　sisters。〃

〃I　suspect；〃　said　Donal；　〃we　have　to　know　our　brothers　and　sisters。〃

〃I　do　not　understand。〃

〃We　have　even　got　to　feel　a　man　is　our　brother　the　moment　we　see
him；〃　pursued　Donal；　enhancing　his　former　remark。

〃That　sounds　alarming！〃　said　Miss　Graeme；　with　another　laugh。　〃My
little　heart　feels　not　large　enough　to　receive　so　many。〃

〃The　worst　of　it　is；〃　continued　Donal；　who　once　started　was　not
ready　to　draw　rein；　〃that　those　who　chiefly　advocate　this　extension
of　the　family　bonds；　begin　by　loving　their　own　immediate　relations
less　than　anybody　else。　　Extension　with　them　means　slackeningas　if
any　one　could　learn　to　love　more　by　loving　less；　or　go　on　to　do
better　without　doing　well！　　He　who　loves　his　own　little　will　not
love　others　much。〃

〃But　how　can　we　love　those　who　are　nothing　to　us？〃　objected　Miss
Graeme。

〃That　would　be　impossible。　　The　family　relations　are　for　the　sake　of
developing　a　love　rooted　in　a　far　deeper　though　less　recognized
relation。But　I　beg　your　pardon；　Miss　Graeme。　　Little　Davie　alone
is　my　pupil；　and　I　forget　myself。〃

〃I　am　very　glad　to　listen　to　you；〃　returned　Miss　Graeme。　〃I　cannot
say　I　am　prepared　to　agree　with　you。　　But　it　is　something；　in　this
out…of…the…way　corner；　to　hear　talk　from　which　it　is　even　worth
while　to　differ。〃

〃Ah；　you　can　have　that　here　if　you　will！〃

〃Indeed！〃

〃I　mean　talk　from　which　you　would　probably　differ。　　There　is　an　old
man　in　the　town　who　can　talk　better　than　ever　I　heard　man　before。
But　he　is　a　poor　man；　with　a　despised　handicraft；　and　none　heed
him。　　No　community　recognizes　its　great　men　till　they　are　gone。〃

〃Where　is　the　use　then　of　being　great？〃　said　Miss　Graeme。

〃To　be　great；〃　answered　Donal；　〃to　which　the　desire　to　be　known　of
men　is　altogether　destructive。　　To　be　great　is　to　seem　little　in　the
eyes　of　men。〃

Miss　Graeme　did　not　answer。　　She　was　not　accustomed　to　consider
things　seriously。