donal grant-第28节

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said　no　more　till　the　clock　gave　the　warning。　　Then　he　spoke　again；
and　said　the　day　was　almost　out；　and　they　ought　not　to　go　on　playing
into　the　Sabbath。　　And　as　he　uttered　the　word；　his　mouth　was　pulled
all　on　one　side。　　But　the　earl　struck　his　fist　on　the　table；　and
swore　a　great　oath　that　if　any　man　rose　he　would　run　him　through。
'What　care　I　for　the　Sabbath！'　he　said。　'I　gave　you　your　chance　to
go；'　he　added；　turning　to　the　man　who　had　spoken；　who　was　dressed　in
black　like　a　minister；　'and　you　would　not　take　it：　now　you　shall　sit
where　you　are。'　　He　glared　fiercely　at　him；　and　the　man　returned　him
an　equally　fiery　stare。　　And　now　first　they　began　to　discover　what；
through　the　fumes　of　the　whisky　and　the　smoke　of　the　pine…torches；
they　had　not　observed；　namely；　that　none　of　them　knew　the　man；　or
had　ever　seen　him　before。　　They　looked　at　him；　and　could　not　turn
their　eyes　from　him；　and　a　cold　terror　began　to　creep　through　their
vitals。　　He　kept　his　fierce　scornful　look　fixed　on　the　earl　for　a
moment；　and　then　spoke。　'And　I　gave　you　your　chance；'　he　said；　'and
you　would　not　take　it：　now　you　shall　sit　still　where　you　are；　and　no
Sabbath　shall　you　ever　see。'　　The　clock　began　to　strike；　and　the
man's　mouth　came　straight　again。　　But　when　the　hammer　had　struck
eleven　times；　it　struck　no　more；　and　the　clock　stopped。　'This　day
twelvemonth；'　said　the　man；　'you　shall　see　me　again；　and　so　every
year　till　your　time　is　up。　　I　hope　you　will　enjoy　your　game！'　　The
earl　would　have　sprung　to　his　feet；　but　could　not　stir；　and　the　man
was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　　He　was　gone；　taking　with　him　both　door　and
windows　of　the　roomnot　as　Samson　carried　off　the　gates　of　Gaza；
however；　for　he　left　not　the　least　sign　of　where　they　had　been。
》From　that　day　to　this　no　one　has　been　able　to　find　the　room。　　There
the　wicked　earl　and　his　companions　still　sit；　playing　with　the　same
pack　of　cards；　and　waiting　their　doom。　　It　has　been　said　that；　on
that　same　day　of　the　yearonly；　unfortunately；　testimony　differs　as
to　the　dayshouts　of　drunken　laughter　may　be　heard　issuing　from
somewhere　in　the　castle；　but　as　to　the　direction　whence　they　come；
none　can　ever　agree。　　That　is　the　story。〃

〃A　very　good　one！〃　said　Donal。　〃I　wonder　what　the　ground　of　it　is！
It　must　have　had　its　beginning！〃

〃Then　you　don't　believe　it？〃　said　Miss　Graeme。

〃Not　quite；〃　he　replied。　〃But　I　have　myself　had　a　strange　experience
up　there。〃

〃What！　you　have　seen　something？〃　cried　Miss　Graeme；　her　eyes　growing
bigger。

〃No；　I　have　seen　nothing；〃　answered　Donal；　〃only　heard
something。One　night；　the　first　I　was　there　indeed；　I　heard　the
sound　of　a　far…off　musical　instrument；　faint　and　sweet。〃

The　brother　and　sister　exchanged　looks。　　Donal　went　on。

〃I　got　up　and　felt　my　way　down　the　winding　stairI　sleep　at　the　top
of　Baliol's　towerbut　at　the　bottom　lost　myself；　and　had　to　sit
down　and　wait　for　the　light。　　Then　I　heard　it　again；　but　seemed　no
nearer　to　it　than　before。　　I　have　never　heard　it　since；　and　have
never　mentioned　the　thing。　　I　presume；　however；　that　speaking　of　it
to　you　can　do　no　harm。　　You　at　least　will　not　raise　any　fresh
rumours　to　injure　the　respectability　of　the　castle！　　Do　you　think
there　is　any　instrument　in　it　from　which　such　a　sound　might　have
proceeded？　　Lady　Arctura　is　a　musician；　I　am　told；　but　surely　was
not　likely　to　be　at　her　piano　'in　the　dead　waste　and　middle　of　the
night'！〃

〃It　is　impossible　to　say　how　far　a　sound　may　travel　in　the　stillness
of　the　night；　when　there　are　no　other　sound…waves　to　cross　and　break
it。〃

〃That　is　all　very　well；　Hector；〃　said　his　sister；　〃but　you　know　Mr。
Grant　is　neither　the　first　nor　the　second　that　has　heard　that
sound！〃

〃One　thing　is　pretty　clear；〃　said　her　brother；　〃it　can　have　nothing
to　do　with　the　revellers　at　their　cards！　　The　sound　reported　is　very
different　from　any　attributed　to　them！〃

〃Are　you　sure；〃　suggested　Donal；　〃that　there　was　not　a　violin　shut
up　with　them？　　Even　if　none　of　them　could　play；　there　has　been　time
enough　to　learn。　　The　sound　I　heard　might　have　been　that　of　a
ghostly　violin。　　Though　like　that　of　a　stringed　instrument；　it　was
different　from　anything　I　had　ever　heard　beforeexcept　perhaps
certain　equally　inexplicable　sounds　occasionally　heard　among　the
hills。〃

They　went　on　talking　about　the　thing　for　a　while；　pacing　up　and　down
the　garden；　the　sun　hot　above　their　heads；　the　grass　cool　under
their　feet。

〃It　is　enough；〃　said　Miss　Graeme；　with　a　rather　forced　laugh；　〃to
make　one　glad　the　castle　does　not　go　with　the　title。〃

〃Why　so？〃　asked　Donal。

〃Because；〃　she　answered；　〃were　anything　to　happen　to　the　boys　up
there；　Hector　would　come　in　for　the　title。〃

〃I'm　not　of　my　sister's　mind！〃　said　Mr。　Graeme；　laughing　more
genuinely。　〃A　title　with　nothing　to　keep　it　up　is　a　simple
misfortune。　　I　certainly　should　not　take　out　the　patent。　　No　wise
man　would　lay　claim　to　a　title　without　the　means　to　make　it
respected。〃

〃Have　we　come　to　that！〃　exclaimed　Donal。　〃Must　even　the　old　titles
of　the　country　be　buttressed　into　respectability　with　money？　　Away
in　quiet　places；　reading　old　history　books；　we　peasants　are
accustomed　to　think　differently。　　If　some　millionaire　money…lender
were　to　buy　the　old　keep　of　Arundel　castle；　you　would　respect　him
just　as　much　as　the　present　earl！〃

〃I　would　not；〃　said　Mr。　Graeme。　〃I　confess　you　have　the　better　of
me。But　is　there　not　a　fallacy　in　your　argument？〃　he　added；
thinkingly。

〃I　believe　not。　　If　the　title　is　worth　nothing　without　the　money；
the　money　must　be　more　than　the　title！If　I　were　Lazarus；〃　Donal
went　on；　〃and　the　inheritor　of　a　title；　I　would　use　it；　if　only　for
a　lesson　to　Dives　up　stairs。　　I　scorn　to　think　that　honour　should
wait　on　the　heels　of　wealth。　　You　may　think　it　is　because　I　am　and
always　shall　be　a　poor　man；　but　if　I　know　myself　it　is　not
therefore。　　At　the　same　time　a　title　is　but　a　trifle；　and　if　you　had
given　any　other　reason　for　not　using　it　than　homage　to　Mammon；　I
should　have　said　nothing。〃

〃For　my　part；〃　said　Miss　Graeme；　〃I　have　no　quarrel　with　riches
except　that　they　do　not　come　my　way。　　I　should　know　how　to　use　and
not　abuse　them！〃

Donal　made　no　other　reply　than　to　turn　a　look　of　divinely　stupid
surprise　and　pity　upon　the　young　woman。　　It　was　of　no　use　to　say
anything！　　Were　argument　absolutely　triumphant；　Mammon　would　sit
just　where　he　was　before！　　He　had　marked　the　great　indifference　of
the　Lord　to　the　convincing　of　the　understanding：　when　men　knew　the
thing　itself；　then　and　not　before　would　they　understand　its
relations　and　reasons！

If　truth　belongs　to　the　human　soul；　then　the　soul　is　able　to　see　it
and　know　it：　if　it　do　the　truth；　it　takes　therein　the　first
possible；　and　almost　the　last　necessary　step　towards　understanding
it。

Miss　Graeme　caught　his　look；　and　must　have　perceived　its　expression；
for　her　face　flushed　a　more　than　rosy　red；　and　the　conversation　grew
crumbly。

It　was　a　half…holiday；　and　he　stayed　to　tea；　and　after　it　went　over
the　arm…buildings　with　Mr。　Graeme；　revealing　such　a　practical
knowledge　of　all　that　was　going　on；　that　his　entertainer　soon　saw
his　opinion　must　be　worth　something　whether　his　fancies　were　or　not。




CHAPTER　XXIV。

STEPHEN　KENNEDY。

The　great　comforts　of　Donal's　life；　next　to　those　of　the　world　in
which　his　soul　livedthe　eternal　world；　whose　doors　are　ever　open
to　him　who　prayswere　the　society　of　his　favourite　books；　the
fashioning　of　his　thoughts　into　sweetly　ordered　sounds　in　the　lofty
solitude　of　his　chamber；　and　not　infrequent　communion　with　the
cobbler　and　his　wife。　　To　these　he　had　as　yet　said　nothing　of　what
went　on　at　the　castle：　he　had　learned　the　lesson　the　cobbler　himself
gave　him。　　But　many　a　lesson　of　greater　value　did　he　learn　from　the
philosopher　of　the　lapstone。　　He　who　understands　because　he
endeavours；　is　a　freed　man　of　the　realm　of　human　effort。　　He　who　has
no　experience　of　his　own；　to　him　the　experience　of　others　is　a
sealed　book。　　The　convictions　that　in　Donal　rose　vaporous　were
rapidly　condensed　and　shaped　when　he　found　his　new　friend　thought
likewise。

By　degrees　he　made　more　and　more　of　a　companion　of　Davie；　and　such
was　the　sweet　relation　between　them　that　he　would　sometimes　have　him
in　his　room　even　when　he　was　writing。　　When　it　was　time　to　lay　in
his　winter…fuel；　he　said　to　him

〃Up　here；　Davie；　we　must　have　a　good　fire　when　the　nights　are　long；
the　darkness　will　be　like　solid　cold。　　Simmons　tells　me　I　may　have
as　much　coal　and　wood　as　I　like：　will　you　help　me　to　get　them　up？〃

Davie　sprang　to　his　feet：　he　was　ready　that　very　minute。

〃I　shall　never　learn　my　lessons　if　I　am　cold；〃　added　Donal；　who
could　not　bear　a　low　temperature　so　well　as　when　he　was　always　in
the　open　air。

〃Do　you　learn　lessons；　Mr。　Grant？〃

〃Yes　indeed　I　do；〃　replied　Donal。　〃One　great　help　to　the
understanding　of　things　is　to　brood　over　them　as　a　hen　broods　over
her　eggs：　words　are　thought…eggs；　and　their　chickens　are　truths；　and
in　order　to　brood　I　sometimes　learn　by　heart。　　I　have　set　myself　to
learn；　before　the　winter　is　over　if　I　can；　the　gospel　of　John　in　the
Greek。〃

〃What　a　big　lesson！〃　exclaimed　Davie。

〃Ah；　but　how　rich　it　will　ma