donal grant-第31节

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naething　'atween　them；　an'　he　wudna　harm　the　lassie　to　save　his
life；　an'　a'　the　lave　o'　't；　'at　I　couldna　i'　my　hert　but　pity　them
baithtwa　sic　bairns；　doobtless　drawn　thegither　wi'　nae　thoucht　o'
ill；　ilk　ane　by　the　bonny　face　o'　the　ither；　as　is　but　nait'ral；
though　it　canna　be　allooed！　　He　beseekit　me　sae　sair　'at　I　foolishly
promised　no　to　tell　his　faither　gien　he　on　his　side　wud　promise　no
to　hae　mair　to　du　wi'　Eppy。　An'　that　he　did。　　Noo　I　never　had　reason
to　doobt　my　yoong　lord's　word；　but　in　a　case　o'　this　kin'　it's　aye
better　no　to　lippen。　　Ony　gait；　the　thing　canna　be　left　this　wise；
for　gien　ill　cam　o'　't；　whaur　wud　we　a'　be！　　I　didna　promise　no　to
tell　onybody；　I'm　free　to　tell　yersel；'　maister　Grant；　an'　ye　maun
contrive　what's　to　be　dune。〃

〃I　will　speak　to　him；〃　said　Donal；　〃and　see　what　humour　he　is　in。
That　will　help　to　clear　the　thing　up。　　We　will　try　to　do　right；　and
trust　to　be　kept　from　doing　wrong。〃

Donal　left　her　to　go　to　his　room；　but　had　not　reached　the　top　of　the
stair　when　he　saw　clearly　that　he　must　speak　to　lord　Forgue　at　once：
he　turned　and　went　down　to　a　room　that　was　called　his。

When　he　reached　it；　only　Davie　was　there；　turning　over　the　leaves　of
a　folio　worn　by　fingers　that　had　been　dust　for　centuries。　　He　said
Percy　went　out；　and　would　not　let　him　go　with　him。

Knowing　mistress　Brookes　was　looking　after　Eppy；　Donal　put　off
seeking　farther　for　Forgue　till　the　morrow。




CHAPTER　XXV。

EVASION。

The　next　day　he　could　find　him　nowhere；　and　in　the　evening　went　to
see　the　Comins。　　It　was　pretty　dark；　but　the　moon　would　be　up　by　and
by。

When　he　reached　the　cobbler's　house；　he　found　him　working　as　usual；
only　in…doors　now　that　the　weather　was　colder；　and　the　light　sooner
gone。　　He　looked　innocent；　bright；　and　contented　as　usual。　〃If　God
be　at　peace；〃　he　would　say　to　himself；　〃why　should　not　I？〃　　Once　he
said　this　aloud；　almost　unconsciously；　and　was　overheard：　it
strengthened　the　regard　with　which　worldly　church…goers　regarded
him：　he　was　to　them　an　irreverent　yea；　blasphemous　man！　　They　did
not　know　God　enough　to　understand　the　cobbler's　words；　and　all　the
interpretation　they　could　give　them　was　after　their　kind。　　Their
long　Sunday　faces　indicated　their　reward；　the　cobbler's　cheery；
expectant　look　indicated　his。

The　two　were　just　wondering　a　little　when　he　entered；　that　young
Eppy　had　not　made　her　appearance；　but　then；　as　her　grandmother　said；
she　had　often；　especially　during　the　last　few　weeks；　been　later
still！　　As　she　spoke；　however；　they　heard　her　light；　hurried　foot　on
the　stair。

〃Here　she　comes　at　last！〃　said　her　grandmother；　and　she　entered。

She　said　she　could　not　get　away　so　easily　now。　　Donal　feared　she　had
begun　to　lie。　　After　sitting　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　she　rose
suddenly；　and　said　she　must　go；　for　she　was　wanted　at　home。　　Donal
rose　also　and　said；　as　the　night　was　dark；　and　the　moon　not　yet　up；
it　would　be　better　to　go　together。　　Her　face　flushed：　she　had　to　go
into　the　town　first；　she　said；　to　get　something　she　wanted！　　Donal
replied　he　was　in　no　hurry；　and　would　go　with　her。　　She　cast　an
inquiring；　almost　suspicious　look　on　her　grandparents；　but　made　no
further　objection；　and　they　went　out　together。

They　walked　to　the　High　Street；　and　to　the　shop　where　Donal　had
encountered　the　parson。　　He　waited　in　the　street　till　she　came　out。
Then　they　walked　back　the　way　they　had　come；　little　thinking；
either　of　them；　that　their　every　step　was　dogged。　　Kennedy；　the
fisherman；　firm　in　his　promise　not　to　go　near　the　castle；　could　not
therefore　remain　quietly　at　home：　he　knew　it　was　Eppy's　day　for
visiting　her　folk；　went　to　the　town；　and　had　been　lingering　about　in
the　hope　of　seeing　her。　　Not　naturally　suspicious；　justifiable
jealousy　had　rendered　him　such；　and　when　he　saw　the　two　together　he
began　to　ask　whether　Donal's　anxiety　to　keep　him　from　encountering
lord　Forgue　might　not　be　due　to　other　grounds　than　those　given　or
implied。　　So　he　followed；　careful　they　should　not　see　him。

They　came　to　a　baker's　shop；　and；　stopping　at　the　door；　Eppy；　in　a
voice　that　in　vain　sought　to　be　steady；　asked　Donal　if　he　would　be
so　good　as　wait　for　her　a　moment；　while　she　went　in　to　speak　to　the
baker's　daughter。　　Donal　made　no　difficulty；　and　she　entered；
leaving　the　door　open　as　she　found　it。

Lowrie　Leper's　shop　was　lighted　with　only　one　dip；　too　dim　almost　to
show　the　sugar　biscuits　and　peppermint　drops　in　the　window；　that
drew　all　day　the　hungry　eyes　of　the　children。　　A　pleasant　smell　of
bread　came　from　it；　and　did　what　it　could　to　entertain　him　in　the
all　but　deserted　street。　　While　he　stood　no　one　entered　or　issued。

〃She's　having　a　long　talk！〃　he　said　to　himself；　but　for　a　long　time
was　not　impatient。　　He　began　at　length；　however；　to　fear　she　must
have　been　taken　ill；　or　have　found　something　wrong　in　the　house。
When　more　than　half　an　hour　was　gone；　he　thought　it　time　to　make
inquiry。

He　entered　therefore；　shutting　the　door　and　opening　it　again；　to
ring　the　spring…bell；　then　mechanically　closing　it　behind　him。
Straightway　Mrs。　Leper　appeared　from　somewhere　to　answer　the　squall
of　the　shrill…tongued　summoner。　　Donal　asked　if　Eppy　was　ready　to
go。　　The　woman　stared　at　him　a　moment　in　silence。

〃Eppy　wha；　said　ye？〃　she　asked　at　length。

〃Eppy　Comin；〃　he　answered。

〃I　ken　naething　aboot　her。Lucy！〃

A　good…looking　girl；　with　a　stocking　she　was　darning　drawn　over　one
hand　and　arm；　followed　her　mother　into　the　shop。

〃Whaur's　Eppy　Comin；　gien　ye　please？〃　asked　Donal。

〃I　ken　naething　aboot　her。　　I　haena　seen　her　sin'　this　day　week；〃
answered　the　girl　in　a　very　straight…forward　manner。

Donal　saw　he　had　been　tricked；　but　judging　it　better　to　seek　no
elucidation；　turned　with　apology　to　go。

As　he　opened　the　door；　there　came　through　the　house　from　behind　a
blast　of　cold　wind：　there　was　an　open　outer　door　in　that　direction！
The　girl　must　have　slipped　through　the　house；　and　out　by　that　door；
leaving　her　squire　to　cool　himself；　vainly　expectant；　in　the　street！
If　she　had　found　another　admirer；　as　probably　she　imagined；　his
polite　attentions　were　at　the　moment　inconvenient！

But　she　had　tried　the　trick　too　often；　for　she　had　once　served　her
fisherman　in　like　fashion。　　Seeing　her　go　into　the　baker's；　Kennedy
had　conjectured　her　purpose；　and　hurrying　toward　the　issue　from　the
other　exit；　saw　her　come　out　of　the　court；　and　was　again　following
her。

Donal　hastened　homeward。　　The　moon　rose。　　It　was　a　lovely　night。
Dull…gleaming　glimpses　of　the　river　came　through　the　light　fog　that
hovered　over　it　in　the　rising　moon　like　a　spirit…river　continually
ascending　from　the　earthly　one　and　resting　upon　it；　but　flowing　in
heavenly　places。　　The　white　webs　shone　very　white　in　the　moon；　and
the　green　grass　looked　gray。　　A　few　minutes　more；　and　the　whole
country　was　covered　with　a　low…lying　fog；　on　whose　upper　surface　the
moon　shone；　making　it　appear　to　Donal's　wondering　eyes　a　wide…spread
inundation；　from　which　rose　half…submerged　houses　and　stacks　and
trees。　　One　who　had　never　seen　the　thing　before；　and　who　did　not
know　the　country；　would　not　have　doubted　he　looked　on　a　veritable
expanse　of　water。　　Absorbed　in　the　beauty　of　the　sight　he　trudged
on。

Suddenly　he　stopped：　were　those　the　sounds　of　a　scuffle　he　heard　on
the　road　before　him？　　He　ran。　　At　the　next　turn；　in　the　loneliest
part　of　the　way；　he　saw　something　dark；　like　the　form　of　a　man；
lying　in　the　middle　of　the　road。　　He　hastened　to　it。　　The　moon
gleamed　on　a　pool　beside　it。　　A　death…like　face　looked　heavenward：
it　was　that　of　lord　Forguewithout　breath　or　motion。　　There　was　a
cut　in　his　head：　from　that　the　pool　had　flowed。　　He　examined　it　as
well　as　he　could　with　anxious　eyes。　　It　had　almost　stopped　bleeding。
What　was　he　to　do？　　What　could　be　done？　　There　was　but　one　thing！
He　drew　the　helpless　form　to　the　side　of　the　way；　and　leaning　it　up
against　the　earth…dyke；　sat　down　on　the　road　before　it；　and　so
managed　to　get　it　upon　his　back；　and　rise　with　it。　　If　he　could　but
get　him　home　unseen；　much　scandal　might　be　forestalled！

On　the　level　road　he　did　very　well；　but；　strong　as　he　was；　he　did
not　find　it　an　easy　task　to　climb　with　such　a　burden　the　steep
approach　to　the　castle。　　He　had　little　breath　left　when　at　last　he
reached　the　platform　from　which　rose　the　towering　bulk。

He　carried　him　straight　to　the　housekeeper's　room。　　It　was　not　yet
more　than　half…past　ten；　and　though　the　servants　were　mostly　in　bed；
mistress　Brookes　was　still　moving　about。　　He　laid　his　burden　on　her
sofa；　and　hastened　to　find　her。

Like　a　sensible　woman　she　kept　her　horror　and　dismay　to　herself。
She　got　some　brandy；　and　between　them　they　managed　to　make　him
swallow　a　little。　　He　began　to　recover。　　They　bathed　his　wound；　and
did　for　it　what　they　could　with　scissors　and　plaster；　then　carried
him　to　his　own　room；　and　got　him　to　bed。　　Donal　sat　down　by　him；　and
staid。　　His　patient　was　restless　and　wandering　all　the　night；　but
towards　morning　fell　into　a　sound　sleep；　and　was　still　asleep　when
the　housekeeper　came　to　relieve　him。

As　soon　as　Mrs。　Brookes　left　Donal　with　lord　Forgue；　she　went　to
Eppy's　room；　and　found　her　in　bed；　prete