donal grant-第36节

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asleep　so　early　in　the　night？

As　Donal　stood　doubting　and　wondering；　once　more　came　the　musical
cry　out　of　the　darknessand　immediately　from　the　earl　a　responsea
soft；　low　murmur；　by　degrees　becoming　audible；　in　the　tone　of　one
meditating　aloud；　but　in　a　restrained　ecstacy。　From　his　words　he
seemed　still　to　be　hearkening　the　sounds　aerial；　though　to　Donal　at
least　they　came　no　more。

〃Yet　once　again；〃　he　murmured；　〃once　again　ere　I　forsake　the　flesh；
are　my　ears　blest　with　that　voice！　It　is　the　song　of　the　eternal
woman！　For　me　she　sings！Sing　on；　siren；　my　soul　is　a　listening
universe；　and　therein　nought　but　thy　voice！〃

He　paused；　and　began　afresh：

〃It　is　the　wind　in　the　tree　of　life！　Its　leaves　rustle　in　words　of
love。　Under　its　shadow　I　shall　lie；　with　her　I　lovedand　killed！
Ere　that　day　come；　she　will　have　forgiven　and　forgotten；　and　all
will　be　well！

〃Hark　the　notes！　Clear　as　a　flute！　Full　and　stringent　as　a　violin！
They　are　colours！　They　are　flowers！　They　are　alive！　I　can　see　them
as　they　grow；　as　they　blow！　Those　are　primroses！　Those　are
pimpernels！　Those　high；　intense；　burning　tonesso　soft；　yet　so
certainwhat　are　they？　Jasmine？No；　that　flower　is　not　a　note！　It
is　a　chord！and　what　a　chord！　I　mean；　what　a　flower！　I　never　saw
that　flower　beforenever　on　this　earth！　It　must　be　a　flower　of　the
paradise　whence　comes　the　music！　It　is！　It　is！　Do　I　not　remember　the
night　when　I　sailed　in　the　great　ship　over　the　ocean　of　the　stars；
and　scented　the　airs　of　heaven；　and　saw　the　pearly　gates　gleaming
across　myriads　of　wavering　miles！saw；　plain　as　I　see　them　now；　the
flowers　on　the　fields　within！　Ah；　me！　the　dragon　that　guards　the
golden　apples！　See　his　cresthis　crest　and　his　emerald　eyes！　He
comes　floating　up　through　the　murky　lake！　It　is　Geryon！come　to
bear　me　to　the　gyre　below！〃

He　turned；　and　with　a　somewhat　quickened　step　left　the　room；　hastily
shutting　the　door　behind　him；　as　if　to　keep　back　the　creature　of　his
vision。

Strong…hearted　and　strong…brained；　Donal　had　yet　stood　absorbed　as
if　he　too　were　out　of　the　body；　and　knew　nothing　more　of　this　earth。
There　is　something　more　terrible　in　a　presence　that　is　not　a
presence　than　in　a　vision　of　the　bodiless；　that　is；　a　present　ghost
is　not　so　terrible　as　an　absent　one；　a　present　but　deserted　body。　He
stood　a　moment　helpless；　then　pulled　himself　together　and　tried　to
think。　What　should　he　do？　What　could　he　do？　What　was　required　of
him？　Was　anything　required　of　him？　Had　he　any　right　to　do　anything？
Could　anything　be　done　that　would　not　both　be　and　cause　a　wrong？　His
first　impulse　was　to　follow：　a　man　in　such　a　condition　was　surely
not　to　be　left　to　go　whither　he　would　among　the　heights　and　depths
of　the　castle；　where　he　might　break　his　neck　any　moment！
Interference　no　doubt　was　dangerous；　but　he　would　follow　him　at
least　a　little　way！　He　heard　the　steps　going　down　the　stair；　and
made　haste　after　them。　But　ere　they　could　have　reached　the　bottom；
the　sound　of　them　ceased；　and　Donal　knew　the　earl　must　have　left　the
stair　at　a　point　from　which　he　could　not　follow　him。




CHAPTER　XXIX。

EPPY　AGAIN。

He　would　gladly　have　told　his　friend　the　cobbler　all　about　the
strange　occurrence；　but　he　did　not　feel　sure　it　would　be　right　to
carry　a　report　of　the　house　where　he　held　a　position　of　trust；　and
what　made　him　doubtful　was；　that　first　he　doubted　whether　the
cobbler　would　consider　it　right。　But　he　went　to　see　him　the　next
day；　in　the　desire　to　be　near　the　only　man　to　whom　it　was　possible
he　might　tell　what　he　had　seen。

The　moment　he　entered　the　room；　where　the　cobbler　as　usual　sat　at
work　by　his　wife；　he　saw　that　something　was　the　matter。　But　they
welcomed　him　with　their　usual　cordiality；　nor　was　it　many　minutes
before　mistress　Comin　made　him　acquainted　with　the　cause　of　their
anxiety。

〃We're　jist　a　wee　triblet；　sir；〃　she　said；　〃aboot　Eppy！〃

〃I　am　very　sorry；〃　said　Donal；　with　a　pang：　he　had　thought　things
were　going　right　with　her。　〃What　is　the　matter？〃

〃It's　no　sae　easy　to　say！〃　returned　the　grandmother。　〃It　may　weel　be
only　a　fancy　o'　the　auld　fowk；　but　it　seems　to　baith　o'　's　she　has　a
w'y　wi'　her　'at　disna　come　o'　the　richt。　She'll　be　that　meek　as　gien
she　thoucht　naething　at　a'　o'　hersel'；　an'　the　next　moment　be　angert
at　a　word。　She　canna　bide　a　syllable　said　'at　's　no　correc'　to　the
verra　hair。　It's　as　gien　she　dreidit　waur　'ahint　it；　an'　wud　mairch
straucht　to　the　defence。　I'm　no　makin'　my　meanin'　that　clear；　I
doobt；　but　ye'll　ken　't　for　a'　that！〃

〃I　think　I　do；〃　said　Donal。　〃I　see　nothing　of　her。〃

〃I　wudna　mak　a　won'er　o'　that；　sir！　She　may　weel　haud　oot　o'　your
gait；　feelin'　rebukit　'afore　ane　'at　kens　a'　aboot　her　gaein's　on
wi'　my　lord！〃

〃I　don't　know　how　I　should　see　her；　though！〃　returned　Donal。

〃Didna　she　sweep　oot　the　schoolroom　first　whan　ye　gaed；　sir？〃

〃When　I　think　of　ityes。〃

〃Does　she　still　that　same？〃

〃I　do　not　know。　Understanding　at　what　hour　in　the　morning　the　room
will　be　ready　for　me；　I　do　not　go　to　it　sooner。〃

〃It's　but　the　luik；　an'　the　general　cairriage　o'　the　lassie！〃　said
the　old　woman。　〃Gien　we　had　onything　to　tak　a　haud　o'；　we　wad　maybe
think　the　less。　True；　she　was　aye　somewhat　ye　micht　ca'　a　bit
cheengeable　in　her　w'ys；　but　she　was　aye；　whan　she　had　the　chance；
unco'　willin'　to　gie　her　faither　there　or　mysel'　a　spark　o'
glaidness　like。　It　pleased　her　to　be　pleasin'　i'　the　eyes　o'　the
auld　fowk；　though　they　war　but　her　ain。　But　noo　we　maunna　say　a　word
til　her。　We　hae　nae　business　to　luik　til　her　for　naething！　No　'at
she's　aye　like　that；　but　it　comes　sae　aft　'at　at　last　we　daur　hardly
open　oor　moo's　for　the　fear　o'　hoo　she'll　tak　it。　Only　a'　the　time
it's　mair　as　gien　she　was　flingin'　something　frae　her；　something　she
didna　like　an'　wud　fain　be　rid　o'；　than　'at　she　cared　sae　verra
muckle　aboot　onything　we　said　no　til　her　min'。　She　taks　a　haud　o'
the　words；　no　doobt！　but　I　canna　help　thinkin'　'at　'maist　whatever
we　said；　it　wud　be　the　same。　Something　to　compleen　o'　's　never
wantin'　whan　ye're　ill…pleast　a'ready！〃

〃It's　no　the　duin'　o'　the　richt；　ye　see；〃　said　the　cobbler；　〃I
mean；　that's　no　itsel'　the　en'；　but　the　richt　humour　o'　the　sowl
towards　a'　things　thoucht　or　felt　or　dune！　That's　richteousness；　an'
oot　o'　that　comes；　o'　the　verra　necessity　o'　natur'；　a'　richt　deeds
o'　whatever　kin'。　Whaur　they　comena　furth；　it's　whaur　the　sowl；　the
thoucht　o'　the　man　's　no　richt。　Oor　puir　lassie　shaws　a'　mainner　o'
sma'　infirmities　jist　'cause　the　humour　o'　her　sowl　's　no　hermonious
wi'　the　trowth；　no　hermonious　in　itsel'；　no　at　ane　wi'　the　true
thingwi'　the　true　manwi'　the　true　God。　It　may　even　be　said　it's
a　sma'　thing　'at　a　man　sud　du　wrang；　sae　lang　as　he's　capable　o'
duin'　wrang；　an'　lovesna　the　richt　wi'　hert　an'　sowl。　But　eh；　it's
no　a　sma'　thing　'at　he　sud　be　capable！〃

〃Surely；　Anerew；〃　interposed　his　wife；　holding　up　her　hands　in　mild
deprecation；　〃ye　wudna　lat　the　lassie　du　wrang　gien　ye　could　haud
her　richt？〃

〃No；　I　wudna；〃　replied　her　husband；　〃supposin'　the　haudin'　o'　her
richt　to　fa'　in　wi'　ony　degree　o'　perception　o'　the　richt　on　her
pairt。　But　supposin'　it　was　only　the　haudin'　o'　her　frae　ill　by
ootward　constraint；　leavin'　her　ready　upo'　the　first　opportunity　to
turn　aside；　whereas；　gien　she　had　dune　wrang；　she　wud　repent　o'　't；
an'　see　what　a　foul　thing　it　was　to　gang　again'　the　holy　wull　o'　him
'at　made　an'　dee'd　for　herI　lea'　ye　to　jeedge　for　yersel'　what　ony
man　'at　luved　God　an'　luved　the　lass　an'　luved　the　richt；　wud
chuise。　We　maun　haud　baith　een　open　upo'　the　trowth；　an'　no　blink
sidewise　upo'　the　warl'　an'　its　richteousness　wi'　ane　o'　them。　Wha
wadna　be　Zacchay　wi'　the　Lord　in　his　hoose；　an'　the　richteousness　o'
God　himsel'　growin'　in　his　hert；　raither　nor　the　prood　Pharisee　wha
kent　nae　ill　he　was　duin'；　an'　thoucht　it　a　shame　to　speak　to　sic　a
man　as　Zacchay！〃

The　grandmother　held　her　peace；　thinking　probably　that　so　long　as
one　kept　respectable；　there　remained　the　more　likelihood　of　a
spiritual　change。

〃Is　there　anything　you　think　I　could　do？〃　asked　Donal。　〃I　confess
I'm　afraid　of　meddling。〃

〃I　wudna　hae　you　appear；　sir；〃　said　Andrew；　〃in　onything；　concernin'
her。　Ye're　a　yoong　man　yersel'；　an'　fowk's　herts　as　well　as　fowk's
tongues　are　no　to　be　lippent　til。　I　hae　seen　fowk；　'cause　they
couldna　believe　a　body　duin'　a　thing　frae　a　sma'　modicum　o'　gude
wull；　set　themsel's　to　invent　what　they　ca'd　a　motive　til　accoont
for'tsomething；　that　is；　that　wud　hae　prevailt　wi'　themsel's　to
gar　them　du't。　Sic　fowk　canna　un'erstan'　a　body　duin'　onything　jist
'cause　it　was　worth　duin'　in　itsel'！〃

〃But　maybe；〃　said　the　old　woman；　returning　to　the　practical；　〃as　ye
hae　been　pleased　to　say　ye're　on　freen'ly　terms　wi'　mistress
Brookes；　ye　micht　jist　see　gien　she　's　observed　ony　ten'ency　to
resumption　o'　the　auld　affair！〃

Donal　promised；　and　as　soon　as　he　reached　the　castle　sought　an
interview　with　the　house　keeper。　She　told　him　she　had　been
particularly　pleased　of　late　with　Eppy's　attention　to　her　work；　and
readiness　to　make　herself　useful。　If　she　did　look　sometimes　a　little
out　of　heart；　they　must　remember；　she　said；　that　they　had　been　young
themselves　once；　and　tha