donal grant-第41节
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walked； but soon he heard it like the infinitely prolonged roaring
of a sky…built organ。 It was drawing him to the sea； whether in the
body or out of the body he knew not： he was but conscious of forms
of existence： whether those forms had relation to things outside
him； or whether they belonged only to the world within him； he was
unaware。 The roaring of the great water…organ grew louder and
louder。 He knew every step of the way to the shoreacross the
fields and over fences and stiles。 He turned this way and that； to
avoid here a ditch； there a deep sandy patch。 And still the music
grew louder and louderand at length came in his face the driving
spray： it was the flying touch of the wings on which the tones went
hurrying past into the depths of awful distance！ His feet were now
wading through the bent…tufted sand； with the hard； bare；
wave…beaten sand in front of him。 Through the dark he could see the
white fierceness of the hurrying waves as they rushed to the shore；
then leaning； toppling； curling； self…undermined； hurled forth at
once all the sound that was in them in a falling roar of defeat。
Every wave was a complex chord； with winnowed tones feathering it
round。 He paced up and down the sandit seemed for ages。 Why he
paced there he did not knowwhy always he turned and went back
instead of going on。
Suddenly he thought he saw something dark in the hollow of a wave
that swept to its fall。 The moon came out as it broke； and the
something was rolled in the surf up the shore。 Donal stood watching
it。 Why should he move？ What was it to him？ The next wave would
reclaim it for the ocean！ It looked like the body of a man； but what
did it matter！ Many such were tossed in the hollows of that music！
But something came back to him out of the ancient years： in the ages
gone by men did what they could！ There was a word they used then：
they said men ought to do this or that！ This body might not be
deador dead； some one might like to have it！ He rushed into the
water； and caught itere the next wave broke； though hours of
cogitation； ratiocination； recollection； seemed to have intervened。
The breaking wave drenched him from head to foot： he clung to his
prize and dragged it out。 A moment's bewilderment； and he came to
himself lying on the sand； his arms round a great lump of net； lost
from some fishing boat。
His illusions were gone。 He was sitting in a cold wind； wet to the
skin； on the border of a wild sea。 A poor； shivering； altogether
ordinary and uncomfortable mortal； he sat on the shore of the German
Ocean； from which he had rescued a tangled mass of net and seaweed！
He dragged it beyond the reach of the waves； and set out for home。
By the time he reached the castle he was quite warm。 His door at the
foot of the tower was open； he crept up； and was soon fast asleep。
CHAPTER XXXIII。
THE HOUSEKEEPER'S ROOM。
He was not so late the next morning。
Ere he had finished his breakfast he had made up his mind that he
must beware of the earl。 He was satisfied that the experiences of
the past night could not be the consequence of one glass of wine。 If
he asked him again； he would go to dinner with him； but would drink
nothing but water。
School was just over when Simmons came from his lordship； to inquire
after him； and invite him to dine with him that evening。 Donald
immediately consented。
This time lady Arctura was not with the earl。
After as during dinner Donal declined to drink。 His lordship cast on
him a keen； searching glance； but it was only a glance； and took no
farther notice of his refusal。 The conversation； however； which had
not been brilliant from the first； now sank and sank till it was
not； and after a cup of coffee； his lordship； remarking that he was
not feeling himself； begged Donal to excuse him； and proceeded to
retire。 Donal rose； and with a hope that his lordship would have a
good night and feel better in the morning； left the room。
The passage outside was lighted only by a rather dim lamp； and in
the distance Donal saw what he could but distinguish as the form of
a woman； standing by the door which opened upon the great staircase。
He supposed it at first to be one of the maids； but the servants
were so few compared with the size of the castle that one was seldom
to be met on stair or in passage； and besides； the form stood as if
waiting for some one！ As he drew nearer； he saw it was lady Arctura；
and would have passed with an obeisance。 But ere he could lay his
hand on the lock； hers was there to prevent him。 He then saw that
she was agitated； and that she had stopped him thus because her
voice had at the moment failed her。 The next moment； however； she
recovered it； and her self…possession as well。
〃Mr。 Grant；〃 she said； in a low voice； 〃I wish to speak to youif
you will allow me。〃
〃I am at your service； my lady；〃 answered Donal。
〃But we cannot here！ My uncle〃
〃Shall we go into the picture…gallery？〃 suggested Donal； 〃there is
moonlight there。〃
〃No； that would be still nearer my uncle。 His hearing is sometimes
preternaturally keen； and besides； as you know； he often walks there
after his evening meal。 Butexcuse me； Mr。 Grantyou will
understand me presentlyare youare you quite？〃
〃You mean； my ladyam I quite myself this evening！〃 said Donal；
wishing to help her with the embarrassing question： 〃I have drunk
nothing but water to…night。〃
With that she opened the door； and descended the stair； he
following； but as soon as the curve of the staircase hid the door
they had left； she stopped； and turning to him said；
〃I would not have you mistake me； Mr。 Grant！ I should be ashamed to
speak to you if〃
〃Indeed I am very sorry！〃 said Donal； 〃though hardly so much to
blame as I fear you think me。〃
〃You mistake me at once！ You suppose I imagine you took too much
wine last night！ It would be absurd。 I saw what you took！ But we
must not talk here。 Come。〃
She turned again； and going down； led the way to the housekeeper's
room。
They found her at work with her needle。
〃Mistress Brookes；〃 said lady Arctura； 〃I want to have a little talk
with Mr。 Grant； and there is no fire in the library： may we sit
here？〃
〃By all means！ Sit doon； my lady！ Why； bairn！ you look as cold as if
you had been on the roof！ There！ sit close to the fire； you're all
trem'lin'！〃
Lady Arctura obeyed like the child Mrs。 Brookes called her； and sat
down in the chair she gave up to her。
〃I've something to see efter i' the still…room；〃 said the
housekeeper。 〃You sit here and hae yer crack。 Sit doon； Mr。 Grant。
I'm glad to see you an' my lady come to word o' mooth at last。 I
began to think it wud never be！〃
Had Donal been in the way of looking to faces for the interpretation
of words and thoughts； he would have seen a shadow sweep over lady
Arctura's； followed by a flush； which he would have attributed to
displeasure at this utterance of the housekeeper。 But； with all his
experience of the world within； and all his unusually developed
power of entering into the feelings of others； he had never come to
pry into those feelings； or to study their phenomena for the sake of
possessing himself of them。 Man was by no means an open book to
him〃no； nor woman neither；〃 but he would have scorned to
supplement by such investigation what a lady chose to tell him。 He
sat looking into the fire； with an occasional upward glance； waiting
for what was to come； and saw neither shadow nor flush。 Lady Arctura
sat also gazing into the fire； and seemed in no haste to begin。
〃You are so good to Davie！〃 she said at length； and stopped。
〃No better than I have to be；〃 returned Donal。 〃Not to be good to
Davie would be to be a wretch。〃
〃You know； Mr。 Grant； I cannot agree with you！〃
〃There is no immediate necessity； my lady。〃
〃But I suppose one may be fair to another！〃 she went on； doubtingly；
〃and it is only fair to confess that he is much more manageable
since you came。 Only that is no good if it does not come from the
right source。〃
〃Grapes do not come from thorns； my lady。 We must not allow in evil
a power of good。〃
She did not reply。
〃He minds everything I say to him now；〃 she resumed。 〃What is it
makes him so good？I wish I had had such a tutor！〃
She stopped again： she had spoken out of the simplicity of her
thought； but the words when said looked to her as if they ought not
to have been said。
〃Something is working in her！〃 thought Donal。 〃She is so different！
Her voice is different！〃
〃But that is not what I wanted to speak to you about； Mr。 Grant；〃
she re…commenced； 〃though I did want you to know I was aware of
the improvement in Davie。 I wished to say something about my uncle。〃
Here followed another pause。
〃You may have remarked；〃 she said at length； 〃that； though we live
together； and he is my guardian； and the head of the house； there is
not much communication between us。〃
〃I have gathered as much： I ask no questions； but I cannot tell
Davie not to talk to me！〃
〃Of course not。Lord Morven is a strange man。 I do not understand
him； and I do not want to judge him； or make you judge him。 But I
must speak of a fact； concerning yourself； which I have no right to
keep
