donal grant-第45节

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an'　cry！　What　hae　we　to　say　but　'at　we　faund　the　twa　i'　the　gairden
thegither！　It　wud　but　raise　a　clashthe　which；　fable　or　fac'；　wud
do　naething　for　naebody！　His　lordship　maun　be　loot　ken；　as　ye　say；
but　wull　his　lordship　believe　ye；　sir？　I'm　some　i'　the　min'　the
yoong　man　's　awa'　til's　faither　a'ready；　to　prejudeese　him　again'
onything　ye　may　say。〃

〃That　makes　it　the　more　necessary；〃　said　Donal；　〃that　I　should　go　at
once　to　his　lordship。　He　will　fall　out　upon　me　for　not　having　told
him　at　once；　but　I　must　not　mind　that：　if　I　were　not　to　tell　him
now；　he　would　have　a　good　case　against　me。〃

They　were　already　walking　towards　the　house；　the　old　man　giving　a
groan　now　and　then。　He　could　not　go　in；　he　said；　he　would　walk
gently　on；　and　Donal　would　overtake　him。

It　was　an　hour　and　a　half　before　Andrew　got　home；　and　Donal　had　not
overtaken　him。




CHAPTER　XXXV。

THE　EARL'S　BEDCHAMBER。

Having　washed　the　blood　from　his　face；　Donal　sought　Simmons。

〃His　lordship　can't　see　you　now；　I　am　sure；　sir；〃　answered　the
butler；　〃lord　Forgue　is　with　him。〃

Donal　turned　and　went　straight　up　to　lord　Morven's　apartment。　As　he
passed　the　door　of　his　bedroom　opening　on　the　corridor；　he　heard
voices　in　debate。　He　entered　the　sitting…room。　There　was　no　one
there。　It　was　not　a　time　for　ceremony。　He　knocked　at　the　door　of　the
bedroom。　The　voices　within　were　loud；　and　no　answer　came。　He　knocked
again；　and　received　an　angry　permission　to　enter。　He　entered；　closed
the　door　behind　him；　and　stood　in　sight　of　his　lordship；　waiting
what　should　follow。

Lord　Morven　was　sitting　up　in　bed；　his　face　so　pale　and　distorted
that　Donal　thought　elsewhere　he　should　hardly　have　recognized　it。
The　bed　was　a　large　four…post　bed；　its　curtains　were　drawn　close　to
the　posts；　admitting　as　much　air　as　possible。　At　the　foot　of　it
stood　lord　Forgue；　his　handsome；　shallow　face　flushed　with　anger；
his　right　arm　straight　down　by　his　side；　and　the　hand　of　it　clenched
hard。　He　turned　when　Donal　entered。　A　fiercer　flush　overspread　his
face；　but　almost　immediately　the　look　of　rage　yielded　to　one　of
determined　insult。　Possibly　even　the　appearance　of　Donal　was　a
relief　to　being　alone　with　his　father。

〃Mr。　Grant；〃　stammered　his　lordship；　speaking　with　pain；　〃you　are
well　come！just　in　time　to　hear　a　father　curse　his　son！〃

〃Even　such　a　threat　shall　not　make　me　play　a　dishonourable　part！〃
said　Forgue；　looking　however　anything　but　honourable；　for　the　heart；
not　the　brain；　moulds　the　expression。

〃Mr。　Grant；〃　resumed　the　father；　〃I　have　found　you　a　man　of　sense
and　refinement！　If　you　had　been　tutor　to　this　degenerate　boy；　the
worst　trouble　of　my　life　would　not　have　overtaken　me！〃

Forgue's　lip　curled；　but　he　did　not　speak；　and　his　father　went　on。

〃Here　is　this　fellow　come　to　tell　me　to　my　face　that　he　intends　the
ruin　and　disgrace　of　the　family　by　a　low　marriage！〃

〃It　will　not　be　the　first　time　it　has　been　so　disgraced！〃　retorted
the　son；　〃if　fresh　peasant…blood　be　indeed　a　disgrace　to　any
family！〃

〃Bah！　the　hussey　is　not　even　a　wholesome　peasant…girl！〃　cried　the
father。　〃Who　do　you　think　she　is；　Mr。　Grant？〃

〃I　do　not　need　to　guess；　my　lord；〃　replied　Donal。　〃I　came　now　to
inform　your　lordship　of　what　I　had　myself　seen。〃

〃She　must　leave　the　house　this　instant！〃

〃Then　I　too　leave　it；　my　lord！〃　said　Forgue。

〃Where's　your　money？〃　returned　the　earl　contemptuously。

Forgue　shifted　to　an　attack　upon　Donal。

〃Your　lordship　hardly　places　confidence　in　me；〃　he　said；　〃but　it　is
not　the　less　my　duty　to　warn　you　against　this　man：　months　ago　he
knew　what　was　going　on；　and　comes　to　tell　you　now　because　this
evening　I　chastised　him　for　his　rude　interference。〃

In　cooler　blood　lord　Forgue　would　not　have　shown　such　meanness；　but
passion　brings　to　the　front　the　thing　that　lurks。

〃And　it　is　no　doubt　to　the　necessity　for　forestalling　his　disclosure
that　I　owe　the　present　ingenuous　confession！〃　said　lord　Morven。
〃But　explain；　Mr。　Grant。〃

〃My　lord；〃　said　Donal　calmly；　〃I　became　aware　that　there　was
something　between　lord　Forgue　and　the　girl；　and　was　alarmed　for　the
girl：　she　is　the　child　of　friends　to　whom　I　am　much　beholden。　But　on
the　promise　of　both　that　the　thing　should　end；　I　concluded　it　better
not　to　trouble　your　lordship。　I　may　have　blundered　in　this；　but　I
did　what　seemed　best。　This　night；　however；　I　discovered　that　things
were　going　as　before；　and　it　became　imperative　on　my　position　in
your　house　that　I　should　make　your　lordship　acquainted　with　the
fact。　He　assevered　there　was　nothing　dishonest　between　them；　but；
having　deceived　me　once；　how　was　I　to　trust　him　again！〃

〃How　indeed！　the　young　blackguard！〃　said　his　lordship；　casting　a
fierce　glance　at　his　son。

〃Allow　me　to　remark；〃　said　Forgue；　with　comparative　coolness；　〃that
I　deceived　no　one。　What　I　promised　was；　that　the　affair　should　not
go　on：　it　did　not；　from　that　moment　it　assumed　a　different　and
serious　aspect。　I　now　intend　to　marry　the　girl。〃

〃I　tell　you；　Forgue；　if　you　do　I　will　disown　you。〃

Forgue　smiled　an　impertinent　smile　and　held　his　peace：　the　threat
had　for　him　no　terror。

〃I　shall　be　the　better　able；〃　continued　his　lordship；　〃to　provide
suitably　for　Davie；　he　is　what　a　son　ought　to　be！　But　hear　me；
Forgue：　you　must　be　aware　that；　if　I　left　you　all　I　had；　it　would　be
beggary　for　one　handicapped　with　a　title。　You　may　think　my　anger
unreasonable；　but　it　comes　solely　of　anxiety　on　your　account。
Nothing　but　a　suitable　marriagethe　most　suitable　of　all　is　within
your　arm's　lengthcan　save　you　from　the　life　of　a　moneyless
peerthe　most　pitiable　object　on　the　face　of　the　earth。　Were　it
possible　to　ignore　your　rank；　you　have　no　profession；　no　trade　even；
in　these　trade…loving　times；　to　fall　back　upon。　Except　you　marry　as
I　please；　you　will　have　nothing　from　me　but　the　contempt　of　a　title
without　a　farthing　to　keep　it　decent。　You　threaten　to　leave　the
housecan　you　pay　for　a　railway…ticket？〃

Forgue　was　silent　for　a　moment。

〃My　lord；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　given　my　word　to　the　girl：　would　you
have　me　disgrace　your　name　by　breaking　it？〃

〃Tut！　tut！　there　are　words　and　words！　What　obligation　can　there　be
in　the　rash　promises　of　an　unworthy　love！　Still　less　are　they
binding　where　the　man　is　not　his　own　master！　You　are　under　a　bond　to
your　family；　under　a　bond　to　society；　under　a　bond　to　your　country。
Marry　this　girl；　and　you　will　be　an　outcast；　marry　as　I　would　have
you；　and　no　one　will　think　the　worse　of　you　for　a　foolish　vow　in
your　boyhood。　Bah！　the　merest　rumour　of　it　will　never　rise　into　the
serene　air　of　your　position。〃

〃And　let　the　girl　go　and　break　her　heart！〃　said　Forgue；　with　look
black　as　death。

〃You　need　fear　no　such　catastrophe！　You　are　no　such　marvel　among　men
that　a　kitchen…wench　will　break　her　heart　for　you。　She　will　be　sorry
for　herself；　no　doubt；　but　it　will　be　nothing　more　than　she
expected；　and　will　only　confirm　her　opinion　of　you：　she　knows　well
enough　the　risk　she　runs！〃

While　he　spoke；　Donal；　waiting　his　turn；　stood　as　on　hot　iron。　Such
sayings　were　in　his　ears　the　foul　talk　of　hell。　The　moment　the　earl
ceased；　he　turned　to　Forgue；　and　said：

〃My　lord；　you　have　removed　my　harder　thoughts　of　you！　You　have
indeed　broken　your　word；　but　in　a　way　infinitely　nobler　than　I
believed　you　capable　of！〃

Lord　Morven　stared　dumbfounded。

〃Your　comments　are　out　of　place；　Mr。　Grant！〃　said　Forgue；　with
something　like　dignity。　〃The　matter　is　between　my　father　and　myself。
If　you　wanted　to　beg　my　pardon；　you　should　have　waited　a　fitting
opportunity！〃

Donal　held　his　peace。　He　had　felt　bound　to　show　sympathy　with　his
enemy　where　he　was　right。

The　earl　was　perplexed：　his　one　poor　ally　had　gone　over　to　the
enemy！　He　took　a　glass　from　the　table　beside　him；　and　drank：　then；
after　a　moment's　silence；　apparently　of　exhaustion　and　suffering；
said；

〃Mr。　Grant；　I　desire　a　word　with　you。Leave　the　room；　Forgue。〃

〃My　lord；〃　returned　Forgue；　〃you　order　me　from　the　room　to　confer
with　one　whose　presence　with　you　is　an　insult　to　me！〃

〃He　seems　to　me；〃　answered　his　father　bitterly；　〃to　be　after　your
own　mind　in　the　affair！How　indeed　should　it　be　otherwise！　But　so
far　I　have　found　Mr。　Grant　a　man　of　honour；　and　I　desire　to　have
some　private　conversation　with　him。　I　therefore　request　you　will
leave　us　alone　together。〃

This　was　said　so　politely；　yet　with　such　latent　command；　that　the
youth　dared　not　refuse　compliance。

The　moment　he　closed　the　door　behind　him；

〃I　am　glad　he　yielded；〃　said　the　earl；　〃for　I　should　have　had　to　ask
you　to　put　him　out；　and　I　hate　rows。　Would　you　have　done　it？〃

〃I　would　have　tried。〃

〃Thank　you。　Yet　a　moment　ago　you　took　his　part　against　me！〃

〃On　the　girl's　partand　for　his　honesty　too；　my　lord！〃

〃Come　now；　Mr。　Grant！　I　understand　your　prejudices；　I　cannot　expect
you　to　look　on　the　affair　as　I　do。　I　am　glad　to　have　a　man　of　such
sound　general　principles　to　form　the　character　of　my　younger　son；
but　it　is　plain　as　a　mountain　that　what　would　be　the　duty　of　a　young
man　in　your　rank　of　life　toward　a　young　woman　in　the　same　rank；
would　be　simple　ruin　to　one　in　lord　Forgue's　position。　A　capable　man
like　you　can　make　a　living　a　hundre