donal grant-第52节

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but　there　also　other　forms　had　begun　to　draw　nigh　to　her；　sweetest
rays　of　hope　would　ever　and　anon　break　through　the　clouds；　and　mock
the　darkness　from　her　presence。　Perhaps　God　might　mean　as　thoroughly
well　by　her　as　even　her　imagination　could　wish！

Does　a　dull　reader　remark　that　hers　was　a　diseased　state　of　mind？I
answer；　The　more　she　needed　to　be　saved　from　it　with　the　only　real
deliverance　from　any　ill！　But　her　misery；　however　diseased；　was
infinitely　more　reasonable　than　the　healthy　joy　of　such　as　trouble
themselves　about　nothing。　Some　sicknesses　are　better　than　any　but
the　true　health。

〃I　never　thought　you　were　like　this；　Arkie！〃　said　Davie。　〃You　are
just　as　if　you　had　come　to　school　to　Mr。　Grant！　You　would　soon　know
how　much　happier　it　is　to　have　somebody　you　must　mind！〃

〃If　having　me；　Davie；〃　said　Donal；　〃doesn't　help　you　to　be　happy
without　me；　there　will　not　have　been　much　good　done。　What　I　want
most　to　teach　you　is；　to　leave　the　door　always　on　the　latch；　for
some　oneyou　know　whom　I　meanto　come　in。〃

〃Race　me　up　the　stair；　Arkie；〃　said　Davie；　when　they　came　to　the
foot　of　the　spiral。

〃Very　well；〃　assented　his　cousin。

〃Which　side　will　you　havethe　broad　or　the　narrow？〃

〃The　broad。〃

〃Well　thenone；　two；　three；　and　away　we　go！〃

Davie　mounted　like　a　clever　goat；　his　hand　and　arm　on　the　newel；　and
slipping　lightly　round　it。　Arctura's　ascent　was　easier　but　slower：
she　found　her　garments　in　her　way；　therefore　yielded　the　race；　and
waited　for　Donal。　Davie；　thinking　he　heard　her　footsteps　behind　him
all　the　time；　flew　up　shrieking　with　the　sweet　terror　of　love's
pursuit。

〃What　a　darling　the　boy　has　grown！〃　said　Arctura　when　Donal　overtook
her。

〃Yes；〃　answered　Donal；　〃one　would　think　such　a　child　might　run
straight　into　the　kingdom　of　heaven；　but　I　suppose　he　must　have　his
temptations　and　trials　first：　out　of　the　storm　alone　comes　the　true
peace。〃

〃Will　peace　come　out　of　all　storms？〃

〃I　trust　so。　Every　pain　and　every　fear；　every　doubt　is　a　cry　after
God。　What　mother　refuses　to　go　to　her　child　because　he　is　only
cryingnot　calling　her　by　name！〃

〃Oh；　if　I　could　but　believe　so　about　God！　For　if　it　be　all　right
with　GodI　mean　if　God　be　such　a　God　as　to　be　loved　with　the　heart
and　soul　of　loving；　then　all　is　well。　Is　it　not；　Mr。　Grant？〃

〃Indeed　it　is！And　you　are　not　far　from　the　kingdom　of　heaven；〃　he
was　on　the　point　of　saying；　but　did　notbecause　she　was　in　it
already；　only　unable　yet　to　verify　the　things　around　her；　like　the
man　who　had　but　half…way　received　his　sight。

When　they　reached　the　top；　he　took　them　past　his　door；　and　higher　up
the　stair　to　the　next；　opening　on　the　bartizan。　Here　he　said　lady
Arctura　must　come　with　him　first；　and　Davie　must　wait　till　he　came
back　for　him。　When　he　had　them　both　safe　on　the　roof；　he　told　Davie
to　keep　close　to　his　cousin　or　himself　all　the　time。　He　showed　them
first　his　stores　of　fuelhis　ammunition；　he　said；　for　fighting　the
winter。　Next　he　pointed　out　where　he　stood　when　first　he　heard　the
music　the　night　before；　and　set　down　his　bucket　to　follow　it；　and
where　he　found　the　bucket；　blown　thither　by　the　wind；　when　he　came
back　to　feel　for　it　in　the　dark。　Then　he　began　to　lead　them；　as
nearly　as　he　could；　the　way　he　had　then　gone；　but　with　some；　for
Arctura's　sake；　desirable　detours：　over　one　steep…sloping　roof　they
had　to　cross；　he　found　a　little　stair　up　the　middle；　and　down　the
other　side。

They　came　to　a　part　where　he　was　not　quite　sure　about　the　way。　As　he
stopped　to　bethink　himself；　they　turned　and　looked　eastward。　The　sea
was　shining　in　the　sun；　and　the　flat　wet　country　between　was　so
bright　that　they　could　not　tell　where　the　land　ended　and　the　sea
began。　But　as　they　gazed　a　great　cloud　came　over　the　sun；　the　sea
turned　cold　and　gray　as　deatha　true　March　sea；　and　the　land　lay
low　and　desolate　between。　The　spring　was　gone　and　the　winter　was
there。　A　gust　of　wind；　full　of　keen　hail；　drove　sharp　in　their
faces。

〃Ah；　that　settles　the　question！〃　said　Donal。　〃The　music…bird　must
wait。　We　will　call　upon　her　another　day。It　is　funny；　isn't　it；
Davie；　to　go　a　bird's…nesting　after　music　on　the　roof　of　a　house？〃

〃Hark！〃　said　Arctura；　〃I　think　I　heard　the　music…bird！She　wants　us
to　find　her　nest！　I　really　don't　think　we　ought　to　go　back　for　a
little　blast　of　wind；　and　a　few　pellets　of　hail！　What　do　you　think；
Davie？〃

〃Oh；　for　me；　I　wouldn't　turn　for　ever　so　big　a　storm！〃　said　Davie；
〃but　you　know；　Arkie；　it's　not　you　or　me；　Arkie！　Mr。　Grant　is　the
captain　of　this　expedition；　and　we　must　do　as　he　bids　us。〃

〃Oh；　surely；　Davie！　I　never　meant　to　dispute　that。　Only　Mr。　Grant　is
not　a　tyrant；　he　will　let　a　lady　say　what　she　thinks！〃

〃Oh；　yes；　or　a　boy　either！　He　likes　me　to　say　what　I　think！　He　says
we　can't　get　at　each　other　without。　And　do　you　knowhe　obeys　me
sometimes！〃

Arctura　glanced　a　keen　question　at　the　boy。

〃It　is　quite　true！〃　said　Davie；　while　Donal　listened　smiling。　〃Last
winter；　for　days　togethernot　all　day；　you　know：　I　had　to　obey　him
most　of　the　time！　but　at　certain　times；　I　was　as　sure　of　Mr。　Grant
doing　as　I　told　him；　as　he　is　now　of　me　doing　as　he　tells　me。〃

〃What　times　were　those？〃　asked　Arctura；　thinking　to　hear　of　some　odd
pedagogic　device。

〃When　I　was　teaching　him　to　skate！〃　answered　Davie；　in　a　triumph　of
remembrance。　〃He　said　I　knew　better　than　he　there；　and　so　he　would
obey　me。　You　wouldn't　believe　how　splendidly　he　did　it；　Arkieout
and　out！〃　concluded　Davie；　in　a　tone　almost　of　awe。

〃Oh；　yes；　I　would　believe　itperfectly！〃　said　Arctura。

Donal　suddenly　threw　an　arm　round　each　of　them；　and　pulled　them　down
sitting。　The　same　instant　a　fierce　blast　burst　upon　the　roof。　He　had
seen　the　squall　whitening　the　sea；　and　looking　nearer　home　saw　the
tops　of　the　trees　between　streaming　level　towards　the　castle。　But
seated　they　were　in　no　danger。

〃Hark！〃　said　Arctura　again；　〃there　it　is！〃

They　all　heard　the　wailing　cry　of　the　ghost…music。　But　while　the
blast　continued　they　dared　not　pursue　their　hunt。　It　kept　on　in　fits
and　gusts　till　the　squall　ceasedas　suddenly　almost　as　it　had
burst。　The　sky　cleared；　and　the　sun　shone　as　a　March　sun　can。　But
the　blundering　blasts　and　the　swan…shot　of　the　flying　hail　were　all
about　still。

〃When　the　storm　is　upon　us；〃　remarked　Donal；　as　they　rose　from　their
crouching　position；　〃it　seems　as　if　there　never　could　be　sunshine
more；　but　our　hopelessness　does　not　keep　back　the　sun　when　his　hour
to　shine　is　come。〃

〃I　understand！〃　said　Arctura：　〃when　one　is　miserable；　misery　seems
the　law　of　being；　and　in　the　midst　of　it　dwells　some　thought　which
nothing　can　ever　set　right！　All　at　once　it　is　gone；　broken　up　and
gone；　like　that　hail…cloud。　It　just　looks　its　own　foolishness　and
vanishes。〃

〃Do　you　know　why　things　so　often　come　right？〃　said　Donal。　〃I　would
say　always　come　right；　but　that　is　matter　of　faith；　not　sight。〃

Arctura　did　not　answer　at　once。

〃I　think　I　know　what　you　are　thinking；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　want　to
hear　you　answer　your　own　question。〃

〃Why　do　things　come　right　so　often；　do　you　think；　Davie？〃　repeated
Donal。

〃Is　it；〃　returned　Davie；　〃because　they　were　made　right　to　begin
with？〃

〃There　is　much　in　that；　Davie；　but　there　is　a　better　reason　than
that。　It　is　because　things　are　alive；　and　the　life　at　the　heart　of
them；　that　which　keeps　them　going；　is　the　great；　beautiful　God。　So
the　sun　for　ever　returns　after　the　clouds。　A　doubting　man；　like　him
who　wrote　the　book　of　Ecclesiasties；　puts　the　evil　last；　and　says
'the　clouds　return　after　the　rain；'　but　the　Christian　knows　that

　　　　　One　has　mastery
Who　makes　the　joy　the　last　in　every　song。〃

〃You　speak　like　one　who　has　suffered！〃　said　Arctura；　with　a　kind
look　in　his　face。

〃Who　has　not　that　lives？〃

〃It　is　how　you　are　able　to　help　others！〃

〃Am　I　able　to　help　others？　I　am　very　glad　to　hear　it。　My　ambition
would　be　to　help；　if　I　had　any　ambition。　But　if　I　am　able；　it　is
because　I　have　been　helped　myself；　not　because　I　have　suffered。〃

〃Will　you　tell　me　what　you　mean　by　saying　you　have　no　ambition？〃

〃Where　your　work　is　laid　out　for　you；　there　is　no　room　for　ambition：
you　have　got　your　work　to　do！But　give　me　your　hand；　my　lady；　put
your　other　hand　on　my　shoulder。　You　stop　there；　Davie；　and　don't
move　till　I　come　to　you。　Now；　my　ladya　little　jump！　That's　it！　Now
you　are　safe！You　were　not　afraid；　were　you？〃

〃Not　in　the　least。　But　did　you　come　here　in　the　dark？〃

〃Yes。　There　is　this　advantage　in　the　dark：　you　do　not　see　how
dangerous　the　way　is。　We　take　the　darkness　about　us　for　the　source
of　our　difficulties：　it　is　a　great　mistake。　Christian　would　hardly
have　dared　go　through　the　Valley　of　the　Shadow　of　Death；　had　he　not
had　the　shield　of　the　darkness　all　about　him。〃

〃Can　the　darkness　be　a　shield？　Is　it　not　the　evil　thing？〃

〃Yes；　the　dark　that　is　within　usthe　dark　of　distrust　and
unwillingness；　but　not　the　outside　dark　of　mere　human　ignorance。
Where　we　do　not　see；　we　are　protected。　Where　we　are　most　ignorant
and　most　in　danger；　is　in　those　things　that　affect　the　life　of　God
in　us：　there　the　Father　is　every　moment　watching　his　child。　If　he
were　not　constantly　pardoning　and　punishing　our　sins