donal grant-第56节

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that　as　lang's　my　mither　has　onything；　she'll　be　blyth　to　share　the
same　wi'　you　an'　yours。〃

He　said　his　mother；　but　she　had　nothing　save　what　he　provided　her
with。

〃I　thank　ye；　Stephen；〃　said　Eppy；　touched　with　his　goodness；　〃but
there's　nae　necessity；　we　hae　plenty。〃

She　moved　on；　her　apron　still　to　her　eyes。　Kennedy　followed　her。

〃Gien　the　yoong　lord　hae　wranged　ye　ony　gait；〃　he　said　from　behind
her；　〃an'　gien　there　be　ony　amen's　ye　wad　hae　o'　him；〃

She　turned　with　a　quickness　that　was　fierce；　and　in　the　dim　light
Kennedy　saw　her　eyes　blazing。

〃I　want　naething　frae　your　han'；　Stephen　Kennedy；〃　she　said。　〃My
lord's　naething　to　younor　yet　muckle　to　me！〃　she　added；　with
sudden　reaction　and　an　outburst　of　self…pity；　and　again　fell　a
weepingand　sobbing　now。

With　the　timidity　of　a　strong　man　before　the　girl　he　loves　and
therefore　fears；　Kennedy　once　more　tried　to　comfort　her；　wiping　her
eyes　with　her　apron。　While　he　did　so；　a　man；　turning　a　corner
quickly；　came　almost　upon　them。　He　started　back；　then　came　nearer；
looked　hard　at　them；　and　spoke。　It　was　lord　Forgue。

〃Eppy！〃　he　exclaimed；　in　a　tone　in　which　indignation　blended　with
surprise。

Eppy　gave　a　cry；　and　ran　to　him。　He　pushed　her　away。

〃My　lord；〃　said　Kennedy；　〃the　lass　will　nane　o'　me　or　mine。　I　sair
doobt　there's　nane　but　yersel'　can　please　her。　But　I　sweir　by　God；
my　lord；　gien　ye　du　her　ony　wrang；　I'll　no　rest；　nicht　nor　day；　till
I　hae　made　ye　repent　it。〃

〃Go　to　the　devil！〃　said　Forgue；　〃there's　an　old　crow；　I　suspect；　yet
to　pluck　between　us！　For　me　you　may　take　her；　though。　I　don't　go
halves。〃

Eppy　laid　her　hand　timidly　on　his　arm；　but　again　he　pushed　her　away。

〃Oh；　my　lord！〃　she　sobbed；　and　could　say　no　more　for　weeping。

〃How　is　it　I　find　you　here　with　this　man？〃　he　asked。　〃I　don't　want
to　be　unfair　to　you；　but　it　looks　rather　bad！〃

〃My　lord；〃　said　Kennedy。

〃Hold　your　tongue；　let　her　speak　for　herself。〃

〃I　had　no　tryst　wi'　him；　my　lord！　I　never　said　come　nigh　me；〃　sobbed
Eppy。　〃Ye　see　what　ye　hae　dune！〃　she　cried；　turning　in　anger　on
Kennedy；　and　her　tears　suddenly　ceasing。　〃Never　but　ill　hae　ye
brocht　me！　What　business　had　ye　to　come　efter　me　this　gait；　makin'
mischief　'atween　my　lord　an'　me？　Can　a　body　no　set　fut　ayont　the
door…sill；　but　they　maun　be　followt　o'　them　they　wud　see　far
eneuch！〃

Kennedy　turned　and　went；　and　Eppy　with　a　fresh　burst　of　tears　turned
to　go　also。　But　she　had　satisfied　Forgue　that　there　was　nothing
between　them；　and　he　was　soon　more　successful　than　Kennedy　in
consoling　her。

While　absent　he　had　been　able　enough　to　get　on　without　her；　but　no
sooner　was　he　home　than；　in　the　weary　lack　of　interest；　the　feelings
which；　half　lamenting；　half　rejoicing；　he　had　imagined　extinct；
began　to　revive；　and　he　went　to　the　town　vaguely　hoping　to　get　a
sight　of　Eppy。　Coming　upon　her　t阾e　？t阾e　with　her　old　lover；　first
a　sense　of　unpardonable　injury　possessed　him；　and　next　the
conviction　that　he　was　as　madly　in　love　with　her　as　ever。　The　tide
of　old　tenderness　came　throbbing　and　streaming　back　over　the　ghastly
sands　of　jealousy；　and　ere　they　parted　he　had　made　with　her　an
appointment　to　meet　the　next　night　in　a　more　suitable　spot。

Donal　was　seated　by　Andrew's　bedside　reading：　he　had　now　the
opportunity　of　bringing　many　things　before　him　such　as　the　old　man
did　not　know　to　exist。　Those　last　days　of　sickness　and　weakness　were
among　the　most　blessed　of　his　life；　much　that　could　not　be　done　for
many　a　good　man　with　ten　times　his　education；　could　be　done　for　a
man　like　Andrew　Comin。

Eppy　had　done　her　best　to　remove　all　traces　of　emotion　ere　she
re…entered　the　house；　but　she　could　not　help　the　shining　of　her
eyes：　the　joy…lamp　relighted　in　her　bosom　shone　through　them：　and
Andrew　looking　up　when　she　entered；　Donal；　seated　with　his　back　to
her；　at　once　knew　her　secret：　her　grandfather　read　it　from　her　face；
and　Donal　read　it　from　his。

〃She　has　seen　Forgue！〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃I　hope　the　old　man　will
die　soon。〃




CHAPTER　XLIV。

HIGH　AND　LOW。

When　lord　Morven　heard　of　his　son's　return；　he　sent　for　Donal；
received　him　in　a　friendly　way；　gave　him　to　understand　that；　however
he　might　fail　to　fall　in　with　his　views；　he　depended　thoroughly　on
his　honesty；　and　begged　he　would　keep　him　informed　of　his　son's
proceedings。

Donal　replied　that；　while　he　fully　acknowledged　his　lordship's　right
to　know　what　his　son　was　doing；　he　could　not　take　the　office　of　a
spy。

〃But　I　will　warn　lord　Forgue；〃　he　concluded；　〃that　I　may　see　it
right　to　let　his　father　know　what　he　is　about。　I　fancy；　however；　he
understands　as　much　already。〃

〃Pooh！　that　would　be　only　to　teach　him　cunning；〃　said　the　earl。

〃I　can　do　nothing　underhand；〃　replied　Donal。　〃I　will　help　no　man　to
keep　an　unrighteous　secret；　but　neither　will　I　secretly　disclose
it。〃

Meeting　him　a　few　days　after；　Forgue　would　have　passed　him　without
recognition；　but　Donal　stopped　him；　and　said

〃I　believe；　my　lord；　you　have　seen　Eppy　since　your　return。〃

〃What　the　deuce　is　that　to　you？〃

〃I　wish　your　lordship　to　understand　that　whatever　comes　to　my
knowledge　concerning　your　proceedings　in　regard　to　her；　I　will
report　to　your　father　if　I　see　fit。〃

〃The　warning　is　unnecessary。　Few　informers；　however；　would　have
given　me　the　advantage；　and　I　thank　you：　so　far　I　am　indebted　to
you。　None　the　less　the　shame　of　the　informer　remains！〃

〃Your　lordship's　judgment　of　me　is　no　more　to　me　than　that　of　yon
rook　up　there。〃

〃You　doubt　my　honour？〃　said　Forgue　with　a　sneer。

〃I　do。　I　doubt　you。　You　do　not　know　yourself。　Time　will　show。　For
God's　sake；　my　lord；　look　to　yourself！　You　are　in　terrible　danger。〃

〃I　would　rather　do　wrong　for　love　than　right　for　fear。　I　scorn　such
threats。〃

〃Threats；　my　lord！〃　echoed　Donal。　〃Is　it　a　threat　to　warn　you　that
your　very　consciousness　may　become　a　curse　to　you？　that　to　know
yourself　may　be　your　hell？　that　you　may　come　to　make　it　your　first
care　to　forget　what　you　are？　Do　you　know　what　Shakspere　says　of
Tarquin

　　　　　Besides；　his　soul's　fair　temple　is　defaced；
　　　　　To　whose　weak　ruins　muster　troops　of　cares；
　　　　　To　ask　the　spotted　princess　how　she　fares？〃

〃Oh；　hang　your　preaching！〃　cried　Forgue；　and　turned　away。

〃My　lord；〃　said　Donal；　〃if　you　will　not　hear　me；　there　are　preachers
you　must。〃

〃They　will　not　be　quite　so　long…winded　then！〃　Forgue　answered。

〃You　are　right；〃　said　Donal；　〃they　will　not。〃

All　Forgue's　thoughts　were　now　occupied　with　the　question　how　with
least　danger　Eppy　and　he　were　to　meet。　He　did　not　contemplate
treachery。　At　this　time　of　his　life　he　could　not　have　respected
himself；　little　as　was　required　for　that；　had　he　been　consciously
treacherous；　but　no　man　who　in　love　yet　loves　himself　more；　is　safe
from　becoming　a　traitor：　potentially　he　is　one　already。　Treachery　to
him　who　is　guilty　of　it　seems　only　natural　self…preservation；　the
man　who　can　do　a　vile　thing　is　incapable　of　seeing　it　as　it　is；　and
that　ought　to　make　us　doubtful　of　our　judgments　of　ourselves；
especially　defensive　judgments。　Forgue　did　not　suspect　himselfnot
although　he　knew　that　his　passion　had　but　just　regained　a　lost
energy；　revived　at　the　idea　of　another　man　having　the　girl！　It　did
not　shame　him　that　he　had　begun　to　forget　her；　or　that　he　had　been
so　roused　to　fresh　desire。　If　he　had　stayed　away　six　months；　he
would　practically　have　forgotten　her　altogether。　Some　may　think
that；　if　he　had　devotion　enough　to　surmount　the　vulgarities　of　her
position　and　manners　and　ways　of　thought；　his　love　could　hardly　be
such　as　to　yield　so　soon；　but　Eppy　was　not　in　herself　vulgar。　Many
of　even　humbler　education　than　she　are　far　less　really　vulgar　than
some　in　the　forefront　of　society。　No　doubt　the　conventionalities　of
a　man　like　Forgue　must　have　been　sometimes　shocked　in　familiar
intercourse　with　one　like　Eppy；　but　while　he　was　merely　flirting
with　her；　the　very　things　that　shocked　would　also　amuse　himfor　I
need　hardly　say　he　was　not　genuinely　refined；　and　by　and　by　the
growing　passion　obscured　them。　There　is　no　doubt　that；　had　she　been
confronted　as　his　wife　with　the　common　people　of　society；　he　would
have　become　aware　of　many　things　as　vulgarities　which　were　only
simplicities；　but　in　the　meantime　she　was　no　more　vulgar　to　him　than
a　lamb　or　a　baby　is　vulgar；　however　unfit　either　for　a　Belgravian
drawing…room。　Vulgar；　at　the　same　time；　he　would　have　thought　and
felt　her；　but　for　the　love　that　made　him　do　her　justice。　Love　is　the
opener　as　well　as　closer　of　eyes。　But　men　who；　having　seen；　become
blind　again；　think　they　have　had　their　eyes　finally　opened。

For　some　time　there　was　no　change　in　Eppy's　behaviour　but　that　she
was　not　tearful　as　before。　She　continued　diligent；　never　grumbled　at
the　hardest　work；　and　seemed　desirous　of　making　up　for　remissness　in
the　past；　when　in　truth　she　was　trying　to　make　up　for　something　else
in　the　present：　she　would　atone　for　what　she　would　not　tell；　by
doing　immediate　duty　with　the　greater　devotion。　But　by　and　by　she
began　occasionally　to　show；　both　in　manner　and　countenance；　a　little
of　the　old　pertness；　mingled　with　uneasiness。　The　phenomenon；
however；　was　so　intermittent　and　unpronou