donal grant-第62节

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him　a　good　thrashing。　From　this　the　thought　of　Eppy　helped　to
restrain　him；　and　he　contented　himself　with　holding　him　down　till　he
yielded。　When　at　last　he　lay　quiet；

〃Will　you　promise　to　walk　out　if　I　let　you　up？〃　said　Donal。　〃If　you
will　not；　I　will　drag　you　into　the　street　by　the　legs。〃

〃I　will；〃　said　Forgue；　and　getting　up；　he　walked　out　and　away
without　a　word。

Donal　locked　the　door；　forgetting　all　about　the　papers；　and　went
back　to　Andrew's。　There　was　Eppy；　safe　for　the　moment！　She　was　busy
in　the　outer　room；　and　kept　her　back　to　him。　With　a　word　or　two　to
the　grandmother；　he　left　them；　and　went　home；　revolving　all　the　way
what　he　ought　to　do。　Should　he　tell　the　earl；　or　should　he　not？　Had
he　been　a　man　of　rectitude；　he　would　not　have　hesitated　a　moment；
but　knowing　he　did　not　care　what　became　of　Eppy；　so　long　as　his　son
did　not　marry　her；　he　felt　under　no　obligation　to　carry　him　the　evil
report。　The　father　might　have　a　right　to　know；　but　had　he　a　right　to
know　from　him？

A　noble　nature　finds　it　almost　impossible　to　deal　with　questions　on
other　than　the　highest　grounds：　where　those　grounds　are
unrecognized；　the　relations　of　responsibility　may　be　difficult
indeed　to　determine。　All　Donal　was　able　to　conclude　on　his　way　home；
and　he　did　not　hurry；　was；　that；　if　he　were　asked　any　questions；　he
would　speak　out　what　he　knewbe　absolutely　open。　If　that　should　put
a　weapon　in　the　hand　of　the　enemy；　a　weapon　was　not　the　victory。




CHAPTER　XLVIII。

PATERNAL　REVENGE。

No　sooner　had　he　entered　the　castle；　where　his　return　had　been
watched　for；　than　Simmons　came　to　him　with　the　message　that　his
lordship　wanted　to　see　him。　Then　first　Donal　remembered　that　he　had
not　brought　the　papers！　Had　he　not　been　sent　for；　he　would　have　gone
back　at　once　to　fetch　them。　As　it　was；　he　must　see　the　earl　first。

He　found　him　in　a　worse　condition　than　usual。　His　last　drug　or
combination　of　drugs　had　not　agreed　with　him；　or　he　had　taken　too
much；　with　correspondent　reaction：　he　was　in　a　vile　temper。　Donal
told　him　he　had　been　to　the　house；　and　had　found　the　papers；　but　had
not　brought　themhad；　in　fact；　forgotten　them。

〃A　pretty　fellow　you　are！〃　cried　the　earl。　〃What；　you　left　those
papers　lying　about　where　any　rascal　may　find　them　and　play　the　deuce
with　them！〃

Donal　assured　him　they　were　perfectly　safe；　under　the　same　locks　and
keys　as　before。

〃You　are　always　going　about　the　bush！〃　cried　the　earl。　〃You　never
come　to　the　point！　How　the　devil　was　it　you　locked　them　up
again？To　go　prying　all　over　the　house；　I　suppose！〃

Donal　told　him　as　much　of　the　story　as　he　would　hear。　Almost
immediately　he　saw　whither　it　tended；　he　began　to　abuse　him　for
meddling　with　things　he　had　nothing　to　do　with。　What　right　had　he　to
interfere　with　lord　Forgue's　pleasures！　Things　of　the　sort　were　to
be　regarded　as　non…existent！　The　linen　had　to　be　washed；　but　it　was
not　done　in　the　great　court！　Lord　Forgue　was　a　youth　of　position：
why　should　he　be　balked　of　his　fancy！　It　might　be　at　the　expense　of
society！

Donal　took　advantage　of　the　first　pause　to　ask　whether　he　should　not
go　back　and　bring　the　papers：　he　would　run　all　the　way；　he　said。

〃No；　damn　you！〃　answered　the　earl。　〃Give　me　the　keysall　the
keyshouse…keys　and　all。　I　should　be　a　fool　myself　to　trust　such　a
fool　again！〃

As　Donal　was　laying　the　last　key　on　the　table　by　his　lordship's
bedside；　Simmons　appeared；　saying　lord　Forgue　desired　to　know　if　his
father　would　see　him。

〃Oh；　yes！　send　him　up！〃　cried　the　earl　in　a　fury。　〃All　the　devils　in
hell　at　once！〃

His　lordship's　rages　came　up　from　abysses　of　misery　no　man　knew　but
himself。

〃You　go　into　the　next　room；　Grant；〃　he　said；　〃and　wait　there　till　I
call　you。〃

Donal　obeyed；　took　a　book　from　the　table；　and　tried　to　read。　He
heard　the　door　to　the　passage　open　and　close　again；　and　then　the
sounds　of　voices。　By　degrees　they　grew　louder；　and　at　length　the
earl　roared　out；　so　that　Donal　could　not　help　hearing：

〃I'll　be　damned　soul　and　body　in　hell；　but　I'll　put　a　stop　to　this！
Why；　you　son　of　a　snake！　I　have　but　to　speak　the　word；　and　you
arewell；　what。　Yes；　I　will　hold　my　tongue；　but　not　if　he　crosses
me！By　God！　I　have　held　it　too　long　already！letting　you　grow　up
the　damnablest　ungrateful　dog　that　ever　snuffed　carrion！And　your
poor　father　periling　his　soul　for　you；　by　God；　you　rascal！〃

〃Thank　heaven；　you　cannot　take　the　title　from　me；　my　lord！〃　said
Forgue　coolly。　〃The　rest　you　are　welcome　to　give　to　Davie！　It　won't
be　too　much；　by　all　accounts！〃

〃Damn　you　and　your　title！　A　pretty　title；　ha；　ha；　ha！Why；　you
infernal　fool；　you　have　no　more　right　to　the　title　than　the　beggarly
kitchen…maid　you　would　marry！　If　you　but　knew　yourself；　you　would
crow　in　another　fashion！　Ha；　ha；　ha！〃

At　this　Donal　opened　the　door。

〃I　must　warn　your　lordship；〃　he　said；　〃that　if　you　speak　so　loud；　I
shall　hear　every　word。〃

〃Hear　and　be　damned　to　you！That　fellow　thereyou　see　him　standing
therethe　mushroom　that　he　is！　Good　God！　how　I　loved　his　mother！
and　this　is　the　way　he　serves　me！　But　there　was　a　Providence　in　the
whole　affair！　Never　will　I　disbelieve　in　a　Providence　again！　It　all
comes　out　right；　perfectly　right！　Small　occasion　had　I　to　be
breaking　heart　and　conscience　over　it　ever　since　she　left　me！　Hang
the　pinchbeck　rascal！　he's　no　more　Forgue　than　you　are；　Grant；　and
never　will　be　Morven　if　he　live　a　hundred　years！　He's　not　a　short
straw　better　than　any　bastard　in　the　street！　His　mother　was　the
loveliest　woman　ever　breathed！and　loved　meah；　God！　it　is
something　after　all　to　have　been　loved　soand　by　such　a　woman！a
woman；　by　God！　ready　and　willing　and　happy　to　give　up　everything　for
me！　Everything；　do　you　hear；　you　damned　rascal！　I　never　married　her！
Do　you　hear；　Grant？　I　take　you　to　witness；　mark　my　words：　we；　that
fellow's　mother　and　I；　were　never　marriedby　no　law；　Scotch；　or
French；　or　Dutch；　or　what　you　will！　He's　a　damned　bastard；　and　may
go　about　his　business　when　he　pleases。　Oh；　yes！　pray　do！　Marry　your
scullion　when　you　please！　You　are　your　own　masterentlrely　your　own
master！free　as　the　wind　that　blows　to　go　where　you　will　and　do
what　you　please！　I　wash　my　hands　of　you。　You'll　do　as　you
pleasewill　you？　Then　do；　and　please　me：　I　desire　no　better
revenge！　I　only　tell　you　once　for　all；　the　moment　I　know　for　certain
you've　married　the　wench；　that　moment　I　publish　to　the　worldthat
is；　I　acquaint　certain　gossips　with　the　fact；　that　the　next　lord
Morven　will　have　to　be　hunted　for　like　a　truffleha！　ha！　ha！〃

He　burst　into　a　fiendish　fit　of　laughter；　and　fell　back　on　his
pillow；　dark　with　rage　and　the　unutterable　fury　that　made　of　his
being　a　volcano。　The　two　men　had　been　standing　dumb　before　him；
Donal　pained　for　the　man　on　whom　this　phial　of　devilish　wrath　had
been　emptied；　he　white　and　trembling　with　dismayan　abject
creature；　crushed　by　a　cruel　parent。　When　his　father　ceased；　he
still　stood；　still　said　nothing：　power　was　gone　from　him。　He　grew
ghastly；　uttered　a　groan；　and　wavered。　Donal　supported　him　to　a
chair；　he　dropped　into　it；　and　leaned　back；　with　streaming　face。　It
was　miserable　to　think　that　one　capable　of　such　emotion　concerning
the　world's　regard；　should　be　so　indifferent　to　what　alone　can
affect　a　manthe　nature　of　his　actionsso　indifferent　to　the　agony
of　another　as　to　please　himself　at　all　risk　to　her；　although　he
believed　he　loved　her；　and　perhaps　did　love　her　better　than　any　one
else　in　the　world。　For　Donal　did　not　at　all　trust　him　regarding
Eppyless　now　than　ever。　But　these　thoughts　went　on　in　him　almost
without　his　thinking　them；　his　attention　was　engrossed　with　the
passionate　creatures　before　him。

The　father　too　seemed　to　have　lost　the　power　of　motion；　and　lay　with
his　eyes　closed；　breathing　heavily。　But　by　and　by　he　made　what　Donal
took　for　a　sign　to　ring　the　bell。　He　did　so；　and　Simmons　came。　The
moment　he　entered；　and　saw　the　state　his　master　was　in；　he　hastened
to　a　cupboard；　took　thence　a　bottle；　poured　from　it　something
colourless；　and　gave　it　to　him　in　water。　It　brought　him　to　himself。
He　sat　up　again；　and　in　a　voice　hoarse　and　terrible　said：

〃Think　of　what　I　have　told　you；　Forgue。　Do　as　I　would　have　you；　and
the　truth　is　safe；　take　your　way　without　me；　and　I　will　take　mine
without　you。　Go。〃

Donal　went。　Forgue　did　not　move。

What　was　Donal　to　do　or　think　now？　Perplexities　gathered　upon　him。
Happily　there　was　time　for　thought；　and　for　prayer；　which　is　the
highest　thinking。　Here　was　a　secret　affecting　the　youth　his　enemy；
and　the　boy　his　friend！　affecting　society　itselfthat　society
which；　largely　capable　and　largely　guilty　of　like　sins；　yet　visits
with　such　unmercy　the　sins　of　the　fathers　upon　the　children；　the
sins　of　the　offender　upon　the　offended！　But　there　is　another　who
visits　them；　and　in　another　fashion！　What　was　he　to　do？　Was　he　to
hold　his　tongue　and　leave　the　thing　as　not　his；　or　to　speak　out　as
he　would　have　done　had　the　case　been　his　own？　Ought　the　chance　to　be
allowed　the　nameless　youth　of　marrying　his　cousin？　Ought　the　next
heir　to　the　lordship　to　go　without　his　title？　Had　they　not　both　a
claim　upon　Donal　for　the　truth？　Donal　thought　little　of　such　things
himself；　but　did