donal grant-第68节

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why　should　my　lord　be　frightened　so？〃

〃I　cannot　tell。　He　is　not　like　other　people；　you　know。〃

〃Where　else　is　the　music　heard？　You　and　your　uncle　seem　to　hear　it
oftener　than　anyone　else。〃

〃In　my　own　room。　But　we　will　talk　to…morrow。　Good　night。〃

〃I　will　remain　here　the　rest　of　the　evening；〃　said　Donal；　〃in　case
Simmons　might　want　me　to　help　with　his　lordship。〃

It　was　well　into　the　night；　and　he　still　sat　reading　in　the　library；
when　Mrs。　Brookes　came　to　him。　She　had　had　to　get　his　lordship　〃what
he　ca'd　a　catsomething　or　ither；　but　was　naething　but　mustard　to
the　soles　o'　's　feet　to　draw　awa'　the　bluid。〃

〃He's　better　the　noo；〃　she　said。　〃He's　taen　a　doze　o'　ane　o'　thae
drogues　he's　aye　potterin'　wi'fain　to　learn　the　trade　o'　livin'
for　ever；　I　reckon！　But　that's　a　thing　the　Lord　has　keepit　in　's　ain
han's。　The　tree　o'　life　was　never　aten　o'；　an'　never　wull　be　noo　i'
this　warl'；　it's　lang　transplantit。　But　eh；　as　to　livin'　for　ever；
or　I　wud　be　his　lordship；　I　wud　gie　up　the　ghost　at　ance！〃

〃What　makes　you　say　that；　mistress　Brookes？〃　asked　Donal。

〃It's　no　ilk　ane　I　wud　answer　sic　a　queston　til；〃　she　replied；　〃but
I'm　weel　assured　ye　hae　sense　an'　hert　eneuch　baith；　no　to　hurt　a
cratur'；　an'　I'll　jist　gang　sae　far　as　say　to　yersel'；　an'　'atween
the　twa　o'　's；　'at　I　hae　h'ard　frae　them　'at's　awa'them　'at　weel
kent；　bein'　aboot　the　place　an'　trustitthat　whan　the　fit　was　upon
him；　he　was　fell　cruel　to　the　bonnie　wife　he　merriet　abro'd　an'
broucht　hame　wi'　himtil　a　cauld…hertit　country；　puir　thing；　she
maun　hae　thoucht　it！〃

〃How　could　he　have　been　cruel　to　her　in　the　house　of　his　brother？
Even　if　he　was　the　wretch　to　be　guilty　of　it；　his　brother　would
never　have　connived　at　the　ill…treatment　of　any　woman　under　his
roof！〃

〃Hoo　ken　ye　the　auld　yerl　sae　weel？〃　asked　Mrs。　Brookes；　with　a　sly
glance。

〃I　ken；〃　answered　Donal；　direct　as　was　his　wont；　but　finding　somehow
a　little　shelter　in　the　dialect；　〃'at　sic　a　dauchter　could　ill　hae
been　born　to　ony　but　a　man　'atweel；　'at　wad　at　least　behave　til　a
wuman　like　a　man。〃

〃Ye're　i'　the　richt！　He　was　the　ten'erest…heartit　man！　But　he　was
far　frae　stoot；　an'　was　a　heap　by　himsel'；　nearhan'　as　mickle　as　his
lordship　the　present　yerl。　An'　the　lady　was　that　prood；　an'　that
dewotit　to　the　man　she　ca'd　her　ain；　that　never　a　word　o'　what　gaed
on　cam　to　the　ears　o'　his　brither；　I　daur　to　say；　or　I　s'　warran'　ye
there　wud　hae　been　a　fine　steer！　It　cam；　she　saidmy　auld　auntie
saido'　some　kin'　o'　madness　they　haena　a　name　for　yet。　I　think
mysel'　there's　a　madness　o'　the　hert　as　weel　's　o'　the　heid；　an'　i'
that　madness　men　tak　their　women　for　a　property　o'　their　ain；　to　be
han'led　ony　gait　the　deevil　puts　intil　them。　Cries　i'　the　deid　o'
the　nicht；　an'　never　a　shaw　i'　the　mornin'　but　white　cheeks　an'　reid
een；　tells　its　ain　tale。　I'　the　en'；　the　puir　leddy　dee'd；　'at　micht
hae　lived　but　for　him；　an'　her　bairnie　dee'd　afore　her；　an'　the
wrangs　o'　bairns　an'　women　stick　lang　to　the　wa's　o'　the　universe！
It　was　said　she　cam　efter　him　again；I　kenna；　but　I　hae　seen　an'
h'ard　i'　this　hoose　whatI　s'　haud　my　tongue　aboot！Sure　I　am　he
wasna　a　guid　man　to　the　puir　wuman！whan　it　comes　to　that；　maister
Grant；　it's　no　my　leddy　an'　mem；　but　we're　a'　women　thegither！　She
dee'dna　i'　this　hoose；　I　un'erstan'；　but　i'　the　hoose　doon　i'　the
toonthough　that's　neither　here　nor　there。　I　wadna　won'er　but　the
conscience　micht　be　waukin'　up　intil　him！　Some　day　it　maun　wauk　up。
He'll　be　sorry；　maybe；　whan　he　kens　himsel'　upo'　the　border　whaur
respec'　o'　persons　is　ower；　an'　a　woman　s'　a　guid　's　a　manmaybe　a
wheen　better！　The　Lord　'll　set　a'　thing　richt；　or　han'　't　ower　til
anither！〃




CHAPTER　LIV。

LADY　ARCTURA'S　ROOM。

The　next　day；　when　he　saw　lady　Arctura；　Donal　was　glad　to　learn
that；　for　all　the　excitement　of　the　day　before；　she　had　passed　a
good　night；　and　never　dreamed　at　all。

〃I've　been　thinking　it　all　over；　my　lady；〃　he　said；　〃and　it　seems　to
me　that；　if　your　uncle　heard　the　noise　of　our　plummet　so　near；　the
chimney　can　hardly　rise　from　the　floor　you　searched；　for　that　room；
you　know；　is　half…way　between　the　ground…floor　and　first　floor。
Still；　sound　does　travel　so！　We　must　betake　ourselves　to
measurement；　I　fear。But　another　thing　came　into　my　head　last　night
which　may　serve　to　give　us　a　sort　of　parallax。　You　said　you　heard
the　music　in　your　own　room：　would　you　let　me　look　about　in　it　a
little？　something　might　suggest　itself！Is　it　the　room　I　saw　you　in
once？〃

〃Not　that；〃　answered　Arctura；　〃but　the　bedroom　beyond　it。　I　hear　it
sometimes　in　either　room；　but　louder　in　the　bedroom。　You　can　examine
it　when　you　please。If　only　you　could　find　my　bad　dream；　and　drive
it　out！Will　you　come　now？〃

〃It　is　near　the　earl's　room：　is　there　no　danger　of　his　hearing
anything？〃

〃Not　the　least。　The　room　is　not　far　from　his；　it　is　true；　but　it　is
not　in　the　same　block；　there　are　thick　walls　between。　Besides　he　is
too　ill　to　be　up。〃

She　led　the　way；　and　Donal　followed　her　up　the　main　staircase　to　the
second　floor；　and　into　the　small；　curious；　ancient　room；　evidently
one　of　the　oldest　in　the　castle；　which　she　had　chosen　for　her
sitting…room。　Perhaps　if　she　had　lived　less　in　the　shadow；　she　might
have　chosen　a　less　gloomy　one：　the　sky　was　visible　only　through　a
little　lane　of　walls　and　gables　and　battlements。　But　it　was　very
charming；　with　its　odd　nooks　and　corners；　recesses　and　projections。
It　looked　an　afterthought；　the　utilization　of　a　space　accidentally
defined　by　rejection；　as　if　every　one　of　its　sides　were　the　wall　of
a　distinct　building。

〃I　do　wish；　my　lady；〃　said　Donal；　〃you　would　not　sit　so　much　where
is　so　little　sunlight！　Outer　and　inner　things　are　in　their　origin
one；　the　light　of　the　sun　is　the　natural　world…clothing　of　the
truth；　and　whoever　sits　much　in　the　physical　dark　misses　a　great
help　to　understanding　the　things　of　the　light。　If　I　were　your
director；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　would　counsel　you　to　change　this　room　for
one　with　a　broad；　fair　outlook；　so　that；　when　gloomy　thoughts　hid
God　from　you；　they　might　have　his　eternal　contradiction　in　the　face
of　his　heaven　and　earth。〃

〃It　is　but　fair　to　tell　you；〃　replied　Arctura；　〃that　Sophia　would
have　had　me　do　so；　but　while　I　felt　about　God　as　she　taught　me；　what
could　the　fairest　sunlight　be　to　me？〃

〃Yes；　what　indeed！〃　returned　Donal。　〃Do　you　know；〃　he　added
presently；　his　eyes　straying　about　the　room；　〃I　feel　almost　as　if　I
were　trying　to　understand　a　human　creature。　A　house　is　so　like　a
human　mind；　which　gradually　disentangles　and　explains　itself　as　you
go　on　to　know　it！　It　is　no　accidental　resemblance；　for；　as　an
unavoidable　necessity；　every　house　must　be　like　those　that　built
it。〃

〃But　in　a　very　old　house；〃　said　Arctura；　〃so　many　hands　of　so　many
generations　have　been　employed　in　the　building；　and　so　many　fancied
as　well　as　real　necessities　have　been　at　work；　that　it　must　be　a
conflict　of　many　natures。〃

〃But　where　the　house　continues　in　the　same　family；　the　builders　have
more　or　less　transmitted　their　nature；　as　well　as　their　house；　to
those　who　come　after　them。〃

〃Do　you　think　then；〃　said　Arctura；　almost　with　a　shudder；　〃that　I
inherit　a　nature　like　the　house　left　methat　the　house　is　an
outside　to　mefits　my　very　self　as　the　shell　fits　the　snail？〃

〃The　relation　of　outer　and　inner　is　there；　but　there　is　given　with
it　an　infinite　power　to　modify。　Everyone　is　born　nearer　to　God　than
to　any　ancestor；　and　it　rests　with　him　to　cultivate　either　the
godness　or　the　selfness　in　him；　his　original　or　his　mere　ancestral
nature。　The　fight　between　the　natural　and　the　spiritual　man　is　the
history　of　the　world。　The　man　who　sets　his　faults　inherited；　makes
atonement　for　the　sins　of　those　who　went　before　him；　he　is　baptized
for　the　dead；　not　with　water　but　with　fire。〃

〃That　seems　to　me　strange　doctrine；〃　said　Arctura；　with　tremulous
objection。

〃If　you　do　not　like　it；　do　not　believe　it。　We　inherit　from　our
ancestors　vices　no　more　than　virtues；　but　tendencies　to　both。　Vice
in　my　great…great…grandfather　may　in　me　be　an　impulse。〃

〃How　horrible！〃　cried　Arctura。

〃To　say　that　we　inherit　sin　from　Adam；　horrifies　nobody：　the　source
is　so　far　back　from　us；　that　we　let　the　stream　fill　our　cisterns
unheeded；　but　to　say　we　inherit　it　from　this　or　that　nearer
ancestor；　causes　the　fact　to　assume　its　definite　and　individual
reality；　and　make　a　correspondent　impression。〃

〃Then　you　allow　that　it　is　horrible　to　think　oneself　under　the
influence　of　the　vices　of　certain　wicked　people；　through　whom　we
come　where　we　are？〃

〃I　would　allow　it；　were　it　not　that　God　is　nearer　to　us　than　any
vices；　even　were　they　our　own；　he　is　between　us　and　those　vices。　But
in　us　they　are　not　vicesonly　possibilities；　which　become　vices
when　they　are　yielded　to。　Then　there　are　at　the　same　time　all　sorts
of　counteracting　and　redeeming　influences。　It　may　be　that　wherein　a
certain　ancestor　was　most　wicked；　his　wife　was　especially　lovely。　He
may　have　been　cruel；　and　she　tender　as　the　hen　that　gathers　her
chickens　under　her　wing。　The　main　danger　is　perhaps；　of　being　caught
in　some　sudden　gust　of　unsuspected　impulse；　and　carried　away　of　the
one　tenden