donal grant-第69节

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in　some　sudden　gust　of　unsuspected　impulse；　and　carried　away　of　the
one　tendency　before　the　other　has　time　to　assert　and　the　will　to
rouse　itself。　But　those　who　doubt　themselves　and　try　to　do　right　may
hope　for　warning。　Such　will　not；　I　think；　be　allowed　to　go　far　out
of　the　way　for　want　of　that。　Self…confidence　is　the　worst　traitor。〃

〃You　comfort　me　a　little。〃

〃And　then　you　must　remember；〃　continued　Donal；　〃that　nothing　in　its
immediate　root　is　evil；　that　from　best　human　roots　worst　things
spring。　No　one；　for　instance；　will　be　so　full　of　indignation；　of
fierceness；　of　revenge；　as　the　selfish　man　born　with　a　strong　sense
of　justice。But　you　say　this　is　not　the　room　in　which　you　hear　the
music　best？〃

〃No；　it　is　here。〃




CHAPTER　LV。

HER　BED…CHAMBER。

Lady　Arctura　opened　the　door　of　her　bedroom。　Donal　glanced　round　it。
It　was　as　old…fashioned　as　the　other。

〃What　is　behind　that　press　therewardrobe；　I　think　you　call　it？〃　he
asked。

〃Only　a　recess；〃　answered　lady　Arctura。　〃The　press；　I　am　sorry　to
say；　is　too　high　to　get　into　it。〃

Possibly　had　the　press　stood　in　the　recess；　the　latter　would　have
suggested　nothing；　but　having　caught　sight　of　the　opening　behind　the
press；　Donal　was　attracted　by　it。　It　was　in　the　same　wall　with　the
fireplace；　but　did　not　seem　formed　by　the　projection　of　the　chimney；
for　it　did　not　go　to　the　ceiling。

〃Would　you　mind　if　I　moved　the　wardrobe　a　little　on　one　side？〃　he
asked。

〃Do　what　you　like；〃　she　answered。

Donal　moved　it；　and　found　the　recess　rather　deep　for　its　size。　The
walls　of　the　room　were　wainscotted　to　the　height　of　four　feet　or　so；
but　the　recess　was　bare。　There　were　signs　of　hinges　on　one；　and　of　a
bolt　on　the　other　of　the　front　edges：　it　had　seemingly　been　once　a
closet；　whose　door　continued　the　wainscot。　There　were　no　signs　of
shelves　in　it；　the　plaster　was　smooth。

But　Donal　was　not　satisfied。　He　took　a　big　knife　from　his　pocket；
and　began　tapping　all　round。　The　moment　he　came　to　the　right…hand
side；　there　was　a　change　in　the　sound。

〃You　don't　mind　if　I　make　a　little　dust；　my　lady？〃　he　said。

〃Do　anything　you　please；〃　answered　Arctura。

He　sought　in　several　places　to　drive　the　point　of　his　knife　into　the
plaster；　it　would　nowhere　enter　it　more　than　a　quarter　of　an　inch：
here　was　no　built　wall；　he　believed；　but　one　smooth　stone。　He　found
nothing　like　a　joint　till　he　came　near　the　edge　of　the　recess：　there
was　a　limit　of　the　stone；　and　he　began　at　once　to　clear　it。　It　gave
him　a　straight　line　from　the　bottom　to　the　top　of　the　recess；　where
it　met　another　at　right　angles。

〃There　does　seem；　my　lady；〃　he　said；　〃to　be　some　kind　of　closing　up
here；　though　it　may　of　course　turn　out　of　no　interest　to　us！　Shall　I
go　on；　and　see　what　it　is？〃

〃By　all　means；〃　she　answered；　but　turned　pale　as　she　spoke。

Donal　looked　at　her　anxiously。　She　understood　his　look。

〃You　must　not　mind　my　feeling　a　little　silly；〃　she　said。　〃I　am　not
silly　enough　to　give　way　to　it。〃

He　went　on　again　with　his　knife；　and　had　presently　cleared　the
outlines　of　a　stone　that　filled　nearly　all　the　side　of　the　recess。
He　paused。

〃Go　on！　go　on！〃　said　Arctura。

〃I　must　first　get　a　better　tool　or　two；〃　answered　Donal。　〃Will　you
mind　being　left？〃

〃I　can　bear　it。　But　do　not　be　long。　A　few　minutes　may　evaporate　my
courage。〃

Donal　hurried　away　to　get　a　hammer　and　chisel；　and　a　pail　to　put　the
broken　plaster　in。　Lady　Arctura　stood　and　waited。　The　silence　closed
in　upon　her。　She　began　to　feel　eerie。　She　felt　as　if　she　had　but　to
will　and　see　through　the　wall　to　what　lay　beyond　it。　To　keep　herself
from　so　willing；　she　had　all　but　reduced　herself　to　mental　inaction；
when　she　started　to　her　feet　with　a　smothered　cry：　a　knock　not　over
gentle　sounded　on　the　door　of　the　outer　room。　She　darted　to　the
bedroom…door　and　flung　it　tonext　to　the　press；　and　with　one　push
had　it　nearly　in　its　place。　Then　she　opened　again　the　door；　thinking
to　wait　for　a　second　knock　on　the　other　before　she　answered。　But　as
she　opened　the　inner；　the　outer　door　also　openedslowlyand　a　face
looked　in。　She　would　rather　have　had　a　visitor　from　behind　the
press！　It　was　her　uncle；　his　face　cadaverous；　his　eyes　dull；　but
with　a　kind　of　glitter　in　them；　his　look　like　that　of　a
housebreaker。　In　terror　of　himself；　in　terror　lest　he　should
discover　what　they　had　been　about；　in　terror　lest　Donal　should
appear；　wishing　to　warn　the　latter；　and　certain　that；　early　as　it
was；　her　uncle　was　not　himself；　with　intuitive　impulse；　the　moment
she　saw　him；　she　cried　out；

〃Uncle！　what　is　that　behind　you？〃

She　felt　afterwards；　and　was　very　sorry；　that　it　was　both　a
deceitful　and　cruel　thing　to　do；　but　she　did　it；　as　I　have　said；　by
a　swift；　unreflecting　instinctwhich　she　concluded；　in　thinking
about　it；　came　from　the　ready　craft　of　some　ancestor；　and
illustrated　what　Donal　had　been　saying。

The　earl　turned　like　one　struck　on　the　back；　imagined　something　of
which　Arctura　knew　nothing；　cowered　to　two…thirds　of　his　height；　and
crept　away。　Though　herself　trembling　from　head　to　foot；　Arctura　was
seized　with　such　a　pity；　that　she　followed　him　to　his　room；　but　she
dared　not　go　in。　She　stood　a　moment　in　the　passage　within　sight　of
his　door；　and　thought　she　heard　his　bell　ring。　Now　Simmons　might
meet　Donal！　In　a　moment　or　two；　however；　she　was　relieved。　Donal
came　round　a　turn；　carrying　his　implements。　She　signed　to　him　to
make　haste；　and　he　was　just　safe　inside　her　room　when　Simmons　came
along　on　his　way　to　his　master's。　She　drew　the　door　to；　as　if　she
had　been　just　coming　out；　and　said；

〃Knock　at　my　door　as　you　return；　and　tell　me　how　your　master　is：　I
heard　his　bell。〃

She　then　begged　Donal　to　go　on　with　his　work；　but　stop　it　the　moment
she　made　a　noise　with　the　handle　of　the　door；　and　resumed　her　place
outside　till　Simmons　should　re…appear。　Full　ten　minutes　she　stood
waiting：　it　seemed　an　hour。　Though　she　heard　Donal　at　work　within；
and　knew　Simmons　must　soon　come；　though　the　room　behind　her　was　her
own；　and　familiar　to　her　from　childhood；　the　long　empty　passage　in
front　of　her　appeared　frightful。　What　might　not　come　pacing　along
towards　her！　At　last　she　heard　her　uncle's　doorstepsand　the
butler　approached。　She　shook　the　handle　of　the　door；　and　Donal's
blows　ceased。

〃I　can't　make　him　out；　my　lady！〃　said　Simmons。　〃It　is　nothing　very
bad；　I　think；　this　time；　but　he　gets　worse　and　worsealways　taking
more　and　more　o'　them　horrid　drugs。　It's　no　use　trying　to　hide　it：
he'll　drop　off　sudden　one　o'　these　days！　I've　heard　say　laudanum
don't　shorten　life；　but　it's　not　one　nor　two；　nor　half　a　dozen　sorts
o'　laudanums　he　keeps　mixing　in　that　poor　inside　o'　his！　The　end
must　come；　and　what　will　it　be？　It's　better　you　should　be　prepared
for　it　when　it　do　come；　my　lady。　I've　just　been　a　giving　of　him　some
into　his　skinwith　a　little　sharp…pointed　thing；　a　syringe；　you
know；　my　lady：　he　says　it's　the　only　way　to　take　some　medicines。
He's　just　a　slave　to　his　medicines；　my　lady！〃

As　soon　as　he　was　gone；　Arctura　returned　to　Donal。　He　had　knocked
the　plaster　away；　and　uncovered　a　slab；　very　like　one　of　the　great
stones　on　some　of　the　roofs。　The　next　thing　was　to　prize　it　from　the
mortar；　and　that　was　not　difficult。　The　instant　he　drew　the　stone
away；　a　dank　chill　assailed　them；　accompanied　by　a　humid　smell；　as
from　a　long…closed　cellar。　They　stood　and　looked；　now　at　each　other；
now　at　the　opening　in　the　wall；　where　was　nothing　but　darkness。　The
room　grew　cold　and　colder。　Donal　was　anxious　as　to　how　Arctura　might
stand　what　discovery　lay　before　them；　and　she　was　anxious　to　read
his　sensations。　For　her　sake　he　tried　to　hide　all　expression　of　the
awe　that　was　creeping　over　him；　and　it　gave　him　enough　to　do。

〃We　are　not　far　from　something；　my　lady！〃　he　said。　〃It　makes　one
think　of　what　He　said　who　carries　the　light　everywherethat　there
is　nothing　covered　that　shall　not　be　revealed；　neither　hid　that
shall　not　be　known。　Shall　we　leave　it　for　the　present？〃

〃Anything　but　that！〃　said　Arctura　with　a　shiver；　〃anything　but　an
unknown　terrible　something！〃

〃But　what　can　you　do　with　it？〃

〃Let　the　daylight　in　upon　it。〃

Her　colour　returned　as　she　spoke；　and　a　look　of　determination　came
into　her　eyes。

〃You　will　not　be　afraid　to　be　left　then　when　I　go　down？〃

〃I　am　cowardly　enough　to　be　afraid；　but　not　cowardly　enough　to　let
you　go　alone。　I　will　share　with　you。　I　shall　not　be　afraidnot
muchnot　too　much；　I　meanif　I　am　with　you。〃

Donal　hesitated。

〃See！〃　she　went　on；　〃I　am　going　to　light　a　candle；　and　ask　you　to
come　down　with　meif　down　it　be：　it　may　be　up！〃

〃I　am　ready；　my　lady；〃　said　Donal。

She　lighted　the　candle。

〃Had　we　not　better　lock　the　door；　my　lady？〃

〃That　might　set　them　wondering；〃　she　answered。　〃We　should　have　to
lock　both　the　doors　of　this　room；　or　else　both　the　passage…doors！
The　better　way　will　be　to　pull　the　press　after　us　when　we　are　behind
it。〃

〃You　are　right；　my　lady。　Please　take　some　matches　with　you。〃

〃To　be　sure。〃

〃You　will　carry　the　candle；　please。　I　must　have　my　hands　free。　Try
to　let　the　light　shine　past　me　as　much　as　you　can；　that　I　may　see
where　I　am　going。　But　I　shall　depend　most　on　my　hands　an