donal grant-第70节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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　and　feet。〃




CHAPTER　LVI。

THE　LOST　ROOM。

Donal　then　took　the　light　from　her　hand；　and　looked　in。　The　opening
went　into　the　further　wall　and　turned　immediately　to　the　left。　He
gave　her　back　the　candle；　and　went　in。　Arctura　followed　close。

There　was　a　stair　in　the　thickness　of　the　wall；　going　down　steep　and
straight。　It　was　not　wide　enough　to　let　them　go　abreast。　〃Put　your
hand　on　my　shoulder；　my　lady；〃　said　Donal。　〃That　will　keep　us
together。　If　I　fall；　you　must　stand　stock…still。〃

She　put　her　hand　on　his　shoulder；　and　they　began　their　descent。　The
steps　were　narrow　and　high；　therefore　the　stair　was　steep　They　had
gone　down　from　thirty　to　thirty…five　steps；　when　they　came　to　a
level　passage；　turning　again　at　right　angles　to　the　left。　It　was
twice　the　width　of　the　stair。　Its　sides；　like　those　of　the　stair；
were　of　roughly　dressed　stones；　and　unplastered。　It　led　them
straight　to　a　strong　door。　It　was　locked；　and　in　the　rusty　lock　they
could　see　the　key　from　within。　To　the　right　was　another　door；　a
smaller　one；　which　stood　wide　open。　They　went　through；　and　by　a
short　passage　entered　an　opener　space。　Here　on　one　side　there　seemed
to　be　no　wall；　and　they　stood　for　a　moment　afraid　to　move　lest　they
should　tumble　into　darkness。　But　sending　the　light　about；　and
feeling　with　hands　and　feet；　they　soon　came　to　an　idea　of　the　place
they　were　in。　It　was　a　little　gallery；　with　arches　on　one　side
opening　into　a　larger　place；　the　character　of　which　they　could　only
conjecture；　for　nearly　all　they　could　determine　was；　that　it　went
below　and　rose　above　where　they　stood。　On　the　other　side　was　a　plain
wall；　such　as　they　had　had　on　both　sides　of　them。

They　had　been　speaking　in　awe…filled　whispers；　and　were　now　in
silence　endeavouring　to　send　their　sight　through　the　darkness　beyond
the　arches。

〃Listen；　my　lady；〃　said　Donal。

》From　above　their　heads　came　a　chord　of　the　aerial　music；　soft　and
faint　and　wild！　A　strange　effect　it　had！　it　was　like　news　of　the
still　airy　night　and　the　keen　stars；　come　down　through　secret　ways
into　the　dark　places　of　the　earth；　from　spaces　so　wide　that　they
seem　the　most　awful　of　prisons！　It　sweetly　fostered　Arctura's
courage。

〃That　must　be　how　the　songs　of　angels　sounded；　with　news　of　high
heaven；　to　the　people　of　old！〃　she　said。

Donal　was　not　in　so　high　a　mood。　He　was　occupied　at　the　moment　with
the　material　side　of　things。

〃We　can't　be　far；〃　he　said；　〃from　the　place　where　our　plummet　came
down！　But　let　us　try　a　little　further。〃

The　next　moment　they　came　against　a　cord；　and　at　their　feet　was　the
weight　of　the　clock。

At　the　other　end　of　the　little　gallery　they　came　again　to　a　door　and
again　to　a　stair；　turning　to　the　right；　and　again　they　went　down。
Arctura　kept　up　bravely。　The　air　was　not　so　bad　as　might　have　been
feared；　though　it　was　cold　and　damp。　This　time　they　descended　but　a
little　way；　and　came　to　a　landing　place；　on　the　right　of　which　was　a
door。　Donal　raised　a　rusty　latch　and　pushed；　the　door　swung　open
against　the　wall；　dropping　from　one　hinge　with　the　slight　shock。　Two
steps　more　they　descended；　and　stood　on　a　stone　floor。

Donal　thought　at　first　they　must　be　in　one　of　the　dungeons；　but　soon
bethought　himself　that　they　had　not　descended　far　enough　for　that。

A　halo　of　damp　surrounded　their　candle；　its　weak　light　seemed
scarcely　to　spread　beyond　it；　for　some　moments　they　took　in　nothing
of　what　was　around　them。　The　floor　first　began　to　reveal　itself　to
Donal's　eye：　in　the　circle　of　the　light　he　saw；　covered　with　dust　as
it　was；　its　squares　of　black　and　white　marble。　Then　came　to　him　a
gleam　of　white　from　the　wall；　it　was　a　tablet；　and　at　the　other　end
was　something　like　an　altar；　or　a　tomb。

〃We　are　in　the　old　chapel　of　the　castle！〃　he　said。　〃But　what　is
that？〃　he　added　instantly　with　an　involuntary　change　of　voice；　and　a
shudder　through　his　whole　nervous　being。

Arctura　turned；　her　hand　sought　his　and　clasped　it　convulsively。
They　stood　close　to　something　which　the　light　itself　had　concealed
from　them。　Ere　they　were　conscious　of　an　idea　concerning　it；　each
felt　the　muscles　of　neck　and　face　drawn；　as　if　another　power　than
their　own　invaded　their　persons。　But　they　were　live　wills；　and　would
not　be　overcome。　They　forced　their　gaze；　perception　cleared　itself；
and　slowly　they　saw　and　understood。

With　strangest　dream…like　incongruity　and　unfitness；　the　thing
beside　them　was　a　dark　bedstead；　with　carved　posts　and　low　wooden
tester；　richly　carved！This　in　the　middle　of　a　chapel！But　there
was　no　speculation　in　them；　they　could　only　see；　not　think。　Donal
took　the　candle。　From　the　tester　hung　large　pieces　of　stuff　that　had
once　made　heavy　curtains；　but　seemed　hardly　now　to　have　as　much
cohesion　as　the　dust　on　a　cobweb；　it　held　together　only　in　virtue　of
the　lightness　to　which　decay　had　reduced　it。　On　the　bed　lay　a　dark
mass；　like　bed　clothes　and　bedding　not　quite　turned　to　dustthey
could　yet　see　something　like　embroidery　in　one　or　two　placesdark
like　burnt　paper　or　half…burnt　flaky　rags；　horrid　as　a　dream　of　dead
love！

Heavens！　what　was　that　shape　in　the　middle？what　was　that　on　the
black　pillow？what　was　that　thick　line　stretching　towards　one　of
the　head…posts？　They　stared　speechless。　Arctura　pressed　close　to
Donal。　His　arm　went　round　her　to　protect　her　from　what　threatened
almost　to　overwhelm　himselfthe　inroad　of　an　unearthly　horror。
Plain　to　the　eyes　of　both；　the　form　in　the　middle　of　the　bed　was
that　of　a　human　body；　slowly　crumbling　where　it　lay。　Bed　and
blankets　and　quilt；　sheets　and　pillows　had　crumbled　with　it　through
the　long　wasting　years；　but　something　of　its　old　shape　yet　lingered
with　the　dust：　that　was　a　head　that　lay　on　the　pillow；　that　was　the
line　of　a　long　arm　that　pointed　across　the　pillow　to　the　post。What
was　that　hanging　from　the　bedpost　and　meeting　the　arm？　God　in
heaven！　there　was　a　staple　in　the　post；　and　from　the　staple　came　a
chain！and　there　at　its　other　end　a　ring；　lying　on　the　pillow！and
through　ityes　through　it；　the　dust…arm　passed！This　was　no　mere
death…bed；　it　was　a　torture　bedmost　likely　a　murder…bed；　and　on　it
yet　lay　the　body　that　died　on　ithad　lain　for　hundreds　of　years；
unlifted　for　kindly　burial：　the　place　of　its　decease　had　been　made
its　tombclosed　up　and　hidden　away！

A　bed　in　a　chapel；　and　one　dead　thereon！how　could　it　be？　Had　the
womanfor　Donal　imagined　the　form　yet　showed　it　the　body　of　a
womanbeen　carried　thither　of　her　own　desire；　to　die　in　a　holy
place？　That　could　not　be：　there　was　the　chain！　Had　she　sought　refuge
there　from　some　persecutor？　If　so；　he　has　found　her！　She　was　a
captivemad　perhaps；　more　likely　hated　and　the　victim　of　a　terrible
revenge；　left；　probably　enough；　to　die　of　hunger；　or
diseaseneglected　or　tended；　who　could　tell？　One　thing；　only　was
clearthat　there　she　died；　and　there　she　was　buried！

Arctura　was　trembling。　Donal　drew　her　closer；　and　would　have　taken
her　away。　But　she　said　in　his　ear；　as　if　in　dread　of　disturbing　the
dust；

〃I　am　not　frightenednot　very。　It　is　only　the　cold；　I　think。〃

They　went　softly　to　the　other　end　of　the　chapel；　almost　clinging
together　as　they　went。　They　saw　three　narrow　lancet　windows　on　their
right；　but　no　glimmer　came　through　them。

They　came　to　what　had　seemed　an　altar；　and　such　it　still　seemed。　But
on　its　marble…top　lay　the　dust　plainly　of　an　infantsight　sad　as
fearful；　and　full　of　agonizing　suggestion！　They　turned　away；　nor
either　looked　at　the　other。　The　awful　silence　of　the　place　seemed
settling　on　them　like　a　weight。　Donal　made　haste；　nor　did　Arctura
seem　less　anxious　to　leave　it。

When　they　reached　the　stair；　he　made　her　go　first：　he　must　be
between　her　and　the　terror！　As　they　passed　the　door　on　the　other
side　of　the　little　gallerydown　whose　spiracle　had　come　no　second
breathDonal　said　to　himself　he　must　question　that　door；　but　to
Arctura　he　said　nothing：　she　had　had　enough　of　inquiry　for　the
moment！

Slowly　they　ascended　to　Arctura's　chamber。　Donal　replaced　the　slab；
and　propped　it　in　its　position；　gathered　the　plaster　into　the　pail；
replaced　the　press；　and　put　a　screw　through　the　bottom　of　it　into
the　floor。　Arctura　stood　and　watched　him　all　the　time。

〃You　must　leave　your　room　again；　my　lady！〃　said　Donal。

〃I　will。　I　shall　speak　to　mistress　Brookes　at　once。〃

〃Will　you　tell　her　all　about　it？〃

〃We　must　talk　about　that！〃

〃How　will　she　bear　it；〃　thought　Donal；　〃how　after　such　an
experience；　can　she　spend　the　rest　of　the　day　alone？　There　is　all
the　long　afternoon　and　evening　to　be　met！〃

He　gave　the　last　turn　to　the　screw　in　the　floor；　and　rose。　Then
first　he　saw　that　Arctura　had　turned　very　white。

〃Do　sit　down；　my　lady！〃　he　said。　〃I　would　run　for　mistress　Brookes；
but　I　dare　not　leave　you。〃

〃No；　no；　we　will　go　down　together！　Give　me　that　bottle　of　eau　de
Cologne；　please。〃

Donal　did　not　know　either　eau　de　Cologne　or　its　bottle；　but　he
darted　to　the　dressing…table　and　guessed　correctly。　It　revived　her；
and　she　began　to　take　deep　breaths。　Then　with　a　strong　effort　she
rose　to　go　down。

The　time　for　speech　concerni