donal grant-第72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！


story；　but　there's　something　unco　fulish…like　intil't　as　weel。　I
canna　say　I　think　muckle　'o　craturs　'at　trible　their　heids　aboot
their　heids！But　that's　tellin'　'aforehan'！〃

Here　the　good　woman　paused　thoughtful。

〃I　am　longing　to　hear　your　story；　mistress　Brookes；〃　said　Donal；
supposing　she　needed　encouragement。

〃I'm　but　thinkin'　hoo　to　begin；〃　she　returned；　〃sae　as　to　gie　ye　a
richt　haud　o'　the　thing。I'm　thinkin'　I　canna　do　better　nor　jist
tell　't　as　it　cam　to　mysel'！Weel；　ye　see；　I　was　but　a　yoong　lass；
abootweel；　I　micht　be　twenty；　mair　or　less；　whan　I　gaed　til　the
place　I　speak　o'。　It　was　awa'　upo'　the　borders　o'　Wales；　like　as
gien　folk　ower　there　i'　Perth　war　doobtfu'　whether　sic　or　sic　a
place　was　i'　the　hielan's　or　the　lowlan's。　The　maister　o'　the　hoose
was　a　yoong　man　awa'　upo'　's　traivels；　I　kenna　whaursomewhaur　upo'
the　continent；　but　that's　a　mickle　word；　an'　as　he　had　the　intention
o'　bein'　awa'　for　some　time　to　come；　no　carin'　to　settle　doon　aff
han'　an'　luik　efter　his　ain；　there　was　but　ane　gey　auld　wuman　to
hoosekeep；　an'　me　to　help　her；　an'　a　man　or　twa　aboot　the　place　to
luik　efter　the　gairdenan'　that　was　a'。　Hoose　an'　gairden　was　to
let；　an'　was　intil　the　han's　o'　ane　o'　thae　agents；　as　they　ca'
them；　for　that　same　purposeto　let；　that　is；　for　a　term　o'　years。
Weel；　ae　day　there　cam　a　gentleman　to　luik　at　the　place；　an'　he　was
sae　weel　pleased　wi'　'tas　weel　he　micht；　for　eh；　it　was　a　bonny
place！aye　lauchin'　like；　whaur　this　place　is　aye　i'　the
sulks！na；　no　aye！　I　dinna　mean　that；　my　lady；　forgettin'　at　it's
yours！but　ye　maun　own　it　taks　a　heap　o'　sun　to　gar　this　auld　hoose
here　luik　onything　but　some　douran'　I　beg　yer　pardon；　my　lady！〃

〃You　are　quite　right；　mistress　Brookes！〃　said　Arctura　with　a　smile。
〃If　it　were　not　for　you　it　would　be　dour　dour。You　do　not　know；　Mr。
Grantmistress　Brookes　herself　does　not　know　how　much　I　owe　her！　I
should　have　gone　out　of　my　mind　for　very　dreariness　a　hundred　times
but　for　her。〃

〃The　short　an'　the　lang　o'　't　was；〃　resumed　mistress　Brookes；　〃that
the　place　was　let　an'　the　place　was　ta'en；　mickle　to　the
satisfaction　o'　a'　pairties　concernt。　The　auld　hoosekeeper；　she
bein'　a　fixtur　like；　was　to　bide；　an'　I　was　to　bide　as　weel；　under
the　hoosekeeper；　an'　haein'　nothing　to　do　wi'　the　stranger　servan's。

〃They　cam。　There　was　a　gentleman　o'　a　middle　age；　an'　his　leddy　some
yoonger　nor　himsel'；　han'some　but　no　bonniebut　that　has　naething
to　do　wi'　my　tale　'at　I　should　tak　up　yer　time　wi'　't；　an'　it
growin'　some　late。〃

〃Never　mind　the　time；　mistress　Brookes；〃　said　Arctura；　we　can　do
just　as　we　please　about　that！　One　time　is　as　good　as　anotherisn't
it；　Mr。　Grant？〃

〃I　sometimes　sit　up　half　the　night　myself；〃　said　Donal。　〃I　like　to
know　God's　night。　Only　it　won't　do　often；　lest　we　make　the　brain；
which　is　God's　too；　like　a　watch　that　won't　go。〃

〃It's　sair　upsettin'　to　the　wark！〃　said　the　housekeeper。　〃What　would
the　house　be　like　if　I　was　to　do　that！〃

〃Do　go　on；　please；　mistress　Brookes；〃　said　Arctura。

〃Please　do；〃　echoed　Donal。

〃Sir；　an'　my　lady；　I'm　ready　to　sit　till　the　cock's　be　dune　crawin'；
an'　the　day　dune　dawin'；　to　pleasur　the　ane　or　the　twa　o'　ye！an'
sae　for　my　true　tale！They　war　varra　dacent；　weel…behavet　fowk；　wi'
a　fine　faimly；　some　grown　an'　some　growin'。　It　was　jist　a　fawvour　to
see　sic　a　halesome　clanfrae　auchteen　or　thereawa'　doon　tu　the　wee
toddlin'　lassie　was　the　varra　aipple　o'　the　e'e　to　a'　the　e'en　aboot
the　place！　But　that's　naither　here　nor　yet　there！　A'　gaed　on　as　a'
should　gang　on　whaur　the　servan's　are　no　ower　gran'　for　their　ain
wark；　nor　ower　meddlesome　wi'　the　wark　o'　their　neebours；　naething
was　negleckit；　nor　onything　girned　aboot；　but　a'　was　peace　an'
hermony；　as　quo'　the　auld　sang　about　out　bonny　Kilmenythat　is；
till　ae　nicht。You　see　I'm　tellin'　ye　as　it　cam'　to　mysel'　an'　no
til　anither！

〃As　I　lay　i'　my　bed　that　nichtan'　ye　may　be　sure　at　my　age　I　lay
nae　langer　nor　jist　to　turn　me　ower　ance；　an'　in　general　no　that
ancejist　as　I　was　fa'in'　asleep；　up　gat　sic　a　romage　i'　the
servan'　ha'；　straucht　'aneth　whaur　I　was　lyin'；　that　I　thoucht　to
mysel'；　what　upo'　earth's　come　to　the　place！'Gien　it　bena　the　day
o'　judgment；　troth　it's　no　the　day　o'　sma'　things！'　I　said。　It　was
as　gien　a'　the　cheirs　an'　tables　thegither　war　bein'　routit　oot　o'
their　places；　an'　syne　set　back　again；　an'　the　tables　turnt　heels
ower　heid；　an'　a'　the　glaiss　an'　a'　the　plate　for　the　denner　knockit
aboot　as　gien　they　had　been　sae　mony　hailstanes　that　warna　wantit
ony　mair；　but　micht　jist　lie　whaur　they　fell。　I　couldna　for　the　life
o'　me　think　what　it　micht　betoken；　save　an'　excep'　a　general　frenzy
had　seized　upo'　man　an'　wuman　i'　the　hoose！　I　got　up　in　a　hurry：
whatever　was　gaein'　on；　I　wudna　wullin'ly　gang　wantin'　my　share　o'
the　sicht！　An'　jist　as　I　opened　my　door；　wha　should　I　hear　but　the
maister　cryin'　at　the　heid　o'　the　stair；'What；　i'　the　name　o'　a'
that's　holy；'　says　he；　'is　the　meanin'　o'　this？'　An'　I　ran　til　him；
oot　o'　the　passage；　an'　through　the　swing…door；　into　the　great
corridor；　an'　says　I；''Deed；　sir；　I　was　won'erin'！　an'　wi'　yer
leave；　sir；　I'll　gang　an'　see；'　I　said；　gaitherin'　my　shawl　aboot　me
as　weel　as　I　could　to　hide　what　was　'aneth　it；　or　raither　what　wasna
'aneth　it；　for　I　hadna　that　mickle　on。　But　says　he；　'No；　no；　you
must　not　go；　who　knows　what　it　may　be？　I'll　go　myself。　They　may　be
robbers；　and　the　men　fighting　them。　You　stop　where　you　are。'　Sayin'
that；　he　was　half…ways　doon　the　stair。　I　stood　whaur　I　was；　lookin'
doon　an'　hearkenin'；　an'　the　noise　still　goin'　on。　But　he　could　but
hae　won　the　len'th　o'　the　hall；　whan　it　stoppit　a'　at　ance　an'
a'thegither。　Ye　may　think　what　a　din　it　maun　hae　been；　whan　I　tell
ye　the　quaiet　that　cam　upo'　the　heels　o'　't　jist　seemed　to　sting　my
twa　lugs。　The　same　moment　I　h'ard　the　maister　cryin'　til　me　to　come
doon。　I　ran；　an'　whan　I　reached　the　servan's　ha'；　whaur　he　stood
jist　inside　the　door；　I　stood　aside　him　an'　glowered。　For；　wad　ye
believe　me！　the　place　was　as　dacent　an'　still　as　ony　kirkyard　i'　the
munelicht！　There　wasna　a　thing　oot　o'　it's　place；　nor　an　air　o'
dist；　nor　the　sma'est　disorder　to　be　seen！　A'　the　things　luikit　as
gien　they　had　sattlet　themsel's　to　sleep　as　usual；　an'　had　sleepit
till　we　cam　an'　waukit　them。　The　maister　glowert　at　me；　an'　I
glowert　at　the　maister。　But　a'　he　said　was；'A　false　alarm；　ye　see；
Rose！'　What　he　thoucht　I　canna　tell；　but　withoot　anither　word　we
turnt；　an'　gaed　up　the　stair　again　thegither。

〃At　the　tap　o'　the　stair；　the　lang　corridor　ran　awa'　intil　the　dark
afore　's；　for　the　can'le　the　maister　carried　flangna　licht　half　to
the　en'　o'　't；　an'　frae　oot　o'　the　mirk　on　a　suddent　cam　to　meet　's
a　rampaugin'　an'　a　rattlin'　like　o'　a　score　o'　nowt　rinnin'　awa'　wi'
their　iron　tethers　aboot　their　neckssic　a　rattlin'　o'　iron　chains
as　ye　never　h'ard！　an'　a　groanin'　an'　a　gruntin'　jist　fearsome。
Again　we　stood　an'　luikit　at　ane　anither；　an'　my　word！　but　the
maister's　face　was　eneuch　to　fricht　a　body　o'　'tsel'；　lat　alane　the
thing　we　h'ard　an'　saw　naething　til　accoont　for！　'Gang　awa'　back　to
yer　bed；　Rose；'　he　said；　'this'll　never　do！'　'An'　hoo　are　ye　to　help
it；　sir？'　said　I。　'That　I　cannot　tell；'　answered　he；　but　I　wouldn't
for　the　world　your　mistress　heard　it！　I　left　her　fast　asleep；　and　I
hope　she'll　sleep　through　it。Did　you　ever　hear　anything　strange
about　the　house　before　we　came？'　'Never；　sir；'　said　I；　'as　sure　as　I
stan'　here　shiverin'！'for　the　nicht　was　i'　the　simmer；　an'　warm　to
that　degree！　an'　yet　I　was　shiverin'　as　i'　the　cauld　fit　o'　a
fivver；　an'　my　moo'　wud　hardly　consent　to　mak　the　words　I　soucht　to
frame！

〃We　stood　like　mice　'afore　the　cat　for　a　minute　or　twa；　but　there
cam　naething　mair；　an'　by　degrees　we　grew　a　kin'　o'　ashamet；　like　as
gien　we　had　been　doobtfu'　as　to　whether　we　had　h'ard　onything；　an'
whan　again　he　said　to　me　gang　to　my　bed；　I　gaed　to　my　bed；　an'　wasna
lang　upo'　the　ro'd；　for　fear　I　wud　hear　onything　mairan'　intil　my
bed；　an'　my　heid　'aneth　the　claes；　an'　lay　trim'lin'。　But　there　was
nane　mair　o'　't　that　nicht；　an'　I　wasna　ower　sair　owercome　to　fa'
asleep。

〃I'　the　mornin'　I　tellt　the　hoosekeeper　a'　aboot　it；　but　she　held
her　tongue　in　a　mainner　that　was；　to　say　the　least　o'　't；　varra
strange。　She　didna　lauch；　nor　she　didna　grue　nor　yet　glower；　nor　yet
she　didna　say　the　thing　was　nonsense；　but　she　jist　h'ard　an'　h'ard
an'　saidna　a　word。　I　thoucht　wi'　mysel'；　is't　possible　she　disna
believe　me？　but　I　couldna　mak　that　oot　aither。　Sae　as　she　heild　her
tongue；　I　jist　pu'd　the　bridle　o'　mine；　an'　vooed　there　should　be
never　anither　word　said　by　me　till　ance　she　spak　hersel'。　An'　I　wud
sune　hae　had　eneuch　o'　haudin'　my　tongue；　but　I　hadna　to　haud　it　to
onybody　but　her；　an'　I　cam　to　the　conclusion　that　she　was　feart　o'
bein'　speirt　questons　by　them　'at　had　a　richt　to　speir　them；　for
that　she　had　h'ard　o'　something　'afore；　an'　kenned　mair　nor　she　was
at　leeberty　to　speak　aboot。

〃But　that　was　only　the　beginnin'；　an'　little　to　what　followed！　For
frae　that　nicht　there　was　na　ae　nicht　passed　but　some　ane　or　twa
disturbit；　an'　whiles　it　was　past　a'　bidin。'　The　noises；　an'　the
rum'lin's；　an'　abune　a'　t