donal grant-第75节

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hoo　thae　ghaists　maun　lauch　at　them　that　lauchs　as　gien　there　was
nae　sic　craturs　i'　the　warl'！　For　my　pairt　I　naither　fear　them　nor
seek　til　them：　I'll　be　ane　wi'　them　mysel'　afore　lang！only　I　wad
sair　wuss　an'　houp　to　gang　in　amo'　better　behavet　anes　nor　them　'at
gangs　aboot　plaguin'　folk。〃

〃You　speak　the　best　of　sense；　mistress　Brookes；〃　said　Donal；　〃but　I
should　like　to　understand　why　the　poor　hanged　fellow　should　have
such　an　objection　to　having　his　skull　laid　in　the　ground！　Why　had　he
such　a　fancy　for　his　old　bones？　Could　he　be　so　closely　associated
with　them　that　he　could　not　get　on　without　the　plenty　of　fresh　air
they　got　him　used　to　when　they　hung　on　the　gallows？　And　why　did　it
content　him　to　have　only　his　head　above　ground？　It　is　bewildering！
We　couldn't　believe　our　bones　rise　again；　even　if　Paul　hadn't　as
good　as　told　us　they　don't！　Why　should　the　dead　haunt　their　bones　as
if　to　make　sure　of　having　their　own　again？〃

〃But；〃　said　mistress　Brookes；　〃beggin'　yer　pardon；　sir；　what　ken　ye
as　to　what　they　think？　Ye　may　ken　better；　but　maybe　they　dinna；　for
haena　ye　jist　allooed　that　sic　conduc'　as　I　hae　describit　is　no　fit；
whaever　be　guilty　o'　the　same；　whether　rowdy　laddies　i'　the　streets；
or　craturs　ye　canna　see　i'　the　hoose？　They　may　think　they'll　want
their　banes　by　an'　by　though　ye　ken　better；　an'　whatever　you　wise
folk　may　think　the　noo；　ye　ken　it's　no　that　lang　sin'　a'　body；　ay；
the　best　o'　folk；　thoucht　the　same；　an'　there's　no　a　doobt　they　a'
did　at　the　time　that　man　was　hangt。　An'　ye　maun　min'　'at　i'　the
hoose　the　heid　o'　'im　wudna　waste　as　it　wud　i'　the　yerd！〃

〃But　why　bother　about　his　heid　more　than　the　rest　of　his　bones？〃

〃Weel；　sir；　I'm　thinking　a　ghaist；　ghaist　though　he　be；　canna　surely
be　i'　twa　places　at　ance。　He　could　never　think　to　plague　til　ilk
bane　o'　finger　an'　tae　was　gethert　i'　the　cellar！　That　wud　be
houpless！　An'　thinkin'　onything　o'　his　banes；　he　micht　weel　think
maist　o'　's　heid；　an'　keep　an　e'e　upo'　that。　Nae　mony　ghaists　hae
the　chance　o'　seein'　sae　muckle　o'　their　banes　as　this　ane；　or
sayin'　to　themsel's；　'Yon's　mine；　whaur　it　swings！'　Some　ghaists　hae
a　cat…like　natur　for　places；　an'　what　for　no　for　banes？　Mony's　the
story　that　hoosekeeper；　honest　wuman；　telled　me：　whan　what　had　come
was　gane；　it　set　her　openin'　oot　her　pack！　I　could　haud　ye　there　a'
nicht　tellin'　ye　ane　efter　anither　o'　them。　But　it's　time　to　gang　to
oor　beds。〃

〃It　is　our　turn　to　tell　you　something；〃　said　lady　Arctura；　〃only
you　must　not　mention　it　just　yet：　Mr。　Grant　has　found　the　lost
room！〃

For　a　moment　Mrs。　Brookes　said　nothing；　but　neither　paled　nor　looked
incredulous；　her　face　was　only　fixed　and　still；　as　if　she　were
finding　explanation　in　the　discovery。

〃I　was　aye　o'　the　min'　it　was；〃　she　said；　〃an'　mony's　the　time　I
thoucht　I　wud　luik　for't　to　please　mysel'！　It's　sma'　won'erthe
soon's；　an'　the　raps；　an'　siclike！〃

〃You　will　not　change　your　mind　when　you　hear　all；〃　said　Arctura。　〃I
asked　you　to　give　us　our　supper　because　I　was　afraid　to　go　to　bed。〃

〃You　shouldn't　have　told　her；　sir！〃

〃I've　seen　it　with　my　own　eyes！〃

〃You've　been　into　it；　my　lady？Whatwhat？〃

〃It　is　a　chapelthe　old　castle…chapelmentioned；　I　know；　somewhere
in　the　history　of　the　place；　though　no　one；　I　suppose；　ever　dreamed
the　missing　room　could　be　that！And　in　the　chapel；〃　continued
Arctura；　hardly　able　to　bring　out　the　words；　for　a　kind　of　cramping
of　the　muscles　of　speech；　〃there　was　a　bed！　and　in　the　bed　the
crumbling　dust　of　a　woman！　and　on　the　altar　what　was　hardly　more
than　the　dusty　shadow　of　a　baby？〃

〃The　Lord　be　aboot　us！〃　cried　the　housekeeper；　her　well…seasoned
composure　giving　way；　〃ye　saw　that　wi'　yer　ain　e'en；　my　lady！Mr。
Grant！　hoo　could　ye　lat　her　leddyship　luik　upo'　sic　things！〃

〃I　am　her　ladyship's　servant；〃　answered　Donal。

〃That's　varra　true！　But　eh；　my　bonny　bairn；　sic　sichts　is　no　for
you！〃

〃I　ought　to　know　what　is　in　the　house！〃　said　Arctura；　with　a
shudder。　〃But　already　I　feel　more　comfortable　that　you　know　too。　Mr。
Grant　would　like　to　have　your　advice　as　to　what。You'll　come　and
see　them；　won't　you？〃

〃When　you　please；　my　lady。To…night？〃

〃No；　no！　not　to…night。Was　that　the　knocking　again？Some　ghosts
want　their　bodies　to　be　buried；　though　your　butler〃

〃I　wouldna　wonder！〃　responded　mistress　Brookes；　thoughtfully。

〃Where　shall　we　bury　them？〃　asked　Donal。

〃In　Englan'；〃　said　the　housekeeper；　〃I　used　to　hear　a　heap　aboot
consecrated　ground；　but　to　my　min'　it　was　the　bodies　o'　God's
handiwark；　no　the　bishop；　that　consecrated　the　ground。　Whaur　the
Lord　lays　doon　what　he　has　done　wi'；　wad　aye　be　a　sacred　place　to
me。　I　daursay　Moses；　whan　he　cam　upo'　't　again　i'　the　desert；　luikit
upo'　the　ground　whaur　stood　the　buss　that　had　burned；　as　a　sacred
place　though　the　fire　was　lang　oot！Thinkna　ye；　Mr。　Grant？〃

〃I　do；〃　answered　Donal。　〃But　I　do　not　believe　the　Lord　Jesus　thought
one　spot　on　the　face　of　the　earth　more　holy　than　another：　every　dust
of　it　was　his　father's；　neither　more　nor　less；　existing　only　by　the
thought　of　that　father！　and　I　think　that　is　what　we　must　come
to。But　where　shall　we　bury　them？where　they　lie；　or　in　the
garden？〃

〃Some　wud　doobtless　hae　dist　laid　to　dist　i'　the　kirkyard；　but　I
wudna　wullin'ly　raise　a　clash　i'　the　country…side。　Them　that　did　it
was　yer　ain　forbeirs；　my　leddy；　an'　sic　things　are　weel　forgotten。
An'　syne　what　wud　the　earl　say？　It　micht　upset　him　mair　nor　a　bit！
I'll　consider　o'　't。〃

Donal　accompanied　them　to　the　door　of　the　chamber　which　again　they
shared；　and　then　betook　himself　to　his　own　high　nest。　There　more
than　once　in　what　remained　of　the　night；　he　woke；　fancying　he　heard
the　ghost…music　sounding　its　coronach　over　the　dead　below。




CHAPTER　LVIII。

A　SOUL　DISEASED。

〃Papa　is　very　ill　to…day；　Simmons　tells　me；〃　said　Davie；　as　Donal
entered　the　schoolroom。　〃He　says　he　has　never　seen　him　so　ill。　Oh；
Mr。　Grant；　I　hope　he　is　not　going　to　die！〃

〃I　hope　not；〃　returned　Donalnot　very　sure；　he　saw　when　he　thought
about　it；　what　he　meant；　for　if　there　was　so　little　hope　of　his
becoming　a　true　man　on　this　side　of　some　awful　doom；　why　should　he
hope　for　his　life　here？

〃I　wish　you　would　talk　to　him　as　you　do　to　me；　Mr。　Grant！〃　resumed
Davie；　who　thought　what　had　been　good　for　himself　must　be　good　for
everybody。

Of　late　the　boy　had　been　more　than　usual　with　his　father；　and　he　may
have　dropped　some　word　that　turned　his　father's　thoughts　toward
Donal　and　his　ways　of　thinking：　however　weak　the　earl's　will；　and
however　dull　his　conscience；　his　mind　was　far　from　being　inactive。
In　the　afternoon　the　butler　brought　a　message　that　his　lordship
would　be　glad　to　see　Mr。　Grant　when　school　was　over。

Donal　found　the　earl　very　weak；　but　more　like　a　live　man；　he
thought；　than　he　had　yet　seen　him。　He　pointed　to　a　seat；　and　began
to　talk　in　a　way　that　considerably　astonished　the　tutor。

〃Mr。　Grant；〃　he　began；　with　not　a　little　formality；　〃I　have　known
you　long　enough　to　believe　I　know　you　really。　Now　I　find　myself；
partly　from　the　peculiarity　of　my　constitution；　partly　from　the
state　of　my　health；　partly　from　the　fact　that　my　views　do　not
coincide　with　those　of　the　church　of　Scotland；　and　there　is　no
episcopal　clergyman　within　reach　of　the　castleI　find　myself；　I
say；　for　these　reasons；　desirous　of　some　conversation　with　you；　more
for　the　sake　of　identifying　my　own　opinions；　than　in　the　hope　of
receiving　from　you　what　it　would　be　unreasonable　to　expect　from　one
of　your　years。〃

Donal　held　his　peace；　the　very　power　of　speech　seemed　taken　from
him：　he　had　no　confidence　in　the　man；　and　nothing　so　quenches　speech
as　lack　of　faith。　But　the　earl　had　no　idea　of　this　distrust；　never　a
doubt　of　his　listener's　readiness　to　take　any　position　he　required
him　to　take。　Experience　had　taught　him　as　little　about　Donal　as
about　his　own　real　self。

〃I　have　long　been　troubled；〃　continued　his　lordship　after　a
momentary　pause；　〃with　a　question　of　which　one　might　think　the　world
must　by　this　time　be　wearywhich　yet　has；　and　always　will　have；
extraordinary　fascination　for　minds　of　a　certain　sortof　which　my
own　is　one：　it　is　the　question　of　the　freedom　of　the　will：how　far
is　the　will　free？　or　how　far　can　it　be　called　free；　consistently
with　the　notion　of　a　God　over　all？〃

He　paused；　and　Donal　sat　silentso　long　that　his　lordship　opened
the　eyes　which；　the　better　to　enjoy　the　process　of　sentence…making；
he　had　kept　shut；　and　half　turned　his　head　towards　him：　he　had　begun
to　doubt　whether　he　was　really　by　his　bedside；　or　but　one　of　his
many　visions　undistinguishable　by　him　from　realities。　Re…assured　by
the　glance；　he　resumed。

〃I　cannot；　of　course；　expect　from　you　such　an　exhaustive　and　formed
opinion　as　from　an　older　man　who　had　made　metaphysics　his　business；
and　acquainted　himself　with　all　that　had　been　said　upon　the　subject；
at　the　same　time　you　must　have　expended　a　considerable　amount　of
thought　on　these　matters！〃

He　talked　in　a　quiet；　level　manner；　almost　without　inflection；　and
with　his　eyes　again　closedvery　much　as　if　he　were　reading　a　book
inside　him。

〃I　have　had　a　good　deal；〃　he　went　on；　〃to　shake　my　belief　in　the
common　ideas　on　such　poin