donal grant-第78节

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had　done　the　woman　whom　all　had　believed　his　wife。　Through　the
marriage　of　the　eldest　with　the　heiress；　he　would　make　him　the　head
of　the　house　in　power　as　in　dignity；　and　this　was　now　almost　the
only　tie　that　bound　him　to　the　reality　of　things。　He　cared　little
enough　about　Forgue；　but　his　conscience　was　haunted　with　his
cruelties　to　the　youth's　mother。　These　were　often　such　as　I　dare　not
put　on　record：　they　came　all　of　the　pride　of　self…love　and
self…worshipas　evil　demons　as　ever　raged　in　the　fiercest　fire　of
Moloch。　In　the　madness　with　which　they　possessed　him；　he　had
inflicted　upon　her　not　only　sorest　humiliations；　but　bodily
tortures：　he　would　see；　he　said；　what　she　would　bear　for　his　sake！
In　the　horrible　presentments　of　his　drug…procured　dreams　they
returned　upon　him　in　terrible　forms　of　righteous　retaliation。　And
now；　though　to　himself　he　was　constantly　denying　a　life　beyond；　the
conviction　had　begun　to　visit　and　overwhelm　him　that　he　must　one　day
meet　her　again：　fain　then　would　he　be　armed　with　something　which　for
her　sake　he　had　done　for　her　children！　One　of　the　horrible　laws　of
the　false　existence　he　led　was　that；　for　the　deadening　of　the　mind
to　any　evil；　there　was　no　necessity　it　should　be　done　and　done
again；　it　had　but　to　be　presented　in　the　form　of　a　thing　done；　or　a
thing　going　to　be　done；　to　seem　a　thing　reasonable　and　doable。　In
his　being；　a　world　of　false　appearances　had　taken　the　place　of
reality；　a　creation　of　his　own　had　displaced　the　creation　of　the
essential　Life；　by　whose　power　alone　he　himself　falsely　created；　and
in　this　world　he　was　the　dupe　of　his　own　home…born　phantoms。　Out　of
this　conspiracy　of　marsh　and　mirage；　what　vile　things　might　not
issue！　Over　such　a　chaos　the　devil　has　power　all　but　creative。　He
cannot　in　truth　create；　but　he　can　with　the　degenerate　created　work
moral　horrors　too　hideous　to　be　analogized　by　any　of　the　horrors　of
the　unperfected　animal　world。　Such　are　being　constantly　produced　in
human　society；　many　of　them　die　in　the　darkness　in　which　they　are
generated；　now　and　then　one　issues；　blasting　the　public　day　with　its
hideous　glare。　Because　they　are　seldom　seen；　many　deny　they　exist；
or　need　be　spoken　of　if　they　do。　But　to　terrify　a　man　at　the
possibilities　of　his　neglected　nature；　is　to　do　something　towards
the　redemption　of　that　nature。

School…hours　were　over；　but　Davie　was　seated　where　he　had　left　him；
still　working。　At　sight　of　him　Donal；　feeling　as　if　he　had　just　come
from　the　presence　of　the　damned；　almost　burst　into　tears。　A　moment
more　and　Arctura　entered：　it　was　as　if　the　roof　of　hell　gave　way；
and　the　blue　sky　of　the　eternal　came　pouring　in　heavenly　deluge
through　the　ruined　vault。

〃I　have　been　to　call　upon　Sophia；〃　she　said。

〃I　am　glad　to　hear　it；〃　answered　Donal：　any　news　from　an　outer　world
of　yet　salvable　humanity　was　welcome　as　summer　to　a　land　of　ice。

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃I　am　able　to　go　and　see　her　now；　because　I　am　no
longer　afraid　of　herpartly；　I　think；　because　I　no　longer　care　what
she　thinks　of　me。　Her　power　over　me　is　gone。〃

〃And　will　never　return；〃　said　Donal；　〃while　you　keep　close　to　the
master。　With　him　you　need　no　human　being　to　set　you　right；　and　will
allow　no　human　being　to　set　you　wrong；　you　will　need　neither　friend
nor　minister　nor　church；　though　all　will　help　you。　I　am　very　glad；
for　something　seems　to　tell　me　I　shall　not　be　long　here。〃

Arctura　dropped　on　a　chairpale　as　rosy　before。

〃Has　anything　fresh　happened？〃　she　asked；　in　a　low　voice　that　did
not　sound　like　hers。　〃Surely　you　will　not　leave　me　while。I
thoughtI　thought。What　is　it？〃

〃It　is　only　a　feeling　I　have；〃　he　answered。　〃I　believe　I　am　out　of
spirits。〃

〃I　never　saw　you　so　before！〃　said　Arctura。　〃I　hope　you　are　not　going
to　be　ill。〃

〃Oh；　no；　it　is　not　that！　I　will　tell　you　some　day；　but　I　cannot　now。
All　is　in　God's　hands！〃

She　looked　anxiously　at　him；　but　did　not　ask　him　any　question　more。
She　proposed　they　should　take　a　turn　in　the　park；　and　his　gloom　wore
gradually　off。




CHAPTER　LIX。

DUST　TO　DUST。

The　next　night；　as　if　by　a　common　understanding；　for　it　was　without
word　spoken；　the　three　met　again　in　the　housekeeper's　room；　where
she　had　supper　waiting。　Of　business　nothing　was　said　until　that　was
over。　Mistress　Brookes　told　them　two　or　three　of　the　stories　of
which　she　had　so　many；　and　Donal　recounted　one　or　two　of　those　that
floated　about　his　country…side。

〃I've　been　thinkin'；〃　said　mistress　Brookes　at　length；　〃seein'　it's
a　bonny　starry　nicht；　we　couldna　do　better　than　lift　an'　lay　doon
this　varra　nicht。　The　hoose　is　asleep。〃

〃What　do　you　say　to　that　place　in　the　park　where　was　once　a
mausoleum？〃　said　Donal。

〃It's　the　varra　place！an'　the　sooner　the　betterdinna　ye　think；
my　lady？〃

Arctura　with　a　look　referred　the　question　to　Donal。

〃Surely；〃　he　answered。　〃But　will　there　not　be　some　preparations　to
make？〃

〃There's　no　need　o'　mony！〃　returned　the　housekeeper。　〃I'll　get　a
fine　auld　sheet；　an'　intil　't　we'll　put　the　remains；　an'　row　them
up；　an'　carry　them　to　their　hame。　I'll　go　an'　get　it；　my　lady。But
wouldna　't　be　better　for　you　and　me；　sir；　to　get　a'　that　dune　by
oorsel's？　My　leddy　could　j'in　us　whan　we　cam　up。〃

〃She　wouldn't　like　to　be　left　here　alone。　There　is　nothing　to　be
called　fearsome！〃

〃Nothing　at　all；〃　said　Arctura。

〃The　forces　of　nature；〃　said　Donal；　〃are　constantly　at　work　to
destroy　the　dreadful；　and　restore　the　wholesome。　It　is　but　a　few
handfuls　of　clean　dust。〃

The　housekeeper　went　to　one　of　her　presses；　and　brought　out　a　sheet。
Donal　put　a　plaid　round　lady　Arctura。　They　went　up　to　her　room；　and
so　down　to　the　chapel。　Half…way　down　the　narrow　descent　mistress
Brookes　murmured；　〃Eh；　sirs！〃　and　said　no　more。

Each　carried　a　light；　and　the　two　could　see　the　chapel　better。　A
stately　little　place　it　was：　when　the　windows　were　unmasked；　it
would　be　beautiful！

They　stood　for　some　moments　by　the　side　of　the　bed；　regarding　in
silence。　Seldom　sure　had　bed　borne　one　who　slept　so　long！one　who；
never　waking　might　lie　there　still！　When　they　spoke　it　was　in
whispers。

〃How　are　we　to　manage　it；　mistress　Brookes？〃　said　Donal。

〃Lay　the　sheet　handy；　alang　the　side　o'　the　bed；　maister　Grant；　an'
I　s'　lay　in　the　dist；　han'fu'　by　han'fu'。　I　hae　that　respec'　for　the
deid；　I　hae　no　difficlety　aboot　han'lin'　onything　belongin'　to
them。〃

〃Gien　it　hadna　been　that　he　tuik　it　again；〃　said　Donal；　〃the　Lord's
ain　body　wad　hae　come　to　this。〃

As　he　spoke　he　laid　the　sheet　on　the　bed；　and　began　to　lay　in　it　the
dry　dust　and　air…wasted　bones；　handling　them　as　reverently　as　if　the
spirit　had　but　just　departed。　Mistress　Brookes　would　have　prevented
Arctura；　but　she　insisted　on　having　her　share　in　the　burying　of　her
own：　who　they　were　God　knew；　but　they　should　be　hers　anyhow；　and　one
day　she　would　know！　For　to　fancy　we　go　into　the　other　world　a　set　of
spiritual　moles　burrowing　in　the　dark　of　a　new　and　unknown
existence；　is　worthy　only　of　such　as　have　a　lifeless　Law　to　their
sire。　We　shall　enter　it　as　children　with　a　history；　as　children
going　home　to　a　long　line　of　living　ancestors；　to　develop　closest
relations　with　them。　She　would　yet　talk；　live　face　to　face；　with
those　whose　dust　she　was　now　lifting　in　her　two　hands　to　restore　it
to　its　dust。　Then　they　carried　the　sheet　to　the　altar；　and　thence
swept　into　it　every　little　particle；　back　to　its　mother　dust。　That
done；　Donal　knotted　the　sheet　together；　and　they　began　to　look
around　them。

Desirous　of　discovering　where　the　main　entrance　to　the　chapel　had
been；　Donal　spied　under　the　windows　a　second　door；　and　opened　it
with　difficulty。　It　disclosed　a　passage　below　the　stair；　three　steps
lower　than　the　floor　of　the　chapel；　parallel　with　the　wall；　and
turning；　at　right　angles　under　the　gallery。　Here　he　saw　signs　of　an
obliterated　door　in　the　outer　wall；　but　could　examine　no　farther　for
the　present。

In　the　meantime　his　companions　had　made　another　sort　of　discovery：
near　the　foot　of　the　bed　was　a　little　table；　on　which　were　two
drinking　vessels；　apparently　of　pewter；　and　a　mouldering　pack　of
cards！　Card…playing　and　the　hidden　room　did　hold　some　relation　with
each　other！　The　cards　and　the　devil　were　real！

Donal　took　up　the　sheeta　light　burden；　and　Arctura　led　the　way。
Arrived　at　her　room；　they　went　softly　across　to　the　door　opening　on
Donal's　stairnot　without　fear　of　the　earl；　whom　indeed　they　might
meet　anywhereand　by　that　descending；　reached　the　open　air；　and
took　their　way　down　the　terraces　and　through　the　park　to　the　place
of　burial。

It　was　a　frosty　night；　with　the　waning　sickle　of　a　moon　low　in　the
heaven；　and　many　brilliant　stars　above　it。　Followed　by　faint
ethereal　shadows；　they　passed　over　the　grass；　through　the　ghostly
luminous　duskof　funereal　processions　one　of　the　strangest　that
ever　sought　a　tomb。

The　ruin　was　in　a　hollow；　surrounded　by　trees。　Donal　removed　a
number　of　fallen　stones　and　dug　a　grave。　They　lowered　into　it　the
knotted　sheet；　threw　in　the　earth　again；　heaped　the　stones　above；
and　left　the　dust　with　its　dust。　Then　silent　they　went　back；
straight　along　the　green；　moon…regarded　rather　than　moon…lit　grass：
if　any　one　had　seen　them　through　th