donal grant-第81节

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forth　from　me。〃

As　he　turned　to　go　in；　came　a　faint　chord　from　the　aeolian　harp。

〃It　sings；　brooding　over　the　very　nest　of　evil　deeds！〃　he　thought。
〃The　light　eternal；　with　keen　arrows　of　radiant　victory；　will　yet　at
last　rout　from　the　souls　of　his　creatures　the　demons　that　haunt
them！

〃But　if　there　be　creatures　of　God　that　have　turned　to　demons；　may
not　human　souls　themselves　turn　to　demons？　Would　they　then　be
victorious　over　God；　too　strong　for　him　to　overcomebeyond　the
reach　of　repentance？

〃How　would　they　live？　By　their　own　power？　Then　were　they　Gods！But
they　did　not　make　themselves；　and　could　not　live　of　themselves。　If
not；　then　they　must　live　by　God's　power。　How　then　should　they　be
beyond　his　reach？

〃If　the　demons　can　never　be　brought　back；　then　the　life　of　God；　the
all…pure；　goes　out　to　keep　alive；　in　and　for　evil；　that　which　is
essentially　bad；　for　that　which　is　irredeemable　is　essentially　bad。〃

Thus　reasoned　Donal　with　himself；　and　his　reasoning；　instead　of
troubling　his　faith；　caused　him　to　cling　the　more　to　the　only　One；
the　sole　hope　and　saviour　of　the　hearts　of　his　men　and　women；
without　whom　the　whole　universe　were　but　a　charnel　house　in　which
the　ghosts　of　the　dead　went　about　crying；　not　over　the　life　that　was
gone　from　them；　but　its　sorrows。

He　stood　and　gazed　out　over　the　cold　sea。　And　as　he　gazed；　a
shivering　surge　of　doubt；　a　chill　wave　of　negation；　came　rolling
over　him。　He　knew　that　in　a　moment　he　would　strike　out　with　the
energy　of　a　strong　swimmer；　and　rise　to　the　top　of　it；　but　now　it
was　tumbling　him　about　at　its　evil　will。　He　stood　and　gazedwith　a
dull　sense　that　he　was　waiting　for　his　will。　Suddenly　came　the
consciousness　that　he　and　his　will　were　one；　that　he　had　not　to　wait
for　his　will；　but　had　to　waketo　will；　that　is；　and　do；　and　so　be。
And　therewith　he　said　to　himself：

〃It　is　neither　time；　nor　eternity；　nor　human　consolation；　nor
everlasting　sleep；　nor　the　satisfied　judgment；　nor　attained
ambition；　even　in　love　itself；　that　is　the　cure　for　things；　it　is
the　heart；　the　will；　the　being　of　the　Father。　While　that　remains；
the　irremediable；　the　irredeemable　cannot　be。　If　there　arose　a　grief
in　the　heart　of　one　of　his　creatures　not　otherwise　to　be　destroyed；
he　would　take　it　into　himself；　there　consume　it　in　his　own　creative
firehimself　bearing　the　grief；　carrying　the　sorrow。　Christ
diedand　would　die　again　rather　than　leave　one　heart…ache　in　the
realms　of　his　lovethat　is；　of　his　creation。　'Blessed　are　they　who
have　not　seen　and　yet　have　believed！'〃

Over　his　head　the　sky　was　full　of　shining　worldsmansions　in　the
Father's　house；　built　or　building。

〃We　are　not　at　the　end　of　things；〃　he　thought；　〃but　in　the
beginnings　and　on　the　threshold　of　creation！　The　Father　is　as　young
as　when　first　the　stars　of　the　morning　sangthe　Ancient　of　Days　who
can　never　grow　old！　He　who　has　ever　filled　the　dull　unbelieving
nations　with　food　and　gladness；　has　a　splendour　of　delight　for　the
souls　that　believe；　ever　as　by　their　obedience　they　become　capable
of　receiving　it。〃




CHAPTER　LXII。

THE　CRYPT。

〃When　are　you　going　down　again　to　the　chapel；　Mr。　Grant？〃　said　lady
Arctura：　she　was　better　now；　and　able　to　work。

〃I　was　down　last　night；　and　want　to　go　again　this　evening　by
myselfif　you　don't　mind；　my　lady；〃　he　answered。　〃I　am　sure　it　will
be　better　for　you　not　to　go　down　till　you　are　ready　to　give　your
orders　to　have　everything　cleared　away　for　the　light　and　air　to
enter。　The　damp　and　closeness　of　the　place　are　too　much　for　you。〃

〃I　think　it　was　rather　the　want　of　sleep　that　made　me　ill；〃　she
answered；　〃but　you　can　do　just　as　you　please。〃

〃I　thank　you　for　your　confidence；　my　lady；〃　returned　Donal。　〃I　do
not　think　you　will　repent　it。〃

〃I　know　I　shall　not。〃

Having　some　things　to　do　first；　it　was　late　before　Donal　went
downintent　on　learning　the　former　main　entrance；　and　verifying　the
position　of　the　chapel　in　the　castle。

He　betook　himself　to　the　end　of　the　passage　under　the　little
gallery；　and　there　examined　the　signs　he　had　observed：　those　must　be
the　outer　ends　of　two　of　the　steps　of　the　great　staircase！　they　came
through；　resting　on　the　wall。　That　end　of　the　chapel；　then；　adjoined
the　main　stair。　Evidently；　too；　a　door　had　been　built　up　in　the
process　of　constructing　the　stair。　The　chapel　then　had　not　been
entered　from　that　level　since　the　building　of　the　stair。　Originally
there　had；　most　likely；　been　an　outside　stair　to　this　door；　in　an
open　court。

After　a　little　more　examination；　partial　of　necessity；　from　lack　of
light；　he　was　on　his　way　out；　and　already　near　the　top　of　the　mural
stair；　thinking　of　the　fresh　observations　he　would　take　outside　in
the　morning；　when　behind；　overtaking　him　from　the　regions　he　had
left；　came　a　blast　of　air；　and　blew　out　his　candle。　He　shiverednot
with　the　cold　of　it；　though　it　did　breathe　of　underground　damps　and
doubtful　growths；　but　from　a　feeling　of　its　having　been　sent　after
him　to　make　him　go　down　againfor　did　it　not　indicate　some　opening
to　the　outer　air？　He　relighted　his　candle　and　descended；　carefully
guarding　it　with　one　hand。　The　cold　sigh　seemed　to　linger　about　him
as　he　wentgruesome　as　from　a　closed　depth；　the　secret　bosom　of　the
castle；　into　which　the　light　never　entered。　But；　wherever　it　came
from　last；　however　earthy　and　fearful；　it　came　first　from　the　open
regions　of　life；　and　had　but　passed　through　a　gloom　that　life　itself
must　pass！　Could　it　have　been　a　draught　down　the　pipe　of　the
music…chords？　No；　for　they　would　have　loosed　some　light…winged
messenger　with　it！　He　must　search　till　he　found　its　entrance　below！

He　crossed　the　little　gallery；　descended；　and　went　again　into　the
chapel：　it　lay　as　still　as　the　tomb　which　it　was　no　more。　He　seemed
to　miss　the　presence　of　the　dead；　and　feel　the　place　deserted。　All
round　its　walls；　as　far　as　he　could　reach　or　see；　he　searched
carefully；　but　could　perceive　no　sign　of　possible　entrance　for　the
messenger　blast。　It　came　again！plainly　through　the　open　door　under
the　windows。　He　went　again　into　the　passage　outside　the　wall；　and
the　moment　he　turned　into　it；　the　draught　seemed　to　come　from
beneath；　blowing　upwards。　He　stooped　to　examine；　his　candle　was
again　extinguished。　Once　more　he　relighted　it。　Searching　then　along
the　floor　and　the　foot　of　the　walls；　he　presently　found；　in　the　wall
of　the　chapel　itself；　close　to　the　ground；　a　narrow　horizontal
opening：　it　must　pass　under　the　floor　of　the　chapel！　All　he　saw　was
a　mere　slit；　but　the　opening　might　be　larger；　and　partially　covered
by　the　flooring…slab；　which　went　all　the　length　of　the　slit！　He
would　try　to　raise　it！　That　would　want　a　crowbar！　but　having　got　so
far；　he　would　not　rest　till　he　knew　more！　It　must　be　very　late　and
the　domestics　all　in　bed；　but　what　hour　it　was　he　could　not　tell；
for　he　had　left　his　watch　in　his　room。　It　might　be　midnight　and　he
burrowing　like　a　mole　about　the　roots　of　the　old　house；　or　like　an
evil　thing　in　the　heart　of　a　man！　No　matter！　he　would　follow　up　his
searchafter　what；　he　did　not　know。

He　crept　up；　and　out　of　the　castle　by　his　own　stair；　so　to　the
tool…house。　It　was　locked。　But　lying　near　was　a　half…worn　shovel：
that　might　do！　he　would　have　a　try　with　it！　Like　one　in　a　dream　of
ancient　ruins；　creeping　through　mouldy　and　low…browed　places；　he
went　down　once　more　into　the　entrails　of　the　house。

Inserting　the　sharp　edge　of　the　worn　shovel　in　the　gap　between　the
stone　and　that　next　it；　he　raised　it　more　readily　than　he　had　hoped；
and　saw　below　it　a　small　window；　whose　sill　sloped　steeply　inward。
How　deep　the　place　might　be；　and　whether　it　would　be　possible　to　get
out　of　it　again；　he　must　discover　before　entering。　He　took　a　letter
from　his　pocket；　lighted　it；　and　threw　it　in。　It　revealed　a　descent
of　about　seven　feet；　into　what　looked　like　a　cellar。　He　blew　his
candle　out；　put　it　in　his　pocket；　got　into　the　window；　slid　down　the
slope；　and　reached　his　new　level　with　ease。　He　then　lighted　his
candle；　and　looked　about　him。

His　eye　first　fell　on　a　large　flat　stone　in　the　floor；　like　a
gravestone；　but　without　any　ornament　or　inscription。　It　was　a
roughly　vaulted　place；　unpaved；　its　floor　of　damp　hard…beaten　earth。
In　the　wall　to　the　right　of　that　through　which　he　had　entered；　was
another　opening；　low　down；　like　the　crown　of　an　arch　the　rest　of
which　was　beneath　the　floor。　As　near　as　he　could　judge；　it　was　right
under　the　built…up　door　in　the　passage　above。　He　crept　through　it；
and　found　himself　under　the　spiral　of　the　great　stair；　in　the　small
space　at　the　bottom　of　its　well。　On　the　floor　lay　a　dust…pan　and　a
house…maid's…brushand　there　was　the　tiny　door　at　which　they　were
shoved　in；　after　their　morning's　use　upon　the　stair！　It　was
openinwards；　he　crept　through　it：　he　was　in　the　great　hall　of　the
houseand　there　was　one　of　its　windows　wide　open！　Afraid　of　being
by　any　chance　discovered；　he　put　out　his　light；　and　proceeded　up　the
stair　in　the　dark。

He　had　gone　but　a　few　steps　when　he　heard　the　sound　of　descending
feet。　He　stopped　and　listened：　they　turned　into　the　half…way　room。
When　he　reached　it；　he　heard　sounds　which　showed　that　the　earl　was
in　the　closet　behind　it。　Things　r