donal grant-第86节

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more　he　desired　to　marry　her；　the　more　satisfied　he　grew　with　his
own　improvement；　the　more　determined　he　became　that　for　no　poor；
unjust　scruples　would　he　forgo　his　happiness。　There　was　but　one
trifle　to　be　kept　from　the　world；　it　might　know　everything　else
about　him！　and　once　in　possession　of　the　property；　who　would　dispute
the　title？　Then　again　he　was　not　certain　that　his　father　had　not
merely　invented　a　threat！　Surely　if　the　fact　were　such；　he　would；
even　in　rage　diabolic；　have　kept　it　to　himself！

Impetuous；　and　accustomed　to　what　he　counted　success；　he　soon　began
to　make　plainer　advance　toward　the　end　on　which　his　self…love　and
cupidity　at　least　were　set。　But；　knowing　in　a　vague　manner　how　he
had　carried　himself　before　he　went；　Arctura；　uninfluenced　by　the
ways　of　the　world；　her　judgment　unwarped；　her　perception　undimmed；
her　instincts　nice；　her　personal　delicacy　exacting；　had　never
imagined　he　could　approach　her　on　any　ground　but　that　of　cousinship
and　a　childhood　of　shared　sports。　She　had　seen　that　Donal　was　far
from　pleased　with　him；　and　believed　Forgue　knew　that　she　knew　he　had
been　behaving　badly。　Her　behaviour　to　him　was　indeed　largely　based
on　the　fact　that　he　was　in　disgrace：　she　was　sorry　for　him。

By　and　by；　however；　she　perceived　that　she　had　been　allowing　too
much　freedom　where　she　was　not　prepared　to　allow　more；　and　so　one
day　declined　to　go　with　him。　They　had　not　had　a　ride　for　a
fortnight；　the　weather　having　been　unfavourable；　and　now　when　a
morning　broke　into　the　season　like　a　smile　from　an　estranged　friend；
she　would　not　go！　He　was　annoyedthen　alarmed；　fearing　adverse
influence。　They　were　alone　in　the　breakfast…room。

〃Why　will　you　not；　Arctura？〃　he　asked　reproachfully：　〃do　you　not
feel　well？〃

〃I　am　quite　well；〃　she　answered。

〃It　is　such　a　lovely　day！〃　he　pleaded。

〃I　am　not　in　the　mood。　There　are　other　things　in　the　world　besides
riding；　and　I　have　been　wasting　my　timeriding　too　much。　I　have
learnt　next　to　nothing　since　Larkie　came。〃

〃Oh；　bother！　what　have　you　to　do　with　learning！　Health　is　the　first
thing。〃

〃I　don't　think　soand　learning　is　good　for　the　health。　Besides；　I
would　not　be　a　mere　animal　for　perfect　health！〃

〃Let　me　help　you　then　with　your　studies。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　she　answered；　laughing　a　little；　〃but　I　have　a　good
master　already！　We；　that　is　Davie　and　I；　are　reading　Greek　and
mathematics　with　Mr。　Grant。〃

Forgue's　face　flushed。

〃I　ought　to　know　as　much　of　both　as　he　does！〃　he　said。

〃Ought　perhaps！　But　you　know　you　do　not。〃

〃I　know　enough　to　be　your　tutor。〃

〃Yes；　but　I　know　enough　not　to　be　your　pupil！〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃That　you　can't　teach。〃

〃How　do　you　know　that？〃

〃Because　you　do　not　love　either　Greek　or　mathematics；　and　no　one　who
does　not　love　can　teach。〃
〃That　is　nonsense！　If　I　don't　love　Greek　enough　to　teach　it；　I　love
you　enough　to　teach　you；〃　said　Forgue。

〃You　are　my　riding…master；〃　said　Arctura；　〃Mr。　Grant　is　my　master　in
Greek。〃

Forgue　strangled　an　imprecation　on　Mr。　Grant；　and　tried　to　laugh；
but　there　was　not　a　laugh　inside　him。

〃Then　you　won't　ride　to…day？〃　he　said。

〃I　think　not；〃　replied　Arctura。

She　ought　to　have　said　she　would　not。　It　is　a　pity　to　let　doubt
alight　on　decision。　Her　reply　re…opened　the　whole　question。

〃I　cannot　see　what　should　induce　you　to　allow　that　fellow　the　honour
of　reading　with　you！〃　said　Forgue。　〃He's　a　long…winded；　pedantic；
ill…bred　lout！〃

〃Mr。　Grant　is　my　friend！〃　said　Arctura；　and　raising　her　head　looked
him　in　the　eyes。

〃Take　my　word　for　it；　you　are　mistaken　in　him；〃　he　said。

〃I　neither　value　nor　ask　your　opinion　of　him；〃　returned　Arctura。　〃I
merely　acquaint　you　with　the　fact　that　he　is　my　friend。〃

〃Here's　the　devil　and　all　to　pay！〃　thought　Forgue。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　he　said：　〃you　do　not　know　him　as　I　do！〃

〃Not？and　with　so　much　better　opportunity　of　judging！〃

〃He　has　never　played　the　dominie　with　you！〃　said　Forgue　foolishly。

〃Indeed　he　has！〃

〃He　has！　Confound　his　insolence！　How？〃

〃He　won't　let　me　study　as　I　want。How　has　he　interfered　with　you？〃

〃We　won't　quarrel　about　him；〃　rejoined　Forgue；　attempting　a　tone　of
gaiety；　but　instantly　growing　serious。　〃We　who　ought　to　be　so　much
to　each　other〃

Something　told　him　he　had　already　gone　too　far。

〃I　do　not　know　what　you　meanor　rather；　I　am　not　willing　to　think　I
know　what　you　mean；〃　said　Arctura。　〃After　what　took　place〃

In　her　turn　she　ceased：　he　had　said　nothing！

〃Jealous！〃　concluded　Forgue；　〃a　good　sign！〃

〃I　see　he　has　been　talking　against　me！〃　he　said。

〃If　you　mean　Mr。　Grant；　you　mistake。　He　never；　so　far　as　I　remember；
once　mentioned　you　to　me。〃

〃I　know　better！〃

〃You　are　rude。　He　never　spoke　of　it；　but　I　have　seen　enough　with　my
own　eyes〃

〃If　you　mean　that　silly　fancywhy；　Arctura！you　know　it　was　but　a
boyish　folly！〃

〃And　since　then　you　have　grown　a　man！How　many　months　has　it
taken？〃

〃I　assure　you；　on　the　word　of　a　gentleman；　there　is　nothing　in　it
now。　It　is　all　over；　and　I　am　heartily　ashamed　of　it。〃

A　pause　of　a　few　seconds　followed：　it　seemed　as　many　minutes；　and
unbearable。

〃You　will　come　out　with　me？〃　said　Forgue：　she　might　be　relenting；
though　she　did　not　look　like　it！

〃No；〃　she　said；　〃I　will　not。〃

〃Well；〃　he　returned；　with　simulated　coolness；　〃this　is　rather
cavalier　treatment；　I　must　say！To　throw　a　man　over　who　has　loved
you　so　longand　for　the　sake　of　a　lesson　in　Greek！〃

〃How　long；　pray；　have　you　loved　me？〃　said　Arctura；　growing　angry。　〃I
was　willing　to　be　friendly　with　you；　so　much　so　that　I　am　sorry　it
is　no　longer　possible！〃

〃You　punish　me　pretty　sharply；　my　lady；　for　a　trifle　of　which　I　told
you　I　was　ashamed！〃　said　Forgue；　biting　his　lip。　〃It　was　the
merest〃

〃I　do　not　wish　to　hear　anything　about　it！〃　said　Arctura　sternly。
Then；　afraid　she　had　been　unkind；　she　added　in　altered　tone：　〃You
had　better　go　and　have　a　gallop。　You　may　have　Larkie　if　you　like。〃

He　turned　and　left　the　room。　She　only　meant　to　pique　him；　he　said　to
himself。　She　had　been　cherishing　her　displeasure；　and　now　she　had
had　her　revenge　would　feel　better　and　be　sorry　next！　It　was　a　very
good　morning's　work　after　all！　It　was　absurd　to　think　she　preferred
a　Greek　lesson　from　a　clown　to　a　ride　with　lord　Forgue！　Was　not　she
too　a　Graeme！

Partly　to　make　reconciliation　the　easier；　partly　because　the　horse
was　superior　to　his　own；　he　would　ride　Larkie！

But　his　reasoning　was　not　so　satisfactory　to　him　as　to　put　him　in　a
good　temper；　and　poor　Larkie　had　to　suffer　for　his　ill…humour。　His
least　movement　that　displeased　him　put　him　in　a　rage；　and　he　rode
him　so　foolishly　as　well　as　tyrannically　that　he　brought　him　home
quite　lame；　thus　putting　an　end　for　a　time　to　all　hope　of　riding
again　with　Arctura。

Instead　of　going　and　telling　her　what　he　had　done；　he　sent　for　the
farrier；　and　gave　orders　that　the　mishap　should　not　be　mentioned。

A　week　passed；　and　then　another；　and　as　he　could　say　nothing　about
riding；　he　was　in　a　measure　self…banished　from　Arctura's　company。　A
furious　jealousy　began　to　master　him。　He　scorned　to　give　place　to　it
because　of　the　insult　to　himself　if　he　allowed　a　true　ground　for　it。
But　it　gradually　gained　power。　This　country　bumpkin；　this　cow…herd；
this　man　of　spelling…books　and　grammars；　to　come　between　his　cousin
and　him！　Of　course　he　was　not　so　silly　as　imagine　for　a　moment　she
cared　for　him！that　she　would　disgrace　herself　by　falling　in　love
with　a　fellow　just　loosed　from　the　plough…tail！　She　was　a　Graeme；
and　could　never　be　a　traitor　to　her　blood！　If　only　he　had　not　been
such　an　infernal　fool！　A　vulgar　little　thing　without　an　idea　in　her
head！　So　unpleasantso　disgusting　at　last　with　her　love…making！
Nothing　pleased　her　but　hugging　and　kissing！That　was　how　he　spoke
to　himself　of　the　girl　he　had　been　in　love　with！

Damn　that　schoolmaster！　She　would　never　fall　in　love　with　him；　but
he　might　prevent　her　from　falling　in　love　with　another！　No
attractions　could　make　way　against　certain　prepossessions！　The　girl
had　a　fancy　for　being　a　saint；　and　the　lout　burned　incense　to　her！
So　much　he　gathered　from　Davie。　His　father　must　get　rid　of　the
fellow！　If　he　thought　he　was　doing　so　well　with　Davie；　why　not　send
the　two　away　together　till　things　were　settled？

But　the　earl　thought　it　would　be　better　to　win　Donal。　He　counselled
him　that　every　Grant　was　lord　Seafield's　cousin；　and　every
highlander　an　implacable　enemy　where　his　pride　was　hurt。　His
lordship　did　not　reflect　that；　if　what　he　said　were　true　of　Donal；
he　must　have　left　the　castle　long　ago。　There　was　but　one　thing　would
have　made　it　impossible　for　Donal　to　remaininterference；　namely；
between　him　and　his　pupil。

Forgue　did　not　argue　with　his　father。　He　had　given　that　up。　At　the
same　time；　if　he　had　told　all　that　had　passed　between　him　and　Donal；
the　earl　would　have　confessed　he　had　advised　an　impossibility。

Forgue　took　a　step　in　a　very　different　direction：　he　began　to　draw
to　himself　the　good　graces　of　Miss　Carmichael：　he　did　not　know　how
little　she　could　serve　him。　Without　being　consciously　insincere；　she
flattered　him；　and　speedily　gained　his　confidence。　Well　descended　on
the　mother…side；　she　had　grown