donal grant-第88节

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gathering　of　the　brows；　she　gave　no　sign　of　suffering；　nothing　to　be
called　a　cry　escaped　her。

Donal　at　the　head　and　a　groom　at　the　foot；　lifted　the　litter；　and
with　ordered　step；　started　for　the　house。　Once　or　twice　she　opened
her　eyes　and　looked　up　at　Donal；　then；　as　if　satisfied；　closed　them
again。　Before　they　reach　the　house　the　doctor　met　them；　for　they　had
to　walk　slowly。

Forgue　came　behind　in　a　devilish　humour。　He　knew　that　first　his　ill
usage　of　Larkie；　and　then　his　preventing　anything　being　said　about
it；　must　have　been　the　cause　of　the　accident；　but　he　felt　with　some
satisfactionfor　self　simply　makes　devils　of　usthat　if　she　had
not　refused　to　go　out　with　him；　it　would　not　have　happened；　he　would
not　have　allowed　her　to　mount　Larkie。　〃Served　her　right！〃　he　caught
himself　saying　once；　and　was　ashamedbut　presently　said　it　again。
Self　is　as　full　of　worms　as　it　can　hold；　God　deliver　us　from　it！




CHAPTER　LXIX。

THE　SICK…CHAMBER。

She　was　carried　to　her　room　and　laid　on　her　bed。　The　doctor
requested　Mrs。　Brookes　and　Donal　to　remain；　and　dismissed　the　rest；
then　proceeded　to　examine　her。　There　were　no　bones　broken；　he　said；
but　she　must　be　kept　very　quiet。　The　windows　must　be　darkened；　and
she　must　if　possible　sleep。　She　gave　Donal　a　faint　smile；　and　a
pitiful　glance；　but　did　not　speak。　As　he　was　following　the　doctor
from　the　room；　she　made　a　sign　to　Mrs。　Brookes　with　her　eyes　that
she　wanted　to　speak　to　him。

He　came；　and　bent　over　to　hear；　for　she　spoke　very　feebly。

〃You　will　come　and　see　me；　Mr。　Grant？〃

〃I　will；　indeed；　my　lady。〃

〃Every　day？〃

〃Yes；　most　certainly；〃　he　replied。

She　smiled；　and　so　dismissed　him。　He　went　with　his　heart　full。

A　little　way　from　the　door　stood　Forgue；　waiting　for　him　to　come
out。　He　had　sent　the　doctor　to　his　father。　Donal　passed　him　with　a
bend　of　the　head。　He　followed　him　to　the　schoolroom。

〃It　is　time　this　farce　was　over；　Grant！〃　he　said。

〃Farce；　my　lord！〃　repeated　Donal　indignantly。

〃These　attentions　to　my　lady。〃

〃I　have　paid　her　no　more　attention　than　I　would　your　lordship；　had
you　required　it；〃　answered　Donal　sternly。

〃That　would　have　been　convenient　doubtless！　But　there　has　been
enough　of　humbug；　and　now　for　an　end　to　it！　Ever　since　you　came
here；　you　have　been　at　work　on　the　mind　of　that　inexperienced
girlwith　your　damned　religion！for　what　end　you　know　best！　and
now　you've　half　killed　her　by　persuading　her　to　go　out　with　you
instead　of　me！　The　brute　was　lame　and　not　fit　to　ride！　Any　fool
might　have　seen　that！〃

〃I　had　nothing　to　do　with　her　going；　my　lord。　She　asked　Davie　to　go
with　her；　and　he　had　a　holiday　on　purpose。〃

〃All　very　fine；　but〃

〃My　lord；　I　have　told　you　the　truth；　but　not　to　justify　myself：　you
must　be　aware　your　opinion　is　of　no　value　in　my　eyes！　But　tell　me
one　thing；　my　lord：　if　my　lady's　horse　was　lame；　how　was　it　she　did
not　know？　You　did！〃

Forgue　thought　Donal　knew　more　than　he　did；　and　was　taken　aback。

〃It　is　time　the　place　was　clear　of　you！〃　he　said。

〃I　am　your　father's　servant；　not　yours；〃　answered　Donal；　〃and　do　not
trouble　myself　as　to　your　pleasure　concerning　me。　But　I　think　it　is
only　fair　to　warn　you　that；　though　you　cannot　hurt　me；　nothing　but
honesty　can　take　you　out　of　my　power。〃

Forgue　turned　on　his　heel；　went　to　his　father；　and　told　him　he　knew
now　that　Donal　was　prejudicing　the　mind　of　lady　Arctura　against　him；
but　not　until　it　came　in　the　course　of　the　conversation；　did　he
mention　the　accident　she　had　had。

The　earl　professed　himself　greatly　shocked；　got　up　with　something
almost　like　alacrity　from　his　sofa；　and　went　down　to　inquire　after
his　niece。　He　would　have　compelled　Mrs。　Brookes　to　admit　him；　but
she　was　determined　her　lady　should　not　be　waked　from　a　sleep
invaluable　to　her；　for　the　sake　of　receiving　his　condolements；　and
he　had　to　return　to　his　room　without　gaining　anything。

If　she　were　to　go；　the　property　would　be　his；　and　he　could　will　it
as　he　pleasedthat　was；　if　she　left　no　will。　He　sent　for　his　son
and　cautioned　him　over　and　over　to　do　nothing　to　offend　her；　but
wait：　what　might　come；　who　could　tell！　It　might　prove　a　serious
affair！

Forgue　tried　to　feel　shocked　at　the　coolness　of　his　father's
speculation；　but　allowed　that；　if　she　was　determined　not　to　receive
him　as　her　husband；　the　next　best　thing；　in　the　exigence　of　affairs；
would　certainly　be　that　she　should　leave　a　world　for　whose　uses　she
was　ill　fitted；　and　go　where　she　would　be　happier。　The　things　she
would　then　have　no　farther　need　of；　would　be　welcome　to　those　to
whom　by　right　they　belonged　more　really　than　to　her！　She　was　a
pleasant　thing　to　look　upon；　and　if　she　had　loved　him　he　would
rather　have　had　the　property　with　than　without　her；　but　there　was
this　advantage；　he　would　be　left　free　to　choose！

Lady　Arctura　lay　suffering；　feverish；　and　restless。　Mrs。　Brookes
would　let　no　one　sit　up　with　her　but　herself。　The　earl　would　have
sent　for　〃a　suitable　nurse！〃　a　friend　of　his　in　London　would　find
one！　but　she　would　not　hear　of　it。　And　before　the　night　was　over　she
had　greater　reason　still　for　refusing　to　yield　her　post：　it　was
evident　her　young　mistress　was　more　occupied　with　Donal　Grant　than
with　the　pain　she　was　suffering！　In　her　delirium　she　was　constantly
desiring　his　presence。　〃I　know　he　can　help　me；〃　she　would　say；　〃he
is　a　shepherd；　like　the　Lord　himself！〃　And　mistress　Brookes；　though
by　no　means　devoid　of　the　prejudices　of　the　rank　with　which　her　life
had　been　so　much　associated；　could　not　but　allow　that　a　nobler　life
must　be　possible　with　one　like　Donal　Grant　than　with　one　like　lord
Forgue。

In　the　middle　of　the　night　Arctura　became　so　unquiet；　that　her
nurse；　calling　the　maid　she　had　in　a　room　near；　flew　like　a　bird　to
Donal；　and　asked　him　to　come　down。　He　had　but　partially　undressed；
thinking　his　help　might　be　wanted；　and　was　down　almost　as　soon　as
she。　Ere　he　came；　however；　she　had　dismissed　the　maid。

Donal　went　to　the　bedside。　Arctura　was　moaning　and　starting；
sometimes　opening　her　eyes；　but　distinguishing　nothing。　Her　hand　lay
on　the　counterpane：　he　laid　his　upon　it。　She　gave　a　sigh　as　of　one
relieved；　a　smile　came　flickering　over　her　face；　and　she　lay　still
for　some　time。　Donal　sat　down　beside　her；　and　watched。　The　moment　he
saw　her　begin　to　be　restless　or　look　distressed；　he　laid　his　hand
upon　hers；　she　was　immediately　quiet；　and　lay　for　a　time　as　if　she
knew　herself　safe。　When　she　seemed　about　to　wake；　he　withdrew。

So　things　went　on　for　many　nights。　Donal　slept　instead　of　working
when　his　duties　with　Davie　were　over；　and　lay　at　night　in　the
corridor；　wrapt　in　his　plaid。　For　even　after　Arctura　began　to
recover；　her　nights　were　sorely　troubled；　and　her　restoration　would
have　been　much　retarded；　had　not　Donal　been　near　to　make　her　feel
she　was　not　abandoned　to　the　terrors　she　passed　through。

One　night　the　earl；　wandering　about　in　the　anomalous　condition　of
neither　ghost　nor　genuine　mortal；　came　suddenly　upon　what　he　took
for　a　huge　animal　in　wait　to　devour。　He　was　not　terrified；　for　he
was　accustomed　to　such　things；　and　thought　at　first　it　was　not　of
this　world：　he　had　no　doubt　of　the　reality　of　his　visions；　even　when
he　knew　they　were　invisible　to　others；　and　even　in　his　waking
moments　had　begun　to　believe　in　them　as　much　as　in　the　things　then
evident　to　himor　rather；　perhaps；　to　disbelieve　equally　in　both。
He　approached　to　see　what　it　was；　and　stood　staring　down　upon　the
mass。　Gently　it　rose　and　confronted　himif　confronting　that　may　be
called　where　the　face　remained　so　undefinedfor　Donal　took　care　to
keep　his　plaid　over　his　head：　he　had　hope　in　the　probable　condition
of　the　earl！　He　turned　from　him　and　walked　away。




CHAPTER　LXX。

A　PLOT。

But　his　lordship　had　his　suspicions；　and　took　measures　to　confirm　or
set　them　at　restwith　the　result　that　he　concluded　Donal　madly　in
love　with　his　niece；　and　unable；　while　she　was　ill；　to　rest　anywhere
but；　with　the　devotion　of　a　savage；　outside　her　door：　if　he　did　not
take　precautions；　the　lout　would　oust　the　lord！　Ever　since　Donal
spoke　so　plainly　against　his　self…indulgence；　he　had　not　merely
hated　but　feared　the　country　lad。　He　recognized　that　Donal　feared
nothing；　had　no　respect　of　persons；　would　speak　out　before　the
world。　He　was　doubtful　also　whether　he　had　not　allowed　him　to　know
more　than　it　was　well　he　should　know。　It　was　time　to　get　rid　of
himonly　it　must　be　done　cautiously；　with　the　appearance　of　a　good
understanding！　If　he　had　him　out　of　the　house　before　she　was　able　to
see　him　again；　that　would　do！　And　if　in　the　meantime　she　should　die；
all　would　be　well！　His　distrust；　once　roused；　went　farther　than　that
of　his　son。　He　had　not　the　same　confidence　in　blue　blood；　he　knew　a
few　things　more　than　Forguebelieved　it　quite　possible　that　the
daughter　of　a　long　descent　of　lords　and　ladies　should　fall　in　love
with　a　shepherd…lad。　And　as　no　one　could　tell　what　might　have　to　be
done　if　the　legal　owner　of　the　property　persisted　in　refusing　her
hand　to　the　rightful　owner　of　it；　the　fellow　might　be　seriously　in
the　way！

Arctura　slowly　recovered。　She　had　not　yet　left　her　room；　but　had
been　a　few　hours　on　the　couch　every　day　fo