donal grant-第1节

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Donal　Grant

by　George　MacDonald






CHAPTER　I。

FOOT…FARING。


It　was　a　lovely　morning　in　the　first　of　summer。　　Donal　Grant　was
descending　a　path　on　a　hillside　to　the　valley　belowa　sheep…track
of　which　he　knew　every　winding　as　well　as　any　boy　his　half…mile　to
and　from　school。　　But　he　had　never　before　gone　down　the　hill　with
the　feeling　that　he　was　not　about　to　go　up　again。　　He　was　on　his　way
to　pastures　very　new；　and　in　the　distance　only　negatively　inviting。
But　his　heart　was　too　full　to　be　troublednor　was　his　a　heart　to
harbour　a　care；　the　next　thing　to　an　evil　spirit；　though　not　quite
so　bad；　for　one　care　may　drive　out　another；　while　one　devil　is　sure
to　bring　in　another。

A　great　billowy　waste　of　mountains　lay　beyond　him；　amongst　which
played　the　shadow　at　their　games　of　hide　and　seekgraciously　merry
in　the　eyes　of　the　happy　man；　but　sadly　solemn　in　the　eyes　of　him　in
whose　heart　the　dreary　thoughts　of　the　past　are　at　a　like　game。
Behind　Donal　lay　a　world　of　dreams　into　which　he　dared　not　turn　and
look；　yet　from　which　he　could　scarce　avert　his　eyes。

He　was　nearing　the　foot　of　the　hill　when　he　stumbled　and　almost
fell；　but　recovered　himself　with　the　agility　of　a　mountaineer；　and
the　unpleasant　knowledge　that　the　sole　of　one　of　his　shoes　was　all
but　off。　　Never　had　he　left　home　for　college　that　his　father　had　not
made　personal　inspection　of　his　shoes　to　see　that　they　were　fit　for
the　journey；　but　on　this　departure　they　had　been　forgotten。　　He　sat
down　and　took　off　the　failing　equipment。　　It　was　too　far　gone　to　do
anything　temporary　with　it；　and　of　discomforts　a　loose　sole　to　one's
shoe　in　walking　is　of　the　worst。　　The　only　thing　was　to　take　off　the
other　shoe　and　both　stockings　and　go　barefoot。　　He　tied　all　together
with　a　piece　of　string；　made　them　fast　to　his　deerskin　knapsack；　and
resumed　his　walk。　　The　thing　did　not　trouble　him　much。　　To　have　what
we　want　is　riches；　but　to　be　able　to　do　without　is　power。　　To　have
shoes　is　a　good　thing；　to　be　able　to　walk　without　them　is　a　better。
But　it　was　long　since　Donal　had　walked　barefoot；　and　he　found　his
feet　like　his　shoe；　weaker　in　the　sole　than　was　pleasant。

〃It's　time；〃　he　said　to　himself；　when　he　found　he　was　stepping
gingerly；　〃I　ga'e　my　feet　a　turn　at　the　auld　accomplishment。　　It's　a
pity　to　grow　nae　so　fit　for　onything　suner　nor　ye　need。　　I　wad　like
to　lie　doon　at　last　wi'　hard　soles！〃

In　every　stream　he　came　to　he　bathed　his　feet；　and　often　on　the　way
rested　them；　when　otherwise　able　enough　to　go　on。　　He　had　no　certain
goal；　though　he　knew　his　direction；　and　was　in　no　haste。　　He　had
confidence　in　God　and　in　his　own　powers　as　the　gift　of　God；　and　knew
that　wherever　he　went　he　needed　not　be　hungry　long；　even　should　the
little　money　in　his　pocket　be　spent。　　It　is　better　to　trust　in　work
than　in　money：　God　never　buys　anything；　and　is　for　ever　at　work；　but
if　any　one　trust　in　work；　he　has　to　learn　that　he　must　trust　in
nothing　but　strengththe　self…existent；　original　strength　only；　and
Donal　Grant　had　long　begun　to　learn　that。　　The　man　has　begun　to　be
strong　who　knows　that；　separated　from　life　essential；　he　is　weakness
itself；　that；　one　with　his　origin；　he　will　be　of　strength
inexhaustible。　　Donal　was　now　descending　the　heights　of　youth　to
walk　along　the　king's　highroad　of　manhood：　happy　he　who；　as　his　sun
is　going　down　behind　the　western；　is　himself　ascending　the　eastern
hill；　returning　through　old　age　to　the　second　and　better　childhood
which　shall　not　be　taken　from　him！　　He　who　turns　his　back　on　the
setting　sun　goes　to　meet　the　rising　sun；　he　who　loses　his　life　shall
find　it。　　Donal　had　lost　his　pastbut　not　so　as　to　be　ashamed。
There　are　many　ways　of　losing！　　His　past　had　but　crept；　like　the
dead；　back　to　God　who　gave　it；　in　better　shape　it　would　be　his　by
and　by！　　Already　he　had　begun　to　foreshadow　this　truth：　God　would
keep　it　for　him。

He　had　set　out　before　the　sun　was　up；　for　he　would　not　be　met　by
friends　or　acquaintances。　　Avoiding　the　well…known　farmhouses　and
occasional　village；　he　took　his　way　up　the　river；　and　about　noon
came　to　a　hamlet　where　no　one　knew　hima　cluster　of　straw…roofed
cottages；　low　and　white；　with　two　little　windows　each。　　He　walked
straight　through　it　not　meaning　to　stop；　but；　spying　in　front　of　the
last　cottage　a　rough　stone　seat　under　a　low；　widespreading　elder
tree；　was　tempted　to　sit　down　and　rest　a　little。　　The　day　was　now
hot；　and　the　shadow　of　the　tree　inviting。

He　had　but　seated　himself　when　a　woman　came　to　the　door　of　the
cottage；　looked　at　him　for　a　moment；　and　probably　thinking　him；　from
his　bare　feet；　poorer　than　he　was；　said

〃Wad　ye　like　a　drink？〃

〃Ay；　wad　I；〃　answered　Donal；　〃a　drink　o'　watter；　gien　ye　please。〃

〃What　for　no　milk？〃　asked　the　woman。

〃'Cause　I'm　able　to　pey　for　't；〃　answered　Donal。

〃I　want　nae　peyment；〃　she　rejoined；　perceiving　his　drift　as　little
as　probably　my　reader。

〃An'　I　want　nae　milk；〃　returned　Donal。

〃Weel；　ye　may　pey　for　't　gien　ye　like；〃　she　rejoined。

〃But　I　dinna　like；〃　replied　Donal。

〃Weel；　ye're　a　some　queer　customer！〃　she　remarked。

〃I　thank　ye；　but　I'm　nae　customer；　'cep'　for　a　drink　o'　watter；〃　he
persisted；　looking　in　her　face　with　a　smile；　〃an'　watter　has　aye
been　gr鈚is　sin'　the　days　o'　Adam'cep'　maybe　i'　toons　i'　the　het
pairts　o'　the　warl'。〃

The　woman　turned　into　the　cottage；　and　came　out　again　presently　with
a　delft　basin；　holding　about　a　pint；　full　of　milk；　yellow　and　rich。

〃There！〃　she　said；　〃drink　an'　be　thankfu'。〃

〃I'll　be　thankfu'　ohn　drunken；〃　said　Donal。　〃I　thank　ye　wi'　a'　my
heart。　　But　I　canna　bide　to　tak　for　naething　what　I　can　pey　for；　an'
I　dinna　like　to　lay　oot　my　siller　upon　a　luxury　I　can　weel　eneuch　du
wantin'；　for　I　haena　muckle。　　I　wadna　be　shabby　nor　yet　greedy。〃

〃Drink　for　the　love　o'　God；〃　said　the　woman。

Donal　took　the　bowl　from　her　hand；　and　drank　till　all　was　gone。

〃Wull　ye　hae　a　drap　mair？〃　she　asked。

〃Na；　no　a　drap；〃　answered　Donal。　〃I'll　gang　i'　the　stren'th　o'　that
ye　hae　gi'en　memaybe　no　jist　forty　days；　gudewife；　but　mair　nor
forty　minutes；　an'　that's　a　gude　pairt　o'　a　day。　　I　thank　ye
hertily。　　Yon　was　the　milk　o'　human　kin'ness；　gien　ever　was　ony。〃

As　he　spoke　he　rose；　and　stood　up　refreshed　for　his　journey。

〃I　hae　a　sodger　laddie　awa'　i'　the　het　pairts　ye　spak　o'；〃　said　the
woman：　〃gien　ye　hadna　ta'en　the　milk；　ye　wad　hae　gi'en　me　a　sair
hert。〃

〃Eh；　gudewife；　it　wad　hae　gi'en　me　ane　to　think　I　had！〃　returned
Donal。　〃The　Lord　gie　ye　back　yer　sodger　laddie　safe　an'　soon'！
Maybe　I'll　hae　to　gang　efter　'im；　sodger　mysel'。〃

〃Na；　na；　that　wadna　do。　　Ye're　a　scholarthat's　easy　to　see；　for　a'
ye're　sae　plain　spoken。　　It　dis　a　body's　hert　guid　to　hear　a　man　'at
un'erstan's　things　say　them　plain　oot　i'　the　tongue　his　mither
taucht　him。　　Sic　a　ane　'ill　gang　straucht　till's　makker；　an'　fin'
a'thing　there　hame…like。　　Lord；　I　wuss　minnisters　wad　speyk　like
ither　fowk！〃

〃Ye　wad　sair　please　my　mither　sayin'　that；〃　remarked　Donal。　〃Ye　maun
be　jist　sic　anither　as　her！〃

〃Weel；　come　in；　an'　sit　ye　doon　oot　o'　the　sin；　an'　hae　something　to
ait。〃

〃Na；　I'll　tak　nae　mair　frae　ye　the　day；　an'　I　thank　ye；〃　replied
Donal；　〃I　canna　weel　bide。〃

〃What　for　no？〃

〃It's　no　sae　muckle　'at　I'm　in　a　hurry　as　'at　I　maun　be　duin'。〃

〃Whaur　are　ye　b'un'　for；　gien　a　body　may　speir？〃

〃I'm　gaein'　to　seekno　my　fortin；　but　my　daily　breid。　　Gien　I　spak
as　a　richt　man；　I　wad　say　I　was　gaein'　to　luik　for　the　wark　set　me。
I'm　feart　to　say　that　straucht　oot；　I　haena　won　sae　far　as　that
yet。　　I　winna　du　naething　though　'at　he　wadna　hae　me　du。　　I　daur　to
say　thatsae　be　I　un'erstan'。　　My　mither　says　the　day　'ill　come
whan　I'll　care　for　naething　but　his　wull。〃

〃Yer　mither　'ill　be　Janet　Grant；　I'm　thinkin'！　　There　canna　be　twa
sic　in　ae　country…side！〃

〃Ye're　i'　the　richt；〃　answered　Donal。　〃Ken　ye　my　mither？〃

〃I　hae　seen　her；　an'　to　see　her　's　to　ken　her。〃

〃Ay；　gien　wha　sees　her　be　sic　like　's　hersel'。〃

〃I　canna　preten'　to　that；　but　she's　weel　kent　throu'　a'　the　country
for　a　God…fearin'　wuman。An'　whaur　'll　ye　be　for　the　noo？〃

〃I'm　jist　upo'　the　tramp；　luikin'　for　wark。〃

〃An'　what　may　ye　be　pleast　to　ca'　wark？〃

〃Ow；　jist　the　communication　o'　what　I　hae　the　un'erstan'in'　o'。〃

〃Aweel；　gien　ye'll　condescen'　to　advice　frae　an　auld　wife；　I'll　gie
ye　a　bit　wi'　ye：　tak　na　ilka　lass　ye　see　for　a　born　angel。　　Misdoobt
her　a　wee　to　begin　wi'。　　Hing　up　yer　jeedgment　o'　her　a　wee。　　Luik
to　the　moo'　an'　the　e'en　o'　her。〃

〃I　thank　ye；〃　said　Donal；　with　a　smile；　in　which　the　woman　spied　the
sadness；　〃I'm　no　like　to　need　the　advice。〃

She　looked　at　him　pitifully；　and　paused。

〃Gien　ye　come　this　gait　again；〃　she　said；　〃ye'll　no　gang　by　my
door？〃

〃I　wull　no；〃　replied　Donal；　and　wishing　her　good…bye　with　a　grateful
heart；　betook　himself　to　his　journey。

He　had　not　gone　far　when　he　found　himself　on　a　wide　moor。　　He　sat
down　on　a　big　stone；　and　began　to　turn　things　over　in　his　mind。
This　is　how　his　thoughts　went：

〃I　can　never　be　the　man　I　was！　　The　thoucht　o'　my　heart　's　ta'en
frae　me！　　I　canna　think　aboot　things　as　I　used。　　There's　naething
sae　bonny　as　afore。　　Whan　the　life　slips　frae　him；