donal grant-第11节

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sit　doon　as　ready　as　nothat　wud　hewi'　ony　puir　body　like　mysel'；
an'　gie　him　his　cracks；　an'　hear　his　news；　an'　drink　his　glaiss；　an'
mak　naething　o'　't。　　But　this　man；　haith！　wha　ever　saw　him　cheenge
word　wi'　brither　man？〃

〃I　never　h'ard　hoo　he　came　to　the　teetle：　they　say　he　was　but　some
far　awa'　cousin！〃　remarked　a　farmer…looking　man；　florid　and　stout。

〃Hoots！　he　was　ain　brither　to　the　last　yerl；　wi'　richt　to　the
teetle；　though　nane　to　the　property。　　That　he's　but　takin'　care　o'
till　his　niece　come　o'　age。　　He　was　a　heap　aboot　the　place　afore　his
brither　dee'd；　an'　they　war　freen's　as　weel　's　brithers。　　They　say
'at　the　lady　Arctoorah'ard　ye　ever　sic　a　hathenish　name　for　a
lass！is　b'un'　to　merry　the　yoong　lord。　　There　's　a　sicht　o'
clapper…clash　aboot　the　place；　an'　the　fowk；　an'　their　strange　w'ys。
They　tell　me　nane　can　be　said　to　ken　the　yerl　but　his　ain　man。　　For
mysel'　I　never　cam　i'　their　coonselno'　even　to　the　buyin'　or
sellin'　o'　a　lamb。〃

〃Weel；〃　said　a　fair…haired；　pale…faced　man；　〃we　ken　frae　scriptur
'at　the　sins　o'　the　fathers　is　veesitit　upo'　the　children　to　the
third　an'　fourth　generationan'　wha　can　tell？〃

〃Wha　can　tell；〃　rejoined　another；　who　had　a　judicial　look　about　him；
in　spite　of　an　unshaven　beard；　and　a　certain　general　disregard　to
appearances；　〃wha　can　tell　but　the　sins　o'　oor　faithers　may　be　lyin'
upo'　some　o'　oorsel's　at　this　varra　moment？〃

〃In　oor　case；　I　canna　see　the　thing　wad　be　fair；〃　said　a　fifth：　〃we
dinna　even　ken　what　they　did！〃

〃We're　no　to　interfere　wi'　the　wull　o'　the　Almichty；〃　rejoined　the
former。　〃It　gangs　its　ain　gait；　an'　mortal　canna　tell　what　that　gait
is。　　His　justice　winna　be　contert。〃

Donal　felt　that　to　be　silent　now　would　be　to　decline　witnessing。　　He
feared　argument；　lest　he　should　fail　and　wrong　the　right；　but　he
must　not　therefore　hang　back。　　He　drew　his　chair　towards　the　table。

〃Wad　ye　lat　a　stranger　put　in　a　word；　freen's？〃　he　said。

〃Ow　ay；　an'　welcome！　　We　setna　up　for　the　men　o'　Gotham。〃

〃Weel；　I　wad　spier　a　question　gien　I　may。〃

〃Speir　awa'。　　Answer　I　winna　insure；〃　said　the　man　unshaven。

〃Weel；　wad　ye　please　tell　me　what　ye　ca'　the　justice　o'　God？〃

〃Onybody　could　tell　ye　that：　it　consists　i'　the　punishment　o'　sin。
He　gies　ilka　sinner　what　his　sin　deserves。〃

〃That　seems　to　me　an　unco　ae…sidit　definition　o'　justice。〃

〃Weel；　what　wad　ye　mak　o'　't？〃

〃I　wad　say　justice　means　fair　play；　an'　the　justice　o'　God　lies　i'
this；　'at　he　gies　ilka　man；　beast；　an'　deevil；　fair　play。〃

〃I'm　doobtfu'　aboot　that！〃　said　a　drover…looking　fellow。　〃We　maun
gang　by　the　word；　an'　the　word　says　he　veesits　the　ineequities　o'
the　fathers　upo'　the　children　to　the　third　an'　fourth　generation：　I
never　could　see　the　fair　play　o'　that！〃

〃Dinna　ye　meddle　wi'　things；　John；　'at　ye　dinna　un'erstan'；　ye　may
wauk　i'　the　wrang　box！〃　said　the　old　man。

〃I　want　to　un'erstan'；〃　returned　John。　〃I'm　no　sayin'　he　disna　du
richt；　I'm　only　sayin'　I　canna　see　the　fair　play　o'　't。〃

〃It　may　weel　be　richt　an'　you　no　see　't！〃

〃Ay'　weel　that！　　But　what　for　sud　I　no　say　I　dinna　see　't？　　Isna　the
blin'　man　to　say　he's　blin'？〃

This　was　unanswerable；　and　Donal　again　spoke。

〃It　seems　to　me；〃　he　said；　〃we　need　first　to　un'erstan'　what's
conteened　i'　the　veesitin'　o'　the　sins　o'　the　fathers　upo'　the
children；　afore　we　daur　ony　jeedgment　concernin'　't。〃

〃Ay；　that　's　sense　eneuch！〃　confessed　a　responsive　murmur。

〃I　haena　seen　muckle　o'　this　warl'　yet；　compared　wi'　you；　sirs；〃
Donal　went　on；　〃but　I　hae　been　a　heap　my　lane　wi'　nowt　an'　sheep；
whan　a　heap　o'　things　gaed　throuw　my　heid；　an'　I　hae　seen　something
as　weel；　though　no　that　muckle。　　I　hae　seen　a　man；　a'　his　life
'afore　a　douce　honest　man；　come　til　a　heap　o'　siller；　an'　gang　to
the　dogs！〃

A　second　murmur　seemed　to　indicate　corroboration。

〃He　gaed　a'　to　the　dogs；　as　I　say；〃　continued　Donal；　〃an'　the　bairns
he　left　'ahint　him　whan　he　dee'd　o'　drink；　cam　upo'　the　perris；　or
wad　hae　hungert　but　for　some　'at　kenned　him　whan　he　was　yet　in
honour　an'　poverty。　　Noo；　wad　ye　no　say　this　was　a　veesitin'　o'　the
sins　o'　the　father　upo'　the　children？〃

〃Ay；　doobtless！〃

〃Weel；　whan　I　h'ard　last　aboot　them；　they　were　a'　like　eneuch　to
turn　oot　honest　lads　an'　lasses。〃

〃Ow；　I　daursay！〃

〃An'　what　micht　ye　think　the　probability　gien　they　had　come　intil　a
lot　o'　siller　whan　their　father　dee'd？〃

〃Maybe　they　micht　hae　gane　the　same　gait　he　gaed！〃

〃Was　there　injustice　than；　or　was　there　favour　i'　that　veesitation
o'　the　sins　o'　their　father　upo'　them？〃

There　was　no　answer。　　The　toddy　went　down　their　throats　and　the
smoke　came　out　of　their　mouths；　but　no　one　dared　acknowledge　it
might　be　a　good　thing　to　be　born　poor　instead　of　rich。　　So　entirely
was　the　subject　dropped　that　Donal　feared　he　had　failed　to　make
himself　understood。　　He　did　not　know　the　general　objection　to
talking　of　things　on　eternal　principles。　　We　set　up　for　judges　of
right　while　our　very　selves　are　wrong！　　He　saw　that　he　had　cast　a
wet　blanket　over　the　company；　and　judged　it　better　to　take　his
leave。

Borrowing　a　wheelbarrow；　he　trundled　his　chest　home；　and　unpacking
it　in　the　archway；　carried　his　books　and　clothes　to　his　room。




CHAPTER　X

THE　PARISH　CLERGYMAN。

The　next　day；　Donal　put　on　his　best　coat；　and　went　to　call　on　the
minister。　　Shown　into　the　study；　he　saw　seated　there　the　man　he　had
met　on　his　first　day's　journey；　the　same　who　had　parted　from　him　in
such　displeasure。　　He　presented　his　letter。

Mr。　Carmichael　gave　him　a　keen　glance；　but　uttered　no　word　until　he
had　read　it。

〃Well；　young　man；〃　he　said；　looking　up　at　him　with　concentrated
severity；　〃what　would　you　have　me　do？〃

〃Tell　me　of　any　situation　you　may　happen　to　know　or　hear　of；　sir；〃
said　Donal。　〃That　is　all　I　could　expect。〃

〃All！〃　repeated　the　clergyman；　with　something　very　like　a　sneer；
〃but　what　if　I　think　that　all　a　very　great　deal？　　What　if　I
imagine　myself　set　in　charge　over　young　minds　and　hearts？　　What　if　I
know　you　better　than　the　good　man　whose　friendship　for　your　parents
gives　him　a　kind　interest　in　you？　　You　little　thought　how　you　were
undermining　your　prospects　last　Friday！　　My　old　friend　would
scarcely　have　me　welcome　to　my　parish　one　he　may　be　glad　to　see　out
of　his　own！　　You　can　go　to　the　kitchen　and　have　your　dinnerI　have
no　desire　to　render　evil　for　evilbut　I　will　not　bid　you　God…speed。
And　the　sooner　you　take　yourself　out　of　this；　young　man；　the
better！〃

〃Good　morning；　sir！〃　said　Donal；　and　left　the　room。

On　the　doorstep　he　met　a　youth　he　had　known　by　sight　at　the
university：　it　was　the　minister's　sonthe　worst…behaved　of　all　the
students。　　Was　this　a　case　of　the　sins　of　the　father　being　visited
on　the　child？　　Does　God　never　visit　the　virtues　of　the　father　on　the
child？

A　little　ruffled；　and　not　a　little　disappointed；　Donal　walked　away。
Almost　unconsciously　he　took　the　road　to　the　castle；　and　coming　to
the　gate；　leaned　on　the　top　bar；　and　stood　thinking。

Suddenly；　down　through　the　trees　came　Davie　bounding；　pushed　his
hand　through　between　the　bars；　and　shook　hands　with　him。

〃I　have　been　looking　for　you　all　day；〃　he　said。

〃Why？〃　asked　Donal。

〃Forgue　sent　you　a　letter。〃

〃I　have　had　no　letter。〃

〃Eppy　took　it　this　morning。〃

〃Ah；　that　explains！　　I　have　not　been　home　since　breakfast。〃

〃It　was　to　say　my　father　would　like　to　see　you。〃

〃I　will　go　and　get　it：　then　I　shall　know　what　to　do。〃

〃Why　do　you　live　there？　　The　cobbler　is　a　dirty　little　man！　　Your
clothes　will　smell　of　leather！〃

〃He　is　not　dirty；〃　said　Donal。　〃His　hands　do　get　dirtyvery　dirty
with　his　workand　his　face　too；　and　I　daresay　soap　and　water　can't
get　them　quite　clean。　　But　he　will　have　a　nice　earth…bath　one　day；
and　that　will　take　all　the　dirt　off。　　And　if　you　could　see　his
soulthat　is　as　clean　as　clean　can　beso　clean　it　is　quite
shining！〃

〃Have　you　seen　it？〃　said　the　boy；　looking　up　at　Donal；　unsure
whether　he　was　making　game　of　him；　or　meaning　something　very
serious。

〃I　have　had　a　glimpse　or　two　of　it。　　I　never　saw　a　cleaner。You
know；　my　dear　boy；　there's　a　cleanness　much　deeper　than　the　skin！〃

〃I　know！〃　said　Davie；　but　stared　as　if　he　wondered　he　would　speak　of
such　things。

Donal　returned　his　gaze。　　Out　of　the　fullness　of　his　heart　his　eyes
shone。　　Davie　was　reassured。

〃Can　you　ride？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；　a　little。〃

〃Who　taught　you？〃

〃An　old　mare　I　was　fond　of。〃

〃Ah；　you　are　making　game　of　me！　　I　do　not　like　to　be　made　game　of；〃
said　Davie；　and　turned　away。

〃No　indeed；〃　replied　Donal。　〃I　never　make　game　of　anybody。But　now
I　will　go　and　find　the　letter。〃

〃I　would　go　with　you；〃　said　the　boy；　〃but　my　father　will　not　let　me
beyond　the　grounds。　　I　don't　know　why。〃

Donal　hastened　home；　and　found　himself　eagerly　expected；　for　the
letter　young　Eppy　had　brought　was　from　the　earl。　　It　informed　Donal
that　it　would　give　his　lordship　pleasure　to　see　him；　if　he　would
favour　him　with　a　call。

In　a　few　minutes　he　was　again　on　the　road　to　the　castle。




CHAPTER　XI。

THE　EARL。

He　met　no　one　on　his　way　from　the　gate　up　through　the　wood。　　He
ascended　the　hill　with　its　dark　ascending　firs；　to　its　crown　of
silvery　birch