donal grant-第53节

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in　us：　there　the　Father　is　every　moment　watching　his　child。　If　he
were　not　constantly　pardoning　and　punishing　our　sins；　what　would
become　of　us！　We　must　learn　to　trust　him　about　our　faults　as　much　as
about　everything　else！〃

In　the　earnestness　of　his　talk　he　had　stopped；　but　now　turned　and
went　on。

〃There　is　my　land…；　or　roof…mark　rather！〃　he　said；　〃that
chimney…stack！　Close　by　it　I　heard　the　music　very　near　me
indeedwhen　all　at　once　the　darkness　and　the　wind　came　together　so
thick　that　I　could　do　nothing　more。　We　shall　do　better　now　in　the
daylightand　three　of　us　instead　of　one！〃

〃What　a　huge　block　of　chimneys！〃　said　Arctura。

〃Is　it　not！〃　returned　Donal。　〃It　indicates　the　hugeness　of　the
building　below　us；　of　which　we　can　see　so　little。　Like　the　volcanoes
of　the　world；　it　tells　us　how　much　fire　is　necessary　to　keep　our
dwelling　warm。〃

〃I　thought　it　was　the　sun　that　kept　the　earth　warm；〃　said　Davie。

〃So　it　is；　but　not　the　sun　alone。　The　earth　is　like　a　man：　the　great
glowing　fire　is　God　in　the　heart　of　the　earth；　and　the　great　sun　is
God　in　the　sky；　keeping　it　warm　on　the　other　side。　Our　gladness　and
pleasure；　our　trouble　when　we　do　wrong；　our　love　for　all　about　us；
that　is　God　inside　us；　and　the　beautiful　things　and　lovable　people；
and　all　the　lessons　of　life　in　history　and　poetry；　in　the　Bible；　and
in　whatever　comes　to　us；　is　God　outside　of　us。　Every　life　is　between
two　great　fires　of　the　love　of　God。　So　long　as　we　do　not　give
ourselves　up　heartily　to　him；　we　fear　his　fire　will　burn　us。　And
burn　us　it　does　when　we　go　against　its　flames　and　not　with　them；
refusing　to　burn　with　the　fire　with　which　God　is　always　burning。
When　we　try　to　put　it　out；　or　oppose　it；　or　get　away　from　it；　then
indeed　it　burns！〃

〃I　think　I　know；〃　said　Davie。

Arctura　held　her　peace。

〃But　now；〃　said　Donal；　〃I　must　go　round　and　have　a　peep　at　the　other
side　of　the　chimney…stack。〃

He　disappeared；　and　Arctura　and　Davie　stood　waiting　his　return。　They
looked　each　in　the　other's　face　with　the　delight　of　consciously
sharing　a　great　adventure。　Beyond　their　feet　lay　the　wide　country
and　the　great　sea；　over　them　the　sky　with　the　sun　in　it　going　down
towards　the　mountains；　under　their　feet　the　mighty　old　pile　that　was
their　home；　and　under　that　the　earth　with　its　molten　heart　of　fire。

But　Davie's　look　soon　changed　to　one　of　triumph　in　his　tutor。　〃Is　is
not　grand；〃　it　said；　〃to　be　all　day　with　a　man　like　thattalking　to
you　and　teaching　you？〃　That　at　least　was　how　Arctura　interpreted　it；
reading　in　it　almost　an　assertion　of　superiority；　in　as　much　as　this
man　was　his　tutor　and　not　hers。　She　replied　to　the　look　in　words：

〃I　am　his　pupil；　too；　Davie；〃　she　said；　〃though　Mr。　Grant　does　not
know　it。〃

〃How　can　that　be；〃　answered　Davie；　〃when　you　are　afraid　of　him？　I　am
not　a　bit　afraid　of　him！〃

〃How　do　you　know　I　am　afraid　of　him？〃　she　asked。

〃Oh；　anybody　could　see　that！〃

She　was　afraid　she　had　spoken　foolishly；　and　Davie　might　repeat　her
words：　she　did　not　desire　to　hasten　further　intimacy　with　Donal；
things　were　going　in　that　direction　fast　enough！　Her　eyes；　avoiding
Davie's；　kept　reconnoitring　the　stack　of　chimneys。

〃Aren't　you　glad　to　have　such　a　castle　all　for　your　ownto　do　what
you　like　with；　Arkie？　You　know　you　could　pull　it　all　to　pieces　if
you　liked！〃

〃Would　it　be　less　mine；〃　said　Arctura；　〃if　I　was　not　at　liberty　to
pull　it　all　to　pieces？　And　would　it　be　more　mine　when　I　had　pulled
it　to　pieces；　Davie？〃

Donal　was　coming　round　the　side　of　the　stack；　and　heard　what　she
said。　It　pleased　him；　for　it　was　not　a　little　in　his　own　style。

〃What　makes　a　thing　your　own；　do　you　think；　Davie？〃　she　went　on。

〃To　be　able　to　do　with　it　what　you　like；〃　replied　Davie。

〃Whether　that　be　good　or　bad？〃

〃Yes；　I　think　so；〃　answered　Davie；　doubtfully。

〃Then　I　think　you　are　quite　wrong；〃　she　rejoined。　〃The　moment　you
begin　to　use　a　thing　wrong；　that　moment　you　make　it　less　yours。　I
can't　quite　explain　it；　but　that　is　how　it　looks　to　me。〃

She　ceased；　and　after　a　moment　Donal　took　up　the　question。

〃Lady　Arctura　is　quite　right；　Davie；〃　he　said。　〃The　nature；　that　is
the　good　of　a　thing；　is　that　only　by　which　it　can　be　possessed。　Any
other　possession　is　like　slave…owning；　it　is　not　a　righteous　having。
The　right　and　the　power　to　use　it　to　its　true　purpose；　and　the　using
it　so；　are　the　conditions　that　make　a　thing　ours。　To　have　the　right
and　the　power；　and　not　use　it　so；　would　be　to　make　the　thing　less
ours　than　anybody's。Suppose　you　had　a　very　beautiful　picture；　but
from　some　defect　in　your　sight　you　could　never　see　that　picture　as
it　really　was；　while　a　servant　in　your　house　not　only　saw　it　as　it
was　meant　to　be　seen；　but　had　such　delight　in　gazing　on　it；　that
even　in　his　dreams　it　came　to　him；　and　made　him　think　of　things　he
would　not　have　thought　of　but　for　it：which　of　you；　you　or　the
servant　in　your　house；　would　have　the　more　real　possession　of　that
picture？　You　could　sell　it　away　from　yourself；　and　never　know
anything　about　it　more；　but　you　could　not　by　all　the　power　of　a
tyrant　take　it　from　your　servant。〃

〃Ah；　now　I　understand！〃　said　Davie；　with　a　look　at　lady　Arctura
which　seemed　to　say；　〃You　see　how　Mr。　Grant　can　make　me　understand！〃

〃I　wonder；〃　said　lady　Arctura；　〃what　that　curious　opening　in　the
side　of　the　chimney…stack　means！　It　can't　be　for　smoke　to　come　out
at！〃

〃No；〃　said　Donal；　〃there　is　not　a　mark　of　smoke　about　it。　If　it　had
been　meant　for　that；　it　would　hardly　have　been　put　half…way　from　the
top！　I　can't　make　it　out！　A　hole　like　that　in　any　chimney　must
surely　interfere　with　the　draught！　I　must　get　a　ladder！〃

〃Let　me　climb　on　your　shoulders；　Mr。　Grant；〃　said　Davie。

〃Come　then；　up　you　go！〃　said　Donal。

And　up　went　Davie；　and　peeped　into　the　horizontal　slit。

〃It　looks　very　like　a　chimney；〃　he　said；　turning　his　head　and
thrusting　it　in　sideways。　〃It　goes　right　down　to　somewhere；〃　he
added；　bringing　his　head　out　again；　〃but　there　is　something　across
it　a　little　way　downto　prevent　the　jackdaws　from　tumbling　in；　I
suppose。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Donal。

〃Something　like　a　grating；〃　answered　Davie；　〃no；　not　a　grating
exactly；　it　is　what　you　might　call　a　grating；　but　it　seems　made　of
wires。　I　don't　think　it　would　keep　a　strong　bird　out　if　he　wanted　to
get　in。〃

〃Aha！〃　said　Donal　to　himself；　〃what　if　those　wires　be　tuned！　Did　you
ever　see　an　aeolian　harp；　my　lady？〃　he　asked：　〃I　never　did。〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　lady　Arctura；　〃once；　when　I　was　a　little　girl。　And
now　you　suggest　it；　I　think　the　sounds　we　hear　are　not　unlike　those
of　an　aeolian　harp！　The　strings　are　all　the　same　length；　if　I
remember。　But　I　do　not　understand　the　principle。　They　seem　all　to
play　together；　and　make　the　strangest；　wildest　harmonies；　when　the
wind　blows　across　them　in　a　particular　way。〃

〃I　fancy　then　we　have　found　the　nest　of　our　music…bird！〃　said　Donal。
〃The　wires　Davie　speaks　of　may　be　the　strings　of　an　aeolian　harp！　I
wonder　if　there　could　be　a　draught　across　them！　I　must　get　up　and
see！　I　must　go　and　get　a　ladder！〃

〃But　how　could　there　be　an　aeolian　harp　up　here？〃　said　Arctura。

〃It　will　be　time　enough　to　answer　that　question；〃　replied　Donal；
〃when　it　changes　to；　'How　did　an　aeolian　harp　get　up　here？'
Something　is　here　that　wants　accounting　for：　it　may　be　an　aeolian
harp！〃

〃But　in　a　chimney！　The　soot　would　spoil　the　strings！〃

〃Then　perhaps　it　is　not　a　chimney：　is　there　any　sign　of　soot　about；
Davie？〃

〃No；　sir；　there　is　nothing　but　clean　stone　and　lime。〃

〃You　see；　my　lady！　We　do　not　even　know　that　it　is　a　chimney！〃

〃What　else　can　it　be；　standing　with　the　rest？〃

〃It　may　have　been　built　for　one；　but　if　it　had　ever　been　used　for
one；　the　marks　of　smoke　would　remain；　had　it　been　disused　ever　so
long。　But　to…morrow　I　will　bring　up　a　ladder。〃

〃Could　you　not　do　it　now？〃　said　Arctura；　almost　coaxingly。　〃I　should
so　like　to　have　the　thing　settled！〃

〃As　you　please；　my　lady！　I　will　go　at　once。　There　is　one　leaning
against　the　garden…wall；　not　far　from　the　bottom　of　the　tower。〃

〃If　you　do　not　mind　the　trouble！〃

〃I　will　come　and　help；〃　said　Davie。

〃You　mustn't　leave　lady　Arctura。　I　am　not　sure　if　I　can　get　it　up
the　stair；　I　am　afraid　it　is　too　long。　If　I　cannot；　we　will　haul　it
up　as　we　did　the　coal。〃

He　went；　and　the　cousins　sat　down　to　wait　his　return。　It　was　a　cold
evening；　but　Arctura　was　well　wrapt　up；　and　Davie　was　hardy。　They
sat　at　the　foot　of　the　chimney…stack；　and　began　to　talk。

〃It　is　such　a　long　time　since　you　told　me　anything；　Arkie！〃　said　the
boy。

〃You　do　not　need　me　now　to　tell　you　anything：　you　have　Mr。　Grant！
You　like　him　much　better　than　ever　you　did　me！〃

〃You　see；〃　said　Davie；　thoughtfully；　and　making　no　defence　against
her　half…reproach；　〃he　began　by　making　me　afraid　of　himnot　that　he
meant　to　do　it；　I　think！　he　only　meant　that　I　should　do　what　he　told
me：　I　was　never　afraid　of　you；　Arkie！〃

〃I　was　much　crosser　to　you　than　Mr。　Grant；　I　am　sure！〃

〃Mr。　Grant　is　never　cross　to　me；　and　if　ever　you　were；　I've
forgotten　it；　Arkie。　I　only　remember　that　I　was　not　good　to　you。　I
am　sorry　for　it　now　when　I　lie　awake　in　bed；　but　I　say　to　myself　you
forgive　me；　and　go