donal grant-第66节

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father　came　out　of　the　coffin；　looking　alive　and　bright；　my　uncle
stood　beside　him　like　a　corpse　beside　a　soul。　'What　do　you　want　with
my　child？'　he　said；　and　my　uncle　cowered　before　him。　He　took　my　hand
and　said；　'Come　with　me；　my　child。'　And　I　went　with　himoh；　so
gladly！　My　fear　was　gone；　and　so　was　my　uncle。　He　led　me　up　the　way
we　had　come　down；　but　when　we　came　out　of　the　hole；　instead　of
finding　myself　in　the　horrible　church；　I　was　in　my　own　room。　I
looked　roundno　one　was　near！　I　was　sorry　my　father　was　gone；　but
glad　to　be　in　my　own　room。　Then　I　wokeand　here　was　the　terrible
thingnot　in　my　bedbut　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　floor；　just
where　my　dream　had　left　me！　I　cannot　get　rid　of　the　thought　that　I
really　went　somewhere。　I　have　been　haunted　with　it　the　whole　day。　It
is　a　terror　to　mefor　if　I　did；　where　is　my　help　against　going
again！〃

〃In　God　our　saviour；〃　said　Donal。　〃But　had　your　uncle　given　you
anything？〃

〃I　wish　I　could　think　so；　but　I　do　not　see　how　he　could。〃

〃You　must　change　your　room；　and　get　mistress　Brookes　to　sleep　near
you。〃

〃I　will。〃

Gladly　would　Donal　have　offered　to　sleep；　like　one　of　his　colleys；
outside　her　door；　but　Mrs。　Brookes　was　the　only　one　to　help　her。

He　began　at　once　to　make　observations　towards　determining　the
existence　or　non…existence　of　a　hidden　room；　but　in　the　quietest
way；　so　as　to　attract　no　attention；　and　had　soon　satisfied　himself
concerning　some　parts　that　it　could　not　be　there。　Without　free　scope
and　some　one　to　help　him；　the　thing　was　difficult。　To　guage　a
building　which　had　grown　through　centuries；　to　fit　the　varying
tastes　and　changing　needs　of　the　generations；　was　in　itself　not
easy；　and　he　judged　it　all　but　impossible　without　drawing
observation　and　rousing　speculation。　Great　was　the　chaotic　element
in　the　congeries　of　erections　and　additions；　brought　together　by
various　contrivances；　and　with　daringly　enforced　communication。　Open
spaces　within　the　walls；　different　heights　in　the　stories　of
contiguous　buildings；　breaks　in　the　continuity　of　floors；　and
various　other　irregularities；　he　found　confusingly　obstructive。




CHAPTER　LII。

INVESTIGATION。

The　autumn　brought　terrible　storms。　Many　fishing　boats　came　to
grief。　Of　some；　the　crews　lost　everything：　of　others；　the　loss　of
their　lives　delivered　their　crews　from　smaller　losses。　There　were
many　bereaved　in　the　village；　and　Donal　went　about　among　them；　doing
what　he　could；　and　getting　help　for　them　where　his　own　ability　would
not　reach　their　necessity。　Lady　Arctura　wanted　no　persuasion　to　go
with　him　in　some　of　his　visits；　and　the　intercourse　she　thus　gained
with　humanity　in　its　simpler　forms；　of　which　she　had　not　had　enough
for　the　health　of　her　own　nature；　was　of　high　service　to　her。
Perhaps　nothing　helps　so　much　to　believe　in　the　Father；　as　the
active　practical　love　of　the　brother。　If　he　who　loveth　not　his
brother　whom　he　hath　seen；　can　ill　love　God　whom　he　hath　not　seen；
then　he　who　loves　his　brother　must　surely　find　it　the　easier　to　love
God！　Arctura　found　that　to　visit　the　widow　and　the　fatherless　in
their　afflictions；　to　look　on　and　know　them　as　her　kind；　to　enter
into　their　sorrows；　and　share　the　elevating　influence　of　grief
genuine　and　simple；　the　same　in　every　human　soul；　was　to　draw　near
to　God。　She　met　him　in　his　children。　For　to　honour；　love；　and　be
just　to　our　neighbour；　is　religion；　and　he　who　does　these　things
will　soon　find　that　he　cannot　live　without　the　higher　part　of
religion；　the　love　of　God。　If　that　do　not　follow；　the　other　will
sooner　or　later　die　away；　leaving　the　man　the　worse　for　having　had
it。　She　found　her　way　to　God　easier　through　the　crowd　of　her
fellows；　while　their　troubles　took　her　off　her　own；　set　them　at　a
little　distance　from　her；　and　so　put　it　in　her　power　to　understand
them　better。

One　day　after　the　fishing　boats　had　gone　out；　rose　a　terrible　storm。
Some　of　them　made　for　the　harbour　againsuch　as　it　was；　others　kept
out　to　sea；　Stephen　Kennedy's　boat　came　ashore　bottom　upward。　His
body　was　cast　on　the　sands　close　to　the　spot　where　Donal　dragged　the
net　from　the　waves。　There　was　sorrow　afresh　through　the　village：
Kennedy　was　a　favourite；　and　his　mother　was　left　childless。　No　son
would　any　more　come　sauntering　in　with　his　long　slouch　in　the
gloamin'；　and　whether　she　would　ever　see　him　againto　know　himwho
could　tell！　For　the　common　belief　does　not　go　much　farther　than
paganism　in　yielding　comfort　to　those　whose　living　loves　have
disappearedthe　fault　not　of　Christianity；　but　of　Christians。

The　effect　of　the　news　upon　Forgue　I　have　some　around　for
conjecturing：　I　believe　it　made　him　care　a　little　less　about
marrying　the　girl；　now　that　he　knew　no　rival　ready　to　take　her；　and
feel　also　that　he　had　one　enemy　the　less；　one　danger　the　less；　in
the　path　he　would　like　to　take。　Within　a　week　after；　he　left　the
castle；　and　if　his　father　knew　where　he　went；　he　was　the　only　one
who　did。　He　had　been　pressing　him　to　show　some　appearance　of
interest　in　his　cousin；　Forgue　had　professed　himself　unequal　to　the
task　at　present：　if　he　might　go　away　for　a　while；　he　said；　he　would
doubtless　find　it　easier　when　he　returned。

The　storms　were　over；　the　edges　and　hidden　roots　had　begun　to　dream
of　spring；　and　Arctura　had　returned　to　her　own　room　to　sleep；　when
one　afternoon　she　came　to　the　schoolroom　and　told　Donal　she　had　had
the　terrible　dream　again。

〃This　time；〃　she　said；　〃I　came　out；　in　my　dream；　on　the　great　stair；
and　went　up　to　my　room；　and　into　bed；　before　I　waked。　But　I　dare　not
ask　mistress　Brookes　whether　she　saw　me〃

〃You　do　not　imagine　you　were　out　of　the　room？〃　said　Donal。

〃I　cannot　tell。　I　hope　not。　If　I　were　to　find　I　had　been；　it　would
drive　me　out　of　my　senses！　I　was　thinking　all　day　about　the　lost
room：　I　fancy　it　had　something　to　do　with　that。〃

〃We　must　find　the　room；　and　have　done　with　it！〃　said　Donal。

〃Are　you　so　sure　we　can？〃　she　asked；　her　face　brightening。

〃If　there　be　one；　and　you　will　help　me；　I　think　we　can；〃　he
answered。

〃I　will　help　you。〃

〃Then　first　we　will　try　the　shaft　of　the　music…chimney。　That　it　has
never　smoked；　at　least　since　those　wires　were　put　there；　makes　it
something　to　questionthough　the　draught　across　it　might　doubtless
have　prevented　it　from　being　used。　It　may　be　the　chimney　to　the　very
room。　But　we　will　first　try　to　find　out　whether　it　belongs　to　any
room　we　know。　I　will　get　a　weight　and　a　cord：　the　wires　will　be　a
plague；　but　I　think　we　can　pass　them。　Then　we　shall　see　how　far　the
weight　goes　down；　and　shall　know　on　what　floor　it　is　arrested。　That
will　be　something　gained：　the　plane　of　inquiry　will　be　determined。
Only　there　may　be　a　turn　in　the　chimney；　preventing　the　weight　from
going　to　the　bottom。〃

〃When　shall　we　set　about　it？〃　said　Arctura；　almost　eagerly。

〃At　once；〃　replied　Donal。

She　went　to　get　a　shawl。

Donal　went　to　the　gardener's　tool…house；　and　found　a　suitable　cord。
There　was　a　seven…pound　weight；　but　that　would　not　pass　the　wires！
He　remembered　an　old　eight…day　clock　on　a　back　stair；　which　was
never　going。　He　got　out　its　heavier　weight；　and　carried　it；　with　the
cord　and　the　ladder；　to　his　own　stairat　the　foot　of　which　was　lady
Arcturawaiting　for　him。

There　was　that　in　being　thus　associated　with　the　lovely　lady；　in
knowing　that　peace　had　began　to　visit　her　through　him；　that　she
trusted　him　implicitly；　looking　to　him　for　help　and　even　protection；
in　knowing　that　nothing　but　wrong　to　her　could　be　looked　for　from
uncle　or　cousin；　and　that　he　held　what　might　be　a　means　of
protecting　her；　should　undue　influence　be　brought　to　bear　upon
herthere　was　that　in　all　this；　I　say；　that　stirred　to　its　depth
the　devotion　of　Donal's　nature。　With　the　help　of　God　he　would　foil
her　enemies；　and　leave　her　a　free　womana　thing　well　worth　a　man's
life！　Many　an　angel　has　been　sent　on　a　smaller　errand！

Such　were　his　thoughts　as　he　followed　Arctura　up　the　stair；　she
carrying　the　weight　and　the　cord；　he　the　ladder；　which　it　was　not
easy　to　get　round　the　screw　of　the　stair。　Arctura　trembled　with
excitement　as　she　ascended；　grew　frightened　as　often　as　she　found
she　had　outstripped　him；　waited　till　the　end　of　the　ladder　came
poking　round；　and　started　again　before　the　bearer　appeared。

Her　dreams　had　disquieted　her　more　than　she　had　yet　confessed：　had
she　been　taking　a　way　of　her　own；　and　choosing　a　guide　instead　of
receiving　instruction　in　the　way　of　understanding？　Were　these　things
sent　for　her　warning；　to　show　her　into　what　an　abyss　of　death　her
conduct　was　leading　her？But　the　moment　she　found　herself　in　the
open　air　of　Donal's　company；　her　doubts　and　fears　vanished　for　the
time。　Such　a　one　as　he　must　surely　know　better　than　those　others　the
way　of　the　Spirit！　Was　he　not　more　childlike；　more　straightforward；
more　simple；　and；　she　could　not　but　think；　more　obedient　than　those？
Mr。　Carmichael　was　older；　and　might　be　more　experienced；　but　did　his
light　shine　clearer　than　Donal's？　He　might　be　a　priest　in　the
temple；　but　was　there　not　a　Samuel　in　the　temple　as　well　as　an　Eli？
It　the　young；　strong；　ruddy　shepherd；　the　defender　of　his　flock；　who
was　sent　by　God　to　kill　the　giant！　He　was　too　little　to　wear　Saul