donal grant-第84节
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because of its broken hinge； and ascended。
The sounds of battering had ceased； and as he passed the oak door he
laid his ear to it： some one was in the place！ the lid of the bureau
shut with a loud bang； and he heard a lock turned。 The wall could
not be half down yet： the earl must have entered the moment he could
get through！
Donal hastened up； and out of the dreadful place； put the slab in
the opening； secured it with a strut against the opposite side of
the recess； and closed the shutters and drew the curtains of the
room； if the earl came up the stair in the wall； found the stone
immovable； and saw no light through any chink about its edges； he
would not suspect it had been displaced！
He went then to lady Arctura。
〃I have a great deal to tell you；〃 he said； 〃but at this moment I
cannot： I am afraid of the earl finding me with you！〃
〃Why should you mind that？〃 said Arctura。
〃Because I think he is suspicious about the lost room。 He has had a
wall taken down this morning。 Please do not let him see you know
anything about it。 Davie thinks he is set on finding the lost room：
I think he knew all about it long ago。 You can ask him what he has
been doing： you must have heard the masons！〃
〃I hope I shall not stumble into anything like a story； for if I do
I must out with everything！〃
In the afternoon； Davie was full of the curious little place his
father had discovered behind the wall； but； if that was the lost
room； he said； it was not at all worth making such a fuss about： it
was nothing but a big closet； with an old desk…kind of thing in it！
In the afternoon also； the earl went to see his niece。 It was the
first time they met after his rude behaviour on her proposal to
search for the lost room。
〃What were you doing this morning； uncle？〃 she said。 〃There was such
a thumping and banging somewhere in the castle！ Davie said you were
determined； he thought； to find the lost room。〃
〃Nothing of the kind； my love；〃 answered the earl。 〃I do hope they
will not spoil the stair carrying the stones and mortar down！〃
〃What was it then； uncle？〃
〃Simply this； my dear： my late wife； your aunt； and I； had a plan
for taking that closet behind my room on the stair into the room
itself。 In preparation； I had a wall built across the middle of the
closet； so as to divide it and make two recesses of it； and act also
as a buttress to the weakened wall。 Then your aunt died； and I
hadn't the heart to open the recesses or do anything more in the
matter。 So one half of the closet was cut off； and remained
inaccessible。 But there had been left in it an old bureau；
containing papers of some consequence； for it was heavy； and
intended to occupy the same position after the arches were opened。
Now； as it happens； I want one of those papers； so the wall has had
to come down again。〃
〃But； uncle； what a pity！〃 said Arctura。 〃Why did you not open the
arches？ The recesses would have been so pretty in that room！〃
〃I am sorry I did not think of asking you what you would like done
about it； my child！ The fact is I never thought of your taking any
interest in the matter； I had naturally lost all mine。 You will
please to observe； however； I have only restored what I had myself
disarrangednot meddled with anything belonging to the castle！〃
〃But now you have the masons here； why not go on； and make a little
search for the lost room？〃 said Arctura； venturing once more。
〃We might pull down the castle and be none the wiser！ Bah！ the
building up of half the closet may have given rise to the whole
story！〃
〃Surely； uncle； the legend is older than that！〃
〃It may be； you cannot be sure。 Once a going； it would immediately
cry back to a remote age。 Prove that any one ever spoke of it before
the building of that foolish wall。〃
〃Surely some remember hearing it long before that！〃
〃Nothing is more treacherous than a memory confronted with a general
belief；〃 said the earl； and took his leave。
The next morning Arctura went to see the alteration。 She opened the
door of the little room： it was twice its former size； and two
bureaus were standing against the wall！ She peeped into the cupboard
at the end of it； but saw nothing there。
That same morning she made up her mind that she would go no farther
at present in regard to the chapel： it would be to break with her
uncle！
In the evening； she acquainted Donal with her resolve； and he could
not say she was wrong。 There was no necessity for opposing her
unclethere might soon come one！ He told her how he had entered the
closet from behind； and of the noise he had made the night before；
which had perhaps led to the opening of the place； but he did not
tell her of what he had found on the bureau。 The time might come
when he must do so； but now he dared not render her relations with
her uncle yet more uncomfortable； neither was it likely such a woman
would consent to marry such a man as her cousin had shown himself；
when that danger appeared； it would be time to interpose； for the
mere succession to an empty title； he was not sure that he was bound
to speak。 The branch which could produce such scions； might well be
itself a false graft on the true stem of the family！if not； what
was the family worth？ He must at all events be sure it was his
business before he moved in the matter！
CHAPTER LXVI。
PROGRESS AND CHANGE。
Things went on very quietly for a time。 Arctura grew better； resumed
her studies； and made excellent progress。 She would have worked
harder； but Donal would not let her。 He hated forcingeven with the
good will of the plant itself。 He believed in a holy； unhasting
growth。 God's ways want God's time。
Long after； people would sometimes say to him
〃That is very well in the abstract； but in these days of hurry a
young fellow would that way be left ages behind！〃
〃With God；〃 would Donal say。
〃Tut； tut！ the thing would never work！〃
〃For your ends；〃 Donal would answer； 〃it certainly would never work；
but your ends are not those of the universe！〃
〃I do not pretend they are； but they are the success of the boy。〃
〃That is one of the ends of the universe； and your reward will be to
thwart it for a season。 I decline to make one in a conspiracy
against the design of our creator： I would fain die loyal！〃
He was of course laughed at； and not a little despised； as an
extravagant enthusiast。 But those who laughed found it hard to say
for what he was enthusiastic。 It seemed hardly for education； when
he would even do what he could sometimes to keep a pupil back！ He
did not care to make the best of any one！ The truth was； Donal's
best was so many miles a…head of theirs； that it was below their
horizon altogether。 If there be any relation between time and the
human mind； every forcing of human process； whether in spirit or
intellect； is hurtful； a retarding of God's plan。
Lady Arctura's old troubles were gradually fading into the limbo of
vanities。 At times； however； mostly when unwell； they would come in
upon her like a flood： what if； after all； God were the self…loving
being theology presenteda being from whom no loving human heart
could but recoil with a holy dislike！ what if it was because of a
nature specially evil that she could not accept the God in whom the
priests and elders of her people believed！ But again and again； in
the midst of profoundest wretchedness from such doubt； had a sudden
flush of the world's beautythat beauty which Jesus has told us to
consider and the modern pharisee to avoid； broken like gentlest
mightiest sunrise through the hellish fog； and she had felt a power
upon her as from the heart of a very Goda God such as she would
give her life to believe inone before whom she would cast herself
in speechless adorationnot of his greatnessof that she felt
little； but of his lovingkindness； the gentleness that was making
her great。 Then would she care utterly for God and his Christ；
nothing for what men said about them： the Lord never meant his lambs
to be under the tyranny of any； least of all the tyranny of his own
most imperfect church！ its work is to teach； where it cannot teach；
it must not rule！ Then would God appear to her not only true； but
realthe heart of the human； to which she could cling； and so rest。
The corruption of all religion comes of leaving the human； and God
as the causing Human； for something imagined holier。 Men who do not
see the loveliness of the Truth； search till they find a lie they
can call lovely。 What but a human reality could the heart of man
ever love！ what else are we offered in Jesus but the absolutely
human？ That Jesus has two natures is of the most mischievous
fictions of theology。 The divine and the human are not two。
Suddenly； after an absence of months； reappeared lord
Forguecheerful； manly； on the best terms with his father； and
plainly willing to be on still better terms with his cousin！ He had
left the place a mooning youth； he came back a man of the
worldeasy in carriage； courteous in manners； serene in temper；
abounding in what seemed the results of observation； attentive but
not too attentive； jolly with Davie； distant with Donal； polite to
all。 Donal could hardly receive the ev
