donal grant-第96节

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moment　he　left　the　body。　She　looked　sweetly　at　him！　She　was　come　to
forgive　his　sins！　Was　it　then　true？　Was　there　no　sin　of　murder　on
his　soul？　Was　she　there　to　assure　him　that　he　might　yet　hope　for　the
world　to　come？　He　stretched　out　his　arms　to　her。　She　turned　away。　He
thought　she　had　vanished。　The　next　moment　she　was　in　the　chapel；　but
he　did　not　hear　her；　and　stood　gazing　up。　She　threw　her　arms　around
him。　The　contact　of　the　material　startled　him　with　such　a　revulsion；
that　he　uttered　a　cry；　staggered　back；　and　stood　looking　at　her　in
worse　perplexity　still。　He　had　done　the　awful　thing；　yet　had　not
done　it！　He　stood　as　one　bound　to　know　the　thing　that　could　not　be。

〃Don't　be　frightened；　uncle；〃　said　Arctura。　〃I　am　not　dead。　The
sepulchre　is　the　only　resurrection…house！　Uncle；　uncle！　thank　God
with　me。〃

The　earl　stood　motionless。　Strange　thoughts　passed　through　him　at
their　will。　Had　her　presence　dispelled　darkness　and　death；　and
restored　the　lost　chapel　to　the　light　of　day？　Had　she　haunted　it
ever　since；　dead　yet　alive；　watching　for　his　return　to　pardon　him？
Would　his　wife　so　receive　him　at　the　last　with　forgiveness　and
endearment？　His　eyes　were　fixed　upon　her。　His　lips　moved　tremulously
once　or　twice；　but　no　word　came。　He　turned　from　her；　glanced　round
the　place；　and　said；

〃It　is　a　great　improvement！〃

I　wonder　how　it　would　be　with　souls　if　they　waked　up　and　found　all
their　sins　but　hideous　dreams！　How　many　would　loathe　the　sin？　How
many　would　remain　capable　of　doing　all　again？　But　few；　perhaps　no
burdened　souls　can　have　any　idea　of　the　power　that　lies　in　God's
forgiveness　to　relieve　their　consciousness　of　defilement。　Those　who
say；　〃Even　God　cannot　destroy　the　fact！〃　care　more　about　their　own
cursed　shame　than　their　Father's　blessed　truth！　Such　will　rather
excuse　than　confess。　When　a　man　heartily　confesses；　leaving　excuse
to　God；　the　truth　makes　him　free；　he　knows　that　the　evil　has　gone
from　him；　as　a　man　knows　that　he　is　cured　of　his　plague。

〃I　did　the　thing；〃　he　says；　〃but　I　could　not　do　it　now。　I　am　the
same；　yet　not　the　same。　I　confess；　I　would　not　hide　it；　but　I　loathe
itten　times　the　more　that　the　evil　thing　was　mine。〃

Had　the　earl　been　able　to　say　thus；　he　would　have　felt　his　soul　a
cleansed　chapel；　new…opened　to　the　light　and　air；nay；　bettera
fresh…watered　garden；　in　which　the　fruits　of　the　spirit　had　begun　to
grow！　God's　forgiveness　is　as　the　burst　of　a　spring　morning　into　the
heart　of　winter。　His　autumn　is　the　paying　of　the　uttermost　farthing。
To　let　us　go　without　that　would　be　the　pardon　of　a　demon；　not　the
forgiveness　of　the　eternally　loving　God。　ButNot　yet；　alas；　not
yet！　has　to　be　said　over　so　many　souls！

Arctura　was　struck　dumb。　She　turned　and　walked　out　upon　the　great
stair；　her　uncle　following　her。　All　the　way　up　to　the　second　floor
she　felt　as　if　he　were　about　to　stab　her　in　the　back；　but　she　would
not　look　behind　her。　She　went　straight　to　her　room；　and　heard　her
uncle　go　on　to　his。　She　rang　her　bell；　sent　for　Donal；　and　told　him
what　had　passed。

〃I　will　go　to　him；〃　said　Donal。

Arctura　said　nothing　more；　thus　leaving　the　matter　entirely　in　his
hands。

Donal　found　him　lying　on　the　couch。

〃My　lord；〃　he　said；　〃you　must　be　aware　of　the　reasons　why　you　should
not　present　yourself　here！〃

The　earl　started　up　in　one　of　his　ready　rages：they　were　real
enough！　With　epithets　of　contemptuous　hatred；　he　ordered　Donal　from
the　room　and　the　house。　Donal　answered　nothing　till　the　rush　of　his
wrath　had　abated。

〃My　lord；〃　he　said；　〃there　is　nothing　I　would　not　do　to　serve　your
lordship。　But　I　have　no　choice　but　tell　you　that　if　you　do　not　walk
out；　you　shall　be　expelled！〃

〃Expelled；　you　dog！〃

〃Expelled；　my　lord。　The　would…be　murderer　of　his　hostess　must　at
least　be　put　out　of　the　house。〃

〃Good　heavens！〃　cried　the　earl；　changing　his　tone　with　an　attempted
laugh；　〃has　the　poor；　hysterical　girl　succeeded　in　persuading　a　man
of　your　sense　to　believe　her　childish　fancies？〃

〃I　believe　every　word　my　lady　says；　my　lord。　I　know　that　you　had
nearly　murdered　her。〃

The　earl　caught　up　the　poker　and　struck　at　his　head。　Donal　avoided
the　blow。　It　fell　on　the　marble　chimney…piece。　While　his　arm　was　yet
jarred　by　the　impact；　Donal　wrenched　the　poker　from　him。

〃My　lord；〃　he　said；　〃with　my　own　hands　I　drew　the　staple　of　the
chain　that　fastened　her　to　the　bed　on　which　you　left　her　to　die！　You
were　yet　in　the　house　when　I　did　so。〃

〃You　damned　rascal；　you　stole　the　key。　If　it　had　not　been　for　that　I
should　have　gone　to　her　again。　I　only　wanted　to　bring　her　to
reason！〃

〃But　as　you　had　lost　the　key；　rather　than　expose　your　cruelty；　you
went　away；　and　left　her　to　perish！　You　wanted　her　to　die　unless　you
could　compel　her　to　marry　your　son；　that　the　title　and　property
might　go　together；　and　that　when　with　my　own　ears　I　heard　your
lordship　tell　that　son　that　he　had　no　right　to　any　title！〃

〃What　a　man　may　say　in　a　rage　goes　for　nothing；〃　answered　the　earl；
sulkily　rather　than　fiercely。

〃But　not　what　a　woman　writes　in　sorrow！〃　rejoined　Donal。　〃I　know　the
truth　from　the　testimony　of　her　you　called　your　wife；　as　well　as
from　your　own　mouth！〃

〃The　testimony　of　the　dead；　and　at　second　hand；　will　hardly　be
received　in　court！〃　returned　the　earl。

〃If　after　your　lordship's　death；　the　man　now　called　lord　Forgue
dares　assume　the　title　of　Morven；　I　will　publish　what　I　know。　In
view　of　that；　your　lordship　had　better　furnish　him　with　the　vouchers
of　his　mother's　marriage。　My　lord；　I　again　beg　you　to　leave　the
house。〃

The　earl　cast　his　eyes　round　the　walls　as　if　looking　for　a　weapon。
Donal　took　him　by　the　arm。

〃There　is　no　farther　room　for　ceremony；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　sorry　to　be
rough　with　your　lordship；　but　you　compel　me。　Please　remember　I　am
the　younger　and　the　stronger　man。〃

As　he　spoke　he　let　the　earl　feel　the　ploughman's　grasp：　it　was
useless　to　struggle。　His　lordship　threw　himself　on　the　couch。

〃I　will　not　leave　the　house。　I　am　come　home　to　die；〃　he　yelled。　〃I'm
dying　now；　I　tell　you。　I　cannot　leave　the　house！　I　have　no　money。
Forgue　has　taken　all。〃

〃You　owe　a　large　sum　to　the　estate！〃　said　Donal。

〃It　is　lostall　lost；　I　tell　you！　I　have　nowhere　to　go　to！　I　am
dying！〃

He　looked　so　utterly　wretched　that　Donal's　heart　smote　him。　He　stood
back　a　little；　and　gave　himself　time。

〃You　would　wish　then　to　retire；　my　lord；　I　presume？〃　he　said。

〃Immediatelyto　be　rid　of　you！〃　the　earl　answered。

〃I　fear；　my　lord；　if　you　stay；　you　will　not　soon　be　rid　of　me！　Have
you　brought　Simmons　with　you？〃

〃No；　damn　him！　he　is　like　all　the　rest　of　you：　he　has　left　me！〃

〃I　will　help　you　to　bed；　my　lord。〃

〃Go　about　your　business。　I　will　get　myself　to　bed。〃

〃I　will　not　leave　you　except　in　bed；〃　rejoined　Donal　with　decision；
and　ringing　the　bell；　he　desired　the　servant　to　ask　mistress　Brookes
to　come　to　him。

She　came　instantly。　Before　the　earl　had　time　even　to　look　at　her；
Donal　asked　her　to　get　his　lordship's　bed　ready：if　she　would　not
mind　doing　it　herself；　he　said；　he　would　help　her：　he　must　see　his
lordship　to　bed。

She　looked　a　whole　book　at　him；　but　said　nothing。　Donal　returned　her
gaze　with　one　of　quiet　confidence；　and　she　understood　it。　What　it
said　was；　〃I　know　what　I　am　doing；　mistress　Brookes。　My　lady　must
not　turn　him　out。　I　will　take　care　of　him。〃

〃What　are　you　two　whispering　at　there？〃　cried　the　earl。　〃Here　am　I
at　the　point　of　death；　and　you　will　not　even　let　me　go　to　bed！〃

〃Your　room　will　be　ready　in　a　few　minutes；　my　lord；〃　said　Mrs。
Brookes；　and　she　and　Donal　went　to　work　in　earnest；　but　with　the
door　open　between　the　rooms。

When　it　was　ready；

〃Now；　my　lord；〃　said　Donal；　〃will　you　come？〃

〃When　you　are　gone。　I　will　have　none　of　your　cursed　help！〃

〃My　lord；　I　am　not　going　to　leave　you。〃

With　much　grumbling；　and　a　very　ill　grace；　his　lordship　submitted；
and　Donal　got　him　to　bed。

〃Now　put　that　cabinet　by　me　on　the　table；〃　he　said。

The　cabinet　was　that　in　which　he　kept　his　drugs；　and　had　not　been
touched　since　he　left　it。

Donal　opened　the　window；　took　up　the　cabinet；　and　threw　it　out。

With　a　bellow　like　that　of　a　bull；　the　earl　sprang　out　of　bed；　and
just　as　the　crash　came　from　below；　ran　at　Donal　where　he　stood
shutting　the　window；　as　if　he　would　have　sent　him　after　the　cabinet。
Donal　caught　him　and　held　him　fast。

〃My　lord；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　nurse　you；　serve　you；　do　anything；
everything　for　you；　but　for　the　devil　I'll　be　damned　if　I　move　hand
or　foot！　Not　one　drop　of　hellish　stuff　shall　pass　your　lips　while　I
am　with　you！〃

〃But　I　am　dying！　I　shall　die　of　the　horrors！〃　shrieked　the　earl；
struggling　to　get　to　the　window；　as　if　he　might　yet　do　something　to
save　his　precious　extracts；　tinctures；　essences；　and　compounds。

〃We　will　send　for　the　doctor；〃　said　Donal。　〃A　very　clever　young
fellow　has　come　to　the　town　since　you　left：　perhaps　he　can　help　you。
I　will　do　what　I　can　to　make　you　give　your　life　fair　play。〃

〃Come；　come！　none　of　that　damned　rubbish！　My　life　is　of　no　end　of
value　to　me！　Besides；　it's　too　late。　If　I　were　young　now；　with　a
constitution　like　yours；　and　the　world　before　me；　there　might　be
some　good　in　a　paring　or　two