donal grant-第17部分

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walked　in　it。　　On　the　side　of　the　hill　away　from　the　town；　was　a
large　park　reaching　down　to　the　river；　and　stretching　a　long　way　up
its　bankwith　fine　trees；　and　glorious　outlooks　to　the　sea　in　one
direction；　and　to　the　mountains　in　the　other。　　Here　Donal　would
often　wander；　now　with　a　book；　now　with　Davie。　　The　boy's　presence
was　rarely　an　interruption　to　his　thoughts　when　he　wanted　to　think。
Sometimes　he　would　thrown　himself　on　the　grass　and　read　aloud；　then
Davie　would　throw　himself　beside　him；　and　let　the　words　he　could　not
understand　flow　over　him　in　a　spiritual　cataract。　　On　the　river　was
a　boat；　and　though　at　first　he　was　awkward　enough　in　the　use　of　the
oars；　he　was　soon　able　to　enjoy　thoroughly　a　row　up　or　down　the
stream；　especially　in　the　twilight。

He　was　alone　with　his　book　under　a　beech…tree　on　a　steep　slope　to
the　river；　the　day　after　his　affair　with　lord　Forgue：　reading　aloud；
he　did　not　hear　the　approach　of　his　lordship。

〃Mr。　Grant；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　will　say　you　are　sorry　you　threw　me
from　my　horse；　I　will　say　I　am　sorry　I　struck　you。〃

〃I　am　very　sorry；〃　said　Donal；　rising；　〃that　it　was　necessary　to
throw　you　from　your　horse；　and　perhaps　your　lordship　may　remember
that　you　struck　me　before　I　did　so。〃

〃That　has　nothing　to　do　with　it。　　I　propose　an　accommodation；　or
compromise；　or　what　you　choose　to　call　it：　if　you　will　do　the　one；　I
will　do　the　other。〃

〃What　I　think　I　ought　to　do；　my　lord；　I　do　without　bargaining。　　I　am
not　sorry　I　threw　you　from　your　horse；　and　to　say　so　would　be　to
lie。〃

〃Of　course　everybody　thinks　himself　in　the　right！〃　said　his　lordship
with　a　small　sneer。

〃It　does　not　follow　that　no　one　is　ever　in　the　right！〃　returned
Donal。　〃Does　your　lordship　think　you　were　in　the　righteither
towards　me　or　the　poor　animal　who　could　not　obey　you　because　he　was
in　torture？〃

〃I　don't　say　I　do。〃

〃Then　everybody　does　not　think　himself　in　the　right！　　I　take　your
lordship's　admission　as　an　apology。〃

〃By　no　means：　when　I　make　an　apology；　I　will　do　it；　I　will　not　sneak
out　of　it。〃

He　was　evidently　at　strife　with　himself：　he　knew　he　was　wrong；　but
could　not　yet　bring　himself　to　say　so。　　It　is　one　of　the　poorest　of
human　weaknesses　that　a　man　should　be　ashamed　of　saying　he　has　done
wrong；　instead　of　so　ashamed　of　having　done　wrong　that　he　cannot
rest　till　he　has　said　so；　for　the　shame　cleaves　fast　until　the
confession　removes　it。

Forgue　walked　away　a　step　or　two；　and　stood　with　his　back　to　Donal；
poking　the　point　of　his　stick　into　the　grass。　　All　at　once　he　turned
and　said：

〃I　will　apologize　if　you　will　tell　me　one　thing。〃

〃I　will　tell　you　whether　you　apologize　or　not；〃　said　Donal。　〃I　have
never　asked　you　to　apologize。〃

〃Tell　me　then　why　you　did　not　return　either　of　my　blows　yesterday。〃

〃I　should　like　to　know　why　you　askbut　I　will　answer　you：　simply
because　to　do　so　would　have　been　to　disobey　my　master。〃

〃That's　a　sort　of　thing　I　don't　understand。　　But　I　only　wanted　to
know　it　was　not　cowardice；　I　could　not　make　an　apology　to　a　coward。〃

〃If　I　were　a　coward；　you　would　owe　me　an　apology　all　the　same；　and
he　is　a　poor　creature　who　will　not　pay　his　debts。　　But　I　hope　it　is
not　necessary　I　should　either　thrash　or　insult　your　lordship　to
convince　you　I　fear　you　no　more　than　that　blackbird　there！〃

Forgue　gave　a　little　laugh。　　A　moment's　pause　followed。　　Then　he
held　out　his　hand；　but　in　a　half…hesitating；　almost　sheepish　way：

〃Well；　well！　shake　hands；〃　he　said。

〃No；　my　lord；〃　returned　Donal。　〃I　bear　your　lordship　not　the
slightest　ill…will；　but　I　will　shake　hands　with　no　one　in　a
half…hearted　way；　and　no　other　way　is　possible　while　you　are
uncertain　whether　I　am　a　coward　or　not。〃

So　saying；　he　threw　himself　again　upon　the　grass；　and　lord　Forgue
walked　away；　offended　afresh。

The　next　morning　he　came　into　the　school…room　where　Donal　sat　at
lessons　with　Davie。　　He　had　a　book　in　his　hand。

〃Mr。　Grant；〃　he　said；　〃will　you　help　me　with　this　passage　in
Xenophon？〃

〃With　all　my　heart；〃　answered　Donal；　and　in　a　few　moments　had　him
out　of　his　difficulty。

But　instead　of　going；　his　lordship　sat　down　a　little　way　off；　and
went　on　with　his　readingsat　until　master　and　pupil　went　out；　and
left　him　sitting　there。　　The　next　morning　he　came　with　a　fresh
request；　and　Donal　found　occasion　to　approve　warmly　of　a　translation
he　proposed。　　From　that　time　he　came　almost　every　morning。　　He　was
no　great　scholar；　but　with　the　prospect　of　an　English　university
before　him；　thought　it　better　to　read　a　little。

The　housekeeper　at　the　castle　was　a　good　woman；　and　very　kind　to
Donal；　feeling　perhaps　that　he　fell　to　her　care　the　more　that　he　was
by　birth　of　her　own　class；　for　it　was　said　in　the　castle；　〃the　tutor
makes　no　pretence　to　being　a　gentleman。〃　　Whether　he　was　the　more　or
the　less　of　one　on　that　account；　I　leave　my　reader　to　judge
according　to　his　capability。　　Sometimes　when　his　dinner　was　served；
mistress　Brookes　would　herself　appear；　to　ensure　proper　attention　to
him；　and　would　sit　down　and　talk　to　him　while　he　ate；　ready　to　rise
and　serve　him　if　necessary。　　Their　early　days　had　had　something　in
common；　though　she　came　from　the　southern　highlands　of　green　hills
and　more　sheep。　　She　gave　him　some　rather　needful　information　about
the　family；　and　he　soon　perceived　that　there　would　have　been　less
peace　in　the　house　but　for　her　good　temper　and　good　sense。

Lady　Arctura　was　the　daughter　of　the　last　lord　Morven；　and　left　sole
heir　to　the　property；　Forgue　and　his　brother　Davie　were　the　sons　of
the　present　earl。　　The　present　lord　was　the　brother　of　the　last；　and
had　lived　with　him　for　some　years　before　he　succeeded。　　He　was　a　man
of　peculiar　and　studious　habits；　nobody　ever　seemed　to　take　to　him；
and　since　his　wife's　death；　his　health　had　been　precarious。　　Though
a　strange　man；　he　was　a　just　if　not　generous　master。　　His　brother
had　left　him　guardian　to　lady　Arctura；　and　he　had　lived　in　the
castle　as　before。　　His　wife　was　a　very　lovely；　but　delicate　woman；
and　latterly　all　but　confined　to　her　room。　　Since　her　death　a　great
change　had　passed　upon　her　husband。　　Certainly　his　behaviour　was
sometimes　hard　to　understand。

〃He　never　gangs　to　the　kirkno　ance　in　a　twalmonth！〃　said　Mrs。
Brookes。　〃Fowk　sud　be　dacent；　an'　wha　ever　h'ard　o'　dacent　fowk　'at
didna　gang　to　the　kirk　ance　o'　the　Sabbath！　　I　dinna　haud　wi'　gaein'
twise　mysel'：　ye　hae　na　time　to　read　yer　ain　chapters　gien　ye　do
that。　　But　the　man's　a　weel　behavet　man；　sae　far　as　ye　see；　naither
sayin'　nor　doin'　the　thing　he　shouldna：　what　he　may　think；　wha's　to
say！　the　mair　ten'er　conscience　coonts　itsel'　the　waur　sinner；　an'
I'm　no　gaein'　to　think　what　I　canna　ken！　　There's　some　'at　says　he
led　a　gey　lowse　kin'　o'　a　life　afore　he　cam　to　bide　wi'　the　auld
yerl；　he　was　wi'　the　airmy　i'　furreign　pairts；　they　say；　but　aboot
that　I　ken　naething。　　The　auld　yerl　was　something　o'　a　sanct
himsel'；　rist　the　banes　o'　'im！　　We're　no　the　jeedges　o'　the　leevin'
ony　mair　nor　o'　the　deid！　　But　I　maun　awa'　to　luik　efter　things；　a
minute's　an　hoor　lost　wi'　thae　fule　lasses。　　Ye're　a　freen'　o'
An'rew　Comin's；　they　tell　me；　sir：　I　dinna　ken　what　to　do　wi'　's
lass；　she's　that　upsettin'！　　Ye　wad　think　she　was　ane　o'　the　faimily
whiles；　an'　ither　whiles　she　's　that　silly！〃

〃I'm　sorry　to　hear　it！〃　said　Donal。　〃Her　grandfather　and　grandmother
are　the　best　of　good　people。〃

〃I　daursay！　　But　there's　jist　what　I　hae　seen：　them　'at　's　broucht
up　their　ain　weel　eneuch；　their　son's　bairn　they'll　jist　lat　gang。
Aither　they're　tired　o'　the　thing；　or　they　think　they're　safe。
They　hae　lippent　til　yoong　Eppy　a　heap　ower　muckle。　　But　I'm
naither　a　prophet　nor　the　son　o'　a　prophet；　as　the　minister　said
last　Sundayan'　said　well；　honest　man！　for　it's　the　plain　trowth：
he's　no　ane　o'　the　major　nor　yet　the　minor　anes！　　But　haud　him　oot
o'　the　pu'pit　an'　he　dis　no　that　ill。　　His　dochter　's　no　an　ill　lass
aither；　an'　a　great　freen'　o'　my　leddy's。　　But　I'm　clean　ashamed　o'
mysel'　to　gang　on　this　gait。　　Hae　ye　dune　wi'　yer　denner；　Mr。
Grant？Weel；　I'll　jist　sen'　to　clear　awa'；　an'　lat　ye　til　yer
lessons。〃




CHAPTER　XVII。

LADY　ARCTURA。

It　was　now　almost　three　weeks　since　Donal　had　become　an　inmate　of
the　castle；　and　he　had　scarcely　set　his　eyes　on　the　lady　of　the
house。　　Once　he　had　seen　her　back；　and　more　than　once　had　caught　a
glimpse　of　her　profile；　but　he　had　never　really　seen　her　face；　and
they　had　never　spoken　to　each　other。

One　afternoon　he　was　sauntering　along　under　the　overhanging　boughs
of　an　avenue　of　beeches；　formerly　the　approach　to　a　house　in　which
the　family　had　once　lived；　but　which　had　now　another　entrance。　　He
had　in　his　hand　a　copy　of　the　Apocrypha；　which　he　had　never　seen
till　he　found　this　in　the　library。　　In　his　usual　fashion　he　had
begun　to　read　it　through；　and　was　now　in　the　book　called　the　Wisdom
of　Solomon；　at　the　17th　chapter；　narrating　the　discomfiture　of
certain　magicians。　　Taken　with　the　beauty　of　the　passage；　he　sat
down　on　an　old　stone…roller；　and　read　aloud。　　Parts　of　the　passage
were　thesethey　will　enrich　my　page：

〃For　they；　that　promised　to　drive　away　terrors　and　troubles　from　a
sick　soul；　were　sick　themselves　of　fear；　worthy　to　be　laughed　at。

〃。。。For　wickedness；　condemned　by　her　own　witness；　is　very　timorous；
and　being　pressed　with　conscience；　always　forecasteth　grievous
things。

〃。。。But　they　sleeping　the　same　sleep　that　night；　which　was　indeed
intolerable；　and　which　came　upon　them　out　of　the　bottoms　of
inevitable　hell；

〃Were　partly　vexed　with　monstrous　apparitions；　and　partly　fainted；
their　heart　failing　them：　for　a　sudden　fear；　and　not　looked　for；
came　upon　them。

〃So　then　whosoever　there　fell　down　was　straitly　kept；　shut　up　in　a
prison　without　iron　bars。

〃For　whether　he　were　husbandman；　or　shepherd；　or　a　labourer　in　the
field；　he　was　overtaken；　and　endured　that　necessity；　which　could　not
be　avoided：　for　they　were　all　bound　with　one　chain　of　darkness。

〃Whether　it　were　a　whistling　wind；　or　a　melodious　noise　of　birds
among　the　spreading　branches；　or　a　pleasing　fall　of　water　running
violently；

〃Or　a　terrible　sound　of　stones　cast　down；　or　a　running　that　could
not　be　seen　of　skipping　b