donal grant-第27部分

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verra　nicht　it　maun　be　dune！　　I　canna　bide　in　hell　ony　langer。　　The
thoucht　o'　the　rascal　slaverin'　his　lees　ower　my　Eppy　's　killin'　me！
My　brain　's　like　a　fire：　I　see　the　verra　billows　o'　the　ocean　as
reid　's　blude。〃

〃If　you　come　near　the　castle　to…night；　I　will　have　you　taken　up。　　I
am　too　much　your　friend　to　see　you　hanged！　　But　if　you　go　home　and
leave　the　matter　to　me；　I　will　do　my　best；　and　let　you　know。　　She
shall　be　saved　if　I　can　compass　it。　　What；　man！　you　would　not　have
God　against　you？〃

〃He'll　be　upo'　the　side　o'　the　richt；　I'm　thinkin'！〃

〃Doubtless；　but　he　has　said；　'Vengeance　is　mine！'　　He　can't　trust　us
with　that。　　He　won't　have　us　interfering。　　It's　more　his　concern
than　yours　yet　that　the　lassie　have　fair　play。　　I　will　do　my　part。〃

They　walked　on　in　gloomy　silence　for　some　time。　　Suddenly　the
fisherman　put　out　his　hand；　seized　Donal's　with　a　convulsive　grasp；
was　possibly　reassured　by　the　strength　with　which　Donal's　responded；
turned；　and　without　a　word　went　back。

Donal　had　to　think。　　Here　was　a　most　untoward　affair！　　What　could　he
do？　　What　ought　he　to　attempt？　　From　what　he　had　seen　of　the　young
lord；　he　could　not　believe　he　intended　wrong　to　the　girl；　but　he
might　he　selfishly　amusing　himself；　and　was　hardly　one　to　reflect
that　the　least　idle　familiarity　with　her　was　a　wrong！　　The　thing；　if
there　was　the　least　truth　in　it；　must　be　put　a　stop　to　at　once！　but
it　might　be　all　a　fancy　of　the　justly　jealous　lover；　to　whom　the
girl　had　not　of　late　been　behaving　as　she　ought！　　Or　might　there　not
be　somebody　else？　　At　the　same　time　there　was　nothing　absurd　in　the
idea　that　a　youth；　fresh　from　college　and　suddenly　discompanioned　at
home；　without　society；　possessed　by　no　love　of　literature；　and　with
almost　no　amusements；　should；　if　only　for　very　ennui；　be　attracted
by　the　pretty　face　and　figure　of　Eppy；　and　then　enthralled　by　her
coquetries　of　instinctive　response。　　There　was　danger　to　the　girl
both　in　silence　and　in　speech：　if　there　was　no　ground　for　the
apprehension；　the　very　supposition　was　an　injurymight　even　suggest
the　thing　it　was　intended　to　frustrate！　　Still　something　must　be
risked！　　He　had　just　been　reading　in　sir　Philip　Sidney；　that
〃whosoever　in　great　things　will　think　to　prevent　all　objections；
must　lie　still　and　do　nothing。〃　　But　what　was　he　to　do？　　The
readiest　and　simplest　thing　was　to　go　to　the　youth；　tell　him　what　he
had　heard；　and　ask　him　if　there　was　any　ground　for　it。　　But　they
must　find　the　girl　another　situation！　in　either　case　distance　must
be　put　between　them！　　He　would　tell　her　grandparents；　but　he　feared；
if　there　was　any　truth　in　it；　they　would　have　no　great　influence
with　her。　　If　on　the　other　hand；　the　thing　was　groundless；　they
might　make　it　up　between　her　and　her　fisherman；　and　have　them
married！　　She　might　only　have　been　teasing　him！He　would　certainly
speak　to　the　young　lord！　　Yet　again；　what　if　he　should　actually　put
the　mischief　into　his　thoughts！　　If　there　should　be　ever　so　slight　a
leaning　in　the　direction；　might　he　not　so　give　a　sudden　and　fatal
impulse？　　He　would　take　the　housekeeper　into　his　counsel！　　She　must
understand　the　girl！　　Things　would　at　once　show　themselves　to　her　on
the　one　side　or　the　other；　which　might　reveal　the　path　he　ought　to
take。　　But　did　he　know　mistress　Brookes　well　enough？　　Would　she　be
prudent；　or　spoil　everything　by　precipitation？　　She　might　ruin　the
girl　if　she　acted　without　sympathy；　caring　only　to　get　the
appearance　of　evil　out　of　the　house！

The　way　the　legally　righteous　act　the　policeman　in　the　moral　world
would　be　amusing　were　it　not　so　sad。　　They　are　always　making　the
evil　〃move　on；〃　driving　it　to　do　its　mischiefs　to　other　people
instead　of　them；　dispersing　nests　of　the　degraded　to　crowd　them　the
more；　and　with　worse　results；　in　other　parts：　why　should　such　be
shocked　at　the　idea　of　sending　out　of　the　world　those　to　whom　they
will　not　give　a　place　in　it　to　lay　their　heads？　　They　treat　them　in
this　world　as；　according　to　the　old　theology；　their　God　treats　them
in　the　next；　keeping　them　alive　for　sin　and　suffering。

Some　with　the　bright　lamp　of　their　intellect；　others　with　the　smoky
lamp　of　their　life；　cast　a　shadow　of　God　on　the　wall　of　the
universe；　and　then　believe　or　disbelieve　in　the　shadow。

Donal　was　still　in　meditation　when　he　reached　home；　and　still
undecided　what　he　should　do。　　Crossing　a　small　court　on　his　way　to
his　aerie；　he　saw　the　housekeeper　making　signs　to　him　from　the
window　of　her　room。　　He　turned　and　went　to　her。　　It　was　of　Eppy　she
wanted　to　speak　to　him！　　How　often　is　the　discovery　of　a　planet；　of
a　truth；　of　a　scientific　fact；　made　at　once　in　different　places　far
apart！　　She　asked　him　to　sit　down；　and　got　him　a　glass　of　milk；
which　was　his　favourite　refreshment；　little　imagining　the　expression
she　attributed　to　fatigue　arose　from　the　very　thing　occupying　her
own　thoughts。

〃It's　a　queer　thing；〃　she　began；　〃for　an　auld　wife　like　me　to　come
til　a　yoong　gentleman　like　yersel'；　sir；　wi'　sic　a　tale；　but；　as　the
sayin'　is；　'needs　maun　whan　the　deil　drives'；　an'　here's　like　to　be
an　unco　stramash　aboot　the　place；　gien　we　comena　thegither　upo'　some
gait　oot　o'　't。　　Dinna　luik　sae　scaret　like；　sir；　we　may　be　in　time
yet　er'　the　warst　come　to　the　warst；　though　it's　some　ill　to　say
what　may　be　the　warst　in　sic　an　ill　coopered　kin'　o'　affair！
There's　thae　twa　fules　o'　bairnstroth；　they're　nae　better；　an'
the　tane　's　jist　as　muckle　to　blame　as　the　titheronly　the　lass　is
waur　to　blame　nor　the　lad；　bein'　made　sharper；　an'　kennin'　better
nor　him　what　comes　o'　sic！Eh；　but　she　is　a　gowk！〃

Here　Mrs。　Brookes　paused；　lost　in　contemplation　of　the　gowkedness　of
Eppy。

She　was　a　florid；　plump；　good…looking　woman；　over　forty；　with　thick
auburn　hair；　brushed　smoothone　of　those　women　comely　in　soul　as
well　as　body；　who　are　always　to　the　discomfiture　of　wrong　and　the
healing　of　strife。　　Left　a　young　widow；　she　had　refused　many　offers：
once　was　all　that　was　required　of　her　in　the　way　of　marriage！　　She
had　found　her　husband　good　enough　not　to　be　followed　by　another；　and
marriage　hard　enough　to　favour　the　same　result。　　When　she　sat　down；
smoothing　her　apron　on　her　lap；　and　looking　him　in　the　face　with
clear　blue　eyes；　he　must　have　been　either　a　suspicious　or　an
unfortunate　man　who　would　not　trust　her。　　She　was　a　general　softener
of　shocks；　foiler　of　encounters；　and　soother　of　angers。　　She　was　not
one　of　those　housekeepers　always　in　black　silk　and　lace；　but　was
mostly　to　be　seen　in　a　cotton　gownvery　clean；　but　by　no　means
imposing。　　She　would　put　her　hands　to　anythingshow　a　young　servant
how　a　thing　ought　to　be　done；　or　relieve　cook　or　housemaid　who　was
ill　or　had　a　holiday。　　Donal　had　taken　to　her；　as　like　does　to　like。

He　did　not　hurry　her；　but　waited。

〃I　may　as　weel　gie　ye　the　haill　story；　sir！〃　she　recommenced。　〃Syne
ye'll　be　whaur　I　am　mysel'。

〃I　was　oot　i'　the　yard　to　luik　efter　my　hensI　never　lat　onybody
but　mysel'　meddle　wi'　them；　for　they're　jist　as　easy　sp'ilt　as　ither
fowk's　bairns；　an'　the　twa　doors　o'　the　barn　stan'in　open；　I　took
the　straucht　ro'd　throuw　the　same　to　win　the　easier　at　my　feathert
fowk；　as　my　auld　minnie　used　to　ca'　them。　　I'm　but　a　saft　kin'　o'　a
bein'；　as　my　faither　used　to　tell　me；　an'　mak　but　little　din　whaur　I
gang；　sae　they　couldna　hae　h'ard　my　fut　as　I　gaed；　but　what　sud　I
hearbut　I　maun　tell　ye　it　was　i'　the　gloamin'　last　nicht；　an'　I
wad　hae　tellt　ye　the　same　this　mornin'；　sir；　seekin'　yer　fair
coonsel；　but　ye　was　awa'　'afore　I　kenned；　an'　I　was　resolvt　no　to
lat　anither　gloamin'　come　ohn　ta'en　precautionswhat　sud　I　hear；　I
say；　as　I　was　sayin'；　but　a　laich　tshetshetshe；　somewhaur；　I
couldna　tell　whaur；　as　gien　some　had　mair　to　say　nor　wud　be　spoken
oot！　　Weel；　ye　see；　bein'　ane　accoontable　tae　ithers　for　them　'at's
accoontable　to　me；　I　stude　still　an'　hearkent：　gien　a'　was　richt；
nane　wad　be　the　waur　for　me；　an'　gien　a'　wasna　richt；　a'　sud　be
wrang　gien　I　could　make　it　sae！　　Weel；　as　I　say；　I　hearkentbut　eh；
sir！　jist　gie　a　keek　oot　at　that　door；　an'　see　gein　there　bena
somebody　there　hearkin'；　for　that　EppyI　wudna　lippen　til　her　ae
hair！　she's　as　sly　as　an　edder！　　Naebody　there？　　Weel；　steek　ye　the
door；　sir；　an'　I　s'　gang　on　wi'　my　tale。　　I　stude　an'　hearkent；　as　I
was　sayin'；　an'　what　sud　I　hear　but　a　twasome　toot…moot；　as　my　auld
auntie　frae　Ebberdeen　wud　hae　ca'd　itae　v'ice　that　o'　a　man；　an'
the　ither　that　o'　a　wuman；　for　it's　strange　the　differ　even　whan
baith　speyks　their　laichest！　　I　was　aye　gleg　i'　the　hearin'；　an'　hae
reason　for　the　same　to　be　thankfu；'　but　I　couldna；　for　a'　my
sharpness；　mak　oot　what　they　war　sayin'。　　So；　whan　I　saw　'at　I　wasna
to　hear；　I　jist　set　aboot　seein'；　an'　as　quaietly　as　my　saft
fitit's　safter　nor　it's　lichtwud　carry　me；　I　gaed　aboot　the
barnflure；　luikin'　whaur　onybody　could　be　hidden　awa'。

〃There　was　a　great　heap　o'　strae　in　ae　corner；　no　hard　again'　the
wa'；　an'　'atween　the　wa'　an'　that　heap　o'　thrashen　strae；　sat　the
twa。　　Up　gat　my　lord　wi'　a　spang；　as　gien　he　had　been　ta'en
stealin'。　　Eppy　wud　hae　bidden；　an'　creepit　oot　like　a　moose　ahint
my　back；　but　I　was　ower　sharp　for　her：　'Come　oot　o'　that；　my　lass；'
says　I。　'Oh；　mistress　Brookes！'　says　my　lord；　unco　ceevil；　'for　my
sake　don't　be　hard　upon　her。'　　Noo　that　angert　me！　　For　though　I　say
the　lass　is　mair　to　blame　nor　the　lad；　it's　no　for　the　lad；　be　he
lord　or　labourer；　to　lea'　himsel'　oot　whan　the　blame　comes。　　An'
says　I；　'My　lord；'　says　I；　'ye　oucht　to　ken　better！　　I　s'　say　nae
mair　i'　the　noo；　for　I'm　ower　angry。　　Gang　yer　waysbut　na！　no
thegither；　my　lord！　　I　s'　luik　weel　to　that！Gang　up　til　yer　ain
room；　Eppy！'　　I　said；　'an'　gien　I　dinna　see　ye　there　whan　I　come　in；
it's　awa'　to　your　grannie　I　gang　this　varra　nicht！'

〃Eppy　she　gaed；　an'　my　lord　he　stude　there；　wi'　a　face　'at　glowert
white　throuw　the　gloamin'。　　I　turned　upon　him　like　a　wild　beast；　an'
says　I；　'I　winna　speir　what　ye　're　up　til；　my　lord；　but　ye　ken　weel
eneuch　what　it　luiks　like！　an'　I　wud　never　hae　expeckit　it　o'　ye！'
He　began　an'　he　stammert；　an'　he　beggit　me　to　believe　there　was
naething　'atween　them；　an'　he　wudna　harm　the　lassie　to　save　his
life；　an'　a'　the　lave　o'　't；　'at　I　couldna