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to　Mr。　Graeme！　She　would　take　the　thing　into　her　own　hands！　In　the
meantime；　Mr。　Grant　should；　if　he　pleased；　go　on　quietly　with　his
examination　of　the　house。

But　she　could　not　get　her　interview　with　her　uncle　out　of　her　head；
and　was　haunted　with　vague　suspicions　of　some　dreadful　secret　about
the　house　belonging　to　the　present　as　well　as　the　past。　Her　uncle
seemed　to　have　receded　to　a　distance　incalculable；　and　to　have　grown
awful　as　he　receded。　She　was　of　a　nature　almost　too　delicately
impressionable；　she　not　only　felt　things　keenly；　but　retained　the
sting　of　them　after　the　things　were　nearly　forgotten。　But　then　the
swift　and　rare　response　of　her　faculties　arose　in　no　small　measure
from　this　impressionableness。　At　the　same　time；　but　for　instincts
and　impulses　derived　from　her　race；　her　sensitiveness　might　have
degenerated　into　weakness。




CHAPTER　LI。

A　DREAM。

One　evening；　as　Donal　was　walking　in　the　little　avenue　below　the
terraces；　Davie；　who　was　now　advanced　to　doing　a　little　work　without
his　master's　immediate　supervision；　came　running　to　him　to　say　that
Arkie　was　in　the　schoolroom　and　wanted　to　see　him。

He　hastened　to　her。

〃A　word　with　you；　please；　Mr。　Grant；〃　she　said。

Donal　sent　the　boy　away。

〃I　have　debated　with　myself　all　day　whether　I　should　tell　you；〃　she
beganand　her　voice　trembled　not　a　little；　〃but　I　think　I　shall　not
be　so　much　afraid　to　go　to　bed　if　I　do　tell　you　what　I　dreamt　last
night。〃

Her　face　was　very　pale；　and　there　was　a　quiver　about　her　mouth：　she
seemed　ready　to　burst　into　tears。

〃Do　tell　me；〃　said　Donal　sympathetically。

〃Do　you　think　it　very　silly　to　mind　one's　dreams？〃　she　asked。

〃Silly　or　not；〃　answered　Donal；　〃as　regards　the　general　run　of
dreams；　it　is　plain　you　have　had　one　that　must　be　minded。　What　we
must　mind；　it　cannot　be　silly　to　mind。〃

〃I　am　in　no　mood；　I　fear；　for　philosophy；〃　she　rejoined；　trying　to
smile。　〃It　has　taken　such　a　hold　of　me　that　I　cannot　get　rid　of　it；
and　there　is　no　one　I　could　tell　it　to　but　you；　any　one　else　would
laugh　at　me；　but　you　never　laugh　at　anybody！

〃I　went　to　bed　as　well　as　usual；　only　a　little　troubled　about　my
uncle's　strangeness；　and　soon　fell　asleep；　to　find　myself　presently
in　a　most　miserable　place。　It　was　like　a　brick…fieldbut　a　deserted
brick…field。　Heaps　of　broken　and　half…burnt　bricks　were　all　about。
For　miles　and　miles　they　stretched　around　me。　I　walked　fast　to　get
out　of　it。　Nobody　was　near　or　in　sight；　there　was　not　a　sign　of
human　habitation　from　horizon　to　horizon。

〃All　at　once　I　saw　before　me　a　dreary　church。　It　was　old；
tumble…down；　and　dirtynot　in　the　least　venerablevery　uglya
huge　building　without　shape；　like　most　of　our　churches。　I　shrank
from　the　look　of　it：　it　was　more　horrible　to　me　than　I　could　account
for；　I　feared　it。　But　I　must　go　inwhy；　I　did　not　know；　but　I　must：
the　dream　itself　compelled　me。

〃I　went　in。　It　looked　as　if　nobody　had　crossed　its　threshold　for　a
hundred　years。　The　pews　were　mouldering　away；　the　canopy　over　the
pulpit　had　half　fallen；　and　rested　its　edge　on　the　book…board；　the
great　galleries　had　in　parts　tumbled　into　the　body　of　the　church；　in
other　parts　they　hung　sloping　from　the　walls。　The　centre　of　the
floor　had　fallen　in；　and　there　was　a　great；　descending　slope　of
earth；　soft…looking；　mixed　with　bits　of　broken　and　decayed　wood；
from　the　pews　above　and　the　coffins　below。　I　stood　gazing　down　in
horror　unutterable。　How　far　the　gulf　went　I　could　not　see。　I　was
fascinated　by　its　slow　depth；　and　the　thought　of　its　possible
contentswhen　suddenly　I　knew　rather　than　perceived　that　something
was　moving　in　its　darkness：　it　was　something　deadsomething
yellow…white。　It　came　nearer；　it　was　slowly　climbing；　like　one　dead
and　stiff　it　was　labouring　up　the　slope。　I　could　neither　cry　out　nor
move。　It　was　about　three　yards　below　me；　when　it　raised　its　head：　it
was　my　uncle；　dead；　and　dressed　for　the　grave。　He　beckoned　meand　I
knew　I　must　go；　I　had　to　go；　nor　once　thought　of　resisting。　My　heart
became　like　lead；　but　immediately　I　began　the　descent。　My　feet　sank
in　the　mould　of　the　ancient　dead；　soft　as　if　thousands　of　graveyard
moles　were　for　ever　burrowing　in　it；　as　down　and　down　I　went；
settling　and　sliding　with　the　black　plane。　Then　I　began　to　see　the
sides　and　ends　of　coffins　in　the　walls　of　the　gulf；　and　the　walls
came　closer　and　closer　as　I　descended；　until　they　scarcely　left　me
room　to　get　through。　I　comforted　myself　with　the　thought　that　those
in　these　coffins　had　long　been　dead；　and　must　by　this　time　be　at
rest；　nor　was　there　any　danger　of　seeing　mouldy　hands　come　out　to
seize　me。　At　last　I　saw　that　my　uncle　had　stopped；　and　I　stood
still；　a　few　yards　above　him；　more　composed　than　I　can　understand。〃

〃The　wonder　is　we　are　so　believing；　yet　not　more　terrified；　in　our
dreams；〃　said　Donal。

〃He　began　to　heave　and　pull　at　a　coffin　that　seemed　to　stop　the　way。
Just　as　he　got　it　dragged　on　one　side；　I　saw　on　the　bright　silver
handle　of　it　the　Morven　crest。　The　same　instant　the　lid　rose；　and　my
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　retur