donal grant-第71部分

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going　home　to　a　long　line　of　living　ancestors；　to　develop　closest
relations　with　them。　She　would　yet　talk；　live　face　to　face；　with
those　whose　dust　she　was　now　lifting　in　her　two　hands　to　restore　it
to　its　dust。　Then　they　carried　the　sheet　to　the　altar；　and　thence
swept　into　it　every　little　particle；　back　to　its　mother　dust。　That
done；　Donal　knotted　the　sheet　together；　and　they　began　to　look
around　them。

Desirous　of　discovering　where　the　main　entrance　to　the　chapel　had
been；　Donal　spied　under　the　windows　a　second　door；　and　opened　it
with　difficulty。　It　disclosed　a　passage　below　the　stair；　three　steps
lower　than　the　floor　of　the　chapel；　parallel　with　the　wall；　and
turning；　at　right　angles　under　the　gallery。　Here　he　saw　signs　of　an
obliterated　door　in　the　outer　wall；　but　could　examine　no　farther　for
the　present。

In　the　meantime　his　companions　had　made　another　sort　of　discovery：
near　the　foot　of　the　bed　was　a　little　table；　on　which　were　two
drinking　vessels；　apparently　of　pewter；　and　a　mouldering　pack　of
cards！　Card…playing　and　the　hidden　room　did　hold　some　relation　with
each　other！　The　cards　and　the　devil　were　real！

Donal　took　up　the　sheeta　light　burden；　and　Arctura　led　the　way。
Arrived　at　her　room；　they　went　softly　across　to　the　door　opening　on
Donal's　stairnot　without　fear　of　the　earl；　whom　indeed　they　might
meet　anywhereand　by　that　descending；　reached　the　open　air；　and
took　their　way　down　the　terraces　and　through　the　park　to　the　place
of　burial。

It　was　a　frosty　night；　with　the　waning　sickle　of　a　moon　low　in　the
heaven；　and　many　brilliant　stars　above　it。　Followed　by　faint
ethereal　shadows；　they　passed　over　the　grass；　through　the　ghostly
luminous　duskof　funereal　processions　one　of　the　strangest　that
ever　sought　a　tomb。

The　ruin　was　in　a　hollow；　surrounded　by　trees。　Donal　removed　a
number　of　fallen　stones　and　dug　a　grave。　They　lowered　into　it　the
knotted　sheet；　threw　in　the　earth　again；　heaped　the　stones　above；
and　left　the　dust　with　its　dust。　Then　silent　they　went　back；
straight　along　the　green；　moon…regarded　rather　than　moon…lit　grass：
if　any　one　had　seen　them　through　the　pale　starry　night；　he　would
surely　have　taken　them　for　a　procession　of　the　dead　themselves！

No　dream　of　death　sought　Arctura　that　night；　but　in　the　morning　she
woke　suddenly　from　one　of　disembodied　delight。

CHAPTER　LX。

A　LESSON　ABOUT　DEATH。

WHATEVER　lady　Arctura　might　decide　concerning　the　restoration　of　the
chapel　to　the　light　of　day；　Donal　thought　it　would　not　be　amiss　to
find；　without　troubling　her；　what　he　could　of　its　relation　to　the
rest　of　the　house：　and　it　favoured　his　wish　that　Arctura　was
prevailed　upon　by　the　housekeeper　to　remain　in　bed　the　next　day。　Her
strong　will；　good　courage；　and　trusting　heart；　had　made　severe
demands　upon　an　organization　as　delicate　as　responsive。　It　was　now
Saturday：　he　resolved　to　go　alone　in　the　afternoon　to　exploreand
first　of　all　would　try　the　door　beside　the　little　gallery。

As　soon　as　he　was　free；　he　got　the　tools　he　judged　necessary；　and
went　down。

The　door　was　of　strong　sound　oak；　with　ornate　iron　hinges　right
across　it。　He　was　on　the　better　side　for　opening　it；　that　is；　the
inside；　but　though　the　ends　of　the　hinges　were　exposed；　the　door　was
so　well　within　the　frame　that　it　was　useless　to　think　of　heaving
them　off　the　bearing…pins。　The　huge　lock　and　its　bolt　were　likewise
before　him；　but　the　key　was　in　the　lock　from　the　other　side；　so　that
it　could　not　be　picked；　while　the　nails　that　fastened　it　to　the　door
were　probably　riveted　through　a　plate。　But　there　was　the　socket　into
which　the　bolt　shot！　that　was　merely　an　iron　staple！　he　might　either
force　it　out　with　a　lever；　or　file　it　through！　Having　removed　the
roughest　of　the　rust　with　which　it　was　caked；　and　so　reduced　its
thickness　considerably；　he　set　himself　to　the　task　of　filing　it
through；　first　at　the　top　then　at　the　bottom。　It　was　a　slow　but　a
sure　process；　and　would　make　no　great　noise。

Although　it　was　broad　daylight　outside；　so　like　midnight　was　it　here
and　the　season　that　belongs　to　the　dead；　that　he　was　haunted　with
the　idea　of　a　presence　behind　him。　But　not　once　did　he　turn　his　head
to　see；　for　he　knew　that　if　he　yielded　to　the　inclination；　it　would
but　return　the　stronger。　Old　experience　had　taught　him　that　the　way
to　meet　the　horrors　of　the　fancy　is　to　refuse　them　a　single
hair's…breadth　of　obedience。　And　as　he　worked　the　conviction　grew
that　the　only　protection　against　the　terrors　of　alien　presence　is
the　consciousness　of　the　home　presence　of　the　eternal：　if　a　man　felt
that　presence；　how　could　he　fear　any　other？　But　for　those　who　are
not　one　with　the　source　of　being；　every　manifestation　of　that　being
in　a　life　other　than　their　own；　must　be　more　or　less　a　terror　to
them；　it　is　alien；　antipathous；　other；it　may　be　unappeasable；
implacable。　The　time　must　even　come　when　to　such　their　own　being
will　be　a　horror　of　repugnant　consciousness；　for　God　not　self　is
ourshis　being；　not　our　own；　is　our　home；　he　is　our　kind。

The　work　was　slowthe　impression　on　the　hard　iron　of　the　worn　file
so　weak　that　he　was　often　on　the　point　of　giving　up　the　attempt。
Fatigue　at　length　began　to　invade　him；　and　therewith　the　sense　of
his　situation　grew　more　keen：　great　weariness　overcomes　terror；　the
beginnings　of　weariness　enhance　it。　Every　now　and　then　he　would
stop；　thinking　he　heard　the　cry　of　a　child；　only　to　recognize　it　as
the　noise　of　his　file。　He　resolved　at　last　to　stop　for　the　night；
and　after　tea　go　to　the　town　to　buy　a　new　and　fitter　file。

The　next　day　was　Sunday；　and　in　the　afternoon　Donal　and　Davie　were
walking　in　the　old　avenue　together。　They　had　been　to　church；　and　had
heard　a　dull　sermon　on　the　most　stirring　fact　next　to　the
resurrection　of　the　Lord　himselfhis　raising　of　Lazarus。　The　whole
aspect　of　the　thing；　as　presented　by　the　preaching　man；　was　so　dull
and　unreal；　that　not　a　word　on　the　subject　had　passed　between　them
on　the　way　home。

〃Mr。　Grant；　how　could　anybody　make　a　dead　man　live　again？〃　said
Davie　suddenly。

〃I　don't　know；　Davie；〃　answered　Donal。　〃If　I　could　know　how；　I
should　probably　be　able　to　do　it　myself。〃

〃It　is　very　hard　to　believe。〃

〃Yes；　very　hardthat　is；　if　you　do　not　know　anything　about　the
person　said　to　have　done　it；　to　account　for　his　being　able　to　do　it
though　another　could　not。　But　just　think　of　this：　if　one　had　never
seen　or　heard　about　death；　it　would　be　as　hard；　perhaps　harder；　to
believe　that　anything　could　bring　about　that　change。　The　one　seems
to　us　easy　to　understand；　because　we　are　familiar　with　it；　if　we　had
seen　the　other　take　place　a　few　times；　we　should　see　in　it　nothing
too　strange；　nothing　indeed　but　what　was　to　be　expected　in　certain
circumstances。〃

〃But　that　is　not　enough　to　prove　it　ever　did　take　place。〃

〃Assuredly　not。　It　cannot　even　make　it　look　in　the　least　probable。〃

〃Tell　me；　please；　anything　that　would　make　it　look　probable。〃

〃I　will　not　answer　your　question　directly；　but　I　will　answer　it。
Listen；　Davie。

〃In　all　ages　men　have　longed　to　see　Godsome　men　in　a　grand　way。　At
last；　according　to　the　story　of　the　gospel；　the　time　came　when　it
was　fit　that　the　Father　of　men　should　show　himself　to　them　in　his
son；　the　one　perfect　man；　who　was　his　very　image。　So　Jesus　came　to
them。　But　many　would　not　believe　he　was　the　son　of　God；　for　they
knew　God　so　little　that　they　did　not　see　how　like　he　was　to　his
Father。　Others；　who　were　more　like　God　themselves；　and　so　knew　God
better；　did　think　him　the　son　of　God；　though　they　were　not　pleased
that　he　did　not　make　more　show。　His　object　was；　not　to　rule　over
them；　but　to　make　them　know；　and　trust；　and　obey　his　Father；　who　was
everything　to　him。　Now　when　anyone　died；　his　friends　were　so
miserable　over　him　that　they　hardly　thought　about　God；　and　took　no
comfort　from　him。　They　said　the　dead　man　would　rise　again　at　the
last　day；　but　that　was　so　far　off；　the　dead　was　gone　to　such　a
distance；　that　they　did　not　care　for　that。　Jesus　wanted　to　make　them
know　and　feel　that　the　dead　were　alive　all　the　time；　and　could　not
be　far　away；　seeing　they　were　all　with　God　in　whom　we　live；　that
they　had　not　lost　them　though　they　could　not　see　them；　for　they　were
quite　within　his　reachas　much　so　as　ever；　that　they　were　just　as
safe　with；　and　as　well　looked　after　by　his　father　and　their　father；
as　they　had　ever　been　in　all　their　lives。　It　was　no　doubt　a
dreadful…looking　thing　to　have　them　put　in　a　hole；　and　waste　away　to
dust；　but　they　were　not　therefore　gone　outthey　were　only　gone　in！
To　teach　them　all　this　he　did　not　say　much；　but　just　called　one　or
two　of　them　back　for　a　while。　Of　course　Lazarus　was　going　to　die
again；　but　can　you　think　his　two　sisters　either　loved　him　less；　or
wept　as　much　over　him　the　next　time　he　died？〃

〃No；　it　would　have　been　foolish。〃

〃Well；　if　you　think　about　it；　you　will　see　that　no　one　who　believes
that　story；　and　weeps　as　they　did　the　first　time；　can　escape
reproof。　Where　Jesus　called　Lazarus　from；　there　are　his　friends；　and
there　are　they　waiting　for　him！　Now；　I　ask　you；　Davie；　was　it　worth
while　for　Jesus　to　do　this　for　us？　Is　not　the　great　misery　of　our
life；　that　those　dear　to　us　die？　Was　it；　I　say；　a　thing　worth　doing；
to　let　us　see　that　they　are　alive　with　God　all　the　time；　and　can　be
produced　any　moment　he　pleases？〃

〃Surely　it　was；　sir！　It　ought　to　take　away　all　the　misery！〃

〃Then　it　was　a　natural　thing　to　do；　and　it　is　a　reasonable　thing　to
think　that　it　was　done。　It　was　natural　that　God　should　want　to　let
his　children　see　him；　and　natural　he　should　let　them　know　that　he
still　saw　and　cared　for　those　they　had　lost　sight　of。　The　whole
thing　seems　to　me　reasonable；　I　can　believe　it。　It　implies　indeed　a
world　of　things　of　which　we　know　nothing；　but　that　is　for；　not
against　it；　seeing　such　a　world　we　need；　and　if　anyone　insists　on
believing　nothing　but　what　he　has　seen　something　like；　I　leave　him
to　his　misery　and　the　mercy　of　God。〃

If　the　world　had　been　so　made　that　men　could　easily　believe　in　the
maker　of　it；　it　would　not　have　been　a　world　worth　any　man's　living
in；　neither　would　the　God　that　made　such　a　world；　and　so　revealed
himself　to　such　people；　be　worth　believing　in。　God　a