donal grant-第75部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


and　read　to　her；　and　to　give　him　something　to　read；　good　for　him　as
well　as　for　her。

Donal　did　not　see　Davie　again　till　the　next　morning。

〃Oh；　Mr。　Grant！〃　he　said；　〃you　never　saw　anything　so　pretty　as　Arkie
is　in　bed！　She　is　so　white；　and　so　sweet！　and　she　speaks　with　a
voice　so　gentle　and　low！　She　was　so　kind　to　me　for　going　to　read　to
her！　I　never　saw　anybody　like　her！　She　looks　as　if　she　had　just　said
her　prayers；　and　God　had　told　her　she　should　have　everything　she
wanted。〃

Donal　wondered　a　little；　but　hoped　more。　Surely　she　must　be　finding
rest　in　the　consciousness　of　God！　But　why　was　she　so　white？　Was　she
going　to　die？　A　pang　shot　to　his　heart：　if　she　were　to　go　from　the
castle；　it　would　be　hard　to　stay　in　it；　even　for　the　sake　of　Davie！
Donal；　no　more　than　Arctura；　imagined　himself　fallen　in　love：　he　had
loved　once；　and　his　heart　had　not　yet　done　achingthough　more　with
the　memory　than　the　presence　of　pain！　He　was　utterly　satisfied　with
what　the　Father　of　the　children　had　decreed；　and　would　never　love
again！　But　he　did　not　seek　to　hide　from　himself　that　the　friendship
of　lady　Arctura；　and　the　help　she　sought　and　he　gave；　had　added　a
fresh　and　strong　interest　to　his　life。　At　the　first　dawn　of　power　in
his　heart；　when　he　began　to　make　songs　in　the　fields　and　on　the
hills；　he　had　felt　that　to　brighten　with　true　light　the　clouded
lives　of　despondent　brothers　and　sisters　was　the　one　thing　worthest
living　for：　it　was　what　the　Lord　came　into　the　world　for；　neither
had　his　trouble　made　him　forget　itfor　more　than　one　week　or　so：
while　the　pain　was　yet　gnawing　grievously；　he　woke　to　it　again　with
self…accusationalmost　self…contempt。　To　have　helped　this　lovely
creature；　whose　life　had　seemed　lapt　in　an　ever　closer…clasping
shroud　of　perplexity；　was　a　thing　to　be　glad　ofnot　to　the　day　of
his　death；　but　to　the　never…ending　end　of　his　life！　was　an　honour
conferred　upon　him　by　the　Father；　to　last　for　evermore！　For　he　had
helped　to　open　a　human　door　for　the　Lord　to　enter！　she　within　heard
him　knock；　but；　trying；　was　unable　to　open！　To　be　God's　helper　with
our　fellows　is　the　one　high　calling；　the　presence　of　God　in　the
house　the　one　high　condition。

At　the　end　of　a　week　Arctura　was　better；　and　able　to　see　Donal。　She
had　had　mistress　Brookes's　bed　moved　into　the　same　room　with　her
own；　and　had　made　the　dressing…room　into　a　sitting…room。　It　was
sunny　and　pleasantthe　very　place；　Donal　thought；　he　would　have
chosen　for　her。　The　bedroom　too；　which　the　housekeeper　had　persuaded
her　to　take　when　she　left　her　own；　was　one　of　the　largest　in　the
castlethe　Garland…roomold…fashioned；　of　course；　but　as　cheerful
as　stateliness　would　permit；　with　gorgeous　hangings　and　great
picturesfar　from　homely；　but　with　sun　in　it　half　the　day。　Donal
congratulated　her　on　the　change。　She　had　been　prevented　from　making
one　sooner；　she　said；　by　the　dread　of　owing　any　comfort　to
circumstance：　it　might　deceive　her　as　to　her　real　condition！

〃It　could　not　deceive　God；　though；〃　answered　Donal；　〃who　fills　with
righteousness　those　who　hunger　after　it。　It　is　pride　to　refuse
anything　that　might　help　us　to　know　him；　and　of　all　things　his
sun…lit　world　speaks　of　the　father　of　lights！　If　that　makes　us
happier；　it　makes　us　fitter　to　understand　him；　and　he　can　easily
send　what　cloud　may　be　needful　to　temper　it。　We　must　not　make　our
own　world；　inflict　our　own　punishments；　or　order　our　own
instruction；　we　must　simply　obey　the　voice　in　our　hearts；　and　take
lovingly　what　he　sends。〃

The　next　day　she　told　him　she　had　had　a　beautiful　night；　full　of　the
loveliest　dreams。　One　of　them　was；　that　a　child　came　out　of　a　grassy
hillock　by　the　wayside；　called　her　mamma；　and　said　she　was　much
obliged　to　her　for　taking　her　off　the　cold　stone；　and　making　her　a
butterfly；　and　with　that　the　child　spread　out　gorgeous　and　great
wings　and　soared　up　to　a　white　cloud；　and　there　sat　laughing　merrily
to　her。

Every　afternoon　Davie　read　to　her；　and　thence　Donal　gained　a
dutythat　of　finding　suitable　pabulum　for　the　two。　He　was　not
widely　read　in　light　literature；　and　it　made　necessary　not　a　little
exploration　in　the　region　of　it。




CHAPTER　LXV。

THE　WALL。

On　the　day　after　the　last　triad　in　the　housekeeper's　parlour；　as
Donal　sat　in　the　schoolroom　with　Davieabout　noon　it　washe　became
aware　that　for　some　time　he　had　been　hearing　laborious　blows
apparently　at　a　great　distance：　now　that　he　attended；　they　seemed　to
be　in　the　castle　itself；　deadened　by　mass；　not　distance。　With　a　fear
gradually　becoming　more　definite；　he　sat　listening　for　a　few
moments。

〃Davie；〃　he　said；　〃run　and　see　what　is　going　on。〃

The　boy　came　rushing　back　in　great　excitement。

〃Oh；　Mr。　Grant；　what　do　you　think！〃　he　cried。　〃I　do　believe　my
father　is　after　the　lost　room！　They　are　breaking　down　a　wall！〃

〃Where？〃　asked　Donal；　half　starting　from　his　seat。

〃In　the　little　room　behind　the　half…way　roomon　the　stair；　you
know！〃

Donal　was　silent：　what　might　not　be　the　consequences！

〃You　may　go　and　see　them　at　work；　Davie；〃　he　said。　〃We　shall　have　no
more　lessons　this　morning。Was　your　papa　with　them？〃

〃No；　sirat　least；　I　did　not　see　him。　Simmons　told　me　he　sent　for
the　masons　this　morning；　and　set　them　to　take　the　wall　down。　Oh；
thank　you；　Mr。　Grant！　It　is　such　fun！　I　do　wonder　what　is　behind　it！
It　may　be　a　place　you　know　quite　well；　or　a　place　you　never　saw
before！〃

Davie　ran　off；　and　Donal　instantly　sped　to　a　corner　where　he　had
hidden　some　tools；　thence　to　lady　Arctura's　deserted　room；　and　so　to
the　oak　door。　He　remembered　seeing　another　staple　in　the　same　post；
a　little　lower　down：　if　he　could　get　that　out；　he　would　drive　it　in
beside　the　remains　of　the　other；　so　as　to　hold　the　bolt　of　the　lock：
if　the　earl　knew　the　way　in；　as　doubtless　he　did；　he　must　not　learn
that　another　had　found　itnot　yet　at　least！　As　he　went　down；　every
blow　of　the　masons　pounding　at　the　wall；　seemed　in　his　very　ears。

He　peeped　through　the　press…door：　they　had　not　yet　got　through　the
wall：　no　light　was　visible！　He　made　haste　to　restore　thingsonly　a
stool　and　a　few　papersto　their　exact　positions　when　first　he
entered。　Close　to　him　on　the　other　side　of　the　partition；　shaking
the　place；　the　huge　blows　were　falling　like　those　of　a　ram　on　the
wall　of　a　besieged　city；　of　which　he　was　the　whole　garrison。　He
stepped　into　the　press　and　drew　the　door　after　him：　with　his　last
glance　behind　him　he　saw；　in　the　faint　gleam　of　light　that　came　with
it；　a　stone　fall：　he　must　make　haste：　the　demolition　would　go　on
much　faster　now；　but　before　they　had　the　opening　large　enough　to
pass；　he　would　have　done　what　he　wanted！　With　a　strong　piece　of　iron
for　a　lever；　he　drew　the　staple　from　the　post；　then　drove　it　in
astride　of　the　bolt；　careful　to　time　his　blows　to　those　of　the
masons。　That　done；　he　ran　down　to　the　chapel；　gathered　what　dust　he
could　sweep　up　from　behind　the　altar　and　laid　it　on　its　top；
restored　on　the　bed；　with　its　own　dust；　a　little　of　the　outline　of
what　had　lain　there；　dropped　the　slab　to　its　place　in　the　floor　of
the　passage；　closed　the　door　of　the　chapel　with　some　difficulty
because　of　its　broken　hinge；　and　ascended。

The　sounds　of　battering　had　ceased；　and　as　he　passed　the　oak　door　he
laid　his　ear　to　it：　some　one　was　in　the　place！　the　lid　of　the　bureau
shut　with　a　loud　bang；　and　he　heard　a　lock　turned。　The　wall　could
not　be　half　down　yet：　the　earl　must　have　entered　the　moment　he　could
get　through！

Donal　hastened　up；　and　out　of　the　dreadful　place；　put　the　slab　in
the　opening；　secured　it　with　a　strut　against　the　opposite　side　of
the　recess；　and　closed　the　shutters　and　drew　the　curtains　of　the
room；　if　the　earl　came　up　the　stair　in　the　wall；　found　the　stone
immovable；　and　saw　no　light　through　any　chink　about　its　edges；　he
would　not　suspect　it　had　been　displaced！

He　went　then　to　lady　Arctura。

〃I　have　a　great　deal　to　tell　you；〃　he　said；　〃but　at　this　moment　I
cannot：　I　am　afraid　of　the　earl　finding　me　with　you！〃

〃Why　should　you　mind　that？〃　said　Arctura。

〃Because　I　think　he　is　suspicious　about　the　lost　room。　He　has　had　a
wall　taken　down　this　morning。　Please　do　not　let　him　see　you　know
anything　about　it。　Davie　thinks　he　is　set　on　finding　the　lost　room：
I　think　he　knew　all　about　it　long　ago。　You　can　ask　him　what　he　has
been　doing：　you　must　have　heard　the　masons！〃

〃I　hope　I　shall　not　stumble　into　anything　like　a　story；　for　if　I　do
I　must　out　with　everything！〃

In　the　afternoon；　Davie　was　full　of　the　curious　little　place　his
father　had　discovered　behind　the　wall；　but；　if　that　was　the　lost
room；　he　said；　it　was　not　at　all　worth　making　such　a　fuss　about：　it
was　nothing　but　a　big　closet；　with　an　old　desk…kind　of　thing　in　it！

In　the　afternoon　also；　the　earl　went　to　see　his　niece。　It　was　the
first　time　they　met　after　his　rude　behaviour　on　her　proposal　to
search　for　the　lost　room。

〃What　were　you　doing　this　morning；　uncle？〃　she　said。　〃There　was　such
a　thumping　and　banging　somewhere　in　the　castle！　Davie　said　you　were
determined；　he　thought；　to　find　the　lost　room。〃

〃Nothing　of　the　kind；　my　love；〃　answered　the　earl。　〃I　do　hope　they
will　not　spoil　the　stair　carrying　the　stones　and　mortar　down！〃

〃What　was　it　then；　uncle？〃

〃Simply　this；　my　dear：　my　late　wife；　your　aunt；　and　I；　had　a　plan
for　taking　that　closet　behind　my　room　on　the　stair　into　the　room
itself。　In　preparation；　I　had　a　wall　built　across　the　middle　of　the
closet；　so　as　to　divide　it　and　make　two　recesses　of　it；　and　act　also
as　a　buttress　to　the　weakened　wall。　Then　your　aunt　died；　and　I
hadn't　the　heart　to　open　the　recesses　or　do　anything　more　in　the
matter。　So　one　half　of　the　closet　was　cut　off；　and　remained
inaccessible。　But　there　had　been　left　in　it　an　old　bureau；
containing　papers　of　some　consequence；　for　it　was　heavy；　and
intended　to　occupy　the　same　position　after　the　arches　were　opened。
Now；　as　it　happens；　I　want　one　of　those　papers；　so　the　wall　has　had
to　come　down　again。〃

〃But；　uncle；　what　a　pity！〃　said　Arctura。　〃Why　did　you　not　open　the
arches？　The　recesses　would　have　been　so　pretty　in　that　room！〃

〃I　am　sorry　I　did　not　think　of　asking　you　what　you　would　like　done
about　it；　my　child！　The　fact　is　I　never　thought　of　your　t