donal grant-第83部分

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to　have　been　the　declared　wish　of　her　father；　she　should　go　after
her　father；　and　leave　her　property　to　the　next　heir；　so　that　if　not
in　one　way　then　in　another　the　law　of　nature　might　be　fulfilled；　and
title　and　property　united　without　the　intervention　of　a　marriage。　As
to　any　evil　that　therein　might　be　imagined　to　befall　his　niece；　he
quoted　the　words　of　Hamlet〃Since　no　man　has　ought　of　what　he
leaves；　what　is't　to　leave　betimes？〃she　would　be　no　worse　than　she
must　have　been　when　the　few　years　of　her　natural　pilgrimage　were　of
necessity　over：　the　difference　to　her　was　not　worth　thinking　of
beside　the　difference　to　the　family！　At　the　same　time　perhaps　a
scare　might　serve；　and　she　would　consent　to　marry　Forgue　to　escape　a
frightful　end！

The　moment　Donal　was　gone；　he　sent　Forgue　to　London；　and　set　himself
to　overcome　the　distrust　of　him　which　he　could　not　but　see　had　for
some　time　been　growing　in　her。　With　the　sweet　prejudices　of　a　loving
nature　to　assist　him；　he　soon　prevailed　so　far　that；　without　much
entreaty；　she　consented　to　accompany　him　to　Londonfor　a　month　or
so；　he　said；　while　Davie　was　gone。　The　proposal　had　charms　for　her：
she　had　been　there　with　her　father　when　a　mere　child；　and　never
since。　She　wrote　to　Donal　to　let　him　know：　how　it　was　that　her
letter　never　reached　him；　it　is　hardly　needful　to　inquire。

The　earl；　in　order；　he　said；　to　show　his　recognition　of　her　sweet
compliance；　made　arrangements　for　posting　it　all　the　way。　He　would
take　her　by　the　road　he　used　to　travel　himself　when　he　was　a　young
man：　she　should　judge　whether　more　had　not　been　lost　than　gained　by
rapidity！　Whatever　shortened　any　natural　process；　he　said；　simply
shortened　life　itself。　Simmons　should　go　before；　and　find　a　suitable
place　for　them！

They　were　hardly　gone　when　Mrs。　Brookes　received　a　letter
pretendedly　from　the　clergyman　of　the　parish；　in　a　remote　part　of
the　south；　where　her　mother；　now　a　very　old　woman；　lived；　saying　she
was　at　the　point　of　death；　and　could　not　die　in　peace　without　seeing
her　daughter。　She　went　at　once。

The　scheme　was　a　madman's；　excellently　contrived　for　the　instant
object；　but　with　no　outlook　for　immediately　resulting　perils。

After　the　first　night　on　the　road；　he　turned　across　country；　and　a
little　towards　home；　after　the　next　night；　he　drove　straight　back；
but　as　it　was　by　a　different　road；　Arctura　suspected　nothing。　When
they　came　within　a　few　hours　of　the　castle；　they　stopped　at　a　little
inn　for　tea；　there　he　contrived　to　give　her　a　certain　dose。　At　the
next　place　where　they　stopped；　he　represented　her　as　his　daughter
taken　suddenly　ill：　he　must　go　straight　home　with　her；　however　late
they　might　be。　Giving　an　imaginary　name　to　their　destination；　and
keeping　on　the　last　post…boy　who　knew　nothing　of　the　country；　he
directed　him　so　as　completely　to　bewilder　him；　with　the　result　that
he　set　them　down　at　the　castle　supposing　it　a　different　place；　and
in　a　different　part　of　the　country。　The　thing　was　after　the　earl's
own　heart；　he　delighted　in　making　a　fool　of　a　fellow…mortal。　He　sent
him　away　so　as　not　to　enter　the　town：　it　was　of　importance　his
return　should　not　be　known。

It　is　a　marvel　he　could　effect　what　followed；　but　he　had　the
remnants　of　great　strength；　and　when　under　influences　he　knew　too
well　how　to　manage；　was　for　the　time　almost　as　powerful　as　ever：　he
got　his　victim　to　his　room　on　the　stair；　and　thence　through　the　oak
door。




CHAPTER　LXXV。

THE　PORCH　OF　HADES。

When　Arctura　woke　from　her　unnatural　sleep；　she　lay　a　while　without
thought；　then　began　to　localize　herself。　The　last　place　she　recalled
was　the　inn　where　they　had　tea：　she　must　have　been　there　taken　ill；
she　thought；　and　was　now　in　a　room　of　the　same。　It　was　quite　dark：
they　might　have　left　a　light　by　her！　She　lay　comfortably　enough；　but
had　a　suspicion　that　the　place　was　not　over　clean；　and　was　glad　to
find　herself　not　undrest。　She　turned　on　her　side：　something　pulled
her　by　the　wrist。　She　must　have　a　bracelet　on；　and　it　was　entangled
in　the　coverlet！　She　tried　to　unclasp　it；　but　could　not：　which　of
her　bracelets　could　it　be？　There　was　something　attached　to　it！a
chaina　thick　chain！　How　odd！　What　could　it　mean？　She　lay　quiet；
slowly　waking　to　fuller　consciousness。Was　there　not　a　strange　air；
a　dull　odour　in　the　room？　Undefined　as　it　was；　she　had　smelt　it
before；　and　not　long　since！It　was　the　smell　of　the　lost
chapel！But　that　was　at　home　in　the　castle！　she　had　left　it　two
days　before！　Was　she　going　out　of　her　mind？

The　dew　of　agony　burst　from　her　forehead。　She　would　have　started　up；
but　was　pulled　hard　by　the　wrist！　She　cried　on　God。Yes；　she　was
lying　on　the　very　spot　where　that　heap　of　woman…dust　had　lain！　she
was　manacled　with　the　same　ring　from　which　that　woman's　arm　had
wastedthe　decay　of　centuries　her　slow　redeemer！　Her　being　recoiled
so　wildly　from　the　horror；　that　for　a　moment　she　seemed　on　the　edge
of　madness。　But　madness　is　not　the　sole　refuge　from　terror！　Where
the　door　of　the　spirit　has　once　been　opened　wide　to　God；　there　is
he；　the　present　help　in　time　of　trouble！　With　him　in　the　house；　it
is　not　only　that　we　need　fear　nothing；　but　that　is　there　which　in
its　own　being　and　nature　casts　out　fear。　God　and　fear　cannot　be
together。　It　is　a　God　far　off　that　causes　fear。　〃In　thy　presence　is
fulness　of　joy。〃　Such　a　sense　of　absolute　helplessness　overwhelmed
Arctura　that　she　felt　awake　in　her　an　endless　claim　upon　the
protection　of　her　original；　the　source　of　her　being。　And　what　sooner
would　any　father　have　of　his　children　than　action　on　such　claim！　God
is　always　calling　us　as　his　children；　and　when　we　call　him　as　our
father；　then；　and　not　till　then；　does　he　begin　to　be　satisfied。　And
with　that　there　fell　upon　Arctura　a　kind　of　sleep；　which　yet　was　not
sleep；　it　was　a　repose　such　as　perhaps　is　the　sleep　of　a　spirit。

Again　the　external　began　to　intrude。　She　pictured　to　herself　what
the　darkness　was　hiding。　Her　feelings　when　first　she　came　down　into
the　place　returned　on　her　memory。　The　tide　of　terror　began　again　to
rise。　It　rose　and　rose；　and　threatened　to　become　monstrous。　She
reasoned　with　herself：　had　she　not　been　brought　in　safety　through
its　first　and　most　dangerous　inroad？but　reason　could　not　outface
terror。　It　was　fear；　the　most　terrible　of　all　terrors；　that　she
feared。　Then　again　woke　her　faith：　if　the　night　hideth　not　from　him；
neither　does　the　darkness　of　fear！

It　began　to　thunder；　first　with　a　low　distant　muttering　roll；　then
with　a　loud　and　near　bellowing。　Was　it　God　coming　to　her？　Some　are
strangely　terrified　at　thunder；　Arctura　had　the　child's　feeling　that
it　was　God　that　thundered：　it　comforted　her　as　with　the　assurance
that　God　was　near。　As　she　lay　and　heard　the　great　organ　of　the
heavens；　its　voice　seemed　to　grow　articulate；　God　was　calling　to
her；　and　saying；　〃Here　I　am；　my　child！　be　not　afraid！〃

Then　she　began　to　reason　with　herself　that　the　worst　that　could
happen　to　her　was　to　lie　there　till　she　died　of　hunger；　and　that
could　not　be　so　very　bad！　And　therewith　across　the　muttering　thunder
came　a　wail　of　the　ghost…music。　She　started：　had　she　not　heard　it　a
hundred　times　before；　as　she　lay　there　in　the　dark　alone？　Was　she
only　now　for　the　first　time　waking　up　to　itshe；　the　lady　they　had
shut　up　there　to　diewhere　she　had　lain　for　ages；　with　every　now
and　then　that　sound　of　the　angels　singing；　far　above　her　in　the　blue
sky？

She　was　beginning　to　wander。　She　reasoned　with　herself；　and
dismissed　the　fancy；　but　it　came　and　came　again；　mingled　with　real
memories；　mostly　of　the　roof；　and　Donal。

By　and　by　she　fell　asleep；　and　woke　in　a　terror　which　seemed　to　have
been　growing　in　her　sleep。　She　sat　up；　and　stared　into　the　dark。
》From　where　stood　the　altar；　seemed　to　rise　and　approach　her　a　form
of　deeper　darkness。　She　heard　nothing；　saw　nothing；　but　something
was　there。　It　came　nearer。　It　was　but　a　fancy；　she　knew　it；　but　the
fancy　assumed　to　be：　the　moment　she　gave　way；　and　acknowledged　it；
that　moment　it　would　have　the　reality　it　had　been　waiting　for；　and
clasp　her　in　its　skeleton…arms！　She　cried　aloud；　but　it　only　came
nearer；　it　was　about　to　seize　her！

A　sudden；　divine　change！her　fear　was　gone；　and　in　its　place　a
sense　of　absolute　safety：　there　was　nothing　in　all　the　universe　to
be　afraid　of！　It　was　a　night　of　June；　with　roses；　roses　everywhere！
Glory　be　to　the　Father！　But　how　was　it？　Had　he　sent　her　mother　to
think　her　full　of　roses？　Why　her　mother？　God　himself　is　the　heart　of
every　rose　that　ever　bloomed！　She　would　have　sung　aloud　for　joy；　but
no　voice　came；　she　could　not　utter　a　sound。　What　a　thing　this　would
be　to　tell　Donal　Grant！　This　poor　woman　cried；　and　God　heard　her；
and　saved　her　out　of　all　her　distresses！　The　father　had　come　to　his
child！　The　cry　had　gone　from　her　heart　into　his！

If　she　died　there；　would　Donal　come　one　day　and　find　her？　No！　No！
She　would　speak　to　him　in　a　dream；　and　beg　him　not　to　go　near　the
place！　She　would　not　have　him　see　her　lie　like　that　he　and　she
standing　together　had　there　looked　upon！

With　that　came　Donal's　voice；　floated　and　rolled　in　music　and
thunder。　It　came　from　far　away；　she　did　not　know　whether　she　fancied
or　really　heard　it。　She　would　have　responded　with　a　great　cry；　but
her　voice　vanished　in　her　throat。　Her　joy　was　such　that　she
remembered　nothing　more。




CHAPTER　LXXVI。

THE　ANGEL　OF　THE　LORD。

Standing　upon　the　edge　of　the　stone　leaned　against　the　wall；　Donal
seized　the　edge　of　the　slab　which　crossed　the　opening　near　the　top；
and　drew　himself　up　into　the　sloping　window…sill。　Pressing　with　all
his　might　against　the　sides　of　the　window；　he　succeeded　at　last　in
pushing　up　the　slab　so　far　as　to　get　a　hold　with　one　hand　on　the
next　to　it。　Then　slowly　turning　himself　on　his　side；　while　the　whole
weight　of　the　stone　rested　on　his　fingers；　he　got　the　other　hand
also　through　the　crack。　This　effected；　he　hauled　and　pushed　himself
up　with　his　whole　force；　careless　of　what　might　happen　to　his　head。
The　top　of　it　came　bang　against　the　stone；　and　lifted　it　so　far　that
he　got　head　and　neck　through。　The　thing　was　done！　With　one　more
Herculean　lift　of　his　body　and　the　stone　together；　like　a　man　rising
from　the　d