donal grant-第101章

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moments　he　felt　as　if　he　must　return　at　once；　and　refuse　to　leave
the　castle　for　any　reason。　But　he　could　not　see　that　it　was　the　will
of　God　he　should　do　so。　A　presentiment　is　not　a　command。　A　prophecy
may　fail　of　the　least　indication　of　duty。　Hamlet　defying　augury　is
the　consistent　religious　man　Shakspere　takes　pains　to　show　him。　A
presentiment　may　be　true；　may　be　from　God　himself；　yet　involve　no
reason　why　a　man　should　change　his　way；　should　turn　a　step　aside
from　the　path　before　him。　St。　Paul　received　warning　after　warning　on
his　road　to　Jerusalem　that　bonds　and　imprisonment　awaited　him；　and
these　warnings　he　knew　came　from　the　spirit　of　prophecy；　but　he
heeded　them　only　to　set　his　face　like　a　flint。　He　knew　better　than
imagine　duty　determined　by　consequences；　or　take　foresight　for
direction。　There　is　a　higher　guide；　and　he　followed　that。　So　did
Donal　now。　Moved　to　go　back；　he　did　not　go　backneither　afterwards
repented　that　he　did　not。

I　will　not　describe　the　journey。　Suffice　it　to　say　that；　after　a　few
days　of　such　walking　as　befitted　an　unaccustomed　boy；　they　climbed
the　last　hill；　crossed　the　threshold　of　Robert　Grant's　cottage；　and
were　both　clasped　in　the　embrace　of　Janet。　For　Davie　rushed　into　the
arms　of　Donal's　mother；　and　she　took　him　to　the　same　heart　to　which
she　had　taken　wee　sir　Gibbie：　the　bosom　of　the　peasant　woman　was
indeed　one　to　fee　to。

Then　followed　delights　which　more　than　equalled　the　expectations　of
Davie。　One　of　them　was　seeing　how　Donal　was　loved。　Another　was　a　new
sense　of　freedom：　he　had　never　imagined　such　liberty　as　he　now
enjoyed。　It　was　as　if　God　were　giving　it　to　him。　fresh　out　of　his
sky；　his　mountains；　his　winds。　Then　there　was　the　twilight　on　the
hill…side；　with　the　sheep　growing　dusky　around　him；　when　Donal　would
talk　about　the　shepherd　of　the　human　sheep；　and　hearing　him　Davie
felt　not　only　that　there　was　once；　but　that　there　is　now　a　man
altogether　lovelythe　heart　of　all　beauty　everywherea　man　who
gave　himself　up　to　his　perfect　father　and　his　father's　most
imperfect　children；　that　he　might　bring　his　brothers　and　sisters
home　to　their　father；　for　all　his　delight　is　in　his　father　and　his
father's　children。　He　showed　him　how　the　heart　of　Jesus　was；　all
through；　the　heart　of　a　son；　a　son　that　adored　his　perfect　father；
and　how　if　he　had　not　had　his　perfect　son　to　help　him；　God　could　not
have　made　any　of　us；　could　never　have　got　us　to　be　his　little　sons
and　daughters；　loving　him　with　all　our　might。　Then　Davie's　heart
would　glow；　and　he　would　feel　ready　to　do　whatever　that　son　might
want　him　to　do；　and　Donal　hoped；　and　had　good　ground　for　hoping；
that；　when　the　hour　of　trial　came；　the　youth　would　be　able　to　hold；
not　merely　by　the　unseen；　but　by　the　seemingly　unpresent　and　unfelt；
in　the　name　of　the　eternally　true。

Donal's　youth　began　to　seem　far　behind　him。　All　bitterness　was　gone
out　of　his　memories　of　lady　Galbraith。　He　loved　her　tenderly；　but
was　pleased　she　should　be　Gibbie's。

How　much　of　this　happy　change　was　owing　to　his　interest　in　lady
Arctura　he　did　not　inquire：　greatly　interested　in　hermore　in　very
important　ways　than　he　had　ever　been　in　lady　Galbraithhe　was　so
jealous　of　his　heart；　shrank　so　much　from　the　danger　of　folly；　knew
so　well　how　small　an　amount　of　yielding　might　unfit　him　for　the
manly　and　fresh　performance　of　his　dutiesamong　which　came　first　a
due　regard　for　her　well…being　lest　he　should　himself　fail　or　mislead
herthat　he　often　turned　his　thoughts　into　another　channel；　lest　in
that　they　should　run　too　swiftly；　deepen　it　too　fast；　and　go　far　to
imprison　themselves　in　another　agony。

To　lady　Galbraith　he　confided　his　uneasiness　about　lady　Arcturanot
that　he　could　explainhe　could　only　confess　himself　infected　with
her　uneasiness；　and　the　rather　that　he　knew　better　than　she　the
nature　of　those　with　whom　she　might　have　to　cope。　If　Mrs。　Brookes
had　not　been　there；　he　dared　not　have　come　away；　he　said；　leaving
her　with　such　a　dread　upon　her。

Sir　Gibbie　listened　open…mouthed　to　the　tale　of　the　finding　of　the
lost　chapel；　hidden　away　because　it　held　the　dust　of　the　dead；　and
perhaps　sometimes　their　wandering　ghosts。

They　assured　him　that；　if　he　would　bring　lady　Arctura　to　them；　they
would　take　care　of　her：　had　she　not　better　give　up　the　weary
property；　they　said；　and　come　and　live　with　them；　and　be　free　as　the
lark？　But　Donal　said；　that；　if　God　had　given　her　a　property；　he
would　not　have　her　forsake　her　post；　but　wait　for　him　to　relieve
her。　She　must　administer　her　own　kingdom　ere　she　could　have　an
abundant　entrance　into　his！　Only　he　wished　he　were　near　her　again　to
help　her！




CHAPTER　LXXII。

SENT；　NOT　CALLED。

He　had　been　at　home　about　ten　days；　during　which　not　a　word　had　come
to　Davie　or　himself　from　the　castle；　and　was　beginning　to　grow；　not
perhaps　anxious；　but　hungry　for　news　of　lady　Arctura；　when　from　a
sound　sleep　he　started　suddenly　awake　one　midnight　to　find　his
mother　by　his　bedside：　she　had　roused　him　with　difficulty。

〃Laddie；〃　she　said；　〃I'm　thinkin　ye're　wantit。〃

〃Whaur　am　I　wantit；　mother？〃　he　asked；　rubbing　his　eyes；　but　with
anxiety　already　throbbing　at　his　heart。

〃At　the　castle；〃　she　replied。

〃Hoo　ken　ye　that？〃　he　asked。

〃It　wad　be　ill　tellin'　ye；〃　she　answered。　〃But　gien　I　was　you；
Donal；　I　wad　be　aff　afore　the　day　brak；　to　see　what　they're　duin'
wi'　yon　puir　leddy　at　the　muckle　place　ye　left。　My　hert's　that　sair
aboot　her；　I　canna　rest　a　moment　till　I　hae　ye　awa'　upo'　the　ro'd
til　her！〃

Long　before　his　mother　had　ended；　Donal　was　out　of　bed；　and　hurrying
on　his　clothes。　He　had　the　profoundest　faith　in　whatever　his　mother
said。　Was　it　a　vision　she　had　had？　He　had　never　been　told　she　had
the　second　sight！　It　might　have　been　only　a　dream；　or　an　impression
so　deep　she　must　heed　it！　One　thing　was　plain：　there　was　no　time　to
ask　questions！　It　was　enough　that　his　mother　said　〃Go；〃　more　than
enough　that　it　was　for　lady　Arctura！　How　quickest　could　he　go？　There
were　horses　at　sir　Gibbie's：　he　would　make　free　with　one！　He　put　a
crust　of　bread　in　his　pocket；　and　set　out　running。　There　was　a
little　moonlight；　enough　for　one　who　knew　every　foot　of　the　way；　and
in　half　an　hour　of　swift　descent；　he　was　at　the　stable　door　of
Glashruach。

Finding　himself　unable　to　rouse　anyone；　he　crept　through　a　way　he
knew；　opened　the　door；　without　a　moment's　hesitation　saddled　and
bridled　sir　Gibbie's　favourite　mare；　led　her　out；　and　mounted　her。

Safe　in　the　saddle；　with　four　legs　busy　under　him；　he　had　time　to
think；　and　began　to　turn　over　in　his　mind　what　he　must　do。　But　he
soon　saw　there　was　no　planning　anything　till　he　knew　what　was　the
matterof　which　he　had　dreadful　forebodings。　His　imagination
started　and　spurred　by　fear；　he　thought　of　many　dread　possibilities
concerning　which　he　wondered　that　he　had　never　thought　of　them
before：　if　he　had　he　could　not　have　left　the　castle！　What　might　not
a　man　in　the　mental　and　moral　condition　of　the　earl；　unrestrained　by
law　or　conscience；　risk　to　secure　the　property　for　his　son？　Might　he
not　poison　her；　smother　her；　kill　her　somehow；　anyhow　that　was
safest？　Then　rushed　into　his　mind　what　the　housekeeper　had　told　him
of　his　cruelty　to　his　wife：　a　man　like　that；　no　longer　feeling；
however　knowing　the　difference　between　right　and　wrong；　hardly
knowing　the　difference　between　dreaming　a　thing　and　doing　the　thing；
was　no　fitter　member　of　a　family　than　any　devil　in　or　out　of　hell！
He　would　have　blamed　himself　bitterly　had　he　not　been　sure　he　was
not　following　his　own　will　in　going　away。　If　there　were　a　better　way
it　had　not　been　intended　he　should　take　it；　else　it　would　have　been
shown　him！　But　now　he　would　be　restrained　by　no　delicacy　towards　the
earl：　whatever　his　hand　found　to　do　he　would　do；　regardless　of
appearances！　If　he　could　not　reach　lady　Arctura；　he　would　seek　the
help　of　the　law；　tell　what　he　knew；　and　get　a　warrant　of　search。　He
dared　not　think　what　he　dreaded；　but　he　would　trust　nothing　but
seeing　her　with　his　own　eyes；　and　hearing　from　her　own　mouth　that
all　was　wellwhich　could　not　be；　else　why　should　his　mother　have
sent　him　to　her？　Doubtless　the　way　would　unfold　before　him　as　he