donal grant-第102章

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sent　him　to　her？　Doubtless　the　way　would　unfold　before　him　as　he
went　on；　but　if　everything　should　seem　to　go　against　him；　he　would
yet　say　with　sir　Philip　Sidney　that；　〃since　a　man　is　bound　no
farther　to　himself　than　to　do　wisely；　chance　is　only　to　trouble　them
that　stand　upon　chance。〃　If　his　plans　or　attempts　should　one　after
the　other　fail；　〃there's　a　divinity　that　shapes　our　ends；　rough…hew
them　how　we　will〃！　So　he　rode　on；　careful　over　his　mare；　lest　much
haste　should　be　little　speed。　The　animal　was　strong　and　in　good
condition；　and　by　the　time　Donal　had　seen　the　sun　rise；　ascend　the
heavens；　and　go　half…way　down　their　western　slope；　and　had　stopped
three　times　to　refresh　the　mare；　he　found　himself；　after　much
climbing　and　descent；　on　a　good　level　road　that　promised　by
nightfall　to　bring　him　to　the　place　of　his　desire。

But　the　mare　was　now　getting　tired；　and　no　wonder；　for　she　had　had
more　than　a　hard　day's　work。　Donal　dismounted　every　now　and　then　to
relieve　her；　that　he　might　go　the　faster　when　he　mounted　again；
comforting　himself　that　in　the　true　path　the　delays　are　as　important
as　the　speed；　for　the　hour　is　the　point；　not　the　swiftness：　an　hour
too　soon　may　even　be　more　disastrous　than　an　hour　too　late！　He　would
arrive　at　the　right　time　for　him　whose　ways　are　not　as　our　ways
inasmuch　as　they　are　greatly　better！　The　sun　went　down　and　the　stars
came　out；　and　the　long　twilight　began。　But　before　he　was　a　mile
farther　he　became　aware　that　the　sky　had　clouded　over；　the　stars　had
vanished；　and　rain　was　at　hand。　The　day　had　been　sultry；　and　relief
was　come。　Lightning　flamed　out；　and　darkness　full　of　thunder
followed。　The　storm　was　drawing　nearer；　but　his　mare；　though　young
and　high…spirited；　was　too　weary　to　be　frightened；　the　rain
refreshed　both；　and　they　made　a　little　more　speed。　But　it　was　dark
night；　with　now　grumbling　now　raging　storm；　before　they　came　where；
had　it　been　light；　Donal　would　have　looked　to　see　the　castle。




CHAPTER　LXXIII。

IN　THE　NIGHT。

When　he　reached　the　town；　he　rode　into　the　yard　of　the　Morven　Arms；
and　having　found　a　sleepy　ostler；　gave　up　his　mare：　he　would　be
better　without　her　at　the　castle！whither　he　was　setting　out　to
walk　when　the　landlord　appeared。

〃We　didna　luik　to　see　you；　sir；　at　this　time！〃　he　said。

〃Why　not？〃　returned　Donal。

〃We　thoucht　ye　was　awa'　for　the　simmer；　seein'　ye　tuik　the　yoong
gentleman　wi'　ye；　an'　the　yerl　himsel'　followt！〃

〃Where　is　he　gone？〃　asked　Donal。

〃Oh！　dinna　ye　ken；　sir？　hae　na　ye　h'ard？〃

〃Not　a　word。〃

〃That's　verra　strange；　sir！There's　a　clean　clearance　at　the
castel。　First　gaed　my　lord　Forgue；　an'　syne　my　lord　himsel'　an'　my
lady；　an'　syne　gaed　the　hoosekeeperher　mither　was　deein'；　they
said。　I'm　thinkin'　there　maun　be　a　weddin'　to　the　fore。　There　was
some　word　o'　fittin'　up　the　auld　hoose　i'　the　toon；　'cause　lord
Forgue　didna　care　aboot　bein'　at　the　castel　ony　langer。　It's　strange
ye　haena　h'ard；　sir！〃

Donal　stood　absorbed　in　awful　hearing。　Surely　some　letter　must　have
miscarried！　The　sure　and　firm…set　earth　seemed　giving　way　under　his
feet。

〃I　will　run　up　to　the　castle；　and　hear　all　about　it；〃　he　said。　〃Look
after　my　mare；　will　you？〃

〃But　I'm　tellin'　ye；　sir；　ye'll　fin'　naebody　there！〃　said　the　man。
〃They're　a'　gane　frae　the　hoose　ony　gait。　There's　no　a　sowl　aboot
that　but　deif　Betty　Lobban；　wha　wadna　hear　the　angel　wi'　the　last
trump。　Mair　by　token；　she's　that　feart　for　robbers　she　gangs　til　her
bed　the　minute　it　begins　to　grow　dark；　an'　sticks　her　heid　'aneth
the　bed…claesno　'at　that　maks　her　ony　deifer！〃

〃Then　you　think　there　is　no　use　in　going　up？〃

〃Not　the　smallest；〃　answered　the　inn…keeper。

〃Get　me　some　supper　then。　I　will　take　a　look　at　my　mare。〃

He　went　and　saw　that　she　was　attended　tothen　set　off　for　the
castle　as　fast　as　his　legs　would　carry　him。　There　was　foul　play
beyond　a　doubt！of　what　sort　he　could　not　tell！　If　the　man's　report
was　correct；　he　would　go　straight　to　the　police！　Then　first　he
remembered；　in　addition　to　the　other　reported　absences；　that　before
he　left　with　Davie；　the　factor　and　his　sister　had　gone　together　for
a　holiday：　had　this　been　contrived？

He　mounted　the　hill　and　drew　near　the　castle。　A　terrible　gloom　fell
upon　him：　there　was　not　a　light　in　the　sullen　pile！　It　was　darksome
even　to　terror！　He　went　to　the　main　entrance；　and　rang　the　great
bell　as　loud　as　he　could　ring　it；　but　there　was　no　answer　to　the
summons；　which　echoed　and　yelled　horribly；　as　if　the　house　were
actually　empty。　He　rang　again；　and　again　came　the　horrible　yelling
echo；　but　no　more　answer　than　if　it　had　been　a　mausoleum。　He　had
been　told　what　to　expect；　yet　his　heart　sank　within　him。　Once　more
he　rang　and　waited；　but　there　was　no　sound　of　hearing。　The　place
grew　terrible　to　him。　But　his　mother　had　sent　him　there；　and　into　it
he　must　go！　He　must　at　least　learn　whether　it　was　indeed　abandoned！
There　was　false　play！　he　kept　repeating　to　himself；　but　what　was　it？
where　and　how　was　it　to　be　met？

As　to　getting　into　the　house　there　was　no　difficulty。　He　had　but　to
climb　two　walls　to　get　to　the　door　of　Baliol's　tower；　and　the　key　of
that　he　always　carried。　If　he　had　not　had　it；　he　would　yet　soon　have
got　in；　he　knew　the　place　better　than　any　one　else　about　it。　Happily
he　had　left　the　door　locked　when　he　went　away；　else　probably　they
would　have　secured　it　otherwise。　He　entered　softly；　and；　with　a
strange　feeling　of　dread；　went　winding　up　the　stair　to　his
roomslowly；　because　he　did　not　yet　know　at　all　what　he　was　to　do。
If　there　were　no　false　play；　surely　at　least　Mrs。　Brookes　would　have
written　to　tell　him　they　were　going！　If　only　he　could　learn　where
she　was！　Before　he　reached　the　top　he　found　himself　very　weary。　He
staggered　in；　and　fell　on　his　bed　in　the　dark。

But　he　could　not　rest。　The　air　seemed　stifling。　The　storm　had
lulled；　but　the　atmosphere　was　full　of　thunder。　He　got　up　and　opened
the　window。　A　little　breath　came　in　and　revived　him；　then　came　a
little　wind；　and　in　the　wind　the　moan　of　its　harp。　It　woke　many
memories。　There　again　was　the　lightning！　The　thunder　broke　with　a
great　bellowing　roar　among　the　roofs　and　chimneys。　It　was　to　his
mind！　He　went　out　on　the　roof；　and　mechanically　took　his　way　toward
the　nest　of　the　music。　At　the　base　of　the　chimneys　he　sat　down；　and
stared　into　the　darkness。　The　lightning　came；　he　saw　the　sea　lie
watching　like　a　perfect　peace　to　take　up　drift　souls；　and　the　land
bordering　it　like　a　waste　of　dread；　then　the　darkness　swallowed
both；　and　the　thunder　came　so　loud　that　it　not　only　deafened　but
seemed　to　blind　him　beyond　the　darkness；　that　his　brain　turned　to　a
lump　of　clay。　Then　came　a　silence；　and　the　silence　was　like　a　deeper
deafness。　But　from　the　deafness　burst　and　trickled　a　faint　doubtful
stream：　could　it　be　a　voice；　calling；　calling；　from　a　great
distance？　Was　he　the　fool　of　weariness　and　excitement；　or　did　he
actually　hear　his　own　name？　Whose　voice　could　it　be　but　lady
Arctura's；　calling　to　him　from　the　spirit　world！　They　had　killed
her；　and　she　was　calling　to　let　him　know　she　was　in　the　land　of
liberty！　With　that　came　another　flash　and　another　roar　of
thunderand　there　was　the　voice　again：　〃Mr。　Grant！　Mr。　Grant！　come；
come！　You　promised！〃　Did　he　actually　hear　the　words？　They　sounded　so
far　away　that　it　seemed　as　if　he　ought　not　to　hear　them。　But　could
the　voice　be　from　the　spirit…land？　Would　she　claim　his　promise
thence；　tempting　him　thither？　She　would　not！　And　she　knew　he　would
not　go　before　his　hour；　if　all　the　spirits　on　the　other　side　were
calling　him。　But　he　had　heard　of　voices　from　far　away；　while　those
who　called　were　yet　in　the　body！　If　she　would　but　say　whither；　he
would　follow　her　that　moment！　Once　more　it　came；　but　very　faint；　he
could　not　tell　what　it　said。　A　wail　of　the　ghost…music　followed
close。God　in　heaven！　could　she　be　down　in　the　chapel？　He　sprang　to
his　feet。　With　superhuman　energy　he　leapt　up　and　caught　the　edge　of
the　cleft；　drew　himself　up　till　his　mouth　reached　it；　and　cried
aloud；　〃Lady　Arctura！〃

There　came　no　answer。

〃I　am　stupid　as　death！〃　he　said　to　himself：　〃I　have　let　her　call　me
in　vain！〃

〃I　am　coming！〃　he　cried　again；　r