donal grant-第11章

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and　so　got　the　better　of　his　ills。　　They　walked　into　the　musty；
dingy；　brown…atmosphered　house。　　The　cobbler　led　the　way　to　a　humble
place　behind　a　pillar；　there　Doory　was　seated　waiting　them。　　The
service　was　not　so　dreary　to　Donal　as　usual；　the　sermon　had　some
thought　in　it；　and　his　heart　was　drawn　to　a　man　who　would　say　he　did
not　understand。

〃Yon　was　a　fine　discoorse；〃　remarked　the　cobbler　as　they　went
homeward。

Donal　saw　nothing　fine　in　it；　but　his　experience　was　not　so　wide　as
the　cobbler's：　to　him　the　discourse　had　hinted　many　things　which　had
not　occurred　to　Donal。

Some　people　demand　from　the　householder　none　but　new　things；　others
none　but　old；　whereas　we　need　in　truth　of　all　the　sorts　in　his
treasury。

〃I　haena　a　doobt　it　was　a'　richt　an'　as　ye　say；　Anerew；〃　said　his
wife；　〃but　for　mysel'　I　could　mak　naither　heid　nor　tail　o'　't。〃

〃I　saidna；　Doory；　it　was　a'　richt；〃　returned　her　husband；　〃that
would　be　to　say　a　heap　for　onything　human！　but　it　was　a　guid　honest
sermon。〃

〃What　was　yon　'at　he　said　aboot　the　mirracles　no　bein'　teeps？〃　asked
his　wife。

〃It　was　God's　trowth　'at；〃　he　said。〃

〃Gie　me　a　share　o'　the　same　I　beg　o'　ye；　Anerew　Comin。〃

〃What　the　man　said　was　this'at　the　sea　'at　Peter　gaed　oot　upo'
wasna　first　an'　foremost　to　be　luikit　upon　as　a　teep　o'　the　inward
an'　spiritual　troubles　o'　the　believer；　still　less　o'　the　troubles
o'　the　church　o'　Christ。　　The　Lord　deals　wi'　fac's　nane　the　less　'at
they　canna　help　bein'　teeps。　　Here　was　terrible　fac's　to　Peter。
Here　was　angry　watter　an'　roarin'　win'；　here　was　danger　an'　fear：
the　man　had　to　trust　or　gang　doon。　　Gien　the　hoose　be　on　fire　we
maun　trust；　gien　the　watter　gang　ower　oor　heids　we　maun　trust；　gien
the　horse　rin　awa'；　we　maun　trust。　　Him　'at　canna　trust　in　siclike
conditions；　I　wadna　gie　a　plack　for　ony　ither　kin'　o'　faith　he　may
hae。　　God　's　nae　a　mere　thoucht　i'　the　warl'　o'　thoucht；　but　a
leevin'　pooer　in　a'　warl's　alike。　　Him　'at　gangs　to　God　wi'　a　sair
heid　'ill　the　suner　gang　til　'im　wi'　a　sair　hert；　an'　them　'at
thinksna　he　cares　for　the　pains　o'　their　bodies　'ill　ill　believe　he
cares　for　the　doobts　an'　perplexities　o'　their　inquirin'　speerits。
To　my　min'　he　spak　the　best　o'　sense！〃

〃I　didna　hear　him　say　onything　like　that！〃　said　Donal。

〃Did　ye　no？　　Weel；　I　thoucht　it　cam　frae　him　to　me！〃

〃Maybe　I　wasna　giein'　the　best　heed；〃　said　Donal。　〃But　what　ye　say
is　as　true　as　the　sun。　　It　stan's　to　rizzon。〃

The　day　passed　in　pleasure　and　quiet。　　Donal　had　found　another
father　and　mother。




CHAPTER　VIII。

THE　GATE。

The　next　day；　after　breakfast；　Donal　said　to　his　host

〃Noo　I　maun　pey　ye　for　my　shune；　for　gien　I　dinna　pey　at　ance；　I
canna　tell　hoo　muckle　to　ca'　my　ain；　an'　what　I　hae　to　gang　by　till
I　get　mair。〃

〃Na；　na；〃　returned　the　cobbler。　〃There's　jist　ae　preejudice　I　hae
left　concernin'　the　Sawbath…day；　I　firmly　believe　it　a　preejudice；
for　siller　's　the　Lord's　tu；　but　I　canna　win　ower　't：　I　canna　bring
mysel'　to　tak　siller　for　ony　wark　dune　upo'　't！　　Sae　ye　maun　jist　be
content　to　lat　that　flee　stick　to　the　Lord's　wa'。　　Ye'll　du　as
muckle　for　me　some　day！〃

〃There's　naething　left　me　but　to　thank　ye；〃　said　Donal。　〃There's　the
ludgin'　an'　the　boord；　though！I　maun　ken　aboot　them　'afore　we　gang
farther。〃

〃They're　nane　o'　my　business；〃　replied　Andrew。　〃I　lea'　a'　that　to
the　gudewife；　an'　I　coonsel　ye　to　du　the　same。　　She's　a　capital
manager；　an'　winna　chairge　ye　ower　muckle。〃

Donal　could　but　yield；　and　presently　went　out　for　a　stroll。

He　wandered　along　the　bank　of　the　river　till　he　came　to　the　foot　of
the　hill　on　which　stood　the　castle。　　Seeing　a　gate；　he　approached
it；　and　finding　it　open　went　in。　　A　slow…ascending　drive　went
through　the　trees；　round　and　round　the　hill。　　He　followed　it　a
little　way。　　An　aromatic　air　now　blew　and　now　paused　as　he　went。
The　trees　seemed　climbing　up　to　attack　the　fortress　above；　which　he
could　not　see。　　When　he　had　gone　a　few　yards　out　of　sight　of　the
gate；　he　threw　himself　down　among　them；　and　fell　into　a　reverie。
The　ancient　time　arose　before　him；　when；　without　a　tree　to　cover
the　approach　of　an　enemy；　the　castle　rose　defiant　and　bare　in　its
strength；　like　an　athlete　stripped　for　the　fight；　and　the　little
town　huddled　close　under　its　protection。　　What　wars　had　there
blustered；　what　rumours　blown；　what　fears　whispered；　what　sorrows
moaned！　　But　were　there　not　now　just　as　many　evils　as　then？　　Let　the
world　improve　as　it　may；　the　deeper　ill　only　breaks　out　afresh　in
new　forms。　　Time　itself；　the　staring；　vacant；　unlovely　time；　is　to
many　the　one　dread　foe。　　Others　have　a　house　empty　and　garnished；　in
which　neither　Love　nor　Hope　dwells。　　A　self；　with　no　God　to　protect
from　it；　a　self　unrulable；　insatiable；　makes　of　existence　to　some
the　hell　called　madness。　　Godless　man　is　a　horror　of　the
unfinisheda　hopeless　necessity　for　the　unattainable！　　The　most
discontented　are　those　who　have　all　the　truthless　heart　desires。

Thoughts　like　these　were　coming　and　going　in　Donal's　brain；　when　he
heard　a　slight　sound　somewhere　near　himthe　lightest　of　sounds
indeedthe　turning　of　the　leaf　of　a　book。　　He　raised　his　head　and
looked；　but　could　see　no　one。　　At　last；　up　through　the　tree…boles　on
the　slope　of　the　hill；　he　caught　the　shine　of　something　white：　it
was　the　hand　that　held　an　open　book。　　He　took　it　for　the　hand　of　a
lady。　　The　trunk　of　a　large　tree　hid　the　reclining　form。　　He　would
go　back！　　There　was　the　lovely　cloth…striped　meadow　to　lie　in！

He　rose　quietly；　but　not　quietly　enough　to　steal　away。　　From　behind
the　tree；　a　young　man；　rather　tall　and　slender；　rose　and　came
towards　him。　　Donal　stood　to　receive　him。

〃I　presume　you　are　unaware　that　these　grounds　are　not　open　to　the
public！〃　he　said；　not　without　a　touch　of　haughtiness。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；〃　said　Donal。　〃I　found　the　gate　open；　and
the　shade　of　the　trees　was　enticing。〃

〃It　is　of　no　consequence；〃　returned　the　youth；　now　with　some
condescension；　〃only　my　father　is　apt　to　be　annoyed　if　he　sees　any
one〃

He　was　interrupted　by　a　cry　from　farther　up　the　hill

〃Oh；　there　you　are；　Percy！〃

〃And　there　you　are；　Davie！〃　returned　the　youth　kindly。

A　boy　of　about　ten　came　towards　them　precipitately；　jumping　stumps；
and　darting　between　stems。

〃Take　care；　take　care；　Davie！〃　cried　the　other：　〃you　may　slip　on　a
root　and　fall！〃

〃Oh；　I　know　better　than　that！But　you　are　engaged！〃

〃Not　in　the　least。　　Come　along。〃

Donal　lingered：　the　youth　had　not　finish　his　speech！

〃I　went　to　Arkie；〃　said　the　boy；　〃but　she　couldn't　help　me。　　I　can't
make　sense　of　this！　　I　wouldn't　care　if　it　wasn't　a　story。〃

He　had　an　old　folio　under　one　arm；　with　a　finger　of　the　other　hand
in　its　leaves。

〃It　is　a　curious　taste　for　a　child！〃　said　the　youth；　turning　to
Donal；　in　whom　he　had　recognized　the　peasant…scholar：　〃this　little
brother　of　mine　reads　all　the　dull　old　romances　he　can　lay　his　hands
on。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　suggested　Donal；　〃they　are　the　only　fictions　within　his
reach！　　Could　you　not　turn　him　loose　upon　sir　Walter　Scott？〃

〃A　good　suggestion！〃　he　answered；　casting　a　keen　glance　at　Donal。

〃Will　you　let　me　look　at　the　passage？〃　said　Donal　to　the　boy；
holding　out　his　hand。

The　boy　opened　the　book；　and　gave　it　him。　　On　the　top　of　the　page
Donal　read；　〃The　Countess　of　Pembroke's　Arcadia。〃　　He　had　read　of
the　book；　but　had　never　seen　it。

〃That's　a　grand　book！〃　he　said。

〃Horribly　dreary；〃　remarked　the　elder　brother。

The　younger　reached　up；　and　laid　his　finger　on　the　page　next　him。

〃There；　sir！〃　he　said；　〃that　is　the　place：　do　tell　me　what　it
means。〃

〃I　will　try；〃　answered　Donal；　〃I　may　not　he　able。〃

He　began　to　read　at　the　top　of　the　page。

〃That's　not　the　place；　sir！〃　said　the　boy。　〃It　is　there。〃

〃I　must　know　something　of　what　goes　before　it　first；〃　returned
Donal。

〃Oh；　yes；　sir；　I　see！〃　he　answered；　and　stood　silent。

He　was　a　fair…haired　boy；　with　ruddy　cheeks　and　a　healthy
looksweet…tempered　evidently。

Donal　presently　saw　both　what　the　sentence　meant　and　the　cause　of
his　difficulty。　　He　explained　the　thing　to　him。

〃Thank　you！　thank　you！　　Now　I　shall　get　on！〃　he　cried；　and　ran　up
the　hill。

〃