donal grant-第14章
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what a smile would do for his face； but failed。 He was not in the
least awed by the presence of the great man。 What is rank to the
man who honours everything human； has no desire to look what he is
not； has nothing to conceal and nothing to compass； is fearful of no
to…morrow； and does not respect riches！ Toward such ends of being
the tide of Donal's life was at least setting。 So he sat neither
fidgeting nor staring； but quietly taking things in。
The earl raised himself； pushed his writing from him； turned towards
him； and said with courtesy；
〃Excuse me； Mr。 Grant； I wished to talk to you with the ease of duty
done。〃
More polite his address could not have been； but there was a
something between him and Donal that was not to be passed
anameless gulf of the negative。
〃My time is at your lordship's service；〃 replied Donal； with the
ease that comes of simplicity。
〃You have probably guessed why I sent for you？〃
〃I have hoped； my lord。〃
There was something of old…world breeding about the lad that
commended him to the earl。 Such breeding is not rare among
Celt…born peasants。
〃My sons told me that they had met a young man in the grounds〃
〃For which I beg your lordship's pardon；〃 said Donal。 〃I did not
know the place was forbidden。〃
〃I hope you will soon be familiar with it。 I am glad of your
mistake。 From what they said； I supposed you might be a student in
want of a situation； and I had been looking out for a young man to
take charge of the boy： it seemed possible you might serve my
purpose。 I do not question you can show yourself fit for such an
office： I presume it would suit you。 Do you believe yourself one to
be so trusted？〃
Donal had not a glimmer of false modesty； he answered immediately；
〃I do； my lord。〃
〃Tell me something of your history： where were you born？ what were
your parents？〃
Donal told him all he thought it of any consequence he should know。
His lordship did not once interrupt him with question or remark。
When he had ended
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃I like all you tell me。 You have testimonials？〃
〃I have from the professors； my lord； and one from the minister of
the parish； who knew me before I went to college。 I could get one
from Mr。 Sclater too； whose church I attended while there。〃
〃Show me what you have；〃 said his lordship。
Donal took the papers from the pocket…book his mother had made him；
and handed them to him。 The earl read them with some attention；
returning each to him without remark as he finished it； only saying
with the last；
〃Quite satisfactory。〃
〃But；〃 said Donal； 〃there is one thing I should be more at ease if I
told your lordship： Mr。 Carmichael； the minister of this parish；
would tell you I was an atheist； or something very like
ittherefore an altogether unsafe person。 But he knows nothing of
me。〃
〃On what grounds then would he say so？〃 asked the earlshowing not
the least discomposure。 〃I thought you were a stranger to this
place！〃
Donal told him how they had met； what had passed between them； and
how the minister had behaved in consequence。 His lordship heard him
gravely； was silent for a moment； and then said；
〃Should Mr。 Carmichael address me on the subject； which I do not
think likely； he will find me already too much prejudiced in your
favour。 But I can imagine his mistaking your freedom of speech： you
are scarcely prudent enough。 Why say all you think？〃
〃I fear nothing； my lord。〃
The earl was silent； his gray face seemed to grow grayer； but it
might be that just then the sun went under a cloud； and he was
suddenly folded in shadow。 After a moment he spoke again。
〃I am quite satisfied with you so far； Mr。 Grant； and as I should
not like to employ you in direct opposition to Mr。 Carmichelnot
that I belong to his churchwe will arrange matters before he can
hear of the affair。 What salary do you want？〃
Donal replied he would prefer leaving the salary to his lordship's
judgment upon trial。
〃I am not a wealthy man；〃 returned his lordship； 〃and would prefer
an understanding。〃
〃Try me then for three months； my lord； give me my board and
lodging； the use of your library； and at the end of the quarter a
ten…pound…note： by that time you will be able to tell whether I suit
you。〃
The earl nodded agreement； and Donal rose at once。 With a heart
full of thankfulness and hope he walked back to his friends。 He had
before him pleasant work； plenty of time and book…help； an abode
full of interest； and something for his labour！
〃'Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee！'〃 said the cobbler；
rejoicing against the minister； 〃'the remainder of wrath shalt thou
restrain。'〃
In the afternoon Donal went into the town to get some trifles he
wanted before going to the castle。 As he turned to the door of a
draper's shop； he saw at the counter the minister talking to him。
He would rather have gone elsewhere but for unwillingness to turn
his back on anything： he went in。 Beside the minister stood a young
lady； who； having completed her purchases； was listening to their
conversation。 The draper looked up as he entered。 A glance passed
between him and the minister。 He came to Donal； and having heard
what he wanted； left him； went back to the minister； and took no
more notice of him。 Donal found it awkward； and left the shop。
〃High an' michty！〃 said the draper； annoyed at losing the customer
to whose dispraise he had been listening。
〃Far beyond dissent； John！〃 said the minister； pursuing a remark。
〃Doobtless； sir； it is that！〃 answered the draper。 〃I'm thankfu' to
say I never harboured a doobt mysel'； but aye took what I was tauld；
ohn argle…barglet。 What hae we sic as yersel' set ower's for； gien
it binna to haud's i' the straicht path o' what we're to believe an'
no to believe？ It's a fine thing no to be accoontable！〃
The minister was an honest man so far as he knew himself and
honesty； and did not relish this form of submission。 But he did not
ask himself where was the difference between accepting the word of
man and accepting man's explanation of the word of God！ He took a
huge pinch from his black snuffbox and held his peace。
In the evening Donal would settle his account with mistress Comin：
he found her demand so much less than he had expected； that he
expostulated。 She was firm； however； and assured him she had
gained； not lost。 As he was putting up his things；
〃Lea' a buik or twa； sir；〃 she said； 〃'at whan ye luik in； the place
may luik hame…like。 We s' ca' the room yours。 Come as aften as ye
can。 It does my Anerew's hert guid to hae a crack wi' ane 'at kens
something o' what the Maister wad be at。 Mony ane 'll ca' him Lord；
but feow 'ill tak the trible to ken what he wad hae o' them。 But
there's my Anerewhe'll sit yon'er at his wark； thinkin' by the
hoor thegither ower something the Maister said 'at he canna win at
the richts o'。 'Depen' upo' 't；' he says whiles； 'depen' upo' 't；
lass； whaur onything he says disna luik richt to hiz； it maun be 'at
we haena won at it！'〃
As she ended； her husband came in； and took up what he fancied the
thread of the dialogue。
〃An' what are we to think o' the man；〃 he said； 〃at's content no to
un'erstan' what he was at the trible to say？ Wad he say things 'at
he didna mean fowk to un'erstan' whan he said them？〃 〃Weel； Anerew；〃
said his wife； 〃there's mony a thing he said 'at I can not
un'erstan'； naither am I muckle the better for your explainin' o'
the same； I maun jist lat it sit。〃
Andrew laughed his quiet pleased laugh。
〃Weel； lass；〃 he said； 〃the duin' o' ae thing 's better nor the
un'erstan'in' o' twenty。 Nor wull ye be lang ohn un'erstan't muckle
'at's dark to ye noo； for the maister likes nane but the duer o' the
word； an' her he likes weel。 Be blythe； lass； ye s' hae yer fill o'
un'erstan'in' yet！〃
〃I'm fain to believe ye speyk the trowth； Anerew！〃
〃It 's great trowth；〃 said Donal。
CHAPTER XII。
THE CASTLE。
The next morning came a cart from the castle to fetch his box； and
after breakfast he set out for his new abode。
He took the path by the river…side。 The morning was glorious。 The
sun and the river and the bir
