donal grant-第21章
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walked in it。 On the side of the hill away from the town； was a
large park reaching down to the river； and stretching a long way up
its bankwith fine trees； and glorious outlooks to the sea in one
direction； and to the mountains in the other。 Here Donal would
often wander； now with a book； now with Davie。 The boy's presence
was rarely an interruption to his thoughts when he wanted to think。
Sometimes he would thrown himself on the grass and read aloud； then
Davie would throw himself beside him； and let the words he could not
understand flow over him in a spiritual cataract。 On the river was
a boat； and though at first he was awkward enough in the use of the
oars； he was soon able to enjoy thoroughly a row up or down the
stream； especially in the twilight。
He was alone with his book under a beech…tree on a steep slope to
the river； the day after his affair with lord Forgue： reading aloud；
he did not hear the approach of his lordship。
〃Mr。 Grant；〃 he said； 〃if you will say you are sorry you threw me
from my horse； I will say I am sorry I struck you。〃
〃I am very sorry；〃 said Donal； rising； 〃that it was necessary to
throw you from your horse； and perhaps your lordship may remember
that you struck me before I did so。〃
〃That has nothing to do with it。 I propose an accommodation； or
compromise； or what you choose to call it： if you will do the one； I
will do the other。〃
〃What I think I ought to do； my lord； I do without bargaining。 I am
not sorry I threw you from your horse； and to say so would be to
lie。〃
〃Of course everybody thinks himself in the right！〃 said his lordship
with a small sneer。
〃It does not follow that no one is ever in the right！〃 returned
Donal。 〃Does your lordship think you were in the righteither
towards me or the poor animal who could not obey you because he was
in torture？〃
〃I don't say I do。〃
〃Then everybody does not think himself in the right！ I take your
lordship's admission as an apology。〃
〃By no means： when I make an apology； I will do it； I will not sneak
out of it。〃
He was evidently at strife with himself： he knew he was wrong； but
could not yet bring himself to say so。 It is one of the poorest of
human weaknesses that a man should be ashamed of saying he has done
wrong； instead of so ashamed of having done wrong that he cannot
rest till he has said so； for the shame cleaves fast until the
confession removes it。
Forgue walked away a step or two； and stood with his back to Donal；
poking the point of his stick into the grass。 All at once he turned
and said：
〃I will apologize if you will tell me one thing。〃
〃I will tell you whether you apologize or not；〃 said Donal。 〃I have
never asked you to apologize。〃
〃Tell me then why you did not return either of my blows yesterday。〃
〃I should like to know why you askbut I will answer you： simply
because to do so would have been to disobey my master。〃
〃That's a sort of thing I don't understand。 But I only wanted to
know it was not cowardice； I could not make an apology to a coward。〃
〃If I were a coward； you would owe me an apology all the same； and
he is a poor creature who will not pay his debts。 But I hope it is
not necessary I should either thrash or insult your lordship to
convince you I fear you no more than that blackbird there！〃
Forgue gave a little laugh。 A moment's pause followed。 Then he
held out his hand； but in a half…hesitating； almost sheepish way：
〃Well； well！ shake hands；〃 he said。
〃No； my lord；〃 returned Donal。 〃I bear your lordship not the
slightest ill…will； but I will shake hands with no one in a
half…hearted way； and no other way is possible while you are
uncertain whether I am a coward or not。〃
So saying； he threw himself again upon the grass； and lord Forgue
walked away； offended afresh。
The next morning he came into the school…room where Donal sat at
lessons with Davie。 He had a book in his hand。
〃Mr。 Grant；〃 he said； 〃will you help me with this passage in
Xenophon？〃
〃With all my heart；〃 answered Donal； and in a few moments had him
out of his difficulty。
But instead of going； his lordship sat down a little way off； and
went on with his readingsat until master and pupil went out； and
left him sitting there。 The next morning he came with a fresh
request； and Donal found occasion to approve warmly of a translation
he proposed。 From that time he came almost every morning。 He was
no great scholar； but with the prospect of an English university
before him； thought it better to read a little。
The housekeeper at the castle was a good woman； and very kind to
Donal； feeling perhaps that he fell to her care the more that he was
by birth of her own class； for it was said in the castle； 〃the tutor
makes no pretence to being a gentleman。〃 Whether he was the more or
the less of one on that account； I leave my reader to judge
according to his capability。 Sometimes when his dinner was served；
mistress Brookes would herself appear； to ensure proper attention to
him； and would sit down and talk to him while he ate； ready to rise
and serve him if necessary。 Their early days had had something in
common； though she came from the southern highlands of green hills
and more sheep。 She gave him some rather needful information about
the family； and he soon perceived that there would have been less
peace in the house but for her good temper and good sense。
Lady Arctura was the daughter of the last lord Morven； and left sole
heir to the property； Forgue and his brother Davie were the sons of
the present earl。 The present lord was the brother of the last； and
had lived with him for some years before he succeeded。 He was a man
of peculiar and studious habits； nobody ever seemed to take to him；
and since his wife's death； his health had been precarious。 Though
a strange man； he was a just if not generous master。 His brother
had left him guardian to lady Arctura； and he had lived in the
castle as before。 His wife was a very lovely； but delicate woman；
and latterly all but confined to her room。 Since her death a great
change had passed upon her husband。 Certainly his behaviour was
sometimes hard to understand。
〃He never gangs to the kirkno ance in a twalmonth！〃 said Mrs。
Brookes。 〃Fowk sud be dacent； an' wha ever h'ard o' dacent fowk 'at
didna gang to the kirk ance o' the Sabbath！ I dinna haud wi' gaein'
twise mysel'： ye hae na time to read yer ain chapters gien ye do
that。 But the man's a weel behavet man； sae far as ye see； naither
sayin' nor doin' the thing he shouldna： what he may think； wha's to
say！ the mair ten'er conscience coonts itsel' the waur sinner； an'
I'm no gaein' to think what I canna ken！ There's some 'at says he
led a gey lowse kin' o' a life afore he cam to bide wi' the auld
yerl； he was wi' the airmy i' furreign pairts； they say； but aboot
that I ken naething。 The auld yerl was something o' a sanct
himsel'； rist the banes o' 'im！ We're no the jeedges o' the leevin'
ony mair nor o' the deid！ But I maun awa' to luik efter things； a
minute's an hoor lost wi' thae fule lasses。 Ye're a freen' o'
An'rew Comin's； they tell me； sir： I dinna ken what to do wi' 's
lass； she's that upsettin'！ Ye wad think she was ane o' the faimily
whiles； an' ither whiles she 's that silly！〃
〃I'm sorry to hear it！〃 said Donal。 〃Her grandfather and grandmother
are the best of good people。〃
〃I daursay！ But there's jist what I hae seen： them 'at 's broucht
up their ain weel eneuch； their son's bairn they'll jist lat gang。
Aither they're tired o' the thing； or they think they're safe。
They hae lippent til yoong Eppy a heap ower muckle。 But I'm
naither a prophet nor the son o' a prophet； as the minister said
last Sundayan' said well； honest man！ for it's the plain trowth：
he's no ane o' the major nor yet the minor anes！ But haud him oot
o' the pu'pit an' he dis no that ill。 His dochter 's no an ill lass
aither； an' a great freen' o' my leddy's。 But I'm clean ashamed o'
mysel' to gang on this gait。 Hae ye dune wi' yer denner； Mr。
Grant？Weel； I'll jist sen' to clear awa'； an' lat ye til yer
lessons。〃
CHAPTER XVII。
LADY ARCTURA。
It was now almost three
