donal grant-第25章

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The　next　morning　he　asked　him　if　he　had　mentioned　it。　　The　boy　said
he　had。

〃What　did　she　say；　Davie？〃

〃Nothingonly　looked　strange；〃　answered　Davie。

When　the　hour　of　noon　was　past；　and　lady　Arctura　did　not　appear；
Donal　said；

〃Davie；　we'll　have　our　New　Testament　lesson　out　of　doors：　that　is
the　best　place　for　it！〃

〃It　is　the　best　place！〃　responded　Davie；　jumping　up。　〃But　you're　not
taking　your　book；　Mr。　Grant！〃

〃Never　mind；　I　will　give　you　a　lesson　or　two　without　book　first。〃

Just　as　they　were　leaving　the　room；　appeared　lady　Arctura　with　Miss
Carmichael。

〃I　understood；〃　said　the　former；　with　not　a　little　haughtiness；
〃that　you〃

She　hesitated；　and　Miss　Carmichael　took　up　the　word。

〃We　wish　to　form　our　own　judgment；〃　she　said；　〃on　the　nature　of　the
religious　instruction　you　give　your　pupil。〃

〃I　invited　lady　Arctura　to　be　present　when　I　taught　him　about　God；〃
said　Donal。

〃Then　are　you　not　now　going　to　do　so？〃　said　Arctura。

〃As　your　ladyship　made　no　answer　to　my　proposal；　and　school　hours
were　over；　I　concluded　you　were　not　coming。〃

〃And　you　would　not　give　the　lesson　without　her　ladyship！〃　said　Miss
Carmichael。　〃Very　right！〃

〃Excuse　me；〃　returned　Donal；　〃we　were　going　to　have　it　out　of
doors。〃

〃But　you　had　agreed　not　to　give　him　any　so…called　religious
instruction　but　in　the　presence　of　lady　Arctura！〃

〃By　no　means。　　I　only　offered　to　give　it　in　her　presence　if　she
chose。　　There　was　no　question　of　the　lessons　being　given。〃

Miss　Carmichael　looked　at　lady　Arctura　as　much　as　to　say〃Is　he
speaking　the　truth？〃　and　if　she　replied；　it　was　in　the　same　fashion。

Donal　looked　at　Miss　Carmichael。　　He　did　not　at　all　relish　her
interference。　　He　had　never　said　he　would　give　his　lesson　before　any
who　chose　to　be　present！　　But　he　did　not　see　how　to　meet　the
intrusion。　　Neither　could　he　turn　back　into　the　schoolroom；　sit
down；　and　begin。　　He　put　his　hand　on　Davie's　shoulder；　and　walked
slowly　towards　the　lawn。　　The　ladies　followed　in　silence。　　He　sought
to　forget　their　presence；　and　be　conscious　only　of　his　pupil's　and
his　master's。　　On　the　lawn　he　stopped　suddenly。

〃Davie；〃　he　said；　〃where　do　you　fancy　the　first　lesson　in　the　New
Testament　ought　to　begin？〃

〃At　the　beginning；〃　replied　Davie。

〃When　a　thing　is　perfect；　Davie；　it　is　difficult　to　say　what　is　the
beginning　of　it：　show　me　one　of　your　marbles。〃

The　boy　produced　from　his　pocket　a　pure　white　onea　real　marble。

〃That　is　a　good　one　for　the　purpose；〃　remarked　Donal；　〃very　smooth
and　white；　with　just　one　red　streak　in　it！　　Now　where　is　the
beginning　of　this　marble？〃

〃Nowhere；〃　answered　Davie。

〃If　I　should　say　everywhere？〃　suggested　Donal。

〃Ah；　yes！〃　said　the　boy。

〃But　I　agree　with　you　that　it　begins　nowhere。〃

〃It　can't　do　both！〃

〃Oh；　yes；　it　can！　it　begins　nowhere　for　itself；　but　everywhere　for
us。　　Only　all　its　beginnings　are　endings；　and　all　its　endings　are
beginnings。　　Look　here：　suppose　we　begin　at　this　red　streak；　it　is
just　there　we　should　end　again。　　That　is　because　it　is　a　perfect
thing。Well；　there　was　one　who　said；　'I　am　Alpha　and　Omega；'the
first　Greek　letter　and　the　last；　you　know'the　beginning　and　the
end；　the　first　and　the　last。'　　All　the　New　Testament　is　about　him。
He　is　perfect；　and　I　may　begin　about　him　where　I　best　can。　　Listen
then　as　if　you　had　never　heard　anything　about　him　before。Many
years　agoabout　fifty　or　sixty　grandfathers　offthere　appeared　in
the　world　a　few　men　who　said　that　a　certain　man　had　been　their
companion　for　some　time　and　had　just　left　them；　that　he　was　killed
by　cruel　men；　and　buried　by　his　friends；　but　that；　as　he　had　told
them　he　would；　he　lay　in　the　grave　only　three　days；　and　left　it　on
the　third　alive　and　well；　and　that；　after　forty　days；　during　which
they　saw　him　several　times；　he　went　up　into　the　sky；　and
disappeared。It　wasn't　a　very　likely　story；　was　it？〃

〃No；〃　replied　Davie。

The　ladies　exchanged　looks　of　horror。　　Neither　spoke；　but　each
leaned　eagerly　forward；　in　fascinated　expectation　of　worse　to
follow。

〃But；　Davie；〃　Donal　went　on；　〃however　unlikely　it　must　have　seemed
to　those　who　heard　it；　I　believe　every　word　of　it。〃

A　ripple　of　contempt　passed　over　Miss　Carmichael's　face。

〃For；〃　continued　Donal；　〃the　man　said　he　was　the　son　of　God；　come
down　from　his　father　to　see　his　brothers；　his　father's　children；　and
take　home　with　him　to　his　father　those　who　would　go。〃

〃Excuse　me；〃　interrupted　Miss　Carmichael；　with　a　pungent　smile：
〃what　he　said　was；　that　if　any　man　believed　in　him；　he　should　be
saved。〃

〃Run　along；　Davie；〃　said　Donal。　〃I　will　tell　you　more　of　what　he
said　next　lesson。　　Don't　forget　what　I've　told　you　now。〃

〃No；　sir；〃　answered　Davie；　and　ran　off。

Donal　lifted　his　hat；　and　would　have　gone　towards　the　river。　　But
Miss　Carmichael；　stepping　forward；　said；

〃Mr。　Grant；　I　cannot　let　you　go　till　you　answer　me　one　question：　do
you　believe　in　the　atonement？〃

〃I　do；〃　answered　Donal。

〃Favour　me　then　with　your　views　upon　it；〃　she　said。

〃Are　you　troubled　in　your　mind　on　the　subject？〃　asked　Donal。

〃Not　in　the　least；〃　she　replied；　with　a　slight　curl　of　her　lip。

〃Then　I　see　no　occasion　for　giving　you　my　views。〃

〃But　I　insist。〃

Donald　smiled。

〃Of　what　consequence　can　my　opinions　be　to　you；　ma'am？　　Why　should
you　compel　a　confession　of　my　faith？〃

〃As　the　friend　of　this　family；　and　the　daughter　of　the　clergyman　of
this　parish；　I　have　a　right　to　ask　what　your　opinions　are：　you　have
a　most　important　charge　committed　to　youa　child　for　whose　soul　you
have　to　account！〃

〃For　that　I　am　accountable；　but；　pardon　me；　not　to　you。〃

〃You　are　accountable　to　lord　Morven　for　what　you　teach　his　child。〃

〃I　am　not。〃

〃What！　　He　will　turn　you　away　at　a　moment's　notice　if　you　say　so　to
him。〃

〃I　should　be　quite　ready　to　go。　　If　I　were　accountable　to　him　for
what　I　taught；　I　should　of　course　teach　only　what　he　pleased。　　But
do　you　suppose　I　would　take　any　situation　on　such　a　condition？〃

〃It　is　nothing　to　me；　or　his　lordship　either；　I　presume；　what　you
would　or　would　not　do。〃

〃Then　I　see　no　reason　why　you　should　detain　me。Lady　Arctura；　I　did
not　offer　to　give　my　lesson　in　the　presence　of　any　other　than
yourself：　I　will　not　do　so　again。　　You　will　be　welcome；　for　you　have
a　right　to　know　what　I　am　teaching　him。　　If　you　bring　another；
except　it　be　my　lord　Morven；　I　will　take　David　to　my　own　room。〃

With　these　words　he　left　them。

Lady　Arctura　was　sorely　bewildered。　　She　could　not　but　feel　that　her
friend　had　not　shown　to　the　better　advantage；　and　that　the　behaviour
of　Donal　had　been　dignified。　　But　surely　he　was　very　wrong！　what　he
said　to　Davie　sounded　so　very　different　from　what　was　said　at
church；　and　by　her　helper；　Miss　Carmichael！　　It　was　a　pity　they　had
heard　so　little！　　He　would　have　gone　on　if　only　Sophy　had　had
patience　and　held　her　peace！　　Perhaps　he　might　have　spoken　better
things　if　she　had　not　interfered！　　It　would　hardly　be　fair　to
condemn　him　upon　so　little！　　He　had　said　that　he　believed　every　word
of　the　New　Testamentor　something　very　like　it！

〃I　have　heard　enough！〃　said　Miss　Carmichael：　〃I　will　speak　to　my
father　at　once。〃

The　next　day　Donal　received　a　note　to　the　following　effect：

〃Sir；　in　consequence　of　what　I　felt　bound　to　report　to　my　father　of
the　conversation　we　had　yesterday；　he　desires　that　you　will　call
upon　him　at　your　earliest　convenience　He　is　generally　at　home　from
three　to　five。　　Yours　truly；　Sophia　Agnes　Carmichael。〃

To　this　Donal　immediately　replied：

〃Madam；　notwithstanding　the　introduction　I　brought　him　from　another
clergyman；　your　father　declined　my　acquaintance；　passing　me
afterwards　as　one　unknown　to　him。　　From　this　fact；　and　from　the
nature　of　the　report　which　your　behaviour　to　me　yesterday　justifies
me　in　supposing　you　must　have　carried　to　him；　I　can　hardly　mistake
his　object　in　wishing　to　see　me。　　I　will　attend　the　call　of　no　man
to　defend　my　opinions；　your　father's　I　have　heard　almost　every
Sunday　since　I　came　to　the　castle；　and　have　been　from　childhood
familiar　with　them。　　Yours　truly；　Donal　Grant。〃

Not　a　word　more　came　to　him　from　either　of　them。　　When　they　happened
to　meet；　Miss　Ca