donal grant-第33章

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Donal　waited；　nor　uttered　a　sound。　　At　last　he　spoke　once　more。

〃Ye　maun　ken；　sir；〃　he　said　〃I　hae　had　a　fancy　to　the　lass　this　mony
a　day；　for　ye'll　alloo　she's　baith　bonny　an'　winsome！〃

Donal　did　not　reply；　for　although　he　was　ready　to　grant　her　bonny；
he　had　never　felt　her　winsome。

〃Weel；〃　he　went　on；　〃her　an'　me　's　been　coortin'　this　twa　year；　an'
guid　freen's　we　aye　was　till　this　last　spring；　whan　a'　at　ance　she
turnt　highty…tighty　like；　nor；　du　what　I　micht；　could　I　get　her　to
say　what　it　was　'at　cheengt　her：　sae　far　as　I　kenned　I　had　dune
naething；　nor　wad　she　say　I　had　gi'en　her　ony　cause　o'　complaint。
But　though　she　couldna　say　I　had　ever　gi'en　mair　nor　a　ceevil　word
to　ony　lass　but　hersel'；　she　appeart　unco　wullin'　to　fix　me　wi'　this
ane　an'　that　ane　or　ony　ane！　　I　couldna　think　what　had　come　ower
her！　　But　at　lastan'　a　sair　last　it　is！I　hae　come　to　the
un'erstan'in　o'　't：　she　wud　fain　hae　a　pretence　for　br'akin'　wi'　me！
She　wad　hae　't　'at　I　was　duin'　as　she　was　duin'　hersel'haudin'
company　wi'　anither！〃

〃Are　you　quite　sure　of　what　you　say？〃　asked　Donal。

〃Ower　sure；　sir；　though　I'm　no　at　leeberty　to　tell　ye　hoo　I　cam　to
be。Dinna　think；　sir；　'at　I'm　ane　to　haud　a　lass　til　her　word　whan
her　hert　disna　back　it；　I　wud　hae　said　naething　aboot　it；　but　jist
borne　the　hert…brak　wi'　the　becomin'　silence；　for　greitin'　nor
ragin'　men'　no　nets；　nor　tak　the　life　o'　nae　dogfish。　　But　it's
God's　trowth；　sir；　I'm　terrible　feart　for　the　lassie　hersel'。　　She's
that　ta'en　up　wi'　him；　they　tell　me；　'at　she　can　think　o'　naething
but　him；　an'　he's　a　yoong　lord；　no　a　puir　lad　like　mean'　that's
what　fears　me！〃

A　great　dread　and　a　great　compassion　together　laid　hold　of　Donal；
but　he　did　not　speak。

〃Gien　it　cam　to　that；〃　resumed　Stephen；　〃I　doobt　the　fisher…lad　wud
win　her　better　breid　nor　my　lord；　for　gien　a'　tales　be　true；　he　wud
hae　to　work　for　his　ain　breid；　the　castel　's　no　his；　nor　canna　be
'cep'　he　merry　the　leddy　o'　't。　　But　it's　no　merryin'　Eppy　he'll　be
efter；　or　ony　the　likes　o'　'im！〃

〃You　don't　surely　hint；〃　said　Donal；　〃that　there's　anything　between
her　and　lord　Forgue？　　She　must　be　an　idle　girl　to　take　such　a　thing
into　her　head！〃

〃I　wuss　weel　she　hae　ta'en　't　intil　her　heid！　she'll　get　it　the
easier　oot　o'　her　hert？　　But　'deed；　sir；　I'm　sair　feart！　　I　speakna
o'　't　for　my　ain　sake；　for　gien　there　be　trowth　intil't；　there　can
never　be　mair　'atween　her　and　me！　　But；　eh；　sir；　the　peety　o'　't　wi'
sic　a　bonny　lass！for　he　canna　mean　fair　by　her！　　Thae　gran'　fowk
does　fearsome　things！　　It's　sma'　won'er　'at　whiles　the　puir　fowk
rises　wi'　a　roar；　an'　tears　doon　a'；　as　they　did　i'　France！〃

〃All　you　say　is　quite　true；　but　the　charge　is　such　a　serious　one！〃

〃It　is　that；　sir！　　But　though　it　be　true；　I'm　no　gaein'　to　mak　it
'afore　the　warl'。〃

〃You　are　right　there：　it　could　do　no　good。〃

〃I　fear　it　may　du　as　little　whaur　I　am　gaein'　to　mak　it！　　I'm　upo'
my　ro'd　to　gar　my　lord　gie　an　accoont　o'　himsel'。　　Faith；　gien　it
bena　a　guid　ane；　I'll　thraw　the　neck　o'　'im！　　It's　better　me　to
hang；　nor　her　to　gang　disgraced；　puir　thing！　　She　can　be　naething
mair　to　me；　as　I　say；　but　I　wud　like　weel　the　wringin'　o'　a　lord's
neck！　　It　wud　be　like　killin'　a　shark！〃

〃Why　do　you　tell　me　this？〃　asked　Donal。

〃'Cause　I　look　to　you　to　get　me　to　word　o'　the　man。〃

〃That　you　may　wring　his　neck？You　should　not　have　told　me　that：　I
should　be　art　and　part　in　his　murder！〃

〃Wud　ye　hae　me　lat　the　lassie　tak　her　chance　ohn　dune　onything？〃
said　the　fisherman　with　scorn。

〃By　no　means。　　I　would　do　something　myself　whoever　the　girl　wasand
she　is　the　granddaughter　of　my　best　friends。〃

〃Sir；　ye　winna　surely　fail　me！〃

〃I　will　help　you　somehow；　but　I　will　not　do　what　you　want　me。　　I
will　turn　the　thing　over　in　my　mind。　　I　promise　you　I　will　do
somethingwhat；　I　cannot　say　offhand。　　You　had　better　go　home
again；　and　I　will　come　to　you　to…morrow。〃

〃Na；　na；　that　winna　do！〃　said　the　man；　half　doggedly；　half　fiercely。
〃The　hert　ill　be　oot　o'　my　body　gien　I　dinna　du　something！　　This
verra　nicht　it　maun　be　dune！　　I　canna　bide　in　hell　ony　langer。　　The
thoucht　o'　the　rascal　slaverin'　his　lees　ower　my　Eppy　's　killin'　me！
My　brain　's　like　a　fire：　I　see　the　verra　billows　o'　the　ocean　as
reid　's　blude。〃

〃If　you　come　near　the　castle　to…night；　I　will　have　you　taken　up。　　I
am　too　much　your　friend　to　see　you　hanged！　　But　if　you　go　home　and
leave　the　matter　to　me；　I　will　do　my　best；　and　let　you　know。　　She
shall　be　saved　if　I　can　compass　it。　　What；　man！　you　would　not　have
God　against　you？〃

〃He'll　be　upo'　the　side　o'　the　richt；　I'm　thinkin'！〃

〃Doubtless；　but　he　has　said；　'Vengeance　is　mine！'　　He　can't　trust　us
with　that。　　He　won't　have　us　interfering。　　It's　more　his　concern
than　yours　yet　that　the　lassie　have　fair　play。　　I　will　do　my　part。〃

They　walked　on　in　gloomy　silence　for　some　time。　　Suddenly　the
fisherman　put　out　his　hand；　seized　Donal's　with　a　convulsive　grasp；
was　possibly　reassured　by　the　strength　with　which　Donal's　responded；
turned；　and　without　a　word　went　back。

Donal　had　to　think。　　Here　was　a　most　untoward　affair！　　What　could　he
do？　　What　ought　he　to　attempt？　　From　what　he　had　seen　of　the　young
lord；　he　could　not　believe　he　intended　wrong　to　the　girl；　but　he
might　he　selfishly　amusing　himself；　and　was　hardly　one　to　reflect
that　the　least　idle　familiarity　with　her　was　a　wrong！　　The　thing；　if
there　was　the　least　truth　in　it；　must　be　put　a　stop　to　at　once！　but
it　might　be　all　a　fancy　of　the　justly　jealous　lover；　to　whom　the
girl　had　not　of　late　been　behaving　as　she　ought！　　Or　might　there　not
be　somebody　else？　　At　the　same　time　there　was　nothing　absurd　in　the
idea　that　a　youth；　fresh　from　college　and　suddenly　discompanioned　at
home；　without　society；　possessed　by　no　love　of　literature；　and　with
almost　no　amusements；　should；　if　only　for　very　ennui；　be　attracted
by　the　pretty　face　and　figure　of　Eppy；　and　then　enthralled　by　her
coquetries　of　instinctive　response。　　There　was　danger　to　the　girl
both　in　silence　and　in　speech：　if　there　was　no　ground　for　the
apprehension；　the　very　supposition　was　an　injurymight　even　suggest
the　thing　it　was　intended　to　frustrate！　　Still　something　must　be
risked！　　He　had　just　been　reading　in　sir　Philip　Sidney；　that
〃whosoever　in　great　things　will　think　to　prevent　all　objections；
must　lie　still　and　do　nothing。〃　　But　what　was　he　to　do？　　The
readiest　and　simplest　thing　was　to　go　to　the　youth；　tell　him　what　he
had　heard；　and　ask　him　if　there　was　any　ground　for　it。　　But　they
must　find　the　girl　another　situation！　in　either　case　distance　must
be　put　between　them！　　He　would　tell　her　grandparents；　but　he　feared；
if　there　was　any　truth　in　it；　they　would　have　no　great　influence
with　her。　　If　on　the　other　hand；　the　thing　was　groundless；　they
might　make　it　up　between　her　and　her　fisherman；　and　have　them
married！　　She　might　only　have　been　teasing　him！He　would　certainly
speak　to　the　young　lord！　　Yet　again；　what　if　he　should　actually　put
the　mischief　into　his　thoughts！　　If　there　should　be　ever　so　slight　a
leaning　in　the　direction；　might　he　not　so　give　a　sudden　and　fatal
impulse？　　He　would　take　the　housekeeper　into　his　counsel！　　She　must
understand　the　girl！　　Things　would　at　once　show　themselves　to　her　on
the　one　side　or　the　other；　which　might　reveal　the　path　he　ought　to
take。　　But　did　he　know　mistress　Brookes　well　enough？　　Would　she　be
prudent；　or　spoil　everything　by　precipitation？　　She　might　ruin　the
girl　if　she　acted　without　sympathy；　caring　only　to　get　the
appearance　of　evil　out　of　the　house！

The　way　the　legally　righteous　act　the　policeman　in　the　moral　world
would　be　amusing　were　it　not　so　sad。　　They　are　always　making　the
evil　〃move　on；〃　driving　it　to　do　its　mischiefs　to　other　people
instead　of　them；　dispersing　nests　of　the　degraded　to　crowd　them　the
more；　and　with　worse　results；　in　other　parts：　why　should　such　be
shocked　at　the　idea　of　sending　out　of　the　world　those　to　whom　they
will　not　give　a　place　in　it　to　lay　their　heads？　　They　treat　them　in
this　world　as；　according　to　the　old　theology；　their　God　treats　them
in　the　next；　keeping　them　alive　for　sin　and　suffering。

Some　with　the　bright　lamp　of　their　int