donal grant-第4章
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have stopped his ears and refused to listen。 He was a man of not
merely dry or stale； but of deadly doctrines。 He would have a man
love Christ for protecting him from God； not for leading him to God
in whom alone is bliss； out of whom all is darkness and misery。 He
had not a glimmer of the truth that eternal life is to know God。 He
imagined justice and love dwelling in eternal opposition in the
bosom of eternal unity。 He knew next to nothing about God； and
misrepresented him hideously。 If God were such as he showed him； it
would be the worst possible misfortune to have been created。
Donal had found the passage。 It was in The Mask of Anarchy。 He
read the following stanzas：
Let a vast assembly be；
And with great solemnity
Declare with measured words that ye
Are； as God has made ye； free。
Be your strong and simple words
Keen to wound as sharpened swords；
And wide as targes let them be；
With their shade to cover ye。
And if then the tyrants dare；
Let them ride among you there；
Slash； and stab； and maim； and hew
What they like； that let them do。
With folded arms and steady eyes；
And little fear； and less surprise；
Look upon them as they slay；
Till their rage has died away。
And that slaughter to the Nation
Shall steam up like inspiration；
Eloquent； oracular
A volcano heard afar。
Ending； the reader turned to the listener。 But the listener had
understood little of the meaning； and less of the spirit。 He hated
opposition to the powers on the part of any below himself； yet
scorned the idea of submitting to persecution。
〃What think you of that； sir？〃 asked Donal。
〃Sheer nonsense！〃 answered the minister。 〃Where would Scotland be
now but for resistance？〃
〃There's more than one way of resisting； though；〃 returned Donal。
〃Enduring evil was the Lord's way。 I don't know about Scotland； but
I fancy there would be more Christians； and of a better stamp； in
the world； if that had been the mode of resistance always adopted by
those that called themselves such。 Anyhow it was his way。〃
〃Shelley's； you mean！〃
〃I don't mean Shelley's； I mean Christ's。 In spirit Shelley was far
nearer the truth than those who made him despise the very name of
Christianity without knowing what it really was。 But God will give
every man fair play。〃
〃Young man！〃 said the minister； with an assumption of great
solemnity and no less authority； 〃I am bound to warn you that you
are in a state of rebellion against God； and he will not be mocked。
Good morning！〃
Donal sat down on the roadsidehe would let the minister have a
good start of himtook again his shabby little volume； held more
talk with the book…embodied spirit of Shelley； and saw more and more
clearly how he was misled in his every notion of Christianity； and
how different those who gave him his notions must have been from the
evangelists and apostles。 He saw in the poet a boyish nature
striving after liberty； with scarce a notion of what liberty really
was： he knew nothing of the law of libertyoneness with the will of
our existence； which would have us free with its own freedom。
When the clergyman was long out of sight he rose and went on； and
soon came to a bridge by which he crossed the river。 Then on he
went through the cultivated plain； his spirits never flagging。 He
was a pilgrim on his way to his divine fate！
CHAPTER III。
THE MOOR。
The night began to descend and he to be weary； and look about him
for a place of repose。 But there was a long twilight before him；
and it was warm。
For some time the road had been ascending； and by and by he found
himself on a bare moor； among heather not yet in bloom； and a forest
of bracken。 Here was a great； beautiful chamber for him！ and what
better bed than God's heather！ what better canopy than God's high；
star…studded night； with its airy curtains of dusky darkness！ Was
it not in this very chamber that Jacob had his vision of the mighty
stair leading up to the gate of heaven！ Was it not under such a
roof Jesus spent his last nights on the earth！ For comfort and
protection he sought no human shelter； but went out into his
Father's houseout under his Father's heaven！ The small and narrow
were not to him the safe； but the wide and open。 Thick walls cover
men from the enemies they fear； the Lord sought space。 There the
angels come and go more freely than where roofs gather distrust。 If
ever we hear a far…off rumour of angel…visit； it is not from some
solitary plain with lonely children？
Donal walked along the high table…land till he was weary； and rest
looked blissful。 Then he turned aside from the rough track into the
heather and bracken。 When he came to a little dry hollow； with a
yet thicker growth of heather； its tops almost close as those of his
bed at his father's cottage； he sought no further。 Taking his
knife； he cut a quantity of heather and ferns； and heaped it on the
top of the thickest bush； then creeping in between the cut and the
growing； he cleared the former from his face that he might see the
worlds over him； and putting his knapsack under his head； fell fast
asleep。
When he woke not even the shadow of a dream lingered to let him know
what he had been dreaming。 He woke with such a clear mind； such an
immediate uplifting of the soul； that it seemed to him no less than
to Jacob that he must have slept at the foot of the heavenly stair。
The wind came round him like the stuff of thought unshaped； and
every breath he drew seemed like God breathing afresh into his
nostrils the breath of life。 Who knows what the thing we call air
is？ We know about it； but it we do not know。 The sun shone as if
smiling at the self…importance of the sulky darkness he had driven
away； and the world seemed content with a heavenly content。 So
fresh was Donal's sense that he felt as if his sleep within and the
wind without had been washing him all the night。 So peaceful； so
blissful was his heart that it longed to share its bliss； but there
was no one within sight； and he set out again on his journey。
He had not gone far when he came to a dip in the moorlanda round
hollow； with a cottage of turf in the middle of it； from whose
chimney came a little smoke： there too the day was begun！ He was
glad he had not seen it before； for then he might have missed the
repose of the open night。 At the door stood a little girl in a blue
frock。 She saw him； and ran in。 He went down and drew near to the
door。 It stood wide open； and he could not help seeing in。
A man sat at the table in the middle of the floor； his forehead on
his hand。 Donal did not see his face。 He seemed waiting； like his
father for the Book； while his mother got it from the top of the
wall。 He stepped over the threshold； and in the simplicity of his
heart； said：
〃Ye'll be gaein' to hae worship！〃
〃Na； na！〃 returned the man； raising his head； and taking a brief；
hard stare at his visitor； 〃we dinna set up for prayin' fowk i' this
hoose。〃 We ley that to them 'at kens what they hae to be thankfu'
for。〃
〃I made a mistak；〃 said Donal。 〃I thoucht ye micht hae been gaein'
to say gude mornin' to yer makker； an' wad hae likit to j'in wi' ye；
for I kenna what I haena to be thankfu' for。 Guid day to ye。〃
〃Ye can bide an' tak yer parritch gien ye like。〃
〃Ow； na； I thank ye。 Ye micht think I cam for the parritch； an' no
for the prayers。 I like as ill to be coontit a hypocrite as gien I
war ane。〃
〃Ye can bide an' hae worship wi' 's； gien ye tak the buik yersel'。〃
〃I canna lead whaur 's nane to follow。 Na； I'll du better on the
muir my lane。〃
But the gudewife was a religions woman after her fashionwho can be
after any one else's？ She came with a bible in her hand； and
silently laid it on the table。 Donal had never yet prayed aloud
except in a murmur by himself on the hill； but； thus invited； could
not refuse。 He read a psalm of trouble； breaking into hope at the
close； then spoke as follows：
〃Freens； I'm but yoong； as ye see； an' never afore daured open my
moo i' sic fashion； but it comes to me to speyk； an'
