donal grant-第40章

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the　colours　in　the　lining　of　a　shell；　then　ceased。　He　went　to　the
door；　opened　it；　and　listened。　A　cold　wind　came　rushing　up　the
stair。　He　heard　nothing。　He　stepped　out　on　the　stair；　shut　his　door；
and　listened。　It　came　againa　strange　unearthly　musical　cry！　If
ever　disembodied　sound　went　wandering　in　the　wind；　just　such　a　sound
must　it　be！　Knowing　little　of　music　save　in　the　forms　of　tone　and
vowel…change　and　rhythm　and　rime；　he　felt　as　if　he　could　have
listened　for　ever　to　the　wild　wandering　sweetness　of　its
lamentation。　Almost　immediately　it　ceasedthen　once　more　came
again；　apparently　from　far　off；　dying　away　on　the　distant　tops　of
the　billowy　air；　out　of　whose　wandering　bosom　it　had　first　issued。
It　was　as　the　wailing　of　a　summer…wind　caught　and　swept　along　in　a
tempest　from　the　frozen　north。

The　moment　he　ceased　to　expect　it　any　more；　he　began　to　think
whether　it　must　not　have　come　from　the　house。　He　stole　down　the
stairto　do　what；　he　did　not　know。　He　could　not　go　following　an
airy　nothing　all　over　the　castle：　of　a　great　part　of　it　he　as　yet
knew　nothing！　His　constructive　mind　had　yearned　after　a　complete
idea　of　the　building；　for　it　was　almost　a　passion　with　him　to　fit
the　outsides　and　insides　of　things　together；　but　there　were　suites
of　rooms　into　which；　except　the　earl　and　lady　Arctura　were　to　leave
home；　he　could　not　hope　to　enter。　It　was　little　more　than
mechanically　therefore　that　he　went　vaguely　after　the　sound；　and　ere
he　was　half…way　down　the　stair；　he　recognized　the　hopelessness　of
the　pursuit。　He　went　on；　however；　to　the　schoolroom；　where　tea　was
waiting　him。

He　had　returned　to　his　room；　and　was　sitting　again　at　work；　now
reading　and　meditating；　when；　in　one　of　the　lulls　of　the　storm；　he
became　aware　of　another　soundone　most　unusual　to　his　ears；　for　he
never　required　any　attendance　in　his　roomthat　of　steps　coming　up
the　stairheavy　steps；　not　as　of　one　on　some　ordinary　errand。　He
waited　listening。　The　steps　came　nearer　and　nearer；　and　stopped　at
his　door。　A　hand　fumbled　about　upon　it；　found　the　latch；　lifted　it；
and　entered。　To　Donal's　wonderand　dismay　as　well；　it　was　the　earl。
His　dismay　arose　from　his　appearance：　he　was　deadly　pale；　and　his
eyes　more　like　those　of　a　corpse　than　a　man　among　his　living
fellows。　Donal　started　to　his　feet。

The　apparition　turned　its　head　towards　him；　but　in　its　look　was　no
atom　of　recognition；　no　acknowledgment　or　even　perception　of　his
presence；　the　sound　of　his　rising　had　had　merely　a　half…mechanical
influence　upon　its　brain。　It　turned　away　immediately；　and　went　on　to
the　window。　There　it　stood；　much　as　Donal　had　stood　a　little　while
beforelooking　out；　but　with　the　attitude　of　one　listening　rather
than　one　trying　to　see。　There　was　indeed　nothing　but　the　blackness
to　be　seenand　nothing　to　be　heard　but　the　roaring　of　the　wind；
with　the　roaring　of　the　great　billows　rolled　along　in　it。　As　it
stood；　the　time　to　Donal　seemed　long：　it　was　but　about　five　minutes。
Was　the　man　out　of　his　mind；　or　only　a　sleep…walker？　How　could　he　be
asleep　so　early　in　the　night？

As　Donal　stood　doubting　and　wondering；　once　more　came　the　musical
cry　out　of　the　darknessand　immediately　from　the　earl　a　responsea
soft；　low　murmur；　by　degrees　becoming　audible；　in　the　tone　of　one
meditating　aloud；　but　in　a　restrained　ecstacy。　From　his　words　he
seemed　still　to　be　hearkening　the　sounds　aerial；　though　to　Donal　at
least　they　came　no　more。

〃Yet　once　again；〃　he　murmured；　〃once　again　ere　I　forsake　the　flesh；
are　my　ears　blest　with　that　voice！　It　is　the　song　of　the　eternal
woman！　For　me　she　sings！Sing　on；　siren；　my　soul　is　a　listening
universe；　and　therein　nought　but　thy　voice！〃

He　paused；　and　began　afresh：

〃It　is　the　wind　in　the　tree　of　life！　Its　leaves　rustle　in　words　of
love。　Under　its　shadow　I　shall　lie；　with　her　I　lovedand　killed！
Ere　that　day　come；　she　will　have　forgiven　and　forgotten；　and　all
will　be　well！

〃Hark　the　notes！　Clear　as　a　flute！　Full　and　stringent　as　a　violin！
They　are　colours！　They　are　flowers！　They　are　alive！　I　can　see　them
as　they　grow；　as　they　blow！　Those　are　primroses！　Those　are
pimpernels！　Those　high；　intense；　burning　tonesso　soft；　yet　so
certainwhat　are　they？　Jasmine？No；　that　flower　is　not　a　note！　It
is　a　chord！and　what　a　chord！　I　mean；　what　a　flower！　I　never　saw
that　flower　beforenever　on　this　earth！　It　must　be　a　flower　of　the
paradise　whence　comes　the　music！　It　is！　It　is！　Do　I　not　remember　the
night　when　I　sailed　in　the　great　ship　over　the　ocean　of　the　stars；
and　scented　the　airs　of　heaven；　and　saw　the　pearly　gates　gleaming
across　myriads　of　wavering　miles！saw；　plain　as　I　see　them　now；　the
flowers　on　the　fields　within！　Ah；　me！　the　dragon　that　guards　the
golden　apples！　See　his　cresthis　crest　and　his　emerald　eyes！　He
comes　floating　up　through　the　murky　lake！　It　is　Geryon！come　to
bear　me　to　the　gyre　below！〃

He　turned；　and　with　a　somewhat　quickened　step　left　the　room；　hastily
shutting　the　door　behind　him；　as　if　to　keep　back　the　creature　of　his
vision。

Strong…hearted　and　strong…brained；　Donal　had　yet　stood　absorbed　as
if　he　too　were　out　of　the　body；　and　knew　nothing　more　of　this　earth。
There　is　something　more　terrible　in　a　presence　that　is　not　a
presence　than　in　a　vision　of　the　bodiless；　that　is；　a　present　ghost
is　not　so　terrible　as　an　absent　one；　a　present　but　deserted　body。　He
stood　a　moment　helpless；　then　pulled　himself　together　and　tried　to
think。　What　should　he　do？　What　could　he　do？　What　was　required　of
him？　Was　anything　required　of　him？　Had　he　any　right　to　do　anything？
Could　anything　be　done　that　would　not　both　be　and　cause　a　wrong？　His
first　impulse　was　to　follow：　a　man　in　such　a　condition　was　surely
not　to　be　left　to　go　whither　he　would　among　the　heights　and　depths
of　the　castle；　where　he　might　break　his　neck　any　moment！
Interference　no　doubt　was　dangerous；　but　he　would　follow　him　at
least　a　little　way！　He　heard　the　steps　going　down　the　stair；　and
made　haste　after　them。　But　ere　they　could　have　reached　the　bottom；
the　sound　of　them　ceased；　and　Donal　knew　the　earl　must　have　left　the
stair　at　a　point　from　which　he　could　not　follow　him。




CHAPTER　XXIX。

EPPY　AGAIN。

He　would　gladly　have　told　his　friend　the　cobbler　all　about　the
strange　occurrence；　but　he　did　not　feel　sure　it　would　be　right　to
carry　a　report　of　the　house　where　he　held　a　position　of　trust；　and
what　made　him　doubtful　was；　that　first　he　doubted　whether　the
cobbler　would　consider　it　right。　But　he　went　to　see　him　the　next
day；　in　the　desire　to　be　near　the　only　man　to　whom　it　was　possible
he　might　tell　what　he　had　seen。

The　moment　he　entered　the　room；　where　the　cobbler　as　usual　sat　at
work　by　his　wife；　he　saw　that　something　was　the　matter。　But　they
welcomed　him　with　their　usual　cordiality；　nor　was　it　many　minutes
before　mistress　Comin　made　him　acquainted　with　the　cause　of　their
anxiety。

〃We're　jist　a　wee　triblet；　sir；〃　she　said；　〃aboot　Eppy！〃

〃I　am　very　sorry；〃　said　Donal；　with　a　pang：　he　had　thought　things
were　going　right　with　her。　〃What　is　the　matter？〃

〃It's　no　sae　easy　to　say！〃　returned　the　grandmother。　〃It　may　weel　be
only　a　fancy　o'　the　auld　fowk；　but　it　seems　to　baith　o'　's　she　has　a
w'y　wi'　her　'at　disna　come　o'　the　richt。　She'll　be　that　meek　as　gien
she　thoucht　naething　at　a'　o'　hersel'；　an'　the　next　moment　be　angert
at　a　word。　She　canna　bide　a　syllable　said　'at　's　no　correc'　to　the
verra　hair。　It's　as　gien　she　dreidit　waur　'ahint　it；　an'　wud　mairch
straucht　to　the　defence。　I'm　no　makin'　my　meanin'　that　clear；　I
doobt；　but　ye'll　ken　't　for　a'　that！〃

〃I　think　I　do；〃　said　Donal。　〃I　see　nothing　of　her。〃

〃I　wudna　mak　a　won'er　o'　that；　sir！　She　may　weel　haud　oot　o'　your
gait；　feelin'　rebukit　'afore　ane　'at　kens　a'　aboot　her　gaein's　on
wi'　my　lord！〃

〃I　don't　know　how　I　should　see　her；　though！〃　returned　Donal。

〃Didna　she　sweep　oot　the　schoolroom　first　whan　ye　gaed；　sir？〃

〃When　I　think　of　ityes。〃

〃Does　she　still　that　same？〃

〃I　do　not　know。　Understanding　at　what　hour　in　the　morning　the　room
will　be　ready　for　me；　I　do　not　go　to　it　sooner。〃

〃It's　but　the　luik；　an'　the　general　cairriage　o'　the　lassie！〃　said
the　old　woman。　〃Gien　we　had　onything　to　tak　a　haud　o'；　w