donal grant-第42章

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of　events；　believing　man's　only　call　to　action　is　duty。　So　he　left
Davie　to　do　as　he　pleased。

〃Does　your　father　often　tell　you　a　fairy…tale？〃　he　asked。

〃Not　every　day；　sir。〃

〃What　time　does　he　tell　them？〃

〃Generally　when　I　go　to　him　after　tea。〃

〃Do　you　go　any　time　you　like？〃

〃Yes；　but　he　does　not　always　let　me　stay。　Sometimes　he　talks　about
mamma；　I　think；　but　only　coming　into　the　fairy…tale。He　has　told　me
one　in　the　middle　of　the　day！　I　think　he　would　if　I　woke　him　up　in
the　night！　But　that　would　not　do；　for　he　has　terrible　headaches。
Perhaps　that　is　what　sometimes　makes　his　stories　so　terrible　I　have
to　beg　him　to　stop！〃

〃And　does　he　stop？〃

〃WellnoI　don't　think　he　ever　does。When　a　story　is　once　begun；
I　suppose　it　ought　to　be　finished！〃

So　the　matter　rested　for　the　time。　But　about　a　week　after；　Donal
received　one　morning　through　the　butler　an　invitation　to　dine　with
the　earl；　and　concluded　it　was　due　to　Davie；　whom　he　therefore
expected　to　find　with　his　father。　He　put　on　his　best　clothes；　and
followed　Simmons　up　the　grand　staircase。　The　great　rooms　of　the
castle　were　on　the　first　floor；　but　he　passed　the　entrance　to　them；
following　his　guide　up　and　up　to　the　second　floor；　where　the　earl
had　his　own　apartment。　Here　he　was　shown　into　a　small　room；　richly
furnished　after　a　sombrely　ornate　fashion；　the　drapery　and　coverings
much　faded；　worn　even　to　shabbiness。　It　had　been　for　a　century　or　so
the　private　sitting…room　of　the　lady　of　the　castle；　but　was　now　used
by　the　earl；　perhaps　in　memory　of　his　wife。　Here　he　received　his
sons；　and　now　Donal；　but　never　any　whom　business　or　politeness
compelled　him　to　see。

There　was　no　one　in　the　room　when　Donal　entered；　but　after　about　ten
minutes　a　door　opened　at　the　further　end；　and　lord　Morven　appearing
from　his　bedroom；　shook　hands　with　him　with　some　faint　show　of
kindness。　Almost　the　same　moment　the　butler　entered　from　a　third
door；　and　said　dinner　waited。　The　earl　walked　on；　and　Donal
followed。　This　room　also　was　a　small　one。　The　meal　was　laid　on　a
little　round　table。　There　were　but　two　covers；　and　Simmons　alone　was
in　waiting。

While　they　ate　and　drank；　which　his　lordship　did　sparingly；　not　a
word　was　spoken。　Donal　would　have　found　it　embarrassing　had　he　not
been　prepared　for　the　peculiar。　His　lordship　took　no　notice　of　his
guest；　leaving　him　to　the　care　of　the　butler。　He　looked　very　white
and　wornDonal　thought　a　good　deal　worse　than　when　he　saw　him
first。　His　cheeks　were　more　sunken；　his　hair　more　gray；　and　his　eyes
more　wearywith　a　consuming　fire　in　them　that　had　no　longer　much
fuel　and　was　burning　remnants。　He　stooped　over　his　plate　as　if　to
hide　the　operation　of　eating；　and　drank　his　wine　with　a　trembling
hand。　Every　movement　indicated　indifference　to　both　his　food　and　his
drink。

At　length　the　more　solid　part　of　the　meal　was　removed；　and　they　were
left　alone；　fruit　upon　the　table；　and　two　wine…decanters。　From　one
of　them　the　earl　helped　himself；　then　passed　it　to　Donal；　saying；

〃You　are　very　good　to　my　little　Davie；　Mr。　Grant！　He　is　full　of　your
kindness　to　him。　There　is　nobody　like　you！〃

〃A　little　goes　a　long　way　with　Davie；　my　lord；〃　answered　Donal。

〃Then　much　must　go　a　longer　way！〃　said　the　earl。

There　was　nothing　remarkable　in　the　words；　yet　he　spoke　them　with
the　difficulty　a　man　accustomed　to　speak；　and　to　weigh　his　words；
might　find　in　clothing　a　new　thought　to　his　satisfaction。　The　effort
seemed　to　have　tried　him；　and　he　took　a　sip　of　wine。　This；　however；
he　did　after　every　briefest　sentence　he　uttered：　a　sip　only　he　took；
nothing　like　a　mouthful。

Donal　told　him　that　Davie；　of　all　the　boys　he　had　known；　was　far　the
quickest；　and　that　just　because　he　was　morally　the　most　teachable。

〃You　greatly　gratify　me；　Mr。　Grant；〃　said　the　earl。　〃I　have　long
wished　such　a　man　as　you　for　Davie。　If　only　I　had　known　you　when
Forgue　was　preparing　for　college！〃

〃I　must　have　been　at　that　time　only　at　college　myself；　my　lord！〃

〃True！　true！〃

〃But　for　Davie；　it　is　a　privilege　to　teach　him！〃

〃If　only　it　might　last　a　while！〃　returned　the　earl。　〃But　of　course
you　have　the　church　in　your　eye！〃

〃My　lord；　I　have　not。〃

〃What！〃　cried　his　lordship　almost　eagerly；　〃you　intend　giving　your
life　to　teaching？〃

〃My　lord；〃　returned　Donal；　〃I　never　trouble　myself　about　my　life。
Why　should　we　burden　the　mule　of　the　present　with　the　camel…load　of
the　future。　I　take　what　comeswhat　is　sent　me；　that　is。〃

〃You　are　right；　Mr。　Grant！　If　I　were　in　your　position；　I　should
think　just　as　you　do。　But；　alas；　I　have　never　had　any　choice！〃

〃Perhaps　your　lordship　has　not　chosen　to　choose！〃　Donal　was　on　the
point　of　saying；　but　bethought　himself　in　time　not　to　hazard　the
remark。

〃If　I　were　a　rich　man；　Mr。　Grant；〃　the　earl　continued；　〃I　would
secure　your　services　for　a　time　indefinite；　but；　as　every　one　knows；
not　an　acre　of　the　property　belongs　to　me；　or　goes　with　the　title。
Davie；　dear　boy；　will　have　nothing　but　a　thousand　or　two。　The
marriage　I　have　in　view　for　lord　Forgue　will　arrange　a　future　for
him。〃

〃I　hope　there　will　be　some　love　in　the　marriage！〃　said　Donal
uneasily；　with　a　vague　thought　of　Eppy。

〃I　had　no　intention；〃　returned　his　lordship　with　cold　politeness；
〃of　troubling　you　concerning　lord　Forgue！〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　my　lord；〃　said　Donal。

〃Davie；　poor　boyhe　is　my　anxiety！〃　resumed　the　earl；　in　his
former　condescendingly　friendly；　half　sleepy　tone。　〃What　to　do　with
him；　I　have　not　yet　succeeded　in　determining。　If　the　church　of
Scotland　were　episcopal　now；　we　might　put　him　into　that：　he　would　be
an　honour　to　it！　But　as　it　has　no　dignities　to　confer；　it　is　not　the
place　for　one　of　his　birth　and　social　position。　A　few　shabby
hundreds　a　year；　and　the　associations　he　would　necessarily　be　thrown
into！However　honourable　the　profession　in　itself！〃　he　added；　with
a　bow　to　Donal；　apparently　unable　to　get　it　out　of　his　head　that　he
had　an　embryo…clergyman　before　him。

〃Davie　is　not　quite　a　man　yet；〃　said　Donal；　〃and　by　the　time　he
begins　to　think　of　a　profession；　he　will；　I　trust；　be　fit　to　make　a
choice：　the　boy　has　a　great　deal　of　common　sense。　If　your　lordship
will　pardon　me；　I　cannot　help　thinking　there　is　no　need　to　trouble
about　him。〃

〃It　is　very　well　for　one　in　your　position　to　think　in　that　way；　Mr。
Grant！　Men　like　you　are　free　to　choose；　you　may　make　your　bread　as
you　please。　But　men　in　our　position　are　greatly　limited　in　their
choice；　the　paths　open　to　them　are　few。　Tradition　oppresses　us。　We
are　slaves　to　the　dead　and　buried。　I　could　well　wish　I　had　been　born
in　your　humbler　but　in　truth　less　contracted　sphere。　Certain　r鬺es
are　not　open　to　you；　to　be　sure；　but　your　life　in　the　open　air；
following　your　sheep；　and　dreaming　all　things　beautiful　and　grand　in
the　world　beyond　you；　is　entrancing。　It　is　the　life　to　make　a　poet！〃

〃Or　a　king！〃　thought　Donal。　〃But　the　earl　would　have　made　a
discontented　shepherd！〃

The　man　who　is　not　content　where　he　is；　would　never　have　been
content　somewhere　else；　though　he　might　have　complained　less。

〃Take　another　glass　of　wine；　Mr。　Grant；〃　said　his　lordship；　filling
his　own　from　the　other　decanter。　〃Try　this；　I　believe　you　will　like
it　better。〃

〃In　truth；　my　lord；〃　answered　Donal；　〃I　have　drunk　so　little　wine
that　I　do　not　know　one　sort　from　another。〃

〃You　know　whisky　better；　I　daresay！　Would　you　like　some　now？　Touch
the　bell　behind　you。〃

〃No；　thank　you；　my　lord；　I　know　as　little　about　whisky：　my　mother
would　never　let　us　even　taste　it；　and　I　have　never　tasted　it。〃

〃A　new　taste　is　a　gain　to　the　being。〃

〃I　suspect；　however；　a　new　appetite　can　only　be　a　loss。〃

As　he　said　this；　Donal；　half　mechanically；　filled　a　glass　from　the
decanter　his　host　had　pushed　towards　him。

〃I　should　like　you；　though；〃　resumed　his　lordship；　after　a　short
pause；　〃to　keep　your　eyes　open　to　the　fact　that　Davie　must　do
something　for　himself。　You　would　then　be　able　to　let　me　know　by　and
by　what　you　think　him　fit　for！〃

〃I　will　with　pleasure；　my　lord。　Tastes　may　not　be　infallible　guides
to　what　is　fit　for　us；　but　they　may　lead　us　to　the　knowledge　of　what
we　are　fit　for。〃

〃Extremely　well　said！〃　returned　t