donal grant-第44章

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〃Because　Simmons　told　me　you　were　ill；　and　I　must　not　disturb　you　if
you　were　ever　so　late　in　coming　down。〃

〃I　hardly　deserve　any　breakfast！〃　said　Donal；　turning　to　the　table；
〃but　if　you　will　stand　by　me；　and　read　while　I　take　my　coffee；　we
shall　save　a　little　time　so。〃

〃Yes；　sir。But　your　coffee　must　be　quite　cold！　I　will　ring。〃

〃No；　no；　I　must　not　waste　any　more　time。　A　man　who　cannot　drink　cold
coffee　ought　to　come　down　while　it　is　hot。〃

〃Forgue　won't　drink　cold　coffee！〃　said　Davie：　〃I　don't　see　why　you
should！〃

〃Because　I　prefer　to　do　with　my　coffee　as　I　please；　I　will　not　have
hot　coffee　for　my　master。　I　won't　have　it　anything　to　me　what　humour
the　coffee　may　be　in。　I　will　be　Donal　Grant；　whether　the　coffee　be
cold　or　hot。　A　bit　of　practical　philosophy　for　you；　Davie！〃

〃I　think　I　understand　you；　sir：　you　would　not　have　a　man　make　a　fuss
about　a　trifle。〃

〃Not　about　a　real　trifle。　The　co…relative　of　a　trifle；　Davie；　is　a
smile。　But　I　would　take　heed　whether　the　thing　that　is　called　a
trifle　be　really　a　trifle。　Besides；　there　may　be　a　point　in　a　trifle
that　is　the　egg　of　an　ought。　It　is　a　trifle　whether　this　or　that　is
nice；　it　is　a　point　that　I　should　not　care。　With　us　highlanders　it
is　a　point　of　breeding　not　to　mind　what　sort　of　dinner　we　have；　but
to　eat　as　heartily　of　bread　and　cheese　as　of　roast　beef。　At　least　so
my　father　and　mother　used　to　teach　me；　though　I　fear　that　refinement
of　good　manners　is　going　out　of　fashion　even　with　highlanders。〃

〃It　is　good　manners！〃　rejoined　Davie　with　decision；　〃and　more　than
good　manners！　I　should　count　it　grand　not　to　care　what　kind　of
dinner　I　had。　But　I　am　afraid　it　is　more　than　I　shall　ever　come　to！〃

〃You　will　never　come　to　it　by　trying　because　you　think　it　grand。
Only　mind；　I　did　not　say　we　were　not　to　enjoy　our　roast　beef　more
than　our　bread　and　cheese；　that　would　be　not　to　discriminate；　where
there　is　a　difference。　If　bread　and　cheese　were　just　as　good　to　us
as　roast　beef；　there　would　be　no　victory　in　our　contentment。〃

〃I　see！〃　said　Davie。〃Wouldn't　it　be　well；〃　he　asked；　after　a
moment's　pause；　〃to　put　one's　self　in　training；　Mr。　Grant；　to　do
without　thingsor　at　least　to　be　able　to　do　without　them？〃

〃It　is　much　better　to　do　the　lessons　set　you　by　one　who　knows　how　to
teach；　than　to　pick　lessons　for　yourself　out　of　your　books。　Davie；　I
have　not　that　confidence　in　myself　to　think　I　should　be　a　good
teacher　of　myself。〃

〃But　you　are　a　good　teacher　of　me；　sir！〃

〃I　trybut　then　I'm　set　to　teach　you；　and　I　am　not　set　to　teach
myself：　I　am　only　set　to　make　myself　do　what　I　am　taught。　When　you
are　my　teacher；　Davie；　I　trydon't　Ito　do　everything　you　tell
me？〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　sir！〃

〃But　I　am　not　set　to　obey　myself！〃

〃No；　nor　anyone　else；　sir！　You　do　not　need　to　obey　anyone；　or　have
anyone　teach　you；　sir！〃

〃Oh；　don't　I；　Davie！　On　the　contrary；　I　could　not　get　on　for　one
solitary　moment　without　somebody　to　teach　me。　Look　you　here；　Davie：
I　have　so　many　lessons　given　me；　that　I　have　no　time　or　need　to　add
to　them　any　of　my　own。　If　you　were　to　ask　the　cook　to　let　you　have　a
cold　dinner；　you　would　perhaps　eat　it　with　pride；　and　take　credit
for　what　your　hunger　yet　made　quite　agreeable　to　you。　But　the　boy
who　does　not　grumble　when　he　is　told　not　to　go　out　because　it　is
raining　and　he　has　a　cold；　will　not　perhaps　grumble　either　should　he
happen　to　find　his　dinner　not　at　all　nice。〃

Davie　hung　his　head。　It　had　been　a　very　small　grumble；　but　there　are
no　sins　for　which　there　is　less　reason　or　less　excuse　than　small
ones：　in　no　sense　are　they　worth　committing。　And　we　grown　people
commit　many　more　such　than　little　children；　and　have　our　reward　in
childishness　instead　of　childlikeness。

〃It　is　so　easy；〃　continued　Donal；　〃to　do　the　thing　we　ordain
ourselves；　for　in　holding　to　it　we　make　ourselves　out　fine
fellows！and　that　is　such　a　mean　kind　of　thing！　Then　when　another
who　has　the　right；　lays　a　thing　upon　us；　we　grumblethough　it　be
the　truest　and　kindest　thing；　and　the　most　reasonable　and　needful
for　useven　for　our　dignityfor　our　being　worth　anything！　Depend
upon　it；　Davie；　to　do　what　we　are　told　is　a　far　grander　thing　than
to　lay　the　severest　rules　upon　ourselvesay；　and　to　stick　to　them；
too！〃

〃But　might　there　not　be　something　good　for　us　to　do　that　we　were　not
told　of？〃

〃Whoever　does　the　thing　he　is　told　to　dothe　thing；　that　is；　that
has　a　plain　ought　in　it；　will　become　satisfied　that　there　is　one　who
will　not　forget　to　tell　him　what　must　be　done　as　soon　as　he　is　fit
to　do　it。〃

The　conversation　lasted　only　while　Donal　ate　his　breakfast；　with　the
little　fellow　standing　beside　him；　it　was　soon　over；　but　not　soon　to
be　forgotten。　For　the　readiness　of　the　boy　to　do　what　his　master
told　him；　was　beautifuland　a　great　help　and　comfort；　sometimes　a
rousing　rebuke　to　his　master；　whose　thoughts　would　yet　occasionally
tumble　into　one　of　the　pitfalls　of　sorrow。

〃What！〃　he　would　say　to　himself；　〃am　I　so　believed　in　by　this　child；
that　he　goes　at　once　to　do　my　words；　and　shall　I　for　a　moment　doubt
the　heart　of　the　Father；　or　his　power　or　will　to　set　right　whatever
may　have　seemed　to　go　wrong　with　his　child！Go　on；　Davie！　You　are　a
good　boy；　I　will　be　a　better　man！〃

But　naturally；　as　soon　as　lessons　were　over；　he　fell　again　to
thinking　what　could　have　befallen　him　the　night　before。　At　what
point　did　the　aberration　begin？　The　earl　must　have　taken　notice　of
it；　for　surely　Simmons　had　not　given　Davie　those　injunctions　of
himselfexcept　indeed　he　had　exposed　his　condition　even　to　him！　If
the　earl　had　spoken　to　Simmons；　kindness　seemed　intended　him；　but　it
might　have　been　merely　care　over　the　boy！　Anyhow；　what　was　to　be
done？

He　did　not　ponder　the　matter　long。　With　that　directness　which　was
one　of　the　most　marked　features　of　his　nature；　he　resolved　at　once
to　request　an　interview　with　the　earl；　and　make　his　apologies。　He
sought　Simmons；　therefore；　and　found　him　in　the　pantry　rubbing　up
the　forks　and　spoons。

〃Ah；　Mr。　Grant；〃　he　said；　before　Donal　could　speak；　〃I　was　just
coming　to　you　with　a　message　from　his　lordship！　He　wants　to　see
you。〃

〃And　I　came　to　you；〃　replied　Donal；　〃to　say　I　wanted　to　see　his
lordship！〃

〃That's　well　fitted；　then；　sir！〃　returned　Simmons。　〃I　will　go　and
see　when。　His　lordship　is　not　up；　nor　likely　to　be　for　some　hours
yet；　he　is　in　one　of　his　low　fits　this　morning。　He　told　me　you　were
not　quite　yourself　last　night。〃

As　he　spoke　his　red　nose　seemed　to　examine　Donal's　face　with　a
kindly；　but　not　altogether　sympathetic　scrutiny。

〃The　fact　is；　Simmons；〃　answered　Donal；　〃not　being　used　to　wine；　I
fear　I　drank　more　of　his　lordship's　than　was　good　for　me。〃

〃His　lordship's　wine；〃　murmured　Simmons；　and　there　checked　himself。
〃How　much　did　you　drink；　sirif　I　may　make　so　bold？〃

〃I　had　one　glass　during　dinner；　and　more　than　one；　but　not　nearly
two；　after。〃

〃Pooh！　pooh；　sir！　That　could　never　hurt　a　strong　man　like　you！　You
ought　to　know　better　than　that！　Look　at　me！〃

But　he　did　not　go　on　with　his　illustration。

〃Tut！〃　he　resumed；　〃that　make　you　sleep　till　ten　o'clock！If　you
will　kindly　wait　in　the　hall；　or　in　the　schoolroom；　I　will　bring　you
his　lordship's　orders。〃

So　saying　while　he　washed　his　hands　and　took　off　his　white　apron；
Simmons　departed　on　his　errand　to　his　master。　Donal　went　to　the　foot
of　the　grand　staircase；　and　there　waited。

As　he　stood　he　heard　a　light　step　above　him；　and　involuntarily
glancing　up；　saw　the　light　shape　of　lady　Arctura　come　round　the
curve　of　the　spiral　stair；　descending　rather　slowly　and　very　softly；
as　if　her　feet　were　thinking。　She　checked　herself　for　an
infinitesimal　moment；　then　moved　on　again。　Donal　stood　with　bended
head　as　she　passed。　If　she　acknowledged　his　obeisance　it　was　with
the　slightest　return；　but　she　lifted　her　eyes　to　his　face　with　a
look　that　seemed　to　have　in　it　a　strange　wistful　troublenot　very
marked；　yet　notable。　She　passed　on　and　vanished；　leaving　that　look　a
lingering　presence　in　Donal's　thought。　What　was　it？　Was　it　anything？
What　could　it　mean？　Had　he　really　seen　it？　Was　it　there；　or　had　he
only　imagined　it？

Simmons　kept　him　waiting　a　good　while。　He　had　f