donal grant-第45章

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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　found　his　lordship
getting　up；　and　had　had　to　stay　to　help　him　dress。　At　length　he
came；　excusing　himself　that　his　lordship's　temper　at　such
timesthat　was；　in　his　dumpy　fitswas　not　of　the　evenest；　and
required　a　gentle　hand。　But　his　lordship　would　see　himand　could
Mr。　Grant　find　the　way　himself；　for　his　old　bones　ached　with　running
up　and　down　those　endless　stone　steps？　Donal　answered　he　knew　the
way；　and　sprang　up　the　stair。

But　his　mind　was　more　occupied　with　the　coming　interview　than　with
the　way　to　it；　which　caused　him　to　take　a　wrong　turn　after　leaving
the　stair：　he　had　a　good　gift　in　space…relations；　but　instinct　was
here　not　so　keen　as　on　a　hill…side。　The　consequence　was　that　he
found　himself　in　the　picture…gallery。

A　strange　feeling　of　pain；　as　at　the　presence　of　a　condition　he　did
not　wish　to　encourage；　awoke　in　him　at　the　discovery。　He　walked
along；　however；　thus　taking；　he　thought；　the　readiest　way　to　his
lordship's　apartment：　either　he　would　find　him　in　his　bedroom；　or
could　go　through　that　to　his　sitting…room！　He　glanced　at　the
pictures　he　passed；　and　seemed；　strange　to　say；　though；　so　far　as　he
knew；　he　had　never　been　in　the　place　except　in　the　dark；　to
recognize　some　of　them　as　belonging　to　the　stuff　of　the　dream　in
which　he　had　been　wandering　through　the　nightonly　that　was　a
glowing　and　gorgeous　dream；　whereas　the　pictures　were　even
commonplace！　Here　was　something　to　be　meditated　uponbut　for　the
present　postponed！　His　lordship　was　expecting　him！

Arrived；　as　he　thought；　at　the　door　of　the　earl's　bedroom；　he
knocked；　and　receiving　no　answer；　opened　it；　and　found　himself　in　a
narrow　passage。　Nearly　opposite　was　another　door；　partly　open；　and
hearing　a　movement　within；　he　ventured　to　knock　there。　A　voice　he
knew　at　once　to　be　lady　Arctura's；　invited　him　to　enter。　It　was　an
old；　lovely；　gloomy　little　room；　in　which　sat　the　lady　writing。　It
had　but　one　low　lattice…window；　to　the　west；　but　a　fire　blazed
cheerfully　in　the　old…fashioned　grate。　She　looked　up；　nor　showed
more　surprise　than　if　he　had　been　a　servant　she　had　rung　for。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　my　lady；〃　he　said：　〃my　lord　wished　to　see　me；
but　I　have　lost　my　way。〃

〃I　will　show　it　you；〃　she　answered；　and　rising　came　to　him。

She　led　him　along　the　winding　narrow　passage；　pointed　out　to　him　the
door　of　his　lordship's　sitting…room；　and　turned　awayagain；　Donal
could　not　help　thinking；　with　a　look　as　of　some　anxiety　about　him。

He　knocked；　and　the　voice　of　the　earl　bade　him　enter。

His　lordship　was　in　his　dressing…gown；　on　a　couch　of　faded　satin　of
a　gold　colour；　against　which　his　pale　yellow　face　looked　cadaverous。

〃Good　morning；　Mr。　Grant；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　glad　to　see　you　better！〃

〃I　thank　you；　my　lord；〃　returned　Donal。　〃I　have　to　make　an　apology。
I　cannot　understand　how　it　was；　except；　perhaps；　that；　being　so
little　accustomed　to　strong　drink；〃

〃There　is　not　the　smallest　occasion　to　say　a　word；〃　interrupted　his
lordship。　〃You　did　not　once　forget　yourself；　or　cease　to　behave　like
a　gentleman！〃

〃Your　lordship　is　very　kind。　Still　I　cannot　help　being　sorry。　I
shall　take　good　care　in　the　future。〃

〃It　might　be　as　well；〃　conceded　the　earl；　〃to　set　yourself　a
limitnecessarily　in　your　case　a　narrow　one。Some　constitutions
are　so　immediately　responsive！〃　he　added　in　a　murmur。　〃The　least
exhibition　of！But　a　man　like　you；　Mr。　Grant；〃　he　went　on　aloud；
〃will　always　know　to　take　care　of　himself！〃

〃Sometimes；　apparently；　when　it　is　too　late！〃　rejoined　Donal。　〃But　I
must　not　annoy　your　lordship　with　any　further　expression　of　my
regret！〃

〃Will　you　dine　with　me　to…night？〃　said　the　earl。　〃I　am　lonely　now。
Sometimes；　for　months　together；　I　feel　no　need　of　a　companion：　my
books　and　pictures　content　me。　All　at　once　a　longing　for　society
will　seize　me；　and　that　longing　my　health　will　not　permit　me　to
indulge。　I　am　not　by　nature　unsociablemuch　the　contrary。　You　may
wonder　I　do　not　admit　my　own　family　more　freely；　but　my　wretched
health　makes　me　shrink　from　loud　voices　and　abrupt　motions。〃

〃But　lady　Arctura！〃　thought　Donal。　〃Your　lordship　will　find　me　a
poor　substitute；　I　fear；〃　he　said；　〃for　the　society　you　would　like。
But　I　am　at　your　lordship's　service。〃

He　could　not　help　turning　with　a　moment's　longing　and　regret　to　his
tower…nest　and　the　company　of　his　books　and　thoughts；　but　he　did　not
feel　that　he　had　a　choice。




CHAPTER　XXXII。

THE　SECOND　DINNER　WITH　THE　EARL。

He　went　as　before；　conducted　by　the　butler；　and　formally　announced。
To　his　surprise；　with　the　earl　was　lady　Arctura。　His　lordship　made
him　give　her　his　arm；　and　followed。

This　was　to　Donal　a　very　different　dinner　from　that　of　the　evening
before。　Whether　the　presence　of　his　niece　made　the　earl　rouse
himself　to　be　agreeable；　or　he　had　grown　better　since　the　morning
and　his　spirits　had　risen；　certainly　he　was　not　like　the　same　man。
He　talked　in　a　rather　forced…playful　way；　but　told　two　or　three　good
stories；　described　with　vivacity　some　of　the　adventures　of　his
youth；　spoke　of　several　great　men　he　had　met；　and　in　short　was　all
that　could　be　desired　in　a　host。　Donal　took　no　wine　during　dinner；
the　earl　as　before　took　very　little；　and　lady　Arctura　none。　She
listened　respectfully　to　her　uncle's　talk；　and　was　attentive　when
Donal　spoke；　he　thought　she　looked　even　sympathetic　two　or　three
times；　and　once　he　caught　the　expression　as　of　anxiety　he　had　seen
on　her　face　that　same　day　twice　before。　It　was　strange；　too；　he
thought；　that；　not　seeing　her　sometimes　for　a　week　together；　he
should　thus　meet　her　three　times　in　one　day。　When　the　last　of　the
dinner　was　removed　and　the　wine　placed　on　the　table；　Donal　thought
his　lordship　looked　as　if　he　expected　his　niece　to　go；　but　she　kept
her　place。　He　asked　her　which　wine　she　would　have；　but　she　declined
any。　He　filled　his　glass；　and　pushed　the　decanter　to　Donal。　He　too
filled　his　glass；　and　drank　slowly。

The　talk　revived。　But　Donal　could　not　help　fancying　that　the　eyes　of
the　lady　now　and　then　sought　his　with　a　sort　of　question　in
themalmost　as　if　she　feared　something　was　going　to　happen　to　him。
He　attributed　this　to　her　having　heard　that　he　took　too　much　wine
the　night　before。　The　situation　was　unpleasant。　He　must；　however；
brave　it　out！　When　he　refused　a　second　glass；　which　the　earl　by　no
means　pressed；　he　thought　he　saw　her　look　relieved；　but　more　than
once　thereafter　he　saw；　or　fancied　he　saw　her　glance　at　him　with
that　expression　of　slight　anxiety。

In　its　course　the　talk　fell　upon　sheep；　and　Donal　was　relating　some
of　his　experiences　with　them　and　their　dogs；　greatly　interested　in
the　subject；　when　all　at　once；　just　as　before；　something　seemed　to
burst　in　his　head；　and　immediately；　although　he　knew　he　was　sitting
at　table　with　the　earl　and　lady　Arctura；　he　was　uncertain　whether　he
was　not　at　the　same　time　upon　the　side　of　a　lonely　hill；　closed　in　a
magic　night　of　high　summer；　his　woolly　and　hairy　friends　lying　all
about　him；　and　a　light　glimmering　faintly　on　the　heather　a　little
way　off；　which　he　knew　for　the　flame　that　marks　for　a　moment　the
footstep　of　an　angel；　when　he　touches　ever　so　lightly　the　solid
earth。　He　seemed　to　be　reading　the　thoughts　of　his　sheep　around　him；
yet　all　the　time　went　on　talking；　and　knew　he　was　talking；　with　the
earl　and　the　lady。

After　a　while；　everything　was　changed。　He　was　no　longer　either　with
his　sheep　or　his　company。　He　was　alone；　and　walking　swiftly　through
and　beyond　the　park；　in　a　fierce　wind　from　the　north…east；　battling
with　it；　and　ruling　it　like　a　fiery　horse。　By　and　by　came　a　hoarse；
terrible　music；　which　he　knew　for　the　thunderous　beat　of　the　waves
on　the　low　shore；　yet　imagined　issuing　from　an　indescribable
instrument；　gigantic　and　grotesque。　He　felt　it　firstthrough　his
feet；　as　one　feels　without　hearing　the　tones　of　an　organ　for　which
the　building　is　too　small　to　allow　scope　to　their　vibration：　the
waves　made　the　ground　beat　against　the　soles　of　his　feet　as　he
walked；　but　soon　he　heard　it　like　the　infinitely　prolonged　roaring
of　a　sky…built　organ。　I