donal grant-第49章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


means　subjugation　to　self；　and　freedom　from　the　law　of　liberty。　It
is　often　when　a　man　is　least　satisfiednot　with　himself　but　with
his　immediate　doingsthat　he　is　most　ready　to　assert　his
superiority　to　the　restraints　he　might　formerly　have　grumbled
against；　but　had　not　dared　to　disputeand　to　claim　from　others　such
consideration　as　accords　with　a　false　idea　of　his　personal　standing。
But　for　a　while　Donal　and　he　barely　saw　each　other；　Donal　had　no
occasion　to　regard　him；　and　lord　Forgue　kept　so　much　to　himself　that
Davie　made　lamentation：　Percy　was　not　half　so　jolly　as　he　used　to
be！

For　a　fortnight　Eppy　had　not　been　to　see　her　grand…parents；　and　as
the　last　week　something　had　prevented　Donal　also　from　paying　them
his　customary　visit；　the　old　people　had　naturally　become　uneasy；　and
one　frosty　twilight；　when　the　last　of　the　sunlight　had　turned　to
cold　green　in　the　west；　Andrew　Comin　appeared　in　the　castle　kitchen；
asking　to　see　mistress　Brookes。　He　was　kindly　received　by　the
servants；　among　whom　Eppy　was　not　present；　and　Mrs。　Brookes；　who　had
a　genuine　respect　for　the　cobbler；　soon　came　to　greet　him。　She　told
him　she　knew　no　reason　why　Eppy　had　not　gone　to　inquire　after　them
as　usual：　she　would　send　for　her；　she　said；　and　left　the　kitchen。

Eppy　was　not　at　the　moment　to　be　found；　but　Donal；　whom　mistress
Brookes　had　gone　herself　to　seek；　went　at　once　to　the　kitchen。

〃Will　you　come　out　a　bit；　Andrew；〃　he　said；　〃if　you're　not　tired？
It's　a　fine　night；　and　it's　easy　to　talk　in　the　gloamin'！〃

Andrew　consented　with　alacrity。

On　the　side　of　the　castle　away　from　the　town；　the　descent　was　at
first　by　a　succession　of　terraces　with　steps　from　the　one　to　the
other；　the　terraces　themselves　being　little　flower…gardens。　At　the
bottom　of　the　last　of　these　terraces　and　parallel　with　them；　was　a
double　row　of　trees；　forming　a　long　narrow　avenue　between　two　little
doors　in　two　walls　at　opposite　ends　of　the　castle。　One　of　these　led
to　some　of　the　offices；　the　other　admitted　to　a　fruit　garden　which
turned　the　western　shoulder　of　the　hill；　and　found　for　the　greater
part　a　nearly　southern　exposure。　At　this　time　of　the　year　it　was　a
lonely　enough　place；　and　at　this　time　of　the　day　more　than　likely　to
be　altogether　deserted：　thither　Donal　would　lead　his　friend。　Going
out　therefore　by　the　kitchen…door；　they　went　first　into　a
stable…yard；　from　which　descended　steps　to　the　castle…well；　on　the
level　of　the　second　terrace。　Thence　they　arrived；　by　more　steps；　at
the　mews　where　in　old　times　the　hawks　were　kept；　now　rather　ruinous
though　not　quite　neglected。　Here　the　one　wall…door　opened　on　the
avenue　which　led　to　the　other。　It　was　one　of　the　pleasantest　walks
in　immediate　proximity　to　the　castle。

The　first　of　the　steely　stars　were　shining　through　the　naked　rafters
of　leafless　boughs　overhead；　as　Donal　and　the　cobbler　stepped；
gently　talking；　into　the　aisle　of　trees。　The　old　man　looked　up；
gazed　for　a　moment　in　silence；　and　said：

〃'The　heavens　declare　the　glory　o'　God；　an'　the　firmament　showeth
his　handy…work。'　I　used；　whan　I　was　a　lad；　to　study　astronomy　a　wee；
i'　the　houp　o'　better　hearin'　what　the　h'avens　declared　aboot　the
glory　o'　God：　I　wud　fain　un'erstan'　the　speech　ae　day　cried　across
the　nicht　to　the　ither。　But　I　was　sair　disapp'intit。　The　things　the
astronomer　tellt　semple　fowk　war　verra　won'erfu'；　but　I　couldna　fin'
i'　my　hert　'at　they　made　me　think　ony　mair　o'　God　nor　I　did　afore。　I
dinna　mean　to　say　they　michtna　be　competent　to　work　that　in　anither；
but　it　wasna　my　experrience　o'　them。　My　hert　was　some　sair　at　this；
for　ye　see　I　was　set　upo'　winnin'　intil　the　presence　o'　him　I
couldna　bide　frae；　an'　at　that　time　I　hadna　learnt　to　gang　straucht
to　him　wha's　the　express　image　o'　's　person；　but；　aye　soucht　him
throuw　the　philosophyeh；　but　it　was　bairnly　philosophy！o'　the
guid　buiks　'at　dwall　upo'　the　natur'　o'　God　an'　a'　that；　an'　his
hatred　o'　sin　an'　a'　thatpairt　an'　pairt　true；　nae　doobt！　but　I
wantit　God　great　an'　near；　an'　they　made　him　oot　sma'；　sma'；　an'
unco'　far　awa'。　Ae　nicht　I　was　oot　by　mysel'　upo'　the　shore；　jist　as
the　stars　war　teetin'　oot。　An'　it　wasna　as　gien　they　war　feart　o'
the　sun；　an'　pleast　'at　he　was　gane；　but　as　gien　they　war　a'　teetin'
oot　to　see　what　had　come　o'　their　Father　o'　Lichts。　A'　at　ance　I　cam
to　mysel'；　like　oot　o'　some　blin'　delusion。　Up　I　cuist　my　e'en
aboonan'　eh；　there　was　the　h'aven　as　God　made　itawfu'！big　an'
deep；　ay　faddomless　deep；　an'　fu'　o'　the　wan'erin'　yet　steady　lichts
'at　naething　can　blaw　oot；　but　the　breath　o'　his　mooth！　Awa'　up　an'
up　it　gaed；　an'　deeper　an'　deeper！　an'　my　e'en　gaed　traivellin'　awa'
an'　awa'；　till　it　seemed　as　though　they　never　could　win　back　to　me。
A'　at　ance　they　drappit　frae　the　lift　like　a　laverock；　an'　lichtit
upo'　the　horizon；　whaur　the　sea　an'　the　sky　met　like　richteousness
an'　peace　kissin'　ane　anither；　as　the　psalm　says。　Noo　I　canna　tell
what　it　was；　but　jist　there　whaur　the　earth　an'　the　sky　cam
thegither；　was　the　meetin'　o'　my　earthly　sowl　wi'　God's　h'avenly
sowl！　There　was　bonny　colours；　an'　bonny　lichts；　an'　a　bonny　grit
star　hingin'　ower　't　a'；　but　it　was　nane　o'　a'　thae　things；　it　was
something　deeper　nor　a'；　an'　heicher　nor　a'！　Frae　that　moment　I
sawno　hoo　the　h'avens　declare　the　glory　o'　God；　but　I　saw　them
declarin'　't；　an'　I　wantit　nae　mair。　Astronomy　for　me　micht　sit　an'
wait　for　a　better　warl'；　whaur　fowk　didna　weir　oot　their　shune；　an'
ither　fowk　hadna　to　men'　them。　For　what　is　the　great　glory　o'　God
but　that；　though　no　man　can　comprehen'　him；　he　comes　doon；　an'　lays
his　cheek　til　his　man's；　an'　says　til　him；　'Eh；　my　cratur！'〃

While　the　cobbler　was　thus　talking；　they　had　gone　the　length　of　the
avenue；　and　were　within　less　than　two　trees　of　the　door　of　the
fruit…garden；　when　it　opened；　and　was　hurriedly　shut　againnot；
however；　before　Donal　had　caught　sight；　as　he　believed；　of　the　form
of　Eppy。　He　called　her　by　name；　and　ran　to　the　door；　followed　by
Andrew：　the　same　suspicion　had　struck　both　of　them　at　once！　Donal
lifted　the　latch；　and　would　have　opened　the　door；　but　some　one　held
it　against　him；　and　he　heard　the　noise　of　an　attempt　to　push　the
rusty　bolt　into　the　staple。　He　set　his　strength　to　it；　and　forced
the　door　open。　Lord　Forgue　was　on　the　other　side　of　it；　and　a　little
way　off　stood　Eppy　trembling。　Donal　turned　away　from　his　lordship；
and　said　to　the　girl；

〃Eppy；　here's　your　grandfather　come　to　see　you！〃

The　cobbler；　however；　went　up　to　lord　Forgue。

〃You're　a　young　man；　my　lord；〃　he　said；　〃an'　may　regard　it　as　folly
in　an　auld　man　to　interfere　between　you　an'　your　wull；　but　I　warn
ye；　my　lord；　excep'　you　cease　to　carry　yourself　thus　towards　my
granddaughter；　his　lordship；　your　father；　shall　be　informed　of　the
matter。　Eppy；　you　come　home　with　me。〃

〃I　will　not；〃　said　Eppy；　her　voice　trembling　with　passion；　though
which　passion　it　were　hard　to　say；　〃I　am　a　free　woman。　I　make　my　own
living。　I　will　not　be　treated　like　a　child！〃

〃I　will　speak　to　mistress　Brookes；〃　said　the　old　man；　with　sad
dignity。

〃And　make　her　turn　me　away！〃　said　Eppy。

She　seemed　quite　changedbold　and　determinedwas　probably　relieved
that　she　could　no　more　play　a　false　part。　His　lordship　stood　and
said　nothing。

〃But　don't　you　think；　grandfather；〃　continued　Eppy；　〃that　whatever
mistress　Brookes　says　or　does；　I'll　go　home　with　you！　I've　saved
money；　and；　as　I　can't　get　another　place　here　when　you've　taken　away
my　character；　I'll　leave　the　country。〃

His　lordship　advanced；　and　with　strained　composure　said；

〃I　confess；　Mr。　Comin；　things　do　look　against　us。　It　is　awkward　you
should　have　found　us　together；　but　you　know〃and　here　he　attempted
a　laugh〃we　are　told　not　to　judge　by　appearances！〃

〃We　may　be　forced　to　act　by　them；　though；　my　lord！〃　said　Andrew。　〃I
should　be　sorry　to　judge　aither　of　you　by　them。　Eppy　must　come　home
with　me；　or　it　will　be　more　awkward　yet　for　both　of　you！〃

〃Oh；　if　you　threaten　us；〃　said　Forgue　contemptuously；　〃then　of
course　we　are　very　frightened！　But　you　had　better　beware！　You　will
only　make　it　the　more　difficult　for　me　to　do　your　granddaughter　the
justice　I　always　intended。〃

〃What　your　lordship's　notion　o'　just