donal grant-第51章

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something　between　lord　Forgue　and　the　girl；　and　was　alarmed　for　the
girl：　she　is　the　child　of　friends　to　whom　I　am　much　beholden。　But　on
the　promise　of　both　that　the　thing　should　end；　I　concluded　it　better
not　to　trouble　your　lordship。　I　may　have　blundered　in　this；　but　I
did　what　seemed　best。　This　night；　however；　I　discovered　that　things
were　going　as　before；　and　it　became　imperative　on　my　position　in
your　house　that　I　should　make　your　lordship　acquainted　with　the
fact。　He　assevered　there　was　nothing　dishonest　between　them；　but；
having　deceived　me　once；　how　was　I　to　trust　him　again！〃

〃How　indeed！　the　young　blackguard！〃　said　his　lordship；　casting　a
fierce　glance　at　his　son。

〃Allow　me　to　remark；〃　said　Forgue；　with　comparative　coolness；　〃that
I　deceived　no　one。　What　I　promised　was；　that　the　affair　should　not
go　on：　it　did　not；　from　that　moment　it　assumed　a　different　and
serious　aspect。　I　now　intend　to　marry　the　girl。〃

〃I　tell　you；　Forgue；　if　you　do　I　will　disown　you。〃

Forgue　smiled　an　impertinent　smile　and　held　his　peace：　the　threat
had　for　him　no　terror。

〃I　shall　be　the　better　able；〃　continued　his　lordship；　〃to　provide
suitably　for　Davie；　he　is　what　a　son　ought　to　be！　But　hear　me；
Forgue：　you　must　be　aware　that；　if　I　left　you　all　I　had；　it　would　be
beggary　for　one　handicapped　with　a　title。　You　may　think　my　anger
unreasonable；　but　it　comes　solely　of　anxiety　on　your　account。
Nothing　but　a　suitable　marriagethe　most　suitable　of　all　is　within
your　arm's　lengthcan　save　you　from　the　life　of　a　moneyless
peerthe　most　pitiable　object　on　the　face　of　the　earth。　Were　it
possible　to　ignore　your　rank；　you　have　no　profession；　no　trade　even；
in　these　trade…loving　times；　to　fall　back　upon。　Except　you　marry　as
I　please；　you　will　have　nothing　from　me　but　the　contempt　of　a　title
without　a　farthing　to　keep　it　decent。　You　threaten　to　leave　the
housecan　you　pay　for　a　railway…ticket？〃

Forgue　was　silent　for　a　moment。

〃My　lord；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　given　my　word　to　the　girl：　would　you
have　me　disgrace　your　name　by　breaking　it？〃

〃Tut！　tut！　there　are　words　and　words！　What　obligation　can　there　be
in　the　rash　promises　of　an　unworthy　love！　Still　less　are　they
binding　where　the　man　is　not　his　own　master！　You　are　under　a　bond　to
your　family；　under　a　bond　to　society；　under　a　bond　to　your　country。
Marry　this　girl；　and　you　will　be　an　outcast；　marry　as　I　would　have
you；　and　no　one　will　think　the　worse　of　you　for　a　foolish　vow　in
your　boyhood。　Bah！　the　merest　rumour　of　it　will　never　rise　into　the
serene　air　of　your　position。〃

〃And　let　the　girl　go　and　break　her　heart！〃　said　Forgue；　with　look
black　as　death。

〃You　need　fear　no　such　catastrophe！　You　are　no　such　marvel　among　men
that　a　kitchen…wench　will　break　her　heart　for　you。　She　will　be　sorry
for　herself；　no　doubt；　but　it　will　be　nothing　more　than　she
expected；　and　will　only　confirm　her　opinion　of　you：　she　knows　well
enough　the　risk　she　runs！〃

While　he　spoke；　Donal；　waiting　his　turn；　stood　as　on　hot　iron。　Such
sayings　were　in　his　ears　the　foul　talk　of　hell。　The　moment　the　earl
ceased；　he　turned　to　Forgue；　and　said：

〃My　lord；　you　have　removed　my　harder　thoughts　of　you！　You　have
indeed　broken　your　word；　but　in　a　way　infinitely　nobler　than　I
believed　you　capable　of！〃

Lord　Morven　stared　dumbfounded。

〃Your　comments　are　out　of　place；　Mr。　Grant！〃　said　Forgue；　with
something　like　dignity。　〃The　matter　is　between　my　father　and　myself。
If　you　wanted　to　beg　my　pardon；　you　should　have　waited　a　fitting
opportunity！〃

Donal　held　his　peace。　He　had　felt　bound　to　show　sympathy　with　his
enemy　where　he　was　right。

The　earl　was　perplexed：　his　one　poor　ally　had　gone　over　to　the
enemy！　He　took　a　glass　from　the　table　beside　him；　and　drank：　then；
after　a　moment's　silence；　apparently　of　exhaustion　and　suffering；
said；

〃Mr。　Grant；　I　desire　a　word　with　you。Leave　the　room；　Forgue。〃

〃My　lord；〃　returned　Forgue；　〃you　order　me　from　the　room　to　confer
with　one　whose　presence　with　you　is　an　insult　to　me！〃

〃He　seems　to　me；〃　answered　his　father　bitterly；　〃to　be　after　your
own　mind　in　the　affair！How　indeed　should　it　be　otherwise！　But　so
far　I　have　found　Mr。　Grant　a　man　of　honour；　and　I　desire　to　have
some　private　conversation　with　him。　I　therefore　request　you　will
leave　us　alone　together。〃

This　was　said　so　politely；　yet　with　such　latent　command；　that　the
youth　dared　not　refuse　compliance。

The　moment　he　closed　the　door　behind　him；

〃I　am　glad　he　yielded；〃　said　the　earl；　〃for　I　should　have　had　to　ask
you　to　put　him　out；　and　I　hate　rows。　Would　you　have　done　it？〃

〃I　would　have　tried。〃

〃Thank　you。　Yet　a　moment　ago　you　took　his　part　against　me！〃

〃On　the　girl's　partand　for　his　honesty　too；　my　lord！〃

〃Come　now；　Mr。　Grant！　I　understand　your　prejudices；　I　cannot　expect
you　to　look　on　the　affair　as　I　do。　I　am　glad　to　have　a　man　of　such
sound　general　principles　to　form　the　character　of　my　younger　son；
but　it　is　plain　as　a　mountain　that　what　would　be　the　duty　of　a　young
man　in　your　rank　of　life　toward　a　young　woman　in　the　same　rank；
would　be　simple　ruin　to　one　in　lord　Forgue's　position。　A　capable　man
like　you　can　make　a　living　a　hundred　different　ways；　to　one　born
with　the　burden　of　a　title；　and　without　the　means　of　supporting　it；
marriage　with　such　a　girl　means　poverty；　gambling；　hunger；
squabbling；　dirtsuicide！〃

〃My　lord；〃　answered　Donal；　〃the　moment　a　man　speaks　of　love　to　a
woman；　be　she　as　lowly　and　ignorant　as　mother　Eve；　that　moment　rank
and　privilege　vanish；　and　distinction　is　annihilated。〃

The　earl　gave　a　small　sharp　smile。

〃You　would　make　a　good　pleader；　Mr。　Grant！　But　if　you　had　seen　the
consequences　of　such　marriage　half　as　often　as　I；　you　would　modify
your　ideas。　Mark　what　I　say：　this　marriage　shall　not　take　placeby
God！　What！　should　I　for　a　moment　talk　of　it　with　coolness　were　there
the　smallest　actual　danger　of　its　occurrencedid　I　not　know　that　it
never　could；　never　shall　take　place！　The　boy　is　a　fool；　and　he　shall
know　it！　I　have　him　in　my　powerneck　and　heels　in　my　power！　He　does
not　know　it；　and　never　could　guess　how；　but　it　is　true：　one　word
from　me；　and　the　rascal　is　paralysed！　Oblige　me　by　telling　him　what
I　have　just　said。　The　absurd　marriage　shall　not　take　place；　I
repeat。　Invalid　as　I　am；　I　am　not　yet　reduced　to　the　condition　of　an
obedient　father。〃

He　took　up　a　small　bottle；　poured　a　little　from　it；　added　water；　and
drankthen　resumed。

〃Now　for　the　girl：　who　knows　about　it？〃

〃So　far　as　I　am　aware；　no　one　but　her　grandfather。　He　had　come　to
the　castle　to　inquire　after　her；　and　was　with　me　when　we　came　upon
them　in　the　fruit　garden。〃

〃Then　let　no　further　notice　be　taken　of　it。　Tell　no　onenot　even
Mrs。　Brookes。　Let　the　young　fools　do　as　they　please。〃

〃I　cannot　consent　to　that；　my　lord。〃

〃Why；　what　the　devil　have　you　to　do　with　it？〃

〃I　am　the　friend　of　her　people。〃

〃Pooh！　pooh！　don't　talk　rubbish。　What　is　it　to　them！　I'll　see　to
them。　It　will　all　come　right。　The　affair　will　settle　itself。　By
Jove；　I'm　sorry　you　interfered！　The　thing　would　have　been　much
better　left　alone。〃

〃My　lord；〃　said　Donal；　〃I　can　listen　to　nothing　in　this　strain。〃

〃All　I　ask　ispromise　not　to　interfere。〃

〃I　will　not。〃

〃Thank　you。〃

〃My　lord；　you　mistake。　I　will　not　promise。　Nay；　I　will　interfere。
What　to　do；　I　do　not　now　know；　but　I　will　save　the　girl　if　I　can。〃

〃And　ruin　an　ancient　family！　You　think　nothing　of　that！〃

〃Its　honour；　my　lord；　will　be　best　preserved　in　that　of　the　girl。〃

〃Damn　you？　will　you　preach　to　me？〃

Notwithstanding　his　fierce　words；　Donal　could　not　help　seeing　or
imagining　an　almost　suppliant　look　in　his　eye。

〃You　must　do　as　I　tell　you　in　my　house；〃　he　went　on；　〃or　you　will
soon　see　the　outside　of　it。　Come：　marry　the　girl　yourselfshe　is
deuced　prettyand　I　will　give　you　five　hundred　pounds　for　your
wedding　journey。Poor　Davie！〃

〃Your　lordship　insults　me。〃

〃Then；　damn　you！　be　off　to　your　lessons；　and　take　your　insolent　face
out　of　my　sight。〃

〃If　I　remain　in　your　house；　my　lord；　it　is　for　Davie's　sake。〃

〃Go　away；〃　said　the　earl；　and　Donal　went。

He　had　hardly　closed　the　door　behind　him；　when　he　heard　a　bell　ring
violently；　and　ere　he　r