donal grant-第58章

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power　so　rare　that　it　has　not　yet　been　discovered。　It　is　a　case　in
which　experiment　is　not　permitted　us：　we　cannot　make　a　wind　blow；
neither　can　we　vary　the　direction　of　the　wind　blowing；　observation
alone　is　left　us；　and　that　can　be　only　at　such　times　when　the　sound
is　heard。〃

〃Then　you　can　do　nothing　till　the　music　comes　again？〃

〃I　think　I　can　do　something　now；　for；　last　night　I　seemed　so　near
the　place　whence　the　sounds　were　coming；　that　the　eye　may　now　be
able　to　supplement　the　ear；　and　find　the　music…bird　silent　on　her
nest。　If　the　wind　fall；　as　I　think　it　will　in　the　afternoon；　I　shall
go　again　and　see　whether　I　can　find　anything。　I　noticed　last　night
that　simultaneously　with　the　sound　came　a　change　in　the
windtowards　the　south；　I　think。What　a　night　it　was　after　I　left
you！〃

〃I　think；〃　said　Arctura；　〃the　wind　has　something　to　do　with　my
uncle's　fits。　Was　there　anything　very　strange　about　it　last　night？
When　the　wind　blows　so　angrily；　I　always　think　of　that　passage　about
the　prince　of　the　power　of　the　air　being　the　spirit　that　works　in
the　children　of　disobedience。　Tell　me　what　it　means。〃

〃I　do　not　know　what　it　means；〃　answered　Donal；　〃but　I　suppose　the
epithet　involves　a　symbol　of　the　difference　between　the　wind　of　God
that　inspires　the　spiritual　true　self　of　man；　and　the　wind　of　the
world　that　works　by　thousands　of　impulses　and　influences　in　the
lower；　the　selfish　self　of　children　that　will　not　obey。　I　will　look
at　the　passage　and　see　what　I　can　make　out　of　it。　Only　the　spiritual
and　the　natural　blend　so　that　we　may　one　day　be　astonished！Would
you　like　to　join　the　music…hunt；　my　lady？〃

〃Do　you　mean；　go　on　the　roof？　Should　I　be　able？〃

〃I　would　not　have　you　go　in　the　night；　and　the　wind　blowing；〃　said
Donal　with　a　laugh；　〃but　you　can　come　and　see；　and　judge　for
yourself。　The　bartizan　is　the　only　anxious　place；　but　as　I　mean　to
take　Davie　with　me；　you　may　think　I　do　not　count　it　very　dangerous！〃

〃Will　it　be　safe　for　Davie？〃

〃I　can　venture　more　with　Davie　than　with　another：　he　obeys　in　a
moment。〃

〃I　will　obey　too　if　you　will　take　me；〃　said　Arctura。

〃Then；　please；　come　to　the　schoolroom　at　four　o'clock。　But　we　shall
not　go　except　the　wind　be　fallen。〃

When　Davie　heard　what　his　tutor　proposed；　he　was　filled　with　the
restlessness　of　anticipation。　Often　while　helping　Donal　with　his
fuel；　he　had　gazed　up　at　him　on　the　roof　with　longing　eyes；　but
Donal　had　never　let　him　go　upon　it。




CHAPTER　XLI。

THE　MUSIC…NEST。

The　hour　came；　and　with　the　very　stroke　of　the　clock；　lady　Arctura
and　Davie　were　in　the　schoolroom。　A　moment　more；　and　they　set　out　to
climb　the　spiral　of　Baliol's　tower。

But　what　a　different　lady　was　Arctura　this　afternoon！　She　was
cheerful；　even　merrywith　Davie；　almost　jolly。　Her　soul　had　many
alternating　lights　and　glooms；　but　it　was　seldom　or　never　now　so
clouded　as　when　first　Donal　saw　her。　In　the　solitude　of　her　chamber；
where　most　the　simple　soul　should　be　conscious　of　life　as　a
blessedness；　she　was　yet　often　haunted　by　ghastly　shapes　of　fear；
but　there　also　other　forms　had　begun　to　draw　nigh　to　her；　sweetest
rays　of　hope　would　ever　and　anon　break　through　the　clouds；　and　mock
the　darkness　from　her　presence。　Perhaps　God　might　mean　as　thoroughly
well　by　her　as　even　her　imagination　could　wish！

Does　a　dull　reader　remark　that　hers　was　a　diseased　state　of　mind？I
answer；　The　more　she　needed　to　be　saved　from　it　with　the　only　real
deliverance　from　any　ill！　But　her　misery；　however　diseased；　was
infinitely　more　reasonable　than　the　healthy　joy　of　such　as　trouble
themselves　about　nothing。　Some　sicknesses　are　better　than　any　but
the　true　health。

〃I　never　thought　you　were　like　this；　Arkie！〃　said　Davie。　〃You　are
just　as　if　you　had　come　to　school　to　Mr。　Grant！　You　would　soon　know
how　much　happier　it　is　to　have　somebody　you　must　mind！〃

〃If　having　me；　Davie；〃　said　Donal；　〃doesn't　help　you　to　be　happy
without　me；　there　will　not　have　been　much　good　done。　What　I　want
most　to　teach　you　is；　to　leave　the　door　always　on　the　latch；　for
some　oneyou　know　whom　I　meanto　come　in。〃

〃Race　me　up　the　stair；　Arkie；〃　said　Davie；　when　they　came　to　the
foot　of　the　spiral。

〃Very　well；〃　assented　his　cousin。

〃Which　side　will　you　havethe　broad　or　the　narrow？〃

〃The　broad。〃

〃Well　thenone；　two；　three；　and　away　we　go！〃

Davie　mounted　like　a　clever　goat；　his　hand　and　arm　on　the　newel；　and
slipping　lightly　round　it。　Arctura's　ascent　was　easier　but　slower：
she　found　her　garments　in　her　way；　therefore　yielded　the　race；　and
waited　for　Donal。　Davie；　thinking　he　heard　her　footsteps　behind　him
all　the　time；　flew　up　shrieking　with　the　sweet　terror　of　love's
pursuit。

〃What　a　darling　the　boy　has　grown！〃　said　Arctura　when　Donal　overtook
her。

〃Yes；〃　answered　Donal；　〃one　would　think　such　a　child　might　run
straight　into　the　kingdom　of　heaven；　but　I　suppose　he　must　have　his
temptations　and　trials　first：　out　of　the　storm　alone　comes　the　true
peace。〃

〃Will　peace　come　out　of　all　storms？〃

〃I　trust　so。　Every　pain　and　every　fear；　every　doubt　is　a　cry　after
God。　What　mother　refuses　to　go　to　her　child　because　he　is　only
cryingnot　calling　her　by　name！〃

〃Oh；　if　I　could　but　believe　so　about　God！　For　if　it　be　all　right
with　GodI　mean　if　God　be　such　a　God　as　to　be　loved　with　the　heart
and　soul　of　loving；　then　all　is　well。　Is　it　not；　Mr。　Grant？〃

〃Indeed　it　is！And　you　are　not　far　from　the　kingdom　of　heaven；〃　he
was　on　the　point　of　saying；　but　did　notbecause　she　was　in　it
already；　only　unable　yet　to　verify　the　things　around　her；　like　the
man　who　had　but　half…way　received　his　sight。

When　they　reached　the　top；　he　took　them　past　his　door；　and　higher　up
the　stair　to　the　next；　opening　on　the　bartizan。　Here　he　said　lady
Arctura　must　come　with　him　first；　and　Davie　must　wait　till　he　came
back　for　him。　When　he　had　them　both　safe　on　the　roof；　he　told　Davie
to　keep　close　to　his　cousin　or　himself　all　the　time。　He　showed　them
first　his　stores　of　fuelhis　ammunition；　he　said；　for　fighting　the
winter。　Next　he　pointed　out　where　he　stood　when　first　he　heard　the
music　the　night　before；　and　set　down　his　bucket　to　follow　it；　and
where　he　found　the　bucket；　blown　thither　by　the　wind；　when　he　came
back　to　feel　for　it　in　the　dark。　Then　he　began　to　lead　them；　as
nearly　as　he　could；　the　way　he　had　then　gone；　but　with　some；　for
Arctura's　sake；　desirable　detours：　over　one　steep…sloping　roof　they
had　to　cross；　he　found　a　little　stair　up　the　middle；　and　down　the
other　side。

They　came　to　a　part　where　he　was　not　quite　sure　about　the　way。　As　he
stopped　to　bethink　himself；　they　turned　and　looked　eastward。　The　sea
was　shining　in　the　sun；　and　the　flat　wet　country　between　was　so
bright　that　they　could　not　tell　where　the　land　ended　and　the　sea
began。　But　as　they　gazed　a　great　cloud　came　over　the　sun；　the　sea
turned　cold　and　gray　as　deatha　true　March　sea；　and　the　land　lay
low　and　desolate　between。　The　spring　was　gone　and　the　winter　was
there。　A　gust　of　wind；　full　of　keen　hail；　drove　sharp　in　their
faces。

〃Ah；　that　settles　the　question！〃　said　Donal。　〃The　music…bird　must
wait。　We　will　call　upon　her　another　day。It　is　funny；　isn't　it；
Davie；　to　go　a　bird's…nesting　after　music　on　the　roof　of　a　house？〃

〃Hark！〃　said　Arctura；　〃I　think　I　heard　the　music…bird！She　wants　us
to　find　her　nest！　I　really　don't　think　we　ought　to　go　back　for　a
little　blast　of　wind；　and　a　few　pellets　of　hail！　What　do　you　think；
Davie？〃

〃Oh；　for　me；　I　wouldn't　turn　for　ever　so　big　a　storm！〃　said　Davie；
〃but　you　know；　Arkie；　it's　not　you　or　me；　Arkie！　Mr。　Grant　is　the
captain　of　this　expedition；　and　we　must　do　as　he　bids　us。〃

〃Oh；　surely；　Davie！　I　never　meant　to　dispute　that。　Only　Mr。　Grant　is
not　a　tyrant；　he　will　let　a　lady　say　what　she　thinks！〃

〃Oh；　yes；　or　a　boy　either！　He　likes　me　to　say　what　I　think！　He　says
we　can't　get　at　each　other　without。　And　do　you　knowhe　obeys　me
sometimes！〃

Arctura　glanced　a　keen　question　at　the　boy。

〃It　is　quite　true！〃　said　Davie；　while　Donal　listened　smiling。　〃Last
winter；　for　days　togethernot　all　day；　you　know：　I　had　to　obey　him
most　of　the　time！　but　at　certain　times；　I　was　as　sure　of　Mr。　Grant
doing　as　I　told　him；　as　he　is　no