donal grant-第75章

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never　going。　He　got　out　its　heavier　weight；　and　carried　it；　with　the
cord　and　the　ladder；　to　his　own　stairat　the　foot　of　which　was　lady
Arcturawaiting　for　him。

There　was　that　in　being　thus　associated　with　the　lovely　lady；　in
knowing　that　peace　had　began　to　visit　her　through　him；　that　she
trusted　him　implicitly；　looking　to　him　for　help　and　even　protection；
in　knowing　that　nothing　but　wrong　to　her　could　be　looked　for　from
uncle　or　cousin；　and　that　he　held　what　might　be　a　means　of
protecting　her；　should　undue　influence　be　brought　to　bear　upon
herthere　was　that　in　all　this；　I　say；　that　stirred　to　its　depth
the　devotion　of　Donal's　nature。　With　the　help　of　God　he　would　foil
her　enemies；　and　leave　her　a　free　womana　thing　well　worth　a　man's
life！　Many　an　angel　has　been　sent　on　a　smaller　errand！

Such　were　his　thoughts　as　he　followed　Arctura　up　the　stair；　she
carrying　the　weight　and　the　cord；　he　the　ladder；　which　it　was　not
easy　to　get　round　the　screw　of　the　stair。　Arctura　trembled　with
excitement　as　she　ascended；　grew　frightened　as　often　as　she　found
she　had　outstripped　him；　waited　till　the　end　of　the　ladder　came
poking　round；　and　started　again　before　the　bearer　appeared。

Her　dreams　had　disquieted　her　more　than　she　had　yet　confessed：　had
she　been　taking　a　way　of　her　own；　and　choosing　a　guide　instead　of
receiving　instruction　in　the　way　of　understanding？　Were　these　things
sent　for　her　warning；　to　show　her　into　what　an　abyss　of　death　her
conduct　was　leading　her？But　the　moment　she　found　herself　in　the
open　air　of　Donal's　company；　her　doubts　and　fears　vanished　for　the
time。　Such　a　one　as　he　must　surely　know　better　than　those　others　the
way　of　the　Spirit！　Was　he　not　more　childlike；　more　straightforward；
more　simple；　and；　she　could　not　but　think；　more　obedient　than　those？
Mr。　Carmichael　was　older；　and　might　be　more　experienced；　but　did　his
light　shine　clearer　than　Donal's？　He　might　be　a　priest　in　the
temple；　but　was　there　not　a　Samuel　in　the　temple　as　well　as　an　Eli？
It　the　young；　strong；　ruddy　shepherd；　the　defender　of　his　flock；　who
was　sent　by　God　to　kill　the　giant！　He　was　too　little　to　wear　Saul's
armour；　but　he　could　kill　a　man　too　big　to　wear　it！　Thus　meditated
Arctura　as　she　climbed　the　stair；　and　her　hope　and　courage　grew。

A　delicate　conscience；　sensitive　feelings；　and　keen　faculties；
subjected　to　the　rough　rasping　of　coarse；　self…satisfied；
unspiritual　natures；　had　almost　lost　their　equilibrium。　As　to
natural　condition　no　one　was　sounder　than　she；　yet　even　now　when　she
had　more　than　begun　to　see　its　falsehood；　a　headache　would　suffice
to　bring　her　afresh　under　the　influence　of　the　hideous　system　she
had　been　taught；　and　wake　in　her　all　kinds　of　deranging　doubts　and
consciousnesses。　Subjugated　so　long　to　the　untrue；　she　required　to
be　for　a　time；　until　her　spiritual　being　should　be　somewhat
individualized；　under　the　genial　influences　of　one　who　was　not
afraid　to　believe；　one　who　knew　the　master。　Nor　was　there　danger　to
either　so　long　as　he　sought　no　end　of　his　own；　so　long　as　he　desired
only　His　will；　so　long　as　he　could　say；　〃Whom　is　there　in　heaven　but
thee！　and　there　is　none　upon　earth　that　I　desire　besides　thee！〃

By　the　time　she　reached　the　top　she　was　radiantly　joyous　in　the
prospect　of　a　quiet　hour　with　him　whose　presence　and　words　always
gave　her　strength；　who　made　the　world　look　less　mournful；　and　the
will　of　God　altogether　beautiful；　who　taught　her　that　the　glory　of
the　Father's　love　lay　in　the　inexorability　of　its　demands；　that　it
is　of　his　deep　mercy　that　no　one　can　get　out　until　he　has　paid　the
uttermost　farthing。

They　stepped　upon　the　roof　and　into　the　gorgeous　afterglow　of　an
autumn　sunset。　The　whole　country；　like　another　sea；　was　flowing　from
that　that　well　of　colour；　in　tidal　waves　of　an　ever　advancing
creation。　Its　more　etherial　part；　rushing　on　above；　broke　on　the　old
roofs　and　chimneys　and　splashed　its　many　tinted　foam　all　over　them；
while　through　it　and　folded　in　it　came　a　cold　thin　wind　that　told　of
coming　death。　Arctura　breathed　a　deep　breath；　and　her　joy　grew。　It
is　wonderful　how　small　a　physical　elevation；　lifting　us　into　a
slightly　thinner　air；　serves　to　raise　the　human　spirits！　We　are　like
barometers；　only　work　the　other　way；　the　higher　we　go；　the　higher
goes　our　mercury。

They　stood　for　a　moment　in　deep　enjoyment；　then　simultaneously
turned　to　each　other。

〃My　lady；〃　said　Donal；　〃with　such　a　sky　as　that　out　there；　it　hardly
seems　as　if　there　could　be　such　a　thing　as　our　search　to…night！
Hollow　places；　hidden　away　for　evil　cause；　do　not　go　with　it　at　all！
There　is　the　story　of　gracious　invention　and　glorious　gift；　here　the
story　of　greedy　gathering　and　self…seeking；　which　all　concealment
involves！〃

〃But　there　may　be　nothing；　you　know；　Mr。　Grant！〃　said　Arctura；
troubled　for　the　house。

〃There　may　be　nothing。　But　if　there　is　such　a　room；　you　may　be　sure
it　has　some　relation　with　terrible　wrongwhat；　we　may　never　find
out；　or　even　the　traces　of　it。〃

〃I　shall　not　be　afraid；〃　she　said；　as　if　speaking　with　herself。　〃It
is　the　terrible　dreaming　that　makes　me　weak。　In　the　morning　I
tremble　as　if　I　had　been　in　the　hands　of　some　evil　power。〃

Donal　turned　his　eyes　upon　her。　How　thin　she　looked　in　the　last　of
the　sunlight！　A　pang　went　through　him　at　the　thought　that　one　day　he
might　be　alone　with　Davie　in　the　huge　castle；　untended　by　the
consciousness　that　a　living　light　and　loveliness　flitted　somewhere
about　its　gloomy　and　ungenial　walls。　But　he　would　not　think　the
thought！　How　that　dismal　Miss　Carmichael　must　have　worried　her！　When
the　very　hope　of　the　creature　in　his　creator　is　attacked　in　the　name
of　religion；　when　his　longing　after　a　living　God　is　met　with　the
offer　of　a　paltry　escape　from　hell；　how　is　the　creature　to　live！　It
is　God　we　want；　not　heaven；　his　righteousness；　not　an　imputed　one；
for　our　own　possession；　remission；　not　letting　off；　love；　not
endurance　for　the　sake　of　another；　even　if　that　other　be　the　one
loveliest　of　all。

They　turned　from　the　sunset　and　made　their　way　to　the　chimney…stack。
There　once　more　Donal　set　up　his　ladder。　He　tied　the　clock…weight　to
the　end　of　his　cord；　dropped　it　in；　and　with　a　little　management　got
it　through　the　wires。　It　went　down　and　down；　gently　lowered；　till
the　cord　was　all　out；　and　still　it　would　go。

〃Do　run　and　get　some　more；〃　said　Arctura。

〃You　do　not　mind　being　left　alone？〃

〃Noif　you　will　not　be　long。〃

〃I　will　run；〃　he　saidand　run　he　did；　for　she　had　scarcely　begun　to
feel　the　loneliness　when　he　returned　panting。

He　took　the　end　she　had　been　holding；　tied　on　the　fresh　cord　he　had
brought；　and　again　lowered　away。　As　he　was　beginning　to　fear　that
after　all　he　had　not　brought　enough；　the　weight　stopped；　resting；
and　drew　no　more。

〃If　only　we　had　eyes　in　that　weight；〃　said　Arctura；　〃like　the　snails
at　the　end　of　their　horns！〃

〃We　might　have　greased　the　bottom　of　the　weight；〃　said　Donal；　〃as
they　do　the　lead　when　they　want　to　know　what　kind　of　bottom　there　is
to　the　sea：　it　might　have　brought　up　ashes。　If　it　will　not　go　any
farther；　I　will　mark　the　string　at　the　mouth；　and　draw　it　up。〃

He　moved　the　weight　up　and　down　a　little；　it　rested　still；　and　he
drew　it　up。

〃Now　we　must　mark　off　it　the　height　of　the　chimney　above　the　parapet
wall；〃　he　said；　〃and　then　I　will　lower　the　weight　towards　the　court
below；　until　this　last　knot　comes　to　the　wall：　the　weight　will　then
show　us　on　the　outside　how　far　down　the　house　it　went　inside。Ah；　I
thought　so！〃　he　went　on；　looking　over　after　the　weight；　〃only　to
the　first　floor；　or　thereabouts！No；　I　think　it　is　lower！But
anyhow；　my　lady；　as　you　can　see；　the　place　with　which　the　chimney；
if　chimney　it　be；　communicates；　must　be　somewhere　about　the　middle
of　the　house；　and　perhaps　is　on　the　first　floor；　we　can't　judge　very
well　looking　down　from　here；　and　against　a　spot　where　are　no
windows。　Can　you　imagine　what　place　it　might　be？〃

〃I　cannot；〃　answered　Arctura；　〃but　I　could　go　into　every　room　on
that　floor　without　anyone　seeing　me。〃

〃Then　I　will　let　the　weight　down　the　chimney　again；　and　leave　it　for
you　to　see；　if　you　can；　below。　If　you　find　it；　we　must　do　something
else。〃

I