donal grant-第77章

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one　of　the　oldest　in　the　castle；　which　she　had　chosen　for　her
sitting…room。　Perhaps　if　she　had　lived　less　in　the　shadow；　she　might
have　chosen　a　less　gloomy　one：　the　sky　was　visible　only　through　a
little　lane　of　walls　and　gables　and　battlements。　But　it　was　very
charming；　with　its　odd　nooks　and　corners；　recesses　and　projections。
It　looked　an　afterthought；　the　utilization　of　a　space　accidentally
defined　by　rejection；　as　if　every　one　of　its　sides　were　the　wall　of
a　distinct　building。

〃I　do　wish；　my　lady；〃　said　Donal；　〃you　would　not　sit　so　much　where
is　so　little　sunlight！　Outer　and　inner　things　are　in　their　origin
one；　the　light　of　the　sun　is　the　natural　world…clothing　of　the
truth；　and　whoever　sits　much　in　the　physical　dark　misses　a　great
help　to　understanding　the　things　of　the　light。　If　I　were　your
director；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　would　counsel　you　to　change　this　room　for
one　with　a　broad；　fair　outlook；　so　that；　when　gloomy　thoughts　hid
God　from　you；　they　might　have　his　eternal　contradiction　in　the　face
of　his　heaven　and　earth。〃

〃It　is　but　fair　to　tell　you；〃　replied　Arctura；　〃that　Sophia　would
have　had　me　do　so；　but　while　I　felt　about　God　as　she　taught　me；　what
could　the　fairest　sunlight　be　to　me？〃

〃Yes；　what　indeed！〃　returned　Donal。　〃Do　you　know；〃　he　added
presently；　his　eyes　straying　about　the　room；　〃I　feel　almost　as　if　I
were　trying　to　understand　a　human　creature。　A　house　is　so　like　a
human　mind；　which　gradually　disentangles　and　explains　itself　as　you
go　on　to　know　it！　It　is　no　accidental　resemblance；　for；　as　an
unavoidable　necessity；　every　house　must　be　like　those　that　built
it。〃

〃But　in　a　very　old　house；〃　said　Arctura；　〃so　many　hands　of　so　many
generations　have　been　employed　in　the　building；　and　so　many　fancied
as　well　as　real　necessities　have　been　at　work；　that　it　must　be　a
conflict　of　many　natures。〃

〃But　where　the　house　continues　in　the　same　family；　the　builders　have
more　or　less　transmitted　their　nature；　as　well　as　their　house；　to
those　who　come　after　them。〃

〃Do　you　think　then；〃　said　Arctura；　almost　with　a　shudder；　〃that　I
inherit　a　nature　like　the　house　left　methat　the　house　is　an
outside　to　mefits　my　very　self　as　the　shell　fits　the　snail？〃

〃The　relation　of　outer　and　inner　is　there；　but　there　is　given　with
it　an　infinite　power　to　modify。　Everyone　is　born　nearer　to　God　than
to　any　ancestor；　and　it　rests　with　him　to　cultivate　either　the
godness　or　the　selfness　in　him；　his　original　or　his　mere　ancestral
nature。　The　fight　between　the　natural　and　the　spiritual　man　is　the
history　of　the　world。　The　man　who　sets　his　faults　inherited；　makes
atonement　for　the　sins　of　those　who　went　before　him；　he　is　baptized
for　the　dead；　not　with　water　but　with　fire。〃

〃That　seems　to　me　strange　doctrine；〃　said　Arctura；　with　tremulous
objection。

〃If　you　do　not　like　it；　do　not　believe　it。　We　inherit　from　our
ancestors　vices　no　more　than　virtues；　but　tendencies　to　both。　Vice
in　my　great…great…grandfather　may　in　me　be　an　impulse。〃

〃How　horrible！〃　cried　Arctura。

〃To　say　that　we　inherit　sin　from　Adam；　horrifies　nobody：　the　source
is　so　far　back　from　us；　that　we　let　the　stream　fill　our　cisterns
unheeded；　but　to　say　we　inherit　it　from　this　or　that　nearer
ancestor；　causes　the　fact　to　assume　its　definite　and　individual
reality；　and　make　a　correspondent　impression。〃

〃Then　you　allow　that　it　is　horrible　to　think　oneself　under　the
influence　of　the　vices　of　certain　wicked　people；　through　whom　we
come　where　we　are？〃

〃I　would　allow　it；　were　it　not　that　God　is　nearer　to　us　than　any
vices；　even　were　they　our　own；　he　is　between　us　and　those　vices。　But
in　us　they　are　not　vicesonly　possibilities；　which　become　vices
when　they　are　yielded　to。　Then　there　are　at　the　same　time　all　sorts
of　counteracting　and　redeeming　influences。　It　may　be　that　wherein　a
certain　ancestor　was　most　wicked；　his　wife　was　especially　lovely。　He
may　have　been　cruel；　and　she　tender　as　the　hen　that　gathers　her
chickens　under　her　wing。　The　main　danger　is　perhaps；　of　being　caught
in　some　sudden　gust　of　unsuspected　impulse；　and　carried　away　of　the
one　tendency　before　the　other　has　time　to　assert　and　the　will　to
rouse　itself。　But　those　who　doubt　themselves　and　try　to　do　right　may
hope　for　warning。　Such　will　not；　I　think；　be　allowed　to　go　far　out
of　the　way　for　want　of　that。　Self…confidence　is　the　worst　traitor。〃

〃You　comfort　me　a　little。〃

〃And　then　you　must　remember；〃　continued　Donal；　〃that　nothing　in　its
immediate　root　is　evil；　that　from　best　human　roots　worst　things
spring。　No　one；　for　instance；　will　be　so　full　of　indignation；　of
fierceness；　of　revenge；　as　the　selfish　man　born　with　a　strong　sense
of　justice。But　you　say　this　is　not　the　room　in　which　you　hear　the
music　best？〃

〃No；　it　is　here。〃




CHAPTER　LV。

HER　BED…CHAMBER。

Lady　Arctura　opened　the　door　of　her　bedroom。　Donal　glanced　round　it。
It　was　as　old…fashioned　as　the　other。

〃What　is　behind　that　press　therewardrobe；　I　think　you　call　it？〃　he
asked。

〃Only　a　recess；〃　answered　lady　Arctura。　〃The　press；　I　am　sorry　to
say；　is　too　high　to　get　into　it。〃

Possibly　had　the　press　stood　in　the　recess；　the　latter　would　have
suggested　nothing；　but　having　caught　sight　of　the　opening　behind　the
press；　Donal　was　attracted　by　it。　It　was　in　the　same　wall　with　the
fireplace；　but　did　not　seem　formed　by　the　projection　of　the　chimney；
for　it　did　not　go　to　the　ceiling。

〃Would　you　mind　if　I　moved　the　wardrobe　a　little　on　one　side？〃　he
asked。

〃Do　what　you　like；〃　she　answered。

Donal　moved　it；　and　found　the　recess　rather　deep　for　its　size。　The
walls　of　the　room　were　wainscotted　to　the　height　of　four　feet　or　so；
but　the　recess　was　bare。　There　were　signs　of　hinges　on　one；　and　of　a
bolt　on　the　other　of　the　front　edges：　it　had　seemingly　been　once　a
closet；　whose　door　continued　the　wainscot。　There　were　no　signs　of
shelves　in　it；　the　plaster　was　smooth。

But　Donal　was　not　satisfied。　He　took　a　big　knife　from　his　pocket；
and　began　tapping　all　round。　The　moment　he　came　to　the　right…hand
side；　there　was　a　change　in　the　sound。

〃You　don't　mind　if　I　make　a　little　dust；　my　lady？〃　he　said。

〃Do　anything　you　please；〃　answered　Arctura。

He　sought　in　several　places　to　drive　the　point　of　his　knife　into　the
plaster；　it　would　nowhere　enter　it　more　than　a　quarter　of　an　inch：
here　was　no　built　wall；　he　believed；　but　one　smooth　stone。　He　found
nothing　like　a　joint　till　he　came　near　the　edge　of　the　recess：　there
was　a　limit　of　the　stone；　and　he　began　at　once　to　clear　it。　It　gave
him　a　straight　line　from　the　bottom　to　the　top　of　the　recess；　where
it　met　another　at　right　angles。

〃There　does　seem；　my　lady；〃　he　said；　〃to　be　some　kind　of　closing　up
here；　though　it　may　of　course　turn　out　of　no　interest　to　us！　Shall　I
go　on；　and　see　what　it　is？〃

〃By　all　means；〃　she　answered；　but　turned　pale　as　she　spoke。

Donal　looked　at　her　anxiously。　She　understood　his　look。

〃You　must　not　mind　my　feeling　a　little　silly；〃　she　said。　〃I　am　not
silly　enough　to　give　way　to　it。〃

He　went　on　again　with　his　knife；　and　had　presently　cleared　the
outlines　of　a　stone　that　filled　nearly　all　the　side　of　the　recess。
He　paused。

〃Go　on！　go　on！〃　said　Arctura。

〃I　must　first　get　a　better　tool　or　two；〃　answered　Donal。　〃Will　you
mind　being　left？〃

〃I　can　bear　it。　But　do　not　be　long。　A　few　minutes　may　evaporate　my
courage。〃

Donal　hurried　away　to　get　a　hammer　and　chisel；　and　a　pail　to　put　the
broken　plaster　in。　Lady　Arctura　stood　and　waited。　The　silence　closed
in　upon　her。　She　began　to　feel　eerie。　She　felt　as　if　she　had　but　to
will　and　see　through　the　wall　to　what　lay　beyond　it。　To　keep　herself
from　so　willing；　she　had　all　but　reduced　herself　to　mental　inaction；
when　she　started　to　her　feet　with　a　smothered　cry：　a　knock　not　over
gentle　sounded　on　the　door　of　the　outer　room。　She　darted　to　the
bedroom…door　and　flung　it　tonext　to　the　press；　and　with　one　push
had　it　nearly　in　its　place。　Then　she　opened　again　the　door；　thinking
to　wait　for　a　second　knock　on　the　other　before　she　answered。　But　as
she　opened　the　inner；　the　outer　door　also　openedslowlyand　a　face
looked　in。　She　would　rather　have　had　a　visitor　from　behind　the
press！　It　was　her　uncle；　his　face　c