donal grant-第97章
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but there was not a laugh inside him。
〃Then you won't ride to…day？〃 he said。
〃I think not；〃 replied Arctura。
She ought to have said she would not。 It is a pity to let doubt
alight on decision。 Her reply re…opened the whole question。
〃I cannot see what should induce you to allow that fellow the honour
of reading with you！〃 said Forgue。 〃He's a long…winded； pedantic；
ill…bred lout！〃
〃Mr。 Grant is my friend！〃 said Arctura； and raising her head looked
him in the eyes。
〃Take my word for it； you are mistaken in him；〃 he said。
〃I neither value nor ask your opinion of him；〃 returned Arctura。 〃I
merely acquaint you with the fact that he is my friend。〃
〃Here's the devil and all to pay！〃 thought Forgue。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 he said： 〃you do not know him as I do！〃
〃Not？and with so much better opportunity of judging！〃
〃He has never played the dominie with you！〃 said Forgue foolishly。
〃Indeed he has！〃
〃He has！ Confound his insolence！ How？〃
〃He won't let me study as I want。How has he interfered with you？〃
〃We won't quarrel about him；〃 rejoined Forgue； attempting a tone of
gaiety； but instantly growing serious。 〃We who ought to be so much
to each other〃
Something told him he had already gone too far。
〃I do not know what you meanor rather； I am not willing to think I
know what you mean；〃 said Arctura。 〃After what took place〃
In her turn she ceased： he had said nothing！
〃Jealous！〃 concluded Forgue； 〃a good sign！〃
〃I see he has been talking against me！〃 he said。
〃If you mean Mr。 Grant； you mistake。 He never； so far as I remember；
once mentioned you to me。〃
〃I know better！〃
〃You are rude。 He never spoke of it； but I have seen enough with my
own eyes〃
〃If you mean that silly fancywhy； Arctura！you know it was but a
boyish folly！〃
〃And since then you have grown a man！How many months has it
taken？〃
〃I assure you； on the word of a gentleman； there is nothing in it
now。 It is all over； and I am heartily ashamed of it。〃
A pause of a few seconds followed： it seemed as many minutes； and
unbearable。
〃You will come out with me？〃 said Forgue： she might be relenting；
though she did not look like it！
〃No；〃 she said； 〃I will not。〃
〃Well；〃 he returned； with simulated coolness； 〃this is rather
cavalier treatment； I must say！To throw a man over who has loved
you so longand for the sake of a lesson in Greek！〃
〃How long； pray； have you loved me？〃 said Arctura； growing angry。 〃I
was willing to be friendly with you； so much so that I am sorry it
is no longer possible！〃
〃You punish me pretty sharply； my lady； for a trifle of which I told
you I was ashamed！〃 said Forgue； biting his lip。 〃It was the
merest〃
〃I do not wish to hear anything about it！〃 said Arctura sternly。
Then； afraid she had been unkind； she added in altered tone： 〃You
had better go and have a gallop。 You may have Larkie if you like。〃
He turned and left the room。 She only meant to pique him； he said to
himself。 She had been cherishing her displeasure； and now she had
had her revenge would feel better and be sorry next！ It was a very
good morning's work after all！ It was absurd to think she preferred
a Greek lesson from a clown to a ride with lord Forgue！ Was not she
too a Graeme！
Partly to make reconciliation the easier； partly because the horse
was superior to his own； he would ride Larkie！
But his reasoning was not so satisfactory to him as to put him in a
good temper； and poor Larkie had to suffer for his ill…humour。 His
least movement that displeased him put him in a rage； and he rode
him so foolishly as well as tyrannically that he brought him home
quite lame； thus putting an end for a time to all hope of riding
again with Arctura。
Instead of going and telling her what he had done； he sent for the
farrier； and gave orders that the mishap should not be mentioned。
A week passed； and then another； and as he could say nothing about
riding； he was in a measure self…banished from Arctura's company。 A
furious jealousy began to master him。 He scorned to give place to it
because of the insult to himself if he allowed a true ground for it。
But it gradually gained power。 This country bumpkin； this cow…herd；
this man of spelling…books and grammars； to come between his cousin
and him！ Of course he was not so silly as imagine for a moment she
cared for him！that she would disgrace herself by falling in love
with a fellow just loosed from the plough…tail！ She was a Graeme；
and could never be a traitor to her blood！ If only he had not been
such an infernal fool！ A vulgar little thing without an idea in her
head！ So unpleasantso disgusting at last with her love…making！
Nothing pleased her but hugging and kissing！That was how he spoke
to himself of the girl he had been in love with！
Damn that schoolmaster！ She would never fall in love with him； but
he might prevent her from falling in love with another！ No
attractions could make way against certain prepossessions！ The girl
had a fancy for being a saint； and the lout burned incense to her！
So much he gathered from Davie。 His father must get rid of the
fellow！ If he thought he was doing so well with Davie； why not send
the two away together till things were settled？
But the earl thought it would be better to win Donal。 He counselled
him that every Grant was lord Seafield's cousin； and every
highlander an implacable enemy where his pride was hurt。 His
lordship did not reflect that； if what he said were true of Donal；
he must have left the castle long ago。 There was but one thing would
have made it impossible for Donal to remaininterference； namely；
between him and his pupil。
Forgue did not argue with his father。 He had given that up。 At the
same time； if he had told all that had passed between him and Donal；
the earl would have confessed he had advised an impossibility。
Forgue took a step in a very different direction： he began to draw
to himself the good graces of Miss Carmichael： he did not know how
little she could serve him。 Without being consciously insincere； she
flattered him； and speedily gained his confidence。 Well descended on
the mother…side； she had grown up fit； her father said； to adorn any
society： with a keen appreciation of the claims and dignities of the
aristocracy； she was well able to flatter the prejudices she
honoured and shared in。 Careful not to say a word against his
cousin； she made him feel more and more that his chief danger lay in
the influence of Donal。 She fanned thus his hatred of the man who
first came between him and his wrath； next； between him and his
〃love；〃 and last； between him and his fortunes。
If only Davie would fall ill； and require change of air！ But Davie
was always in splendid health！
Now that he saw himself in such danger of failing； he fancied
himself far more in love with Arctura than he was。 And as he got
familiarized with the idea of his illegitimacy； although he would
not assent to it； he made less and less of itwhich would have been
a proof to any other than himself that he believed it。 In further
sign of the same； he made no inquiry into the matterdid not once
even question his father about it。 If it was true； he did not want
to know it： he would treat his lack of proof as ignorance； and act
as with the innocence of ignorance！ A fellow must take for granted
what was commonly believed！ At last； and the last was not long in
arriving； he almost ceased to trouble himself about it。
His father laughed at his fear of failure with Arctura； but at times
contemplated the thing as an awful possibilitynot that he loved
Forgue much。 The only way fathers in sight of the grave can fancy
themselves holding on to the things they must leave； is in their
children； but lord Morven had a stronger and better reason for his
unrighteousness： in a troubled； self…reproachful way； he loved the
memory of their mother； and through her cared even for Forgue more
than he knew。 They were also his own as much as if he had been
legally married to her！ For the relation in which they stood to
society； he cared little so long as it continued undiscovered。 He
enjoyed the idea of stealing a march on society； and seeing the sons
he had le
