donal grant-第15部分

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They　went　out　together；　and　when　they　had　gone　the　round　of　the
place　outside；　Davie　would　have　taken　him　over　the　house；　but　Donal
said　they　would　leave　something　for　another　time；　and　made　him　lie
down　for　ten　minutes。　　This　the　boy　thought　a　great　hardship；　but
Donal　saw　that　he　needed　to　be　taught　to　rest。　　Ten　times　in　those
ten　minutes　he　was　on　the　point　of　jumping　up；　but　Donal　found　a
word　sufficient　to　restrain　him。　　When　the　ten　minutes　were　over；　he
set　him　an　addition　sum。　　The　boy　protested　he　knew　all　the　rules　of
arithmetic。

〃But；〃　said　Donal；　〃I　must　know　that　you　know　them；　that　is　my
business。　　Do　this　one；　however　easy　it　is。〃

The　boy　obeyed；　and　brought　him　the　sumincorrect。

〃Now；　Davie；〃　said　Donal；　〃you　said　you　knew　all　about　addition；　but
you　have　not　done　this　sum　correctly。〃

〃I　have　only　made　a　blunder；　sir。〃

〃But　a　rule　is　no　rule　if　it　is　not　carried　out。　　Everything　goes　on
the　supposition　of　its　being　itself；　and　not　something　else。　　People
that　talk　about　good　things　without　doing　them　are　left　out。　　You
are　not　master　of　addition　until　your　addition　is　to　be　depended
upon。〃

The　boy　found　it　hard　to　fix　his　attention：　to　fix　it　on　something
he　did　not　yet　understand；　would　be　too　hard！　he　must　learn　to　do　so
in　the　pursuit　of　accuracy　where　he　already　understood！　then　he
would　not　have　to　fight　two　difficulties　at　oncethat　of
understanding；　and　that　of　fixing　his　attention。　　But　for　a　long
time　he　never　kept　him　more　than　a　quarter　of　an　hour　at　work　on　the
same　thing。

When　he　had　done　the　sum　correctly；　and　a　second　without　need　of
correction；　he　told　him　to　lay　his　slate　aside；　and　he　would　tell
him　a　fairy…story。　　Therein　he　succeeded　tolerablyin　the　opinion
of　Davie；　wonderfully：　what　a　tutor　was　this；　who　let　fairies　into
the　school…room！

The　tale　was　of　no　very　original　constructionthe　youngest　brother
gaining　in　the　path　of　righteousness　what　the　elder　brothers　lose
through　masterful　selfishness。　　A　man　must　do　a　thing　because　it　is
right；　even　if　he　die　for　it；　but　truth　were　poor　indeed　if　it　did
not　bring　at　last　all　things　subject　to　it！　　As　beauty　and　truth　are
one；　so　are　truth　and　strength　one。　　Must　God　be　ever　on　the　cross；
that　we　poor　worshippers　may　pay　him　our　highest　honour？　　Is　it　not
enough　to　know　that　if　the　devil　were　the　greater；　yet　would　not　God
do　him　homage；　but　would　hang　for　ever　on　his　cross？　　Truth　is　joy
and　victory。　　The　true　hero　is　adjudged　to　bliss；　nor　can　in　the
nature　of　things；　that　is；　of　God；　escape　it。　　He　who　holds　by　life
and　resists　death；　must　be　victorious；　his　very　life　is　a　slaying　of
death。　　A　man　may　die　for　his　opinion；　and　may　only　be　living　to
himself：　a　man　who　dies　for　the　truth；　dies　to　himself　and　to　all
that　is　not　true。

〃What　a　beautiful　story！〃　cried　Davie　when　it　ceased。　〃Where　did　you
get　it；　Mr。　Grant？〃

〃Where　all　stories　come　from。〃

〃Where　is　that？〃

〃The　Think…book。〃

〃What　a　funny　name！　　I　never　heard　it！　　Will　it　be　in　the　library？〃

〃No；　it　is　in　no　library。　　It　is　the　book　God　is　always　writing　at
one　end；　and　blotting　out　at　the　other。　　It　is　made　of　thoughts；　not
words。　　It　is　the　Think…book。〃

〃Now　I　understand！　　You　got　the　story　out　of　your　own　head！〃

〃Yes；　perhaps。　　But　how　did　it　get　in　to　my　head？〃

〃I　can't　tell　that。　　Nobody　can　tell　that！〃

〃Nobody　can　that　never　goes　up　above　his　own　headthat　never　shuts
the　Think…book；　and　stands　upon　it。　　When　one　does；　then　the
Think…book　swells　to　a　great　mountain　and　lifts　him　up　above　all　the
world：　then　he　sees　where　the　stories　come　from；　and　how　they　get
into　his　head。Are　you　to　have　a　ride　to…day？〃

〃I　ride　or　not　just　as　I　like。〃

〃Well；　we　will　now　do　just　as　we　both　like；　I　hope；　and　it　will　be
two　likes　instead　of　onethat　is；　if　we　are　true　friends。〃

〃We　shall　he　true　friendsthat　we　shall！〃

〃How　can　that　bebetween　a　little　boy　like　you；　and　a　grown　man
like　me？〃

〃By　me　being　good。〃

〃By　both　of　us　being　goodno　other　way。　　If　one　of　us　only　was
good；　we　could　never　be　true　friends。　　I　must　be　good　as　well　as
you；　else　we　shall　never　understand　each　other！〃

〃How　kind　you　are；　Mr。　Grant！　　You　treat　me　just　like　another　one！〃
said　Davie。

〃But　we　must　not　forget　that　I　am　the　big　one　and　you　the　little
one；　and　that　we　can't　be　the　other　one　to　each　other　except　the
little　one　does　what　the　big　one　tells　him！　　That's　the　way　to　fit
into　each　other。〃

〃Oh；　of　course！〃　answered　Davie；　as　if　there　could　not　be　two　minds
about　that。




CHAPTER　XV。

HORSE　AND　MAN。

During　the　first　day　and　the　next；　Donal　did　not　even　come　in　sight
of　any　other　of　the　family；　but　on　the　third　day；　after　their　short
early　schoolfor　he　seldom　let　Davie　work　till　he　was　tired；　and
never　aftergoing　with　him　through　the　stable…yard；　they　came　upon
lord　Forgue　as　he　mounted　his　horsea　nervous；　fiery；　thin…skinned
thoroughbred。　　The　moment　his　master　was　on　him；　he　began　to　back
and　rear。　　Forgue　gave　him　a　cut　with　his　whip。　　He　went　wild；
plunging　and　dancing　and　kicking。　　The　young　lord　was　a　horseman　in
the　sense　of　having　a　good　seat；　but　he　knew　little　about　horses；
they　were　to　him　creatures　to　be　compelled；　not　friends　with　whom　to
hold　sweet　concert。　　He　had　not　learned　that　to　rule　ill　is　worse
than　to　obey　ill。　　Kings　may　be　worse　than　it　is　in　the　power　of　any
subject　to　be。　　As　he　was　raising　his　arm　for　a　second　useless；
cruel；　and　dangerous　blow；　Donal　darted　to　the　horse's　head。

〃You　mustn't　do　that；　my　lord！〃　he　said。　〃You'll　drive　him　mad。〃

But　the　worst　part　of　Forgue's　nature　was　uppermost；　in　his　rage　all
the　vices　of　his　family　rushed　to　the　top。　　He　looked　down　on　Donal
with　a　fury　checked　only　by　contempt。

〃Keep　off；〃　he　said；　〃or　it　will　be　the　worse　for　you。　　What　do　you
know　about　horses？〃

〃Enough　to　know　that　you　are　not　fair　to　him。　　I　will　not　let　you
strike　the　poor　animal。　　Just　look　at　this　water…chain！〃

〃Hold　your　tongue；　and　stand　away；　or；　by〃

〃Ye　winna　fricht　me；　sir；〃　said　Donal；　whose　English　would；　for
years；　upon　any　excitement；　turn　cowardly　and　run　away；　leaving　his
mother…tongue　to　bear　the　brunt；　〃I'm　no　timorsome。〃

Forgue　brought　down　his　whip　with　a　great　stinging　blow　upon　Donal's
shoulder　and　back。　　The　fierce　blood　of　the　highland　Celt　rushed　to
his　brain；　and　had　not　the　man　in　him　held　by　God　and　trampled　on
the　devil；　there　might　then　have　been　miserable　work。　　But　though　he
clenched　his　teeth；　he　fettered　his　hands；　and　ruled　his　tongue；　and
the　Master　of　men　was　master　still。

〃My　lord；〃　he　said；　after　one　instant's　thunderous　silence；　〃there's
that　i'　me　wad　think　as　little　o'　throttlin'　ye　as　ye　du　o'
ill…usin'　yer　puir　beast。　　But　I'm　no　gaein'　to　drop　his　quarrel；
an'　tak　up　my　ain：　that　wad　be　cooardly。〃　　Here　he　patted　the
creature's　neck；　and　recovering　his　composure　and　his　English；　went
on。　〃I　tell　you；　my　lord；　the　curb…chain　is　too　tight！　　The　animal
is　suffering　as　you　can　have　no　conception　of；　or　you　would　pity
him。〃

〃Let　him　go；〃　cried　Forgue；　〃or　I　will　make　you。〃

He　raised　his　whip　again；　the　more　enraged　that　the　groom　stood
looking　on　with　his　mouth　open。

〃I　tell　your　lordship；〃　said　Donal；　〃it　is　my　turn　to　strike；　and　if
you　hit　the　animal　again　before　that　chain　is　slackened；　I　will
pitch　you　out　of　the　saddle。〃

For　answer　Forgue　struck　the　horse　over　the　head。　　The　same　moment
he　was　on　the　ground；　Donal　had　taken　him　by　the　leg　and　thrown　him
off。　　He　was　not　horseman　enough　to　keep　his　hold　of　the　reins；　and
Donal　led　the　horse　a　little　way　off；　and　left　him　to　get　up　in
safety。　　The　poor　animal　was　pouring　with　sweat；　shivering　and
trembling；　yet　throwing　his　head　back　every　moment。　　Donal　could
scarcely　undo　the　chain；　it　was　twistedhis　lordship　had　fastened
it　himselfand　sharp　edges　pressed　his　jaw　at　the　least　touch　of
the　rein。　　He　had　not　yet　rehooked　it；　when　Forgue　was　upon　him　with
a　second　blow　of　his　whip。　　The　horse　was　scared　afresh　at　the
sound；　and　it　was　all　he　could　do　to　hold　him；　but　he　succeeded　at
length　in　calming　him。　　When　he　looked　about　him；　Forgue　was　gone。
He　led　the　horse　into　the　stable；　put　him　in　his　stall；　and
proceeded　to　unsaddle　him。　　Then　first　he　was　re…aware　of　the
presence　of　Davie。　　The　boy　was　stampingwith　fierce　eyes　and　white
facechoking　with　silent　rage。

〃Davie；　my　child！〃　said　Donal；　and　Davie　recovered　his　power　of
speech。

〃I'll　go　and　tell　my　father！〃　he　said；　and　made　for　the　stable　door。

〃Which　of　us　are　you　going　to　tell　upon？〃　asked　Donal　with　a　smile。

〃Percy；　of　course！〃　he　replied；　almost　with　a　scream。　〃You　are　a
good　man；　Mr。　Grant；　and　he　is　a　bad　fellow。　　My　father　will　give　it
him　well。　　He　doesn't　oftenbut　oh；　can't　he　just！　　To　dare　to
strike　you！　　I'll　go　to　him　at　once；　whether　he's　in　bed　or　not！〃

〃No；　you　won't；　my　boy！　　Listen　to　me。　　Some　people　think　it's　a
disgrace　to　be　struck：　I　think　it　a　disgrace　to　strike。　　I　have　a
right　over　your　brother　by　that　blow；　and　I　mean　to　keep　itfor　his
good。　　You　didn't　think　I　was　afraid　of　him？〃

〃No；　no；　anybody　could　see　you　weren't　a　bit　afraid　of　him。　　I　would
have　struck　him　again　if　he　had　killed　me　for　it！〃

〃I　don't　doubt　you　would。　　But　when　you　understand；　you　will　not　be
so　ready　to　strike。　　I　could　have　killed　your　brother　more　easily
than　held　his　horse。　　You　don't　know　how　strong　I　am；　or　what　a　blow
of　my　fist　would　be　to　a　delicate　fellow　like　that。　　I　hope　his　fall
has　not　hurt　him。〃

〃I　hope　it　hasa　little；　I　mean；　only　a　little；〃　said　the　boy；
looking　in　the　face　of　his　tutor。　〃But　tell　me　why　you　did　not
strike　him。　　It　would　be　good　for　him　to　be　well　beaten。〃

〃It　will；　I　hope；　be　better　for　him　to　be　well　forgiven：　he　will　be
ashamed　of　himself　the　sooner；　I　think。　　But　why　I　did　not　strike
him　was；　that　I　am　not　my　own　master。〃

〃But　my　father；　I　am　sure；　would　not　have　been　angry　with　you。　　He
would　have　said　you　had　a　right　to　do　it。〃

〃Perhaps；　but　the　earl　is　not　the　master　I　mean。〃

〃Who　is；　then？〃

〃Jesus　Christ。〃

〃Ooh！〃

〃He　says　I　must　not　return　evil　for　evil；　a　blow　for　a　blow。　　I
don't　mind　what　people　say　about　it：　he　would