donal grant-第39部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Donal　assured　her　he　could　not　have　had　a　place　more　to　his　mind；
and　before　she　could　well　think　he　had　reached　the　foot　of　his
stair；　was　back　with　a　roll　of　papers；　which　he　laid　on　the　table。

〃There！〃　he　said；　opening　it　out；　〃if　you　will　take　the　trouble　to
go　over　these；　you　may　read　the　growth　of　the　poem。　Here　first　you
see　it　blocked　out　rather　roughly；　and　much　blotted　with　erasures
and　substitutions。　Here　next　you　see　the　result　copiedclean　to
begin　with；　but　afterwards　scored　and　scored。　You　see　the　words　I
chose　instead　of　the　first；　and　afterwards　in　their　turn　rejected；
until　in　the　proofs　I　reached　those　which　I　have　as　yet　let　stand。　I
do　not　fancy　Miss　Graeme　has　any　doubt　the　verses　are　mine；　for　it
was　plain　she　thought　them　rubbish。　From　your　pains　to　know　who
wrote　them；　I　believe　you　do　not　think　so　badly　of　them！〃

She　thought　he　was　satirical；　and　gave　a　slight　sigh　as　of　pain。　It
went　to　his　heart。

〃I　did　not　mean　the　smallest　reflection；　my　lady；　on　your　desire　for
satisfaction；〃　he　said；　〃rather；　indeed；　it　flatters　me。　But　is　it
not　strange　the　heart　should　be　less　ready　to　believe　what　seems
worth　believing？　Something　must　be　true：　why　not　the　worthyoftener
at　least　than　the　unworthy？　Why　should　it　be　easier　to　believe　hard
things　of　God；　for　instance；　than　lovely　things？or　that　one　man
copied　from　another；　than　that　he　should　have　made　the　thing
himself？　Some　would　yet　say　I　contrived　all　this　semblance　of
composition　in　order　to　lay　the　surer　claim　to　that　to　which　I　had
nonenor　would　take　the　trouble　to　follow　the　thing　through　its
development！　But　it　will　be　easy　for　you；　my　lady；　and　no　bad
exercise　in　logic　and　analysis；　to　determine　whether　the　genuine
growth　of　the　poem　be　before　you　in　these　papers　or　not。〃

〃I　shall　find　it　most　interesting；〃　said　lady　Arctura：　〃so　much　I
can　tell　already！　I　never　saw　anything　of　the　kind　before；　and　had
no　idea　how　poetry　was　made。　Does　it　always　take　so　much　labour？〃

〃Some　verses　take　much　more；　some　none　at　all。　The　labour　is　in
getting　the　husks　of　expression　cleared　off；　so　that　the　thought　may
show　itself　plainly。〃

At　this　point　Mrs。　Brookes；　thinking　probably　the　young　people　had
had　long　enough　conference；　entered；　and　after　a　little　talk　with
her；　lady　Arctura　kissed　her　and　bade　her　good　night。　Donal　retired
to　his　aerial　chamber；　wondering　whether　the　lady　of　the　house　had
indeed　changed　as　much　as　she　seemed　to　have　changed。

》From　that　time；　whether　it　was　that　lady　Arctura　had　previously
avoided　meeting　him　and　now　did　not；　or　from　other　causes；　Donal　and
she　met　much　oftener　as　they　went　about　the　place；　nor　did　they　ever
pass　without　a　mutual　smile　and　greeting。

The　next　day　but　one；　she　brought　him　his　papers　to　the　schoolroom。
She　had　read　every　erasure　and　correction；　she　told　him；　and　could
no　longer　have　had　a　doubt　that　the　writer　of　the　papers　was　the
maker　of　the　verses；　even　had　she　not　previously　learned　thorough
confidence　in　the　man　himself。

〃They　would　possibly　fail　to　convince　a　jury　though！〃　he　said；　as　he
rose　and　went　to　throw　them　in　the　fire。

Divining　his　intent；　Arctura　darted　after　him；　and　caught　them　just
in　time。

〃Let　me　keep　them；〃　she　pleaded；　〃for　my　humiliation！〃

〃Do　with　them　what　you　like；　my　lady；〃　said　Donal。　〃They　are　of　no
value　to　meexcept　that　you　care　for　them。〃




CHAPTER　XXXIV。

COBBLER　AND　CASTLE。

In　the　bosom　of　the　family　in　which　the　elements　seem　most　kindly
mixed；　there　may　yet　lie　some　root　of　discord　and　disruption；　upon
which　the　foreign　influence　necessary　to　its　appearance　above
ground；　has　not　yet　come　to　operate。　That　things　are　quiet　is　no
proof；　only　a　hopeful　sign　of　harmony。　In　a　family　of　such　poor
accord　as　that　at　the　castle；　the　peace　might　well　at　any　moment　be
broken。

Lord　Forgue　had　been　for　some　time　on　a　visit　to　Edinburgh；　had
doubtless　there　been　made　much　of；　and　had　returned　with　a
considerable　development　of　haughtiness；　and　of　that　freedom　which
means　subjugation　to　self；　and　freedom　from　the　law　of　liberty。　It
is　often　when　a　man　is　least　satisfiednot　with　himself　but　with
his　immediate　doingsthat　he　is　most　ready　to　assert　his
superiority　to　the　restraints　he　might　formerly　have　grumbled
against；　but　had　not　dared　to　disputeand　to　claim　from　others　such
consideration　as　accords　with　a　false　idea　of　his　personal　standing。
But　for　a　while　Donal　and　he　barely　saw　each　other；　Donal　had　no
occasion　to　regard　him；　and　lord　Forgue　kept　so　much　to　himself　that
Davie　made　lamentation：　Percy　was　not　half　so　jolly　as　he　used　to
be！

For　a　fortnight　Eppy　had　not　been　to　see　her　grand…parents；　and　as
the　last　week　something　had　prevented　Donal　also　from　paying　them
his　customary　visit；　the　old　people　had　naturally　become　uneasy；　and
one　frosty　twilight；　when　the　last　of　the　sunlight　had　turned　to
cold　green　in　the　west；　Andrew　Comin　appeared　in　the　castle　kitchen；
asking　to　see　mistress　Brookes。　He　was　kindly　received　by　the
servants；　among　whom　Eppy　was　not　present；　and　Mrs。　Brookes；　who　had
a　genuine　respect　for　the　cobbler；　soon　came　to　greet　him。　She　told
him　she　knew　no　reason　why　Eppy　had　not　gone　to　inquire　after　them
as　usual：　she　would　send　for　her；　she　said；　and　left　the　kitchen。

Eppy　was　not　at　the　moment　to　be　found；　but　Donal；　whom　mistress
Brookes　had　gone　herself　to　seek；　went　at　once　to　the　kitchen。

〃Will　you　come　out　a　bit；　Andrew；〃　he　said；　〃if　you're　not　tired？
It's　a　fine　night；　and　it's　easy　to　talk　in　the　gloamin'！〃

Andrew　consented　with　alacrity。

On　the　side　of　the　castle　away　from　the　town；　the　descent　was　at
first　by　a　succession　of　terraces　with　steps　from　the　one　to　the
other；　the　terraces　themselves　being　little　flower…gardens。　At　the
bottom　of　the　last　of　these　terraces　and　parallel　with　them；　was　a
double　row　of　trees；　forming　a　long　narrow　avenue　between　two　little
doors　in　two　walls　at　opposite　ends　of　the　castle。　One　of　these　led
to　some　of　the　offices；　the　other　admitted　to　a　fruit　garden　which
turned　the　western　shoulder　of　the　hill；　and　found　for　the　greater
part　a　nearly　southern　exposure。　At　this　time　of　the　year　it　was　a
lonely　enough　place；　and　at　this　time　of　the　day　more　than　likely　to
be　altogether　deserted：　thither　Donal　would　lead　his　friend。　Going
out　therefore　by　the　kitchen…door；　they　went　first　into　a
stable…yard；　from　which　descended　steps　to　the　castle…well；　on　the
level　of　the　second　terrace。　Thence　they　arrived；　by　more　steps；　at
the　mews　where　in　old　times　the　hawks　were　kept；　now　rather　ruinous
though　not　quite　neglected。　Here　the　one　wall…door　opened　on　the
avenue　which　led　to　the　other。　It　was　one　of　the　pleasantest　walks
in　immediate　proximity　to　the　castle。

The　first　of　the　steely　stars　were　shining　through　the　naked　rafters
of　leafless　boughs　overhead；　as　Donal　and　the　cobbler　stepped；
gently　talking；　into　the　aisle　of　trees。　The　old　man　looked　up；
gazed　for　a　moment　in　silence；　and　said：

〃'The　heavens　declare　the　glory　o'　God；　an'　the　firmament　showeth
his　handy…work。'　I　used；　whan　I　was　a　lad；　to　study　astronomy　a　wee；
i'　the　houp　o'　better　hearin'　what　the　h'avens　declared　aboot　the
glory　o'　God：　I　wud　fain　un'erstan'　the　speech　ae　day　cried　across
the　nicht　to　the　ither。　But　I　was　sair　disapp'intit。　The　things　the
astronomer　tellt　semple　fowk　war　verra　won'erfu'；　but　I　couldna　fin'
i'　my　hert　'at　they　made　me　think　ony　mair　o'　God　nor　I　did　afore。　I
dinna　mean　to　say　they　michtna　be　competent　to　work　that　in　anither；
but　it　wasna　my　experrience　o'　them。　My　hert　was　some　sair　at　this；
for　ye　see　I　was　set　upo'　winnin'　intil　the　presence　o'　him　I
couldna　bide　frae；　an'　at　that　time　I　hadna　learnt　to　gang　straucht
to　him　wha's　the　express　image　o'　's　person；　but；　aye　soucht　him
throuw　the　philosophyeh；　but　it　was　bairnly　philosophy！o'　the
guid　buiks　'at　dwall　upo'　the　natur'　o'　God　an'　a'　that；　an'　his
hatred　o'　sin　an'　a'　thatpairt　an'　pairt　true；　nae　doobt！　but　I
wantit　God　great　an'　near；　an'　they　made　him　oot　sma'；　sma'；　an'
unco'　far　awa'。　Ae　nicht　I　was　oot　by　mysel'　upo'　the　shore；　jist　as
the　stars　war　teetin'　oot。　An'　it　wasna　as　gien　they　war　feart　o'
the　sun；　an'　pleast　'at　he　was　gane；　but　as　gien　they　war　a'　teetin'
oot　to　see　what　had　come　o'　their　Father　o'　Lichts。　A'　at　ance　I　cam
to　mysel'；　like　oot　o'　some　blin'　delusion。　Up　I　cuist　my　e'en
aboonan'　eh；　there　was　the　h'aven　as　God　made　itawfu'！big　an'
deep；　ay　faddomless　deep；　an'　fu'　o'　the　wan'erin'　yet　steady　lichts
'at　naething　can　blaw　oot；　but　the　breath　o'　his　mooth！　Awa'　up　an'
up　it　gaed；　an'　deeper　an'　deeper！　an'　my　e'en　gaed　traivellin'　awa'
an'　awa'；　till　it　seemed　as　though　they　never　could　win　back　to　me。
A'　at　ance　they　drappit　frae　the　lift　like　a　laverock；　an'　lichtit
upo'　the　horizon；　whaur　the　sea　an'　the　sky　met　like　richteousness
an'　peace　kissin'　ane　anither；　as　the　psalm　says。　Noo　I　canna　tell
what　it　was；　but　jist　there　whaur　the　earth　an'　the　sky　cam
thegither；　was　the　meetin'　o'　my　earthly　sowl　wi'　God's　h'avenly
sowl！　There　was　bonny　colours；　an'　bonny　lichts；　an'　a　bonny　grit
star　hingin'　ower　't　a'；　but　it　was　nane　o'　a'　thae　things；　it　was
something　deeper　nor　a'；　an'　heicher　nor　a'！　Frae　that　moment　I
sawno　hoo　the　h'avens　declare　the　glory　o'　God；　but　I　saw　them
declarin'　't；　an'　I　wantit　nae　mair。　Astronomy　for　me　micht　sit　an'
wait　for　a　better　warl'；　whaur　fowk　didna　weir　oot　their　shune；　an'
ither　fowk　hadna　to　men'　them。　For　what　is　the　great　glory　o'　God
but　that；　though　no　man　can　comprehen'　him；　he　comes　doon；　an'　lays
his　cheek　til　his　man's；　an'　says　til　him；　'Eh；　my　cratur！'〃

While　the　cobbler　was　thus　talking；　they　had　gone　the　length　of　the
avenue；　and　were　within　less　than　two　trees　of　the　door　of　the
fruit…garden；　when　it　opened；　and　was　hurriedly　shut　againnot；
however；　before　Donal　had　caught　sight；　as　he　believed；　of　the　form
of　Eppy。　He　called　her　by　name；　and　ran　to　the　door；　followed　by
Andrew：　the　same　suspicion　had　struck　both　of　them　at　once！　Donal
lifted　the　latch；　and　would　have　opened　the　door；　but　some　one　held
it　against　him；　and　he　heard　the　noise　of　an　attempt　to　push　the
rusty　bolt　into　the　staple。