donal grant-第12章

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perfecting　of　his　faith　that　he　must　not　yet　know　how　near　God　was
to　him！

〃Lord；〃　he　cried；　〃eternal　life　is　to　know　thee　and　thy　Father；　I　do
not　know　thee　and　thy　Father；　I　have　not　eternal　life；　I　have　but
life　enough　to　hunger　for　more：　show　me　plainly　of　the　Father　whom
thou　alone　knowest。〃

And　as　he　prayed；　something　like　a　touch　of　God　seemed　to　begin　and
grow　in　him　till　it　was　more　than　his　heart　could　hold；　and　the
universe　about　him　was　not　large　enough　to　hold　in　its　hollow　the
heart　that　swelled　with　it。

〃God　is　enough；〃　he　said；　and　sat　in　peace。




CHAPTER　XIII。

A　SOUND。

All　at　once　came　to　his　ear　through　the　night　a　strange　something。
Whence　or　what　it　was　he　could　not　even　conjecture。　　Was　it　a　moan
of　the　river　from　below？　　Was　it　a　lost　music…tone　that　had　wandered
from　afar　and　grown　faint？　　Was　it　one　of　those　mysterious　sounds　he
had　read　of　as　born　in　the　air　itself；　and　not　yet　explained　of
science？　　Was　it　the　fluttered　skirt　of　some　angelic　song　of
lamentation？for　if　the　angels　rejoice；　they　surely　must　lament！
Or　was　it　a　stilled　human　moaning？　　Was　any　wrong　being　done　far
down　in　the　white…gleaming　meadows　below；　by　the　banks　of　the　river
whose　platinum…glimmer　he　could　descry　through　the　molten
amethystine　darkness　of　the　starry　night？

Presently　came　a　long…drawn　musical　moan：　it　must　be　the　sound　of
some　muffled　instrument！　　Verily　night　was　the　time　for　strange
things！　　Could　sounds　be　begotten　in　the　fir　trees　by　the　rays　of
the　hot　sun；　and　born　in　the　stillness　of　the　following　dark；　as　the
light　which　the　diamond　receives　in　the　day　glows　out　in　the　gloom？
There　are　parents　and　their　progeny　that　never　exist　together！

Again　the　soundhardly　to　be　called　sound！　　It　resembled　a
vibration　of　organ…pipe　too　slow　and　deep　to　affect　the　hearing；
only　this　rather　seemed　too　high；　as　if　only　his　soul　heard　it。　　He
would　steal　softly　down　the　dumb　stone…stair！　　Some　creature　might
be　in　trouble　and　needing　help！

He　crept　back　along　the　bartizan。　　The　stair　was　dark　as　the　very
heart　of　the　night。　　He　groped　his　way　down。　　The　spiral　stair　is
the　safest　of　all：　you　cannot　tumble　far　ere　brought　up　by　the
inclosing　cylinder。　　Arrived　at　the　bottom；　and　feeling　about；　he
could　not　find　the　door　to　the　outer　air　which　the　butler　had　shown
him；　it　was　wall　wherever　his　hands　fell。　　He　could　not　find　again
the　stair　he　had　left；　he　could　not　tell　in　what　direction　it　lay。

He　had　got　into　a　long　windowless　passage　connecting　two　wings　of
the　house；　and　in　this　he　was　feeling　his　way；　fearful　of　falling
down　some　stair　or　trap。　　He　came　at　last　to　a　doorlow…browed　like
almost　all　in　the　house。　　Opening　itwas　it　a　thinner　darkness　or
the　faintest　gleam　of　light　he　saw？　　And　was　that　again　the　sound　he
had　followed；　fainter　and　farther　off　than　beforea　downy
wind…wafted　plume　from　the　skirt　of　some　stray　harmony？　　At　such　a
time　of　the　night　surely　it　was　strange！　　It　must　come　from　one　who
could　not　sleep；　and　was　solacing　himself　with　sweet　sounds；
breathing　a　soul　into　the　uncompanionable　silence！　　If　so　it　was；　he
had　no　right　to　search　farther！　　But　how　was　he　to　return？　　He　dared
hardly　move；　lest　he　should　be　found　wandering　over　the　house　in　the
dead　of　night　like　a　thief；　or　one　searching　after　its　secrets。　　He
must　sit　down　and　wait　for　the　morning：　its　earliest　light　would
perhaps　enable　him　to　find　his　way　to　his　quarters！

Feeling　about　him　a　little；　his　foot　struck　against　the　step　of　a
stair。　　Examining　it　with　his　hands；　he　believed　it　the　same　he　had
ascended　in　the　morning：　even　in　a　great　castle；　could　there　be　two
such　royal　stairs？　　He　sat　down　upon　it；　and　leaning　his　head　on　his
hands；　composed　himself　to　a　patient　waiting　for　the　light。

Waiting　pure　is　perhaps　the　hardest　thing　for　flesh　and　blood　to　do
well。　　The　relations　of　time　to　mind　are　very　strange。　　Some　of
their　phenomena　seem　to　prove　that　time　is　only　of　the
mindbelonging　to　the　intellect　as　good　and　evil　belong　to　the
spirit。　　Anyhow；　if　it　were　not　for　the　clocks　of　the　universe；　one
man　would　live　a　year；　a　century；　where　another　would　live　but　a
day。　　But　the　mere　motion　of　time；　not　to　say　the　consciousness　of
empty　time；　is　fearful。　　It　is　this　empty　time　that　the　fool　is
always　trying　to　kill：　his　effort　should　be　to　fill　it。　　Yet　nothing
but　the　living　God　can　fill　itthough　it　be　but　the　shape　our
existence　takes　to　us。　　Only　where　he　is；　emptiness　is　not。
Eternity　will　be　but　an　intense　present　to　the　child　with　whom　is
the　Father。

Such　thoughts　alighted；　flitted；　and　passed；　for　the　first　few
moments；　through　the　mind　of　Donal；　as　he　sat　half　consciously
waiting　for　the　dawn。　　It　was　thousands　of　miles　away；　over　the
great　round　of　the　sunward…turning　earth！　　His　imagination　woke；　and
began　to　picture　the　great　hunt　of　the　shadows；　fleeing　before　the
arrows　of　the　sun；　over　the　broad　face　of　the　mighty　worldits
mountains；　seas；　and　plains　in　turn　confessing　the　light；　and
submitting　to　him　who　slays　for　them　the　haunting　demons　of　their
dark。　　Then　again　the　moments　were　the　small　cogs　on　the　wheels　of
time；　whereby　the　dark　castle　in　which　he　sat　was　rushing　ever
towards　the　light：　the　cogs　were　caught　and　the　wheels　turned
swiftly；　and　the　time　and　the　darkness　sped。　　He　forgot　the　labour
of　waiting。　　If　now　and　then　he　fancied　a　tone　through　the　darkness；
it　was　to　his　mind　the　music…march　of　the　morning　to　his　rescue　from
the　dungeon　of　the　night。

But　that　was　no　musical　tone　which　made　the　darkness　shudder　around
him！　　He　sprang　to　his　feet。　　It　was　a　human　groana　groan　as　of
one　in　dire　pain；　the　pain　of　a　soul's　agony。　　It　seemed　to　have
descended　the　stair　to　him。　　The　next　instant　Donal　was　feeling　his
way　upcautiously；　as　if　on　each　succeeding　step　he　might　come
against　the　man　who　had　groaned。　　Tales　of　haunted　houses　rushed
into　his　memory。　　What　if　he　were　but　pursuing　the　groan　of　an　actor
in　the　pasta　creature　the　slave　of　his　own　conscious　memorya
mere　haunter　of　the　present　which　he　could　not　influenceone
without　physical　relation　to　the　embodied；　save　in　the　groans　he
could　yet　utter！　　But　it　was　more　in　awe　than　in　fear　that　he　went。
Up　and　up　he　felt　his　way；　all　about　him　as　still　as　darkness　and
the　night　could　make　it。　　A　ghostly　cold　crept　through　his　skin；　it
was　drawn　together　as　by　a　gently　freezing　process；　and　there　was　a
pulling　at　the　muscles　of　his　chest；　as　if　his　mouth　were　being
dragged　open　by　a　martingale。

As　he　felt　his　way　along　the　wall；　sweeping　its　great　endless　circle
round　and　round　in　spiral　ascent；　all　at　once　his　hand　seemed　to　go
through　it；　he　started　and　stopped。　　It　was　the　door　of　the　room
into　which　he　had　been　shown　to　meet　the　earl！　　It　stood　wide　open。
A　faint　glimmer　came　through　the　window　from　the　star…filled　sky。
He　stepped　just　within　the　doorway。　　Was　not　that　another　glimmer
on　the　floorfrom　the　back　of　the　roomthrough　a　door　he　did　not
remember　having　seen　yesterday？　　There　again　was　the　groan；　and　nigh
at　hand！　　Someone　must　be　in　sore　need！　　He　approached　the　door　and
looked　through。　　A　lamp；　nearly　spent；　hung　from　the　ceiling　of　a
small　room　which　might　be　an　office　or　study；　or　a　place　where
papers　were　kept。　　It　had　the　look　of　an　antechamber；　but　that　it
could　not　be；　for　there　was　but　the　one　door！In　the　dim　light　he
descried　a　vague　form　leaning　up　against　one　of　the　walls；　as　if
listening　to　something　through　it！　　As　he　gazed　it　grew　plainer　to
him；　and　he　saw　a　face；　its　eyes　staring　wide；　which　yet　seemed　not
to　see　him。　　It　was　the　face　of　the　earl。　　Donal　felt　as　if　in　the
presence　of　the　disembodied；　he　stood　fascinated；　nor　made　attempt
to　retire　or　conceal　himself。　　The　figure　turned　its　face　to　the
wall；　put　the　palms　of　its　hands　against　it；　and　moved　them　up　and
down；　and　this　way　and　that；　then　looked　at　them；　and　began　to　rub
them　against　each　other。

Donal　came　to　himself。　　He　concluded　it　was　a　case　of　sleepwalking。
He　had　read　that　it　was　dangerous　to　wake　the　sleeper；　but　that　he
seldom　came　to　mischief　when　left　alone；　and　was　about　to　slip　away
as　he　had　come；　when　the　faint　sound　of　a　far…off　chord　crept
through　the　silence。　　The　earl　again　laid　his　ear　to　the　wall。　　But
there　was　only　silence。　　He　went　through　the　same　dumb　show　as
before；　then　turned　as　if　to　leave　the　place。　　Donal　turned　also；
and　hurriedly　felt　his　way　to　the　stair。　　Then　first　he　was　in
danger　of　terror；　for　in　stealing　through　the　darkness　from　one　who
could　find　his　way　without　his　eyes；　he　seemed　pursued　by　a　creature
not　of　this　world。　　On　the　stair　he　went　down　a　step　or　two；　then
lingered；　and　heard　the　earl　come　on　it　also。　　He　crept　close　to　the
newel；　leaving　the　great　width　of　the　stair　free；　but　the　steps　of
the　earl　went　upward。　　Donal　descended；　sat　down　again　at　the　bottom
of　the　stair；　and　began　again　to　wait。　　No　sound　came　to　him　through
the　rest　of　the　night。　　The　slow　hours　rolled　away；　and　the　slow
light　drew　nearer。　　Now　and　then　he　was　on　the　point　of　falling　into
a　doze；　but　would　suddenly　start　wide　awake；　listening　through　a
silence　that　seemed　to　fill　the　whole　universe　and　deepen　around　the
castle。

At　length　he　was　aware　that　the　darkness　had；　unobserved　of　him；
grown　weakerthat　the　approach　of　the　light　was　sickening　it：　the
dayspring　was　about　to　take　hold　of　the　ends　of　the　earth　that　the
wicked　might　be　shaken　out　of　its　lap。　　He　sought　the　long　passage
by　which　he　had　come；　and　felt　his　way　to　the　other　end：　it　would　be
safer　to　wait　there　if　he　could　get　no　farther。　　But　somehow　he　came
to　the　foot　of　his　own　stair；　and　sped　up　as　if　it　were　the　ladder
of　heaven。　　He　threw　himself　on　his　bed；　fell　fast　asleep；　and　did
not　wake　till　the　sun　was　high。




CHAPTER　XIV。

THE　SCHOOLROOM。

Old　Simmons；　the　butler；　woke　him。

〃I　was　afraid　something　was　the　matter；　sir。　　They　tell　me　you　did
not　come　down　last　night；　and　breakfast　has　been　waiting　you　two
hours。〃

〃I　should　not　have　known　where　to　find　it；〃　said　Donal。　〃The
knowledge　of　an　old　castle　is　not　intuitive。〃

〃How　long　will　you　take　to　dress？〃　asked　Simmons。

〃Ten　minutes；　if　there　is　any　hurry；〃　answered　Donal。

〃I　will　come　again　in　twenty；　or；　if　you　are　willing　to　save　an　old
man's　bones；　I　will　be　at　the　bottom　of　the　stair　at　that　time　to
take　charge　of　you。　　I　would　have　looked　after　you　yesterday；　but
his　lordship　was　poorly；　and　I　had　to　be　in　attendance　on　him　till
after　midnight。〃

Donal　thought　it　impossible　he　should　of　himself　have　found　his　way
to　the　schoolroom。　　With　all　he　could　do　to　remember　the　turnings；
he　found　the　endeavour　hopeless；　and　gave　it　up　with　a　not
unpleasing　despair。　　Through　strange　passages；　through　doors　in　all
directions；　up　stairs　and　down　they　went；　and　at　last　came　to　a
long；　low　room；　barely　furnished；　with　a　pleasant　outlook；　and
immediate　access　to　the　open　air。　　The　windows　were　upon　a　small
grassy　court；　with　a　sundial　in　the　centre；　a　door　opened　on　a　paved
court。　　At　one　end　of　the　room　a　table　was　laid　with　ten　times　as
many　things　as　he　could　desire　to　eat；　though　he　came　to　it　with　a
good　appetite。　　The　but