donal grant-第20章

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would　be　ready　to　haste　away；　and　seek　instead　the　abodes　of　men。
But　Donal；　though　he　dearly　loved　his　neighbour；　and　that　in　the
fullest　concrete　sense；　was　capable　of　loving　the　loneliest　spots；
for　in　such　he　was　never　alone。

It　was　altogether　a　neglected　place。　　Long　grass　grew　over　its　floor
from　end　to　endcut　now　and　then　for　hay；　or　to　feed　such　animals
as　had　grass　in　their　stalls。　　Along　one　border；　outside　the　trees；
went　a　footpathso　little　used　that；　though　not　quite　conquered　by
the　turf；　the　long　grass　often　met　over　the　top　of　it。　　Finding　it
so　lonely；　Donal　grew　more　and　more　fond　of　it。　　It　was　his　outdoor
study；　his　proseuche　｛Compilers　note：　pi；　rho；　omicron；　sigma；
epsilon　upsilon；　chi；　eta　with　stress＇outdoor＇　place　of　prayer｝a
little　aisle　of　the　great　temple！　　Seldom　indeed　was　his　reading　or
meditation　there　interrupted　by　sight　of　human　being。

About　a　month　after　he　had　taken　up　his　abode　at　the　castle；　he　was
lying　one　day　in　the　grass　with　a　book…companion；　under　the　shade　of
one　of　the　largest　of　its　beeches；　when　he　felt　through　the　ground
ere　he　heard　through　the　air　the　feet　of　an　approaching　horse。　　As
they　came　near；　he　raised　his　head　to　see。　　His　unexpected
appearance　startled　the　horse；　his　rider　nearly　lost　his　seat；　and
did　lose　his　temper。　　Recovering　the　former；　and　holding　the　excited
animal；　which　would　have　been　off　at　full　speed；　he　urged　him
towards　Donal；　whom　he　took　for　a　tramp。　　He　was
risingdeliberately；　that　he　might　not　do　more　mischief；　and　was
yet　hardly　on　his　feet；　when　the　horse；　yielding　to　the　spur；　came
straight　at　him；　its　rider　with　his　whip　lifted。　　Donal　took　off　his
bonnet；　stepped　a　little　aside；　and　stood。　　His　bearing　and
countenance　calmed　the　horseman's　rage；　there　was　something　in　them
to　which　no　gentleman　could　fail　of　response。

The　rider　was　plainly　one　who　had　more　to　do　with　affairs　bucolic
than　with　those　of　cities　or　courts；　but　withal　a　man　of　conscious
dignity；　socially　afloat；　and　able　to　hold　his　own。

〃What　the　devil；〃　he　criedfor　nothing　is　so　irritating　to　a
horseman　as　to　come　near　losing　his　seat；　except　perhaps　to　lose　it
altogether；　and　indignation　against　the　cause　of　an　untoward
accident　is　generally　a　mortal's　first　consciousness　thereupon：
however　foolishly；　he　feels　himself　injured。　　But　there；　having
better　taken　in　Donal's　look；　he　checked　himself。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；〃　said　Donal。　〃It　was　foolish　of　me　to　show
myself　so　suddenly；　I　might　have　thought　it　would　startle　most
horses。　　I　was　too　absorbed　to　have　my　wits　about　me。〃

The　gentleman　lifted　his　hat。

〃I　beg　your　pardon　in　return；〃　he　said　with　a　smile　which　cleared
every　cloud　from　his　face。　〃I　took　you　for　some　one　who　had　no
business　here；　but　I　imagine　you　are　the　tutor　at　the　castle；　with
as　good　a　right　as　I　have　myself。〃

〃You　guess　well；　sir。〃

〃Pardon　me　that　I　forget　your　name。〃

〃My　name　is　Donal　Grant；〃　returned　Donal；　with　an　accent　on　the　my
intending　a　wish　to　know　in　return　that　of　the　speaker。

〃I　am　a　Graeme；〃　answered　the　other；　〃one　of　the　clan；　and　factor　to
the　earl。　　Come　and　see　where　I　live。　　My　sister　will　be　glad　to
make　your　acquaintance。　　We　lead　rather　a　lonely　life　here；　and
don't　see　too　many　agreeable　people。〃

〃You　call　this　lonely；　do　you！〃　said　Donal　thoughtfully。　〃It　is　a
grand　place；　anyhow！〃

〃You　are　rightas　you　see　it　now。　　But　wait　till　winter！　　Then
perhaps　you　will　change　your　impression　a　little。〃

〃Pardon　me　if　I　doubt　whether　you　know　what　winter　can　be　so　well　as
I　do。　　This　east　coast　is　by　all　accounts　a　bitter　place；　but　I
fancy　it　is　only　upon　a　great　hill…side　you　can　know　the　heart　and
soul　of　a　snow…blast。〃

〃I　yield　that；〃　returned　Mr。　Graeme。　〃It　is　bitter　enough　here
though；　and　a　mercy　we　can　keep　warm　in…doors。〃

〃Which　is　often　more　than　we　shepherd…folk　can　do；〃　said　Donal。

Mr。　Graeme　used　to　say　afterwards　he　was　never　so　immediately　taken
with　a　man。　　It　was　one　of　the　charms　of　Donal's　habit　of　being；
that　he　never　spoke　as　if　he　belonged　to　any　other　than　the　class　in
which　he　had　been　born　and　brought　up。　　This　came　partly　of　pride　in
his　father　and　mother；　partly　of　inborn　dignity；　and　partly　of
religion。　　To　him　the　story　of　our　Lord　was　the　reality　it　is；　and
he　rejoiced　to　know　himself　so　nearly　on　the　same　social　level　of
birth　as　the　Master　of　his　life　and　aspiration。　　It　was　Donal's　one
ambitionto　give　the　high　passion　a　low　nameto　be　free　with　the
freedom　which　was　his　natural　inheritance；　and　which　is　to　be　gained
only　by　obedience　to　the　words　of　the　Master。　　From　the　face　of　this
aspiration　fled　every　kind　of　pretence　as　from　the　light　flies　the
darkness。　　Hence　he　was　entirely　and　thoroughly　a　gentleman。　　What
if　his　clothes　were　not　even　of　the　next　to　the　newest　cut！　　What　if
he　had　not　been　used　to　what　is　called　society！　　He　was　far　above
such　things。　　If　he　might　but　attain　to　the　manners　of　the　〃high
countries；〃　manners　which　appear　because　they　existbecause　they
are　all　through　the　man！　　He　did　not　think　what　he　might　seem　in　the
eyes　of　men。　　Courteous；　helpful；　considerate；　always　seeking　first
how　far　he　could　honestly　agree　with　any　speaker；　opposing　never
save　sweetly　and　apologeticallyexcept　indeed　some　utterance
flagrantly　unjust　were　in　his　earsthere　was　no　man　of　true
breeding；　in　or　out　of　society；　who　would　not　have　granted　that
Donal　was　fit　company　for　any　man　or　woman。　　Mr。　Graeme's　eye
glanced　down　over　the　tall　square…shouldered　form；　a　little　stooping
from　lack　of　drill　and　much　meditation；　but　instantly　straightening
itself　upon　any　inward　stir；　and　he　said　to　himself；　〃This　is　no
common　man！〃

They　were　moving　slowly　along　the　avenue；　Donal　by　the　rider's　near
knee；　talking　away　like　men　not　unlikely　soon　to　know　each　other
better。

〃You　don't　make　much　use　of　this　avenue！〃　said　Donal。

〃No；　its　use　is　an　old　story。　　The　castle　was　for　a　time　deserted；
and　the　family；　then　passing　through　a　phase　of　comparative　poverty；
lived　in　the　house　we　are　in　nowto　my　mind　much　the　more
comfortable。〃

〃What　a　fine　old　place　it　must　be；　if　such　trees　are　a　fit　approach
to　it！〃

〃They　were　never　planted　for　that；　they　are　older　far。　　Either　there
was　a　wood　here；　and　the　rest　were　cut　down　and　these　left；　or　there
was　once　a　house　much　older　than　the　present。　　The　look　of　the
garden；　and　some　of　the　offices；　favour　the　latter　idea。〃

〃I　have　never　seen　the　house；〃　said　Donal。

〃You　have　not　then　been　much　about　yet？〃　said　Mr。　Graeme。

〃I　have　been　so　occupied　with　my　pupil；　and　so　delighted　with　all
that　lay　immediately　around　me；　that　I　have　gone　nowhereexcept；
indeed；　to　see　Andrew　Comin；　the　cobbler。〃

〃Ah；　you　know　him！　　I　have　heard　of　him　as　a　remarkable　man。　　There
was　a　clergyman　here　from　GlasgowI　forget　his　nameso　struck　with
him　he　seemed　actually　to　take　him　for　a　prophet。　　He　said　he　was　a
survival　of　the　old　mystics。　　For　my　part　I　have　no　turn　for
extravagance。〃

〃But；〃　said　Donal；　in　the　tone　of　one　merely　suggesting　a
possibility；　〃a　thing　that　from　the　outside　may　seem　an
extravagance；　may　look　quite　different　when　you　get　inside　it。〃

〃The　more　reason　for　keeping　out　of　it！　　If　acquaintance　must　make
you　in　love　with　it；　the　more　air　between　you　and　it　the　better！〃

〃Would　not　such　precaution　as　that　keep　you　from　gaining　a　true
knowledge　of　many　things？　　Nothing　almost　can　be　known　from　what
people　say。〃

〃True；　but　there　are　things　so　plainly　nonsense！〃

〃Yes；　but　there　are　things　that　seem　to　be　nonsense；　because　the　man
thinks　he　knows　what　they　are　when　he　does　not。　　Who　would　know　the
shape　of　a　chair　who　took　his　idea　of　it　from　its　shadow　on　the
floor？　　What　idea　can　a　man　have　of　religion　who　knows　nothing　of　it
except　from　what　he　hears　at　church？〃

Mr。　Graeme　was　not　fond　of　going　to　church　yet　went：　he　was　the　less
displeased　with　the　remark。　　But　he　made　no　reply；　and　the　subject
dropped。




CHAPTER　XX。

THE　OLD　GARDEN。

The　avenue　seemed　to　Donal　about　to　stop　dead　against　a　high　wall；
but　ere　they　quite　reached　the　end；　they　turned　at　right　angles；
skirted　the　wall　for　some　distance；　then　turned　again　with　it。　　It
was　a　somewhat　dreary　wallof　gray　stone；　with　mortar　as　graynot
like　the　rich…coloured　walls　of　old　red　brick　one　meets　in　England。
But　its　roof…like　coping　was　crowned　with　tufts　of　wall…plants；　and
a　few　lichens　did　something　to　relieve　the　grayness。　　It　guided　them
to　a　farm…yard。　　Mr。　Graeme　left　his　horse　at　the　stable；　and　led
the　way　to　the　house。

They　entered　it　by　a　back　door　whose　porch　was　covered　with　ivy；　and
going　through　several　low　passages；　came　to　the　other　side　of　the
house。　　There　Mr。　Graeme　showed　Donal　into　a　large；　low…ceiled；
old…fashioned　drawing…room；　smelling　of　ancient　rose…leaves；　their
odour　of　sad　hearts　rather　than　of　withered　flowersand　leaving　him
went　to　find　his　sister。

Glancing　about　him　Donal　saw　a　window　open　to　the　ground；　and　went
to　it。　　Beyond　lay　a　more　fairy…like　garden　than　he　had　ever　dreamed
of。　　But　he　had　read　of；　though　never　looked　on　such；　and　seemed　to
know　it　from　times　of　old。　　It　was　laid　out　in　straight　lines；　with
soft　walks　of　old　turf；　and　in　it　grew　all　kinds　of　straight
aspiring　things：　their　ambition　seemedto　get　up；　not　to　spread
abroad。　　He　stepped　out　of　the　window；　drawn　as　by　the　enchantment
of　one　of　childhood's　dreams；　and　went　wandering　down　a　broad　walk；
his　foot　sinking　deep　in　the　velvety　grass；　and　the　loveliness　of
the　dream　did　not　fade。　　Hollyhocks；　gloriously　impatient；　whose
flowers　could　not　wait　to　reach　the　top　ere　they　burst　into　the
flame　of　life；　making　splendid　blots　of　colour　along　their　ascending
stalks；　received　him　like　stately　dames　of　faerie；　and　enticed　him；
gently　eager　for　more；　down　the　long　walks　between　rows　of
themdeep　red　and　creamy　white；　primrose　and　yellow：　sure　they　were
leading　him　to　some　wonderful　spot；　some　nest　of　lovely　dreams　and
more　lovely　visions！　　The　walk　did　lead　to　a　bower　of　rosesa　bed
surrounded　with　a　trellis；　on　which　they　climbed　and　made　a　huge
bonfirealtar　of　incense　rather；　glowing　with　red　and　white　flame。
It　seemed　more　glorious　than　his　brain　could　receive。　　Seeing　was
hardly　believing；　but　believing　was　more　than　seeing：　though　nothing
is　too　good　to　be　true；　many　things　are　too　good　to　be　grasped。

〃Poor　misbelieving　birds　of　God；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃we　hover
about　a　whole　wood　of　the　trees　of　life；　venturing　only　here　and
there　a　peck；　as　if　their　fruit　might　be　poison；　and　the　design　of
our　creation　was　our　ruin！　we　shake　our　wise；　owl…feathered　heads；
and　declare　they　cannot　be　the　trees　of　life：　that　were　too　good　to
be　true！　　Ten　times　more　consistent　are　they　who　deny　there　is　a　God
at　all；　than　they　who　believe　in　a　middling　kind　of　Godexcept
indeed　that　they　place　in　him　a　fitting　faith！〃

The　thoughts　rose　gently　in　his　full　heart；　as　the　flowers；　one
after　the　other；　stole　in　at　his　eyes；　looking　up　from　the　dark
earth　like　the　spirits　of　its　hidden　jewels；　which　themselves　could
not　reach　the　sun；　exhaled　in　longing。　　Over　grass　which　fondled　his
feet　like　the　lap　of　an　old　nurse；　h