donal grant-第57章
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looked in。 She would rather have had a visitor from behind the
press！ It was her uncle； his face cadaverous； his eyes dull； but
with a kind of glitter in them； his look like that of a
housebreaker。 In terror of himself； in terror lest he should
discover what they had been about； in terror lest Donal should
appear； wishing to warn the latter； and certain that； early as it
was； her uncle was not himself； with intuitive impulse； the moment
she saw him； she cried out；
〃Uncle！ what is that behind you？〃
She felt afterwards； and was very sorry； that it was both a
deceitful and cruel thing to do； but she did it； as I have said； by
a swift； unreflecting instinctwhich she concluded； in thinking
about it； came from the ready craft of some ancestor； and
illustrated what Donal had been saying。
The earl turned like one struck on the back； imagined something of
which Arctura knew nothing； cowered to two…thirds of his height； and
crept away。 Though herself trembling from head to foot； Arctura was
seized with such a pity； that she followed him to his room； but she
dared not go in。 She stood a moment in the passage within sight of
his door； and thought she heard his bell ring。 Now Simmons might
meet Donal！ In a moment or two； however； she was relieved。 Donal
came round a turn； carrying his implements。 She signed to him to
make haste； and he was just safe inside her room when Simmons came
along on his way to his master's。 She drew the door to； as if she
had been just coming out； and said；
〃Knock at my door as you return； and tell me how your master is： I
heard his bell。〃
She then begged Donal to go on with his work； but stop it the moment
she made a noise with the handle of the door； and resumed her place
outside till Simmons should re…appear。 Full ten minutes she stood
waiting： it seemed an hour。 Though she heard Donal at work within；
and knew Simmons must soon come； though the room behind her was her
own； and familiar to her from childhood； the long empty passage in
front of her appeared frightful。 What might not come pacing along
towards her！ At last she heard her uncle's doorstepsand the
butler approached。 She shook the handle of the door； and Donal's
blows ceased。
〃I can't make him out； my lady！〃 said Simmons。 〃It is nothing very
bad； I think； this time； but he gets worse and worsealways taking
more and more o' them horrid drugs。 It's no use trying to hide it：
he'll drop off sudden one o' these days！ I've heard say laudanum
don't shorten life； but it's not one nor two； nor half a dozen sorts
o' laudanums he keeps mixing in that poor inside o' his！ The end
must come； and what will it be？ It's better you should be prepared
for it when it do come； my lady。 I've just been a giving of him some
into his skinwith a little sharp…pointed thing； a syringe； you
know； my lady： he says it's the only way to take some medicines。
He's just a slave to his medicines； my lady！〃
As soon as he was gone； Arctura returned to Donal。 He had knocked
the plaster away； and uncovered a slab； very like one of the great
stones on some of the roofs。 The next thing was to prize it from the
mortar； and that was not difficult。 The instant he drew the stone
away； a dank chill assailed them； accompanied by a humid smell； as
from a long…closed cellar。 They stood and looked； now at each other；
now at the opening in the wall； where was nothing but darkness。 The
room grew cold and colder。 Donal was anxious as to how Arctura might
stand what discovery lay before them； and she was anxious to read
his sensations。 For her sake he tried to hide all expression of the
awe that was creeping over him； and it gave him enough to do。
〃We are not far from something； my lady！〃 he said。 〃It makes one
think of what He said who carries the light everywherethat there
is nothing covered that shall not be revealed； neither hid that
shall not be known。 Shall we leave it for the present？〃
〃Anything but that！〃 said Arctura with a shiver； 〃anything but an
unknown terrible something！〃
〃But what can you do with it？〃
〃Let the daylight in upon it。〃
Her colour returned as she spoke； and a look of determination came
into her eyes。
〃You will not be afraid to be left then when I go down？〃
〃I am cowardly enough to be afraid； but not cowardly enough to let
you go alone。 I will share with you。 I shall not be afraidnot
muchnot too much； I meanif I am with you。〃
Donal hesitated。
〃See！〃 she went on； 〃I am going to light a candle； and ask you to
come down with meif down it be： it may be up！〃
〃I am ready； my lady；〃 said Donal。
She lighted the candle。
〃Had we not better lock the door； my lady？〃
〃That might set them wondering；〃 she answered。 〃We should have to
lock both the doors of this room； or else both the passage…doors！
The better way will be to pull the press after us when we are behind
it。〃
〃You are right； my lady。 Please take some matches with you。〃
〃To be sure。〃
〃You will carry the candle； please。 I must have my hands free。 Try
to let the light shine past me as much as you can； that I may see
where I am going。 But I shall depend most on my hands and feet。〃
CHAPTER LVI。
THE LOST ROOM。
Donal then took the light from her hand； and looked in。 The opening
went into the further wall and turned immediately to the left。 He
gave her back the candle； and went in。 Arctura followed close。
There was a stair in the thickness of the wall； going down steep and
straight。 It was not wide enough to let them go abreast。 〃Put your
hand on my shoulder； my lady；〃 said Donal。 〃That will keep us
together。 If I fall； you must stand stock…still。〃
She put her hand on his shoulder； and they began their descent。 The
steps were narrow and high； therefore the stair was steep They had
gone down from thirty to thirty…five steps； when they came to a
level passage； turning again at right angles to the left。 It was
twice the width of the stair。 Its sides； like those of the stair；
were of roughly dressed stones； and unplastered。 It led them
straight to a strong door。 It was locked； and in the rusty lock they
could see the key from within。 To the right was another door； a
smaller one； which stood wide open。 They went through； and by a
short passage entered an opener space。 Here on one side there seemed
to be no wall； and they stood for a moment afraid to move lest they
should tumble into darkness。 But sending the light about； and
feeling with hands and feet； they soon came to an idea of the place
they were in。 It was a little gallery； with arches on one side
opening into a larger place； the character of which they could only
conjecture； for nearly all they could determine was； that it went
below and rose above where they stood。 On the other side was a plain
wall； such as they had had on both sides of them。
They had been speaking in awe…filled whispers； and were now in
silence endeavouring to send their sight through the darkness beyond
the arches。
〃Listen； my lady；〃 said Donal。
》From above their heads came a chord of the aerial music； soft and
faint and wild！ A strange effect it had！ it was like news of the
still airy night and the keen stars； come down through secret ways
into the dark places of the earth； from spaces so wide that they
seem the most awful of prisons！ It sweetly fostered Arctura's
courage。
〃That must be how the songs of angels sounded； with news of high
heaven； to the people of old！〃 she said。
Donal was not in so high a mood。 He was occupied at the moment with
the material side of things。
〃We can't be far；〃 he said； 〃from the place where our plummet came
down！ But let us try a little further。〃
The next moment they came against a cord； and at their feet was the
weight of the clock。
At the other end of the little gallery they came again to a door and
again to a stair； turning to the right； and again they went down。
Arctura kept up bravely。 The air was not so bad as might have been
feared； though it was cold and damp。 This time they descended but a
little way； and came to a landing place； on the right of which was a
door。 Donal raised a rusty latch and pushed； the door swung open
against the wall； dropping from one hinge with the slight shock。 Two
steps more they descended； and stood on a stone floor。
Donal thought at first they must be in one of the dungeons； but soon
bethought himself that they had not descended far enough for that。
A halo of damp surrounded their candle； its weak light seemed
scarcely to spread beyond it； for some moments they took in nothing
of what was around them。 The floor first began to reveal itself to
Donal's eye： in the circle of the light he saw； covered with dust as
it was； its squares of black and white marble。 Then came to him a
gleam of white from the wall； it was a tablet； and at the other end
was something like an altar； or a tomb。
〃We are in the old chapel of the castle！〃 he said。 〃But what is
that？〃 he added instantly with an involuntary change of voice； and a
shudder through his whole nervous being。
Arctura turned； her hand sought his and clasped it convulsively。
They stood close to something which the light itself had concealed
from them。 Ere they were conscious of an idea concerning it； each
felt the muscles of neck and face drawn； as if another power than
their own invaded their persons。 But they were live wills； and would
not be overcome。 They forced their gaze； perception cleared itself；
and slowly they saw and understood。
With strangest dream…like incongruity and unfitness； the thing
beside them was a dark bedstead； with carved posts and low wooden
tester； richly carved！This in the middle of a chapel！But there
was no speculation in them； they could only see； not think。 Donal
took the candle。 From the tester hung large pieces of stuff that had
once made heavy curtains； but seemed hardly now to have as much
cohesion as the dust on a cobweb； it held together only in virtue of
the lightness to which decay had reduced it。 On the bed lay a dark
mass； like bed clothes and bedding not quite turned to dustthey
could yet see something like embroidery in one or two placesdark
like burnt paper or half…burnt flaky rags； horrid as a dream of dead
love！
Heavens！ what was that shape in the middle？what was that on the
black pillow？what was that thick line stretching towards one of
the head…posts？ They stared speechless。 Arctura pressed close to
Donal。 His arm went round her to protect her from what threatened
almost to overwhelm himselfthe inroad of an unearthly horror。
Plain to the eyes of both； the form in the middle of the bed was
that of a human body； slowly crumbling where it lay。 Bed and
blankets and quilt； sheets and pillows had crumbled with it through
the long wasting years； but something of its old shape yet lingered
with the dust： that was a head that lay on the pillow； that was the
line of a long arm that pointed across the pillow to the post。What
was that hanging from the bedpost and meeting the arm？ God in
heaven！ there was a staple in the post； and from the staple came a
chain！and there at its other end a ring； lying on the pillow！and
through ityes through it； the dust…arm passed！This was no mere
death…bed； it was a torture bedmost likely a mur
