donal grant-第61章

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puir　man　that　had　waitit　upon　him　sae　lang　an'　faithfu'；　hingin'　an'
swingin'　up　there；　an'　the　flesh　drappin'　aff　the　banes　o'　'im；　an'
still　the　banes　hingin'　there；　an'　swingin'　an'　creakin'　an'　cryin'！
The　thoucht；　I　say；　was　sair　upo'　the　auld　man。　But　the　time　passed；
an'　I　kenna　hoo　lang　or　hoo　short　it　may　tak　for　a　body　in　sic　a
position　to　come　asun'er；　but　at　last　the　banes　began　to　drap；　an'
as　they　drappit；　there　they　layat　the　fut　o'　the　gallows；　for
naebody　caret　to　meddle　wi'　them。　An'　whan　that　cam　to　the　knowledge
o'　the　auld　gentleman；　he　sent　his　fowk　to　gether　them　up　an'　bury
them　oot　o'　sicht。　An'　what　was　left　o'　the　body；　the　upper　pairt；
hauden　thegither　wi'　the　irons；　maybeI　kenna　weel　hoo；　hung　an'
swung　there　still；　in　ilk　win'　that　blew。　But　at　the　last；　oot　o'
sorrow；　an'　respec'　for　the　deid；　hooever　he　dee'd；　his　auld　maister
sent　quaietly　ae　mirk　nicht；　an'　had　the　lave　o'　the　banes　taen　doon
an'　laid　i'　the　earth。

〃'But　frae　that　moment；　think　ye　there　was　ony　peace　i'　the　hoose？　A
clankin'　o'　chains　got　up；　an'　a　howlin'；　an'　a　compleenin'　an'　a
creakin'　like　i'　the　win'sic　a　stramash　a'thegither；　that　the
hoose　was　no　fit　to　be　leevit　in　whiles；　though　it　was　sometimes
waur　nor　ither　times；　an'　some　thoucht　it　had　to　do　wi'　the　airt　the
win'　blew：　aboot　that　I　ken　naething。　But　it　gaed　on　like　that　for
months；　maybe　years；'Mr。　Harper　wasna　sure　hoo　lang　the　gentleman
said'till　the　auld　man　'maist　wished　himsel'　in　o'　the　grave　an'
oot　o'　the　trouble。

〃'At　last　ae　day　cam　an　auld　man　to　see　himno　sae　auld　as　himsel'；
but　ane　he　had　kenned　whan　they　wur　at　the　college　thegither。　An'
this　was　a　man　that　had　travelled　greatly；　an'　was　weel　learnt　in　a
heap　o'　things　ordinar'　fowk；　that　gies　themsel's　to　the　lan'；　an'
the　growin'　o'　corn；　an'　beasts；　ir　no　likely　to　ken　mickle　aboot。
He　saw　his　auld　freen'　was　in　trouble；　an'　didna　carry　his　age
calm…like　as　was　nat'ral；　an'　sae　speirt　him　what　was　the　matter。
An'　he　told　him　the　whole　story；　frae　the　hangin'　to　the　bangin'。
〃Weel；〃　said　the　learnit　man；　whan　he　had　h'ard　a'；　〃gien　ye'll　tak
my　advice；　ye'll　jist　sen'　an'　howk　up　the　heid；　an'　tak　it　intil
the　hoose　wi'　ye；　an'　lat　it　bide　there　whaur　it　was　used　sae　lang
to　be；do　that；　an'　it's　my　opinion　ye'll　hear　nae　mair　o'　sic
unruly　gangin's　on。〃　The　auld　gentleman　tuik　the　advice；　kennin'　no
better。　But　it　was　the　richt　advice；　for　frae　that　moment　the　romour
was　ower；　they　had　nae　mair　o'　't。　They　laid　the　heid　in　a　decent
bit　box　i'　the　cellar；　an'　there　it　remaint；　weel　content　there　to
abide　the　day　o'　that　jeedgment　that'll　set　mony　anither　jeedgment
to　the　richt…aboot；　though　what　pleesur　could　be　intil　that　cellar
mair　nor　intil　a　hole　i'　the　earth；　is　a　thing　no　for　me　to　say！　So
wi'　that　generation　there　was　nae　mair　trouble。

〃'But　i'　the　coorse　o'　time　cam　first　ane　an'　syne　anither；　wha
forgot；　maybe　leuch　at；　the　haill　affair；　an'　didna　believe　a　word
o'　the　same。　But　they're　but　fules　that　gang　again　the　experrience
o'　their　forbeirs！what　wud　ye　hae　but　they　wud　beery　the　heid！　An'
what　wud　come　o'　that　but　an　auld　dismay　het　up　again！　Up　gat　the
din；　the　rampaugin'；　the　clankin'；　an'　a'；　jist　the　same　as　'afore！
But　the　minute　that；　frichtit　at　the　consequences　o'　their　folly；
they　acknowledged　the　property　o'　the　ghaist　in　his　ain　heid；　an'
tuik　it　oot　o'　the　earth　an'　intil　the　hoose　again；　a'　was　quaiet
direc'lyquaiet　as　hert　could　desire。'

〃Sae　that　was　the　story！

〃An'　whan　the　lunch　was　ower；　an'　Mr。　Harper　was　thinkin'　the　moment
come　whan　they　would　order　him　to　tak　the　heid；　an'　him　trimlin'　at
the　thoucht　o'　touchin'　't；　an'　lay't　whaur　it　wasan'　whaur　it　had
sae　aften　been　whan　it　had　a　sowl　intil　't；　the　gentleman　got　up；
an'　says　he　til　him；　'Be　so　good；'　says　he；　'as　fetch　me　my　hat…box
from　the　hall。'　Harper　went　an'　got　it　as　desired；　an'　the　gentleman
took　an'　unlockit　it；　an'　roon'　he　turnt　whaur　he　stood；　an'　up　he
tuik　the　skull　frae　the　chimley…piece；　neither　as　gien　he　lo'ed　it
nor　feared　itas　what　reason　had　he　to　do　either？an'　han'let　it
neither　rouchly；　nor　wi'　ony　show　o'　mickle　care；　but　intil　the
hat…box　it　gaed；　willy；　nilly；　an'　the　lid　shutten　doon　upo'　't；　an'
the　key　turnt　i'　the　lock　o'　't；　an'　as　gien　he　wad　mak　the　thing
richt　sure　o'　no　bein'　putten　again　whaur　it　had　sic　an　objection　to
gang；　up　he　tuik　in　his　han'　the　hat…box；　an'　the　contrairy　heid　i'
the　inside　o'　't；　an'　awa'　wi'　him　on　his　traivels；　here　awa'　an'
there　awa'　ower　the　face　o'　the　globe：　he　was　on　his　w'y　to　Spain；
he　said；　at　the　moment；　an'　we　saw　nae　mair　o'　him　nor　the　heid；　nor
h'ard　ever　a　soon'　mair　o'　clankin'；　nor　girnin'；　nor　ony　ither
oonholy　din。

〃An'　that's　the　trowth；　mak　o'　't　what　ye　like；　my　leddy　an'　maister
Grant！〃

Mistress　Brookes　was　silent；　and　for　some　time　not　a　syllable　was
uttered　by　either　listener。　At　last　Donal　spoke。

〃It　is　a　strange　story；　mistress　Brookes；〃　he　said；　〃and　the
stranger　that　it　would　show　some　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　other
world　apparently　as　silly　after　a　hundred　and　fifty　years　as　when
first　they　arrived　there。〃

〃I　can　say　naething　anent　that；　sir；〃　answered　mistress　Brookes；
〃I'm　no　accoontable　for　ony　inference　'at's　to　be　drawn　frae　my　ower
true　tale；　an'　doobtless；　sir；　ye　ken　far　better　nor　me；but　whaur
ye　see　sae　mony　folk　draw　oot　the　threid　o'　a　lang　life；　an'　never
ae　sensible　thing；　that　they　could　help；　done　or　said；　what　for
should　ye　won'er　gien　noo　an'　than　ane　i'　the　ither　warl'　shaw
himsel'　siclike。　Whan　ye　consider　the　heap　o'　folk　that　dees；　an'
hoo　there　maun　be　sae　mony　mair　i'　the　ither　warl'　nor　i'　this；　I
confess　for　my　pairt　I　won'er　mair　'at　we're　left　at　peace　at　a'；
an'　that　they　comena　swarmin'　aboot　's　i'　the　nicht；　like　black
doos。　Ye'll　maybe　say　they　canna；　an'　ye'll　maybe　say　they　come；　but
sae　lang　as　they　plague　me　nae　waur　nor　oor　freen'　upo'　the　tither
side　o'　the　wa'；　I　canna　say　I　care　that　mickle。　But　I　think　whiles
hoo　thae　ghaists　maun　lauch　at　them　that　lauchs　as　gien　there　was
nae　sic　craturs　i'　the　warl'！　For　my　pairt　I　naither　fear　them　nor
seek　til　them：　I'll　be　ane　wi'　them　mysel'　afore　lang！only　I　wad
sair　wuss　an'　houp　to　gang　in　amo'　better　behavet　anes　nor　them　'at
gangs　aboot　plaguin'　folk。〃

〃You　speak　the　best　of　sense；　mistress　Brookes；〃　said　Donal；　〃but　I
should　like　to　understand　why　the　poor　hanged　fellow　should　have
such　an　objection　to　having　his　skull　laid　in　the　ground！　Why　had　he
such　a　fancy　for　his　old　bones？　Could　he　be　so　closely　associated
with　them　that　he　could　not　get　on　without　the　plenty　of　fresh　air
they　got　him　used　to　when　they　hung　on　the　gallows？　And　why　did　it
content　him　to　have　only　his　head　above　ground？　It　is　bewildering！
We　couldn't　believe　our　bones　rise　again；　even　if　Paul　hadn't　as
good　as　told　us　they　don't！　Why　should　the　dead　haunt　their　bones　as
if　to　make　sure　of　having　their　own　again？〃

〃But；〃　said　mistress　Brookes；　〃beggin'　yer　pardon；　sir；　what　ken　ye
as　to　what　they　think？　Ye　may　ken　better；　but　maybe　they　dinna；　for
haena　ye　jist　allooed　that　sic　conduc'　as　I　hae　describit　is　no　fit；
whaever　be　guilty　o'　the　same；　whether　rowdy　laddies　i'　the　streets；
or　craturs　ye　canna　see　i'　the　hoose？　They　may　think　they'll　want
their　banes　by　an'　by　though　ye　ken　better；　an'　whatever　you　wise
folk　may　think　the　noo；　ye　ken　it's　no　that　lang　sin'　a'　body；　ay；
the　best　o'　folk；　thoucht　the　same；　an'　there's　no　a　doobt　they　a'
did　at　the　time　that　man　was　hangt。　An'　ye　maun　min'　'at　i'　the
hoose　the　heid　o'　'im　wudna　waste　as　it　wud　i'　the　yerd！〃

〃But　why　bother　about　his　heid　more　than　the　rest　of　his　bones？〃

〃Weel；　sir；　I'm　thinking　a　ghaist；　ghaist　though　he　be；　canna　surely
be　i'　twa　places　at　ance。　He　could　never　think　to　plague　til　ilk
bane　o'　finger　an'　tae　was　gethert　i'　the　cellar！　That　wud　be
houpless！　An'　thinkin'　onything　o'　his　banes；　he　micht　weel　think
maist　o'　's　heid；　an'　keep　an　e'e　upo'　that。　Nae　mony　ghaists　hae
the　chance　o'　seein'　sae　muckle　o'　their　banes　as　this　ane；　or
sayin'　to　themsel's；　'Yon's　mine；　whaur　it　swings！'　Some　ghaists　hae
a　cat…like　natur　for　places；　an'　what　for　no　for　banes？　Mony's　the
story　that　hoosekeeper；　honest　wuman；　telled　me：　whan　what　had　come
was　gane；　it　set　her　openin'　oot　her　pack！　I　could　haud　ye　there　a'
nicht　tellin'　ye　ane　efter　anither　o'　them。　But　it's　time　to　gang　to
oor　beds。〃

〃It　is　our　turn　to　tell　you　something；〃　said　lady　Arctura；　〃only
you　must　not　mention　it　just　yet：　Mr。　Grant　has　found　the　lost
room！〃

For　a　moment　Mrs。　Brookes　said　nothing；　but　neither　paled　nor　looked
incredulous；　her　face　was　only　fixed　and　still；　as　if　she　were
finding　explanation　in　the　discovery。

〃I　was　aye　o'　the　min'　it　was；〃　she　said；　〃an'　mony's　the　time　I
thoucht　I　wud　luik　for't　to　please　mysel'！　It's　sma'　won'erthe
soon's；　an'　the　raps；　an'　siclike！〃

〃You　will　not　change　your　mind　when　you　hear　all；〃　said　Arctura。　〃I
asked　you　to　give　us　our　supper　because　I　was　afraid　to　go　to　bed。〃

〃You　shouldn't　have　told　her；　sir！〃

〃I've　seen　it　with　my　own　eyes！〃

〃You've　been　into　it；　my　lady？Whatwhat？〃

〃It　is　a　chapelthe　old　castle…chapelmentioned；　I　know；　somewhere
in　the　history　of　the　place；　though　no　one；　I　suppose；　ever　dreamed
the　missing　room　could　be　that！And　in　the　chapel；〃　continued
Arctura；　hardly　able　to　bring　out　the　words；　for　a　kind　of　cramping
of　the　muscles　of　speech；　〃there　was　a　bed！　and　in　the　bed　the
crumbling　dust　of　a　woman！　and　on　the　altar　what　was　hardly　more
than　the　dusty　shadow　of　a　baby？〃

〃The　Lord　be　aboot　us！〃　cried　the　housekeeper；　her　well…seasoned
composure　giving　way；　〃ye　saw　that　wi'　yer　ain　e'en；　my　lady！Mr。
Grant！　hoo　could　ye　lat　her　leddyship　luik　upo'　sic　things！〃

〃I　am　her　ladyship's　servant；〃　answered　Donal。

〃That's　varra　true！　But　eh；　my　bonny　bairn；　sic　sichts　is　no　for
you！〃

〃I　ought　to　know　what　is　in　the　house！〃　said　Arctura；　with　a
shudder。　〃But　already　I　feel　more　comfortable　that　you　know　too。　Mr。
Grant　would　like　to　have　your　advice　as　to　what。You'll　come　and
see　them；　won't　you？〃

〃When　you　please；　my　lady。To…night？〃

〃No；　no！　not　to…night。Was　that　the　knocking　again？Some　ghosts
want　their　bodies　to　be　buried；　though　your　butler〃

〃I　wouldna　wonder！〃　responded　mistress　Brookes；　thoughtfully。

〃Where　shall　we　bury　them？〃　asked　Donal。

〃In　Englan'；〃　said　the　housekeeper；　〃I　used　to　hear　a　heap　aboot
consecrated　ground；　but　to　my　min'　it　was　the　bodies　o'　God's
handiwark；　no　the　bishop；　that　consecrated　the　ground。　Whaur　the
Lord　lays　doon　what　he　has　done　wi'；　wad　aye　be　a　sacred　place　to
me。　I　daursay　Moses；　whan　he　cam　upo'　't　again　i'　the　desert；　luikit
upo'　the　ground　whaur　stood　the　buss　that　had　burned；　as　a　sacred
place　though　the　fire　was　lang　oot！Thinkna　ye；　Mr。　Grant？〃

〃I　do；〃　answered　Donal。　〃But　I　do　not　believe　the　Lord　Jesus　thought
one　spot　on　the　face　of　the　earth　more　holy　than　another：　every　dust
of　it　was　his　father's；　neither　more　nor　less；　existing　only　by　the
thought　of　that　father！　and　I　think　that　is　what　we　must　come
to。But　where　shall　we　bury　them？where　they　lie；　or　in　the
garden？〃

〃Some　wud　doobtless　hae　dis