donal grant-第71章

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A　pause　of　a　few　seconds　followed：　it　seemed　as　many　minutes；　and
unbearable。

〃You　will　come　out　with　me？〃　said　Forgue：　she　might　be　relenting；
though　she　did　not　look　like　it！

〃No；〃　she　said；　〃I　will　not。〃

〃Well；〃　he　returned；　with　simulated　coolness；　〃this　is　rather
cavalier　treatment；　I　must　say！To　throw　a　man　over　who　has　loved
you　so　longand　for　the　sake　of　a　lesson　in　Greek！〃

〃How　long；　pray；　have　you　loved　me？〃　said　Arctura；　growing　angry。　〃I
was　willing　to　be　friendly　with　you；　so　much　so　that　I　am　sorry　it
is　no　longer　possible！〃

〃You　punish　me　pretty　sharply；　my　lady；　for　a　trifle　of　which　I　told
you　I　was　ashamed！〃　said　Forgue；　biting　his　lip。　〃It　was　the
merest〃

〃I　do　not　wish　to　hear　anything　about　it！〃　said　Arctura　sternly。
Then；　afraid　she　had　been　unkind；　she　added　in　altered　tone：　〃You
had　better　go　and　have　a　gallop。　You　may　have　Larkie　if　you　like。〃

He　turned　and　left　the　room。　She　only　meant　to　pique　him；　he　said　to
himself。　She　had　been　cherishing　her　displeasure；　and　now　she　had
had　her　revenge　would　feel　better　and　be　sorry　next！　It　was　a　very
good　morning's　work　after　all！　It　was　absurd　to　think　she　preferred
a　Greek　lesson　from　a　clown　to　a　ride　with　lord　Forgue！　Was　not　she
too　a　Graeme！

Partly　to　make　reconciliation　the　easier；　partly　because　the　horse
was　superior　to　his　own；　he　would　ride　Larkie！

But　his　reasoning　was　not　so　satisfactory　to　him　as　to　put　him　in　a
good　temper；　and　poor　Larkie　had　to　suffer　for　his　ill…humour。　His
least　movement　that　displeased　him　put　him　in　a　rage；　and　he　rode
him　so　foolishly　as　well　as　tyrannically　that　he　brought　him　home
quite　lame；　thus　putting　an　end　for　a　time　to　all　hope　of　riding
again　with　Arctura。

Instead　of　going　and　telling　her　what　he　had　done；　he　sent　for　the
farrier；　and　gave　orders　that　the　mishap　should　not　be　mentioned。

A　week　passed；　and　then　another；　and　as　he　could　say　nothing　about
riding；　he　was　in　a　measure　self…banished　from　Arctura's　company。　A
furious　jealousy　began　to　master　him。　He　scorned　to　give　place　to　it
because　of　the　insult　to　himself　if　he　allowed　a　true　ground　for　it。
But　it　gradually　gained　power。　This　country　bumpkin；　this　cow…herd；
this　man　of　spelling…books　and　grammars；　to　come　between　his　cousin
and　him！　Of　course　he　was　not　so　silly　as　imagine　for　a　moment　she
cared　for　him！that　she　would　disgrace　herself　by　falling　in　love
with　a　fellow　just　loosed　from　the　plough…tail！　She　was　a　Graeme；
and　could　never　be　a　traitor　to　her　blood！　If　only　he　had　not　been
such　an　infernal　fool！　A　vulgar　little　thing　without　an　idea　in　her
head！　So　unpleasantso　disgusting　at　last　with　her　love…making！
Nothing　pleased　her　but　hugging　and　kissing！That　was　how　he　spoke
to　himself　of　the　girl　he　had　been　in　love　with！

Damn　that　schoolmaster！　She　would　never　fall　in　love　with　him；　but
he　might　prevent　her　from　falling　in　love　with　another！　No
attractions　could　make　way　against　certain　prepossessions！　The　girl
had　a　fancy　for　being　a　saint；　and　the　lout　burned　incense　to　her！
So　much　he　gathered　from　Davie。　His　father　must　get　rid　of　the
fellow！　If　he　thought　he　was　doing　so　well　with　Davie；　why　not　send
the　two　away　together　till　things　were　settled？

But　the　earl　thought　it　would　be　better　to　win　Donal。　He　counselled
him　that　every　Grant　was　lord　Seafield's　cousin；　and　every
highlander　an　implacable　enemy　where　his　pride　was　hurt。　His
lordship　did　not　reflect　that；　if　what　he　said　were　true　of　Donal；
he　must　have　left　the　castle　long　ago。　There　was　but　one　thing　would
have　made　it　impossible　for　Donal　to　remaininterference；　namely；
between　him　and　his　pupil。

Forgue　did　not　argue　with　his　father。　He　had　given　that　up。　At　the
same　time；　if　he　had　told　all　that　had　passed　between　him　and　Donal；
the　earl　would　have　confessed　he　had　advised　an　impossibility。

Forgue　took　a　step　in　a　very　different　direction：　he　began　to　draw
to　himself　the　good　graces　of　Miss　Carmichael：　he　did　not　know　how
little　she　could　serve　him。　Without　being　consciously　insincere；　she
flattered　him；　and　speedily　gained　his　confidence。　Well　descended　on
the　mother…side；　she　had　grown　up　fit；　her　father　said；　to　adorn　any
society：　with　a　keen　appreciation　of　the　claims　and　dignities　of　the
aristocracy；　she　was　well　able　to　flatter　the　prejudices　she
honoured　and　shared　in。　Careful　not　to　say　a　word　against　his
cousin；　she　made　him　feel　more　and　more　that　his　chief　danger　lay　in
the　influence　of　Donal。　She　fanned　thus　his　hatred　of　the　man　who
first　came　between　him　and　his　wrath；　next；　between　him　and　his
〃love；〃　and　last；　between　him　and　his　fortunes。

If　only　Davie　would　fall　ill；　and　require　change　of　air！　But　Davie
was　always　in　splendid　health！

Now　that　he　saw　himself　in　such　danger　of　failing；　he　fancied
himself　far　more　in　love　with　Arctura　than　he　was。　And　as　he　got
familiarized　with　the　idea　of　his　illegitimacy；　although　he　would
not　assent　to　it；　he　made　less　and　less　of　itwhich　would　have　been
a　proof　to　any　other　than　himself　that　he　believed　it。　In　further
sign　of　the　same；　he　made　no　inquiry　into　the　matterdid　not　once
even　question　his　father　about　it。　If　it　was　true；　he　did　not　want
to　know　it：　he　would　treat　his　lack　of　proof　as　ignorance；　and　act
as　with　the　innocence　of　ignorance！　A　fellow　must　take　for　granted
what　was　commonly　believed！　At　last；　and　the　last　was　not　long　in
arriving；　he　almost　ceased　to　trouble　himself　about　it。

His　father　laughed　at　his　fear　of　failure　with　Arctura；　but　at　times
contemplated　the　thing　as　an　awful　possibilitynot　that　he　loved
Forgue　much。　The　only　way　fathers　in　sight　of　the　grave　can　fancy
themselves　holding　on　to　the　things　they　must　leave；　is　in　their
children；　but　lord　Morven　had　a　stronger　and　better　reason　for　his
unrighteousness：　in　a　troubled；　self…reproachful　way；　he　loved　the
memory　of　their　mother；　and　through　her　cared　even　for　Forgue　more
than　he　knew。　They　were　also　his　own　as　much　as　if　he　had　been
legally　married　to　her！　For　the　relation　in　which　they　stood　to
society；　he　cared　little　so　long　as　it　continued　undiscovered。　He
enjoyed　the　idea　of　stealing　a　march　on　society；　and　seeing　the　sons
he　had　left　at　such　a　disadvantage　behind　him；　ruffling　it；　in　spite
of　absurd　law；　with　the　foolish　best。　From　the　grave　he　would　so
have　his　foot　on　the　neck　of　his　enemy　Law！he　was　one　of　the　many
who　can　rejoice　in　even　a　stolen　victory。　Nor　would　he　ever　have
been　the　fool　to　let　the　truth　fly；　except　under　the　reaction　of
evil　drugs；　and　the　rush　of　fierce　wrath　at　the　threatened　ruin　of
his　cherished　scheme。

Arctura　thenceforth　avoided　her　cousin　as　much　as　she　couldonly
remembering　that　the　house　was　hers；　and　she　must　not　make　him　feel
he　was　not　welcome　to　use　it。　They　met　at　meals；　and　she　tried　to
behave　as　if　nothing　unpleasant　had　happened　and　things　were　as
before　he　went　away。

〃You　are　very　cruel；　Arctura；〃　he　said　one　morning　he　met　her　in　the
terrace　avenue。

〃Cruel？〃　returned　Arctura　coldly；　〃I　am　not　cruel。　I　would　not
willingly　hurt　anyone。〃

〃You　hurt　me　much；　you　give　me　not　a　morsel；　not　a　crumb　of　your
society！〃

〃Percy；〃　said　Arctura；　〃if　you　will　be　content　to　be　my　cousin；　we
shall　get　on　well　enough；　but　if　you　are　set　on　what　cannot　beonce
for　all；　believe　me；　it　is　of　no　use。　You　care　for　none　of　the
things　I　live　for！　I　feel　as　if　we　belonged　to　different　worlds；　so
little　have　we　in　common。　You　may　think　me　hard；　but　it　is　better　we
should　understand　each　other。　If　you　imagine　that；　because　I　have
the　property；　you　have　a　claim　on　me；　be　sure　I　will　never
acknowledge　it。　I　would　a　thousand　times　rather　you　had　the　property
and　I　were　in　my　grave！〃

〃I　will　be　anything；　do　anything；　learn　anything　you　please！〃　cried
Forgue；　his　heart　aching　with　disappointment。

〃I　know　what　such　submission　is　worth！〃　said　Arctura。　〃I　should　be
everything　till　we　were　married；　and　then　nothing！　You　dissemble；
you　hide　even　from　yourself；　but　you　are　not　hard　to　read。〃

Perhaps　she　would　not　have　spoken　just　so　severely；　had　she　not　been
that　morning　unusually　annoyed　with　his　behaviour　to　Donal；　and　at
the　same　time　specially　pleased　with　the　calm；　unconsciously
dignified　way　in　which　Donal　took　it；　casting　it　from　him　as　the
rock　throws　aside　the　sea…wave：　it　did　not　concern　him！　The　dull
world　has　got　the　wrong　phrase：　it　is　he　who　resents　an　affront　who
pockets　it！　he　who　takes　no　notice；　lets　it　lie　in　the　dirt。




CHAPTER　LXVIII。

LARKIE。

It　was　a　lovely　day　in　spring。

〃Please；　Mr。　Grant；〃　said　Davie；　〃may　I　have　a　holiday？〃

Donal　looked　at　him　with　a　little　wonder：　the　boy　had　never　before
made　such　a　request！　But　he　answered　him　at　once。

〃Yes；　certainly；　Davie。　But　I　should　like　to　know　what　you　want　it
for。〃

〃Arkie　wants　very　much　to　have　a　ride　to…day。　She　says　LarkieI
gave　him　his　name；　to　rime　with　Arkieshe　says　Larkie　will　forget
her；　and　she　does　not　wish　to　go　out　with　Forgue；　so　she　wants　me　to
go　with　her　on　my　pony。〃

〃You　will　take　good　care　of　her；　Davie？〃

〃I　will　take　care　of　her；　but　you　need　not　be　anxious　about　us；　Mr。
Grant。　Arkie　is　a　splendid　rider；　and　much　pluckier　than　she　used　to
be！〃

Donal　did；　howeverhe　could　not　have　said　whyfeel　a　little
anxiety。　He　repressed　it　as　unfaithfulness；　but　it　kept　returning。
He　could　not　go　with　themthere　was　no　horse　for　him；　and　to　go　on
foot；　would；　he　feared；　spoil　their　ride。　He　was　so　much　afraid　also
of　presuming　on　lady　Arctura's　regard　for　him；　that　he　would　have
shrunk　from　offering　had　it　been　more　feasible。　He　got　a　book；　and
strolled　into　the　park；　not　even　going　to　see　them　off：　Forgue　might
be　about　the　stable；　and　make　things　unpleasant！

Had　Forgue　been　about　the　stable；　he　would；　I　think；　have　somehow
managed　to　prevent　the　ride；　for　Larkie；　though　much　better；　was　not
yet　cured　of　his　lameness。　Arctura　did　not　know　he　had　been　lame；　or
that　he　had　therefore　been　very　little　exercised；　and　was　now　rather
wild；　with　a　pastern…joint　far　from　equal　to　his　spirit。　There　was
but　a　boy　about　the　stable；　who　either　did　not　understand；　or　was
afraid　to　speak：　she　rode　in　a　danger　of　which　she　knew　nothing。　The
consequence　was　that；　jumping　the　merest　little　ditch　in　a　field
outside　the　park；　they　had　a　fall。　The　horse　got　up　and　trotted
limping　to　the　stable；　his　mistress　lay　where　she　fell。　Davie；　wild
with　misery；　galloped　home。　From　the　height　of　the　park　Donal　saw
him　tearing　along；　and　knew　something　was　amiss。　He　ran；　got　over
the　wall；　found　the　pony's　track；　and　following　it；　came　where
Arctura　lay。

There　was　a　little　clear　water　in　the　ditch：　he　wet　his
handkerchief；　and　bathed　her　face。　She　came　to　herself；　opened　her
eyes　with　a　faint　smile；　and　tried　to　raise　herself；　but　fell　back
helpless；　and　closed　her　eyes　again。

〃I　believe　I　am　hurt！〃　she　murmurmed。　〃I　think　Larkie　must　have
fallen！〃

Donal　would　have　carried　her；　but　she　moaned　so；　that　he　gave　up　the
idea　at　once。　Davie　was　gone　for　help；　it　would　be　better　to　wait！
He　pulled　off　his　coat　and　laid　it　over　her；　then　kneeling；　raised
her　head　a　little　from　the　damp　ground　upon　his　arm。　She　let　him　do
as　he　pleased；　but　did　not　op