donal grant-第84章

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men　for　his　own　sake；　and　the　nearer　he　that　so　uses　it　comes　to
success；　the　more　utter　will　prove　his　discomfiture。　Talk　to　your
brother　about　it；　Miss　Graeme。　Tell　him　that；　as　heir　to　the　title；
and　as　head　of　the　family；　he　can　do　more　than　any　other　with　the
property；　and　I　will　gladly　make　it　over　to　him　without　reserve。　I
would　not　be　even　partially　turned　aside　from　my　own　calling。〃

〃I　will　tell　him　what　you　say。　I　told　him　he　had　misunderstood　you。
I　saw　into　your　generous　thought。〃

〃It　is　not　generous　at　all。　My　dear　Miss　Graeme；　you　do　not　know　how
little　of　a　temptation　such　things　are　to　me！　There　are　some　who
only　care　to　inherit　straight　from　the　first　Father。　You　may　say　the
earth　is　the　Lord's；　and　therefore　a　part　of　that　first　inheritance：
I　admit　it；　but　such　possession　as　this　in　question　would　not
satisfy　me　in　the　least。　I　must　inherit　the　earth　in　a　far　deeper；
grander；　truer　way　than　calling　the　land　mine；　before　I　shall　count
myself　to　have　come　into　my　own。　I　want　to　have　all　things　just　as
the　maker　of　me　wants　me　to　have　them。I　will　call　on　you　again
to…morrow；　I　must　now　go　back　to　the　earl。　Poor　man；　he　is　sinking
fast！　but　I　believe　he　is　more　at　peace　than　he　has　ever　been
before！〃

Donal　took　his　leave；　and　Miss　Graeme　had　plenty　to　think　of　till
her　brother's　return：　if　she　felt　a　little　triumphant；　it　may　be
pardoned　her。

He　was　ashamed；　and　not　a　little　humbled　by　what　she　told　him。　He
did　not　wait　for　Donal　to　come　to　him；　but　went　to　the　castle　early
the　next　morning。　Nor　was　he　mistaken　in　trusting　Donal　to　believe
that　it　was　not　from　eagerness　to　retrace　in　his　own　interest　the
false　step　he　had　taken；　but　from　desire　to　show　his　shame　of　having
behaved　so　ungenerously：　Donal　received　him　so　as　to　make　it　plain
he　did　not　misunderstand　him；　and　they　had　a　long　talk。　Graeme　was
all　the　readier　for　his　blunder　to　hear　what　Donal　had　to　say；　and
Donal's　unquestionable　disinterestedness　was　endlessly　potent　with
Graeme。　Their　interview　resulted　in　Donal's　thinking　still　better　of
him　than　before；　and　being　satisfied　that；　up　to　his　light；　the　man
was　honestwhich　is　saying　muchand　thence　open　to　conviction；　and
both　sides　of　a　question。　But　ere　it　was　naturally　over；　Donal　was
summoned　to　the　earl。

After　his　niece's　death；　no　one　would　do　for　him　but　Donal；　nobody
could　please　him　but　Donal。　His　mind　as　well　as　his　body　was　much
weaker。　But　the　intellect；　great　thing　though　it　be；　is　yet　but　the
soil　out　of　which；　or　rather　in　which；　higher　things　must　grow；　and
it　is　well　when　that　soil　is　not　too　strong；　so　to　speak；　for　the
most　gracious　and　lovely　of　plants　to　root　themselves　in　it。　When
the　said　soil　is　proud　and　unwilling　to　serve；　it　must　be　thinned
and　pulverized　with　sickness；　failure；　poverty；　fearthat　the　good
seeds　of　God's　garden　may　be　able　to　root　themselves　in　it；　when
they　get　up　a　little；　they　will　use　all　the　riches　and　all　the
strength　of　the　stiffest　soil。

〃Who　will　have　the　property　now？〃　he　asked　one　day。　〃Is　the　factor
anywhere　in　the　running？〃

〃Title　and　property　both　will　be　his；〃　answered　Donal。

〃And　my　poor　Davie？〃　said　the　earl；　with　wistful　question　in　the
eyes　that　gazed　up　in　Donal's　face。　〃Forgue；　the　rascal；　has　all　my
money　in　his　power　already。〃

〃I　will　see　to　Davie；〃　replied　Donal。　〃When　you　and　I　meet；　my
lordby　and　by；　I　shall　not　be　ashamed。〃

The　poor　man　was　satisfied。　He　sent　for　Davie；　and　told　him　he　was
always　to　do　as　Mr。　Grant　wished；　that　he　left　him　in　his　charge；
and　that　he　must　behave　to　him　like　a　son。

Davie　was　fast　making　acquaintance　with　deathbut　it　was　not　to　him
dreadful　as　to　most　children；　for　he　saw　it　through　the　face　and
words　of　the　man　whom　he　most　honoured。




CHAPTER　LXXXIV。

MORVEN　HOUSE。

In　the　evening　Donal　went　again　to　the　home…farm。　Finding　himself
alone　in　the　drawing…room；　he　walked　out　into　the　old　garden。

〃Thank　God；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃if　my　wife　should　come　here　some
sad；　sweet　night；　with　a　low　moon…crescent；　and　a　gently　thinking
wind；　and　wander　about　the　garden；　it　will　not　be　to　know　herself
forgotten！〃

He　went　up　and　down　the　grassy　paths。　Once　again；　all　as　long
agofor　it　seemed　long　nowhe　was　joined　by　Miss　Graeme。

〃I　couldn't　help　fancying；〃　she　said　as　she　came　up　to　him；　〃that　I
saw　lady　Arctura　walking　by　your　side。God　forgive　me！　how　could　I
be　so　heartless　as　mention　her！〃

〃Her　name　will　always　be　pleasant　in　my　ears；〃　returned　Donal。　〃I
was　thinking　of　herthat　was　how　you　felt　as　if　you　saw　her！　You
did　not　really　see　anything；　did　you？〃

〃Oh；　no！〃

〃She　is　nearer　me　than　that；〃　said　Donal。　〃She　will　be　with　me
wherever　I　am；　I　shall　never　be　sad。　God　is　with　me；　and　I　do　not
weep　that　I　cannot　see　him：　I　wait；　I　wait。〃

Miss　Graeme　was　in　tears。

〃Mr。　Grant；〃　she　said；　〃she　is　gone　a　happy　angel　to　heaven　instead
of　a　pining　woman！　That　is　your　doing！　God　bless　you！You　will　let
me　think　of　you　as　a　friend？〃

〃Always；　always：　you　loved　her。〃

〃I　did　not　at　first；　I　thought　of　her　only　as　a　poor　troubled
creature！　Now　I　know　there　was　more　life　in　her　trouble　than　in　my
content。　I　came　not　only　to　love　her；　but　to　look　up　to　her　as　a
saint：　if　ever　there　was　one；　it　was　she；　Mr。　Grant。　She　often　came
here　after　I　showed　her　that　poem。　She　used　to　walk　here　alone　in
the　twilight。　That　horrid　Miss　Carmichael！　she　was　the　plague　of　her
life！〃

〃She　was　God's　messengerto　buffet　her；　and　make　her　know　her　need
of　him。　Be　sure；　Miss　Graeme；　not　a　soul　can　do　without　him。〃

Here　Mr。　Graeme　joined　them。

〃I　do　not　think　the　earl　will　last　many　days；〃　said　Donal。　〃It　would
be　well；　it　seems　to　me；　at　once　upon　his　death　to　take　possession
of　the　house　in　the　town。　It　is　the　only　property　that　goes　with　the
title。　And　of　course　you　would　at　once　take　up　your　abode　in　the
castle！　You　will　find　in　the　earl's　papers　many　proofs；　I　imagine；
that　his　son　has　no　claim。　I　would　have　a　deed　of　gift　drawn　up；　but
would　rather　you　seemed　to　come　in　by　natural　succession。　We　are　not
bound　to　tell　the　world　everything；　we　are　only　bound　to　be　able
without　shame　to　tell　it　everything。　And　then　I　shall　have　a　favour
to　ask：　Morven　House；　down　in　the　town；　is　of　no　great　use　to　you：
let　me　rent　it　of　you。　I　should　like　to　live　there　and　have　a
school；　with　Davie　for　my　first　pupil。　When　we　get　another；　we　will
try　to　make　a　man　of　him　too。　We　will　not　care　so　much　about　making
a　great　scholar；　or　a　great　anything　of　him；　but　a　true　man。　We　will
try　to　help　the　whole　man　of　him　into　the　likeness　of　the　one　man。〃

Here　Mr。　Graeme　broke　in。

〃You　will　never　make　a　living　that　way！〃　he　said。

Donal　opened　his　eyes　and　looked　at　him。　Like　one　convicted　and
ashamed；　the　eyes　of　the　man　of　business　fell　before　those　of　the
man　of　God。

〃Ah；〃　said　Donal；　〃you　have　not　an　idea；　Mr。　Graeme；　on　how　little　I
could　live！Here；　you　had　better　take　the　will；〃　he　added；　pulling
it　from　his　pocket。

Mr。　Graeme　hesitated。

〃If　you　would　rather　not；　I　will　keep　it。　I　would　throw　it　in　the
fire；　but　either　you　or　I　must　keep　it　for　a　time　as　against　all
chances。〃

Mr。　Graeme　took　it。

That　night　the　earl　died。

Donal　wrote　to　Percy　that　his　father　was　dead。　Two　days　after；　he
appeared。　The　new　earl　met　him　in　the　hall。

〃Mr。　Graeme；〃　said　Percy；

〃I　am　lord　Morven；　Mr。　Graeme；〃　returned　his　lordship。

The　fellow　said　an　evil　word；　turned　on　his　heel；　and　left　them　to
bury　his　father　without　him。

The　funeral　over；　the　earl　turned　to　Donal　and　looked　him　in　the
face：　they　walked　back　to　the　castle　arm　in　arm；　and　from　that
moment　were　as　brothers。

Earl　Hector　did　nothing　of　importance　without　consulting　Donal；　and
Donal　had　the　more　influence　both　with　landlord　and　tenants　that　he
had　no　interest　in　the　property。

The　same　week　he　left　the　castle；　and　took　possession　of　Morven
House。　The　people　said　Mr。　Grant　had　played　his　cards　well：　had　they
known　what　he　had　really　done；　they　would　have　called　him　a　born
idiot。

Davie；　to　whom　no　calamity　could　be　overwhelming　so　long　as　he　had
Mr。　Grant；　accompanied　him　gladly；　more　than　content　to　live　with
him　till　he　went　to　college；　whither　the　earl　wished　to　send　him。
Donal　hindered　rather　than　sped　the　day。　When　it　came；　the　earl
would　have　had　him　go　too；　but　Donal　would　not。

〃I　have　done　what　I　can；〃　he　said。　〃It　is　time　he　should　walk
alone。〃

It　was　soon　evident　that　the　boy　would　not　disgrace　him。　There　is　no
certainty　as　to　how　deep　any　teaching　may　have　goneas　to　whether
it　has　reached　the　issues　of　life　or　not；　until　a　youth　is　left　by
himself；　and　has　to　choose　and　refuse　companions：　the　most　promising
youths　are　often　but　promisers。

With　the　full　concurrence　of　Miss　Graeme；　Donal　had　persuaded
mistress　Brookeseasy　persuasion　where　the　suggestion　was
enough！to　keep　house　for　him。　They　went　together；　and　together
unlocked　the　door　of　Morven　House。

Mistress　Brookes　said　the　place　was　in　an　awful　state。　There　was　not
much；　to　be　sure；　for　the　mason　to　do；　but　for　the　carpenter！　It　had
not　been　touched　for　generations！　He　must　go　away；　and　stay　away
till　she　summoned　him！

Donal　gladly　went　home　to　his　hills；　and　took　Davie　with　him。　He
told　his　father　and　mother；　sir　Gibbie　and　his　lady；　the　things　that
had　befallen　him；　and　every　one　approved　heartily　of　what　he　had
done。　His　mother　took　his　renunciation　of　the　property　as　a　matter
of　course。　All　agreed　it　should　not　be　spoken　of。　When　they　returned
to　Auchars；　sir　Gibbie　and　lady　Galbraith　went　with　them；　and　staid
for　some　weeks。　The　townsfolk　said　he　was　but　a　poor　baronet　that
could　not　speak　mortal　word。

Lord　Morven　and　Miss　Graeme　had　done　their　best　to　make　the　house
what　they　thought　Donal　would　like。　But　in　the　castle　they　kept　for
him　the　rooms　lady　Arctura　had　called　her　own。　There　he　gathered　the
books；　and　a　few　other　of　the　more　immediately　personal　possessions
of　his　wifeher　piano　for　oneupon　which　he　taught　himself　to　play
a　little；　and　thither　he　betook　himself　often　on　holidays；　and
always　on　Sunday　evenings。　What　went　on　then　I　leave　to　the
imagination　of　the　reader　who　knows　that　alone　one　may　meet　many；
sitting　still　may　travel　far；　and　silent　make　the　universe　hear。

Lord　Morven　kept　Larkie　for　Davie。　The　last　I　heard　of　Davie　was
that　he　was　in　India；　an　officer　in　the　army；　beloved　of　his　men；
and　exercising　a　most　beneficial　influence　on　his　regiment。　The
things　he　had　learned　he　had　so　learned　that　they　went　out　from　him；
finding　new　ground　in　which　to　root　and　grow。　In　his　day　and
generation　he　helped　the　coming　of　the　kingdom　of　truth　and
righteousness；　and　so　fulfilled　his　high　calling。

It　was　some　time　before　Donal　had　any　pupils；　and　he　never　had　many；
for　he　was　regarded　as　a　most　peculiar　man；　with　ideas　about
education　odd　in　the　extreme。　It　was　granted；　however；　that；　if　a
boy　stayed；　or　rather　if　he　allowed　him　to　stay　with　him　long
enough；　he　was　sure　to　turn　out　a　gentleman：　that　which　was　deeper
and　was　the　life　of　the　gentleman；　people　seldom　sawwould　seldom
have　valued　if　they　had　seen。　Most　parents　would　like　their　children
to　be　ladies　and　gentlemen；　tha