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his teeth that； after all； he looks to the main chance as keenly as
another！ He would starve before he would have men say soyes； even
say so falsely。 I am as sure he did not marry lady Arctura for her
money； as I am sure lord Forgue； or you； Hector； would have done it
if you had had a chance。There！My conviction is that the bumpkin
sought a fit opening to tell you that the will was to go for
nothing； and that no word need be said about the marriage。 You know
he made you promise not to mention itonly I wormed it out of you！〃
〃That's just like you women！ The man you take a fancy to is always
head and shoulders above other men！〃
〃As you take it so； I will tell you more： that man will never marry
again！〃
〃Wait a bit。 Admiration is sometimes mutual： who knows but he may
ask you next！〃
〃If he did ask me； I might take him； but I should never think so
much of him！〃
〃Heroic Kate！〃
〃If you had been a little more heroic； Hector； you would have
responded to himand found it considerably to your advantage。〃
〃You don't imagine I would be indebted〃
〃Hush！ Hush！ Don't pledge yourself in a hurryeven to me！〃 said
Kate。 〃Leave as wide a sea…margin about your boat as you may。 You
don't know what you would or would not。 Mr。 Grant knows； but you do
not。〃
〃Mr。 Grant again！Well！〃
〃Well！we shall see！〃
And they soon did。 For that same evening Donal called； and asked to
see Miss Graeme。
〃I am sorry my brother is gone down to the town；〃 she said。
〃It was you I wanted to see；〃 he answered。 〃I wish to speak openly
to you； for I imagine you will understand me better than your
brother。 Perhaps I ought rather to sayI shall be better able to
explain myself to you。〃
There was that in his countenance which seemed to seize and hold
hera calm exaltation； as of a man who had outlived weakness and
was facing the eternal。 The spirit of a smile hovered about his
mouth and eyes； embodying itself now and then in a grave； sweet；
satisfied smile： the man seemed full of content； not with himself；
but with something he would gladly share。
〃I have been talking with your brother；〃 he said； after a brief
pause。
〃I know；〃 she answered。 〃I am afraid he did not meet you as he
ought。 He is a good and honourable man； but like most men he needs a
moment to pull himself together。 Few men； Mr。 Grant； when suddenly
called upon； answer from the best that is in them。〃
〃The fact is simply this；〃 resumed Donal： 〃I do not want the Morven
property。 I thank God for lady Arctura： what was hers I do not
desire。〃
〃But may it not be your duty to take it； Mr。 Grant？Pardon me for
suggesting duty to one who always acts from it。〃
〃I have reflected； and do not think God wants me to take it。 Because
she is mine； ought I of necessity to be enslaved to all her
accidents？ Must I； because I love her； hoard her gowns and shoes？〃
Then first Miss Graeme noted that he never spoke of his wife as in
the past。
〃But there are others to be considered；〃 she replied。 〃You have made
me think about many things； Mr。 Grant！ My brother and I have had
many talks as to what we would do if the land were ours。〃
〃And yours it shall be；〃 said Donal； 〃if you will take it as a trust
for the good of all whom it supports。 I have other work to do。〃
〃I will tell my brother what you say；〃 answered Miss Graeme； with
victory in her heartfor was it not as she had divined？
〃It is better；〃 continued Donal； 〃to help make good men than happy
tenants。 Besides； I know how to do the one； and I do not know how to
do the other。 There would always be a prejudice against me too； as
not to the manner born。 But if your brother should accept my offer；
I hope he will not think me interfering if I talk sometimes of the
principles of the relation。 Things go wrong； generally； because men
have such absurd and impossible notions about possession。 They call
things their own which it is impossible； from their very nature；
ever to possess or make their own。 Power was never given to man over
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； bu