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an understanding。〃
〃Try me then for three months； my lord； give me my board and
lodging； the use of your library； and at the end of the quarter a
ten…pound…note： by that time you will be able to tell whether I suit
you。〃
The earl nodded agreement； and Donal rose at once。 With a heart
full of thankfulness and hope he walked back to his friends。 He had
before him pleasant work； plenty of time and book…help； an abode
full of interest； and something for his labour！
〃'Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee！'〃 said the cobbler；
rejoicing against the minister； 〃'the remainder of wrath shalt thou
restrain。'〃
In the afternoon Donal went into the town to get some trifles he
wanted before going to the castle。 As he turned to the door of a
draper's shop； he saw at the counter the minister talking to him。
He would rather have gone elsewhere but for unwillingness to turn
his back on anything： he went in。 Beside the minister stood a young
lady； who； having completed her purchases； was listening to their
conversation。 The draper looked up as he entered。 A glance passed
between him and the minister。 He came to Donal； and having heard
what he wanted； left him； went back to the minister； and took no
more notice of him。 Donal found it awkward； and left the shop。
〃High an' michty！〃 said the draper； annoyed at losing the customer
to whose dispraise he had been listening。
〃Far beyond dissent； John！〃 said the minister； pursuing a remark。
〃Doobtless； sir； it is that！〃 answered the draper。 〃I'm thankfu' to
say I never harboured a doobt mysel'； but aye took what I was tauld；
ohn argle…barglet。 What hae we sic as yersel' set ower's for； gien
it binna to haud's i' the straicht path o' what we're to believe an'
no to believe？ It's a fine thing no to be accoontable！〃
The minister was an honest man so far as he knew himself and
honesty； and did not relish this form of submission。 But he did not
ask himself where was the difference between accepting the word of
man and accepting man's explanation of the word of God！ He took a
huge pinch from his black snuffbox and held his peace。
In the evening Donal would settle his account with mistress Comin：
he found her demand so much less than he had expected； that he
expostulated。 She was firm； however； and assured him she had
gained； not lost。 As he was putting up his things；
〃Lea' a buik or twa； sir；〃 she said； 〃'at whan ye luik in； the place
may luik hame…like。 We s' ca' the room yours。 Come as aften as ye
can。 It does my Anerew's hert guid to hae a crack wi' ane 'at kens
something o' what the Maister wad be at。 Mony ane 'll ca' him Lord；
but feow 'ill tak the trible to ken what he wad hae o' them。 But
there's my Anerewhe'll sit yon'er at his wark； thinkin' by the
hoor thegither ower something the Maister said 'at he canna win at
the richts o'。 'Depen' upo' 't；' he says whiles； 'depen' upo' 't；
lass； whaur onything he says disna luik richt to hiz； it maun be 'at
we haena won at it！'〃
As she ended； her husband came in； and took up what he fancied the
thread of the dialogue。
〃An' what are we to think o' the man；〃 he said； 〃at's content no to
un'erstan' what he was at the trible to say？ Wad he say things 'at
he didna mean fowk to un'erstan' whan he said them？〃 〃Weel； Anerew；〃
said his wife； 〃there's mony a thing he said 'at I can not
un'erstan'； naither am I muckle the better for your explainin' o'
the same； I maun jist lat it sit。〃
Andrew laughed his quiet pleased laugh。
〃Weel； lass；〃 he said； 〃the duin' o' ae thing 's better nor the
un'erstan'in' o' twenty。 Nor wull ye be lang ohn un'erstan't muckle
'at's dark to ye noo； for the maister likes nane but the duer o' the
word； an' her he likes weel。 Be blythe； lass； ye s' hae yer fill o'
un'erstan'in' yet！〃
〃I'm fain to believe ye speyk the trowth； Anerew！〃
〃It 's great trowth；〃 said Donal。
CHAPTER XII。
THE CASTLE。
The next morning came a cart from the castle to fetch his box； and
after breakfast he set out for his new abode。
He took the path by the river…side。 The morning was glorious。 The
sun and the river and the birds were jubilant； and the wind gave
life to everything。 It rippled the stream； and fluttered the long
webs bleaching in the sun： they rose and fell like white waves on
the bright green lake； and women； homely Nereids of the grassy sea；
were besprinkling them with spray。 There were dull sounds of wooden
machinery near； but they made no discord with the sweetness of the
hour； speaking only of activity； not labour。 From the long
bleaching meadows by the river…side rose the wooded base of the
castle。 Donal's bosom swelled with delight； then came a sting： was
he already forgetting his inextinguishable grief？ 〃But；〃 he answered
himself； 〃God is more to me than any woman！ When he puts joy in my
heart； shall I not be glad？ When he calls my name shall I not
answer？〃
He stepped out joyfully； and was soon climbing the hill。 He was
again admitted by the old butler。
〃I will show you at once；〃 he said； 〃how to go and come at your own
will。〃
He led him through doors and along passages to a postern opening on
a little walled garden at the east end of the castle。
〃This door；〃 he said； 〃is； you observe； at the foot of Baliol's
tower； and in that tower is your room； I will show it you。〃
He led the way up a spiral stair that might almost have gone inside
the newel of the great staircase。 Up and up they went； until Donal
began to wonder； and still they went up。
〃You're young； sir；〃 said the butler； 〃and sound of wind and limb；
so you'll soon think nothing of it。〃
〃I never was up so high before； except on a hill…side；〃 returned
Donal。 〃The college…tower is nothing to this！〃
〃In a day or two you'll be shooting up and down it like a bird。 I
used to do so myself。 I got into the way of keeping a shoulder
foremost； and screwing up as if I was a blob of air！ Old age does
make fools of us！〃
〃You don't like it then？〃
〃No； I do not： who does？〃
〃It's only that you get spent as you go up。 The fresh air at the
top of the stair will soon revive you；〃 said Donal。
But his conductor did not understand him。
〃That's all very well so long as you're young； but when it has got
you； you'll pant and grumble like the rest of us。〃
In the distance Donal saw Age coming slowly after him； to claw him
in his clutch； as the old song says。 〃Please God；〃 he thought； 〃by
the time he comes up； I'll be ready to try a fall with him！ O Thou
eternally young； the years have no hold on thee； let them have none
on thy child。 I too shall have life eternal。〃
Ere they reached the top of the stair； the man halted and opened a
door。 Donal entering saw a small room； nearly round； a portion of
the circle taken off by the stair。 On the opposite side was a
window projecting from the wall； whence he could look in three
different directions。 The wide country lay at his feet。 He saw the
winding road by which he had ascended； the gate by which he had
entered； the meadow with its white stripes through which he had
come； and the river flowing down。 He followed it with his
eyes：lo； there was the sea； shining in the sun like a diamond
shield！ It was but the little German Ocean； yet one with the great
world…ocean。 He turned to his conductor。
〃Yes；〃 said the old man； answering his look； 〃it's a glorious sight！
When first I looked out there I thought I was in eternity。〃
The walls were bare even of plaster； he could have counted the
stones in them； but they were dry as a bone。
〃You are wondering；〃 said the old man； 〃how you are to keep warm in
the winter！ Look here： you shut this door over the window！ See how
thick and strong it is！ There is your fireplace； and for fuel；
there's plenty below！ It is a labour to carry it up； I grant； but
if I was you； I would set to o' nights when nobody was about； and
carry till I had a stock laid in！〃
〃But；〃 said Donal； 〃I should fill up my room。 I like to be able to
move about a little！〃
〃Ah；〃 replied the old man； 〃you don't know what a space you have up
here all to yourself！ Come this way。〃
Two turns more up the stair； and they came to another door。 It
opened into wide space： from it Donal stepped on a ledge or
bartizan； without any parapet； that ran round the tower； passing
above the window of his room。 It was well he had a steady brain；
for he found the height affect him more than that of a precipice on
Glashgar： doubtless he would get used to it； for the old man had
stepped out without the smallest hesitation！ Round the tower he
followed him。
On the other side a few steps rose to a watch…towera sort of
ornate sentry…box in stone； where one might sit and regard with wide
vision the whole country。 Avoiding this； another step or two led
them to the roof of the castleof great stone slabs。 A broad
passage ran between the rise of the roof and a battlemented parapet。
By this time they came to a flat roof； on to which they descended
by a few steps。 Here stood two rough sheds； with nothing in them。
〃There's stowage！〃 said the old man。
〃Yes； indeed！〃 answered Donal； to whom the idea of his aerie was
growing more and mo