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submitting to him who slays for them the haunting demons of their
dark。 Then again the moments were the small cogs on the wheels of
time； whereby the dark castle in which he sat was rushing ever
towards the light： the cogs were caught and the wheels turned
swiftly； and the time and the darkness sped。 He forgot the labour
of waiting。 If now and then he fancied a tone through the darkness；
it was to his mind the music…march of the morning to his rescue from
the dungeon of the night。
But that was no musical tone which made the darkness shudder around
him！ He sprang to his feet。 It was a human groana groan as of
one in dire pain； the pain of a soul's agony。 It seemed to have
descended the stair to him。 The next instant Donal was feeling his
way upcautiously； as if on each succeeding step he might come
against the man who had groaned。 Tales of haunted houses rushed
into his memory。 What if he were but pursuing the groan of an actor
in the pasta creature the slave of his own conscious memorya
mere haunter of the present which he could not influenceone
without physical relation to the embodied； save in the groans he
could yet utter！ But it was more in awe than in fear that he went。
Up and up he felt his way； all about him as still as darkness and
the night could make it。 A ghostly cold crept through his skin； it
was drawn together as by a gently freezing process； and there was a
pulling at the muscles of his chest； as if his mouth were being
dragged open by a martingale。
As he felt his way along the wall； sweeping its great endless circle
round and round in spiral ascent； all at once his hand seemed to go
through it； he started and stopped。 It was the door of the room
into which he had been shown to meet the earl！ It stood wide open。
A faint glimmer came through the window from the star…filled sky。
He stepped just within the doorway。 Was not that another glimmer
on the floorfrom the back of the roomthrough a door he did not
remember having seen yesterday？ There again was the groan； and nigh
at hand！ Someone must be in sore need！ He approached the door and
looked through。 A lamp； nearly spent； hung from the ceiling of a
small room which might be an office or study； or a place where
papers were kept。 It had the look of an antechamber； but that it
could not be； for there was but the one door！In the dim light he
descried a vague form leaning up against one of the walls； as if
listening to something through it！ As he gazed it grew plainer to
him； and he saw a face； its eyes staring wide； which yet seemed not
to see him。 It was the face of the earl。 Donal felt as if in the
presence of the disembodied； he stood fascinated； nor made attempt
to retire or conceal himself。 The figure turned its face to the
wall； put the palms of its hands against it； and moved them up and
down； and this way and that； then looked at them； and began to rub
them against each other。
Donal came to himself。 He concluded it was a case of sleepwalking。
He had read that it was dangerous to wake the sleeper； but that he
seldom came to mischief when left alone； and was about to slip away
as he had come； when the faint sound of a far…off chord crept
through the silence。 The earl again laid his ear to the wall。 But
there was only silence。 He went through the same dumb show as
before； then turned as if to leave the place。 Donal turned also；
and hurriedly felt his way to the stair。 Then first he was in
danger of terror； for in stealing through the darkness from one who
could find his way without his eyes； he seemed pursued by a creature
not of this world。 On the stair he went down a step or two； then
lingered； and heard the earl come on it also。 He crept close to the
newel； leaving the great width of the stair free； but the steps of
the earl went upward。 Donal descended； sat down again at the bottom
of the stair； and began again to wait。 No sound came to him through
the rest of the night。 The slow hours rolled away； and the slow
light drew nearer。 Now and then he was on the point of falling into
a doze； but would suddenly start wide awake； listening through a
silence that seemed to fill the whole universe and deepen around the
castle。
At length he was aware that the darkness had； unobserved of him；
grown weakerthat the approach of the light was sickening it： the
dayspring was about to take hold of the ends of the earth that the
wicked might be shaken out of its lap。 He sought the long passage
by which he had come； and felt his way to the other end： it would be
safer to wait there if he could get no farther。 But somehow he came
to the foot of his own stair； and sped up as if it were the ladder
of heaven。 He threw himself on his bed； fell fast asleep； and did
not wake till the sun was high。
CHAPTER XIV。
THE SCHOOLROOM。
Old Simmons； the butler； woke him。
〃I was afraid something was the matter； sir。 They tell me you did
not come down last night； and breakfast has been waiting you two
hours。〃
〃I should not have known where to find it；〃 said Donal。 〃The
knowledge of an old castle is not intuitive。〃
〃How long will you take to dress？〃 asked Simmons。
〃Ten minutes； if there is any hurry；〃 answered Donal。
〃I will come again in twenty； or； if you are willing to save an old
man's bones； I will be at the bottom of the stair at that time to
take charge of you。 I would have looked after you yesterday； but
his lordship was poorly； and I had to be in attendance on him till
after midnight。〃
Donal thought it impossible he should of himself have found his way
to the schoolroom。 With all he could do to remember the turnings；
he found the endeavour hopeless； and gave it up with a not
unpleasing despair。 Through strange passages； through doors in all
directions； up stairs and down they went； and at last came to a
long； low room； barely furnished； with a pleasant outlook； and
immediate access to the open air。 The windows were upon a small
grassy court； with a sundial in the centre； a door opened on a paved
court。 At one end of the room a table was laid with ten times as
many things as he could desire to eat； though he came to it with a
good appetite。 The butler himself waited upon him。 He was a
good…natured old fellow； with a nose somewhat too red for the
ordinary wear of one in his responsible position。
〃I hope the earl is better this morning；〃 said Donal。
〃Well； I can't say。 He's but a delicate man is the earl； and has
been； so long as I have known him。 He was with the army in India；
and the sun； they say； give him a stroke； and ever since he have
headaches that bad！ But in between he seems pretty well； and
nothing displeases him more than ask after his health； or how he
slep the night。 But he's a good master； and I hope to end my days
with him。 I'm not one as likes new faces and new places！ One good
place is enough for me； says Iso long as it is a good one。Take
some of this game pie； sir。〃
Donal made haste with his breakfast； and to Simmons's astonishment
had ended when he thought him just well begun。
〃How shall I find master Davie？〃 he asked。
〃He is wild to see you； sir。 When I've cleared away； just have the
goodness to ring this bell out of that window； and he'll be with you
as fast as he can lay his feet to the ground。〃
Donal rang the handbell。 A shout mingled with the clang of it。
Then came the running of swift feet over the stones of the court；
and Davie burst into the room。
〃Oh； sir；〃 he cried； 〃I am glad！ It is good of you to come！〃
〃Well； you see； Davie；〃 returned Donal； 〃everybody has got to do
something to carry the world on a bit： my work is to help make a man
of you。 Only I can't do much except you help me； and if I find I am
not making a good job of you； I shan't stop many hours after the
discovery。 If you want to keep me； you must mind what I say； and so
help me to make a man of you。〃
〃It will be long before I am a man！〃 said Davie rather
disconsolately。
〃It depends on yourself。 The boy that is longest in becoming a man；
is the boy that thinks himself a man before he is a bit like one。〃
〃Come then； let us do something！〃 said Davie。
〃Come away；〃 rejoined Donal。 〃What shall we do first？〃
〃I don't know： you must tell me； sir。〃
〃What would you like best to doI mean if you might do what you
pleased？〃
Davie thought a little； then said：
〃I should like to write a book。〃
〃What kind of a book？〃
〃A beautiful story。〃
〃Isn't it just as well to read such a book？ Why should you want to
write one？〃
〃Because then I should have it go just as I wanted it！ I am
alwaysalmost alwaysdisappointed with the thing that comes next。
But if I wrote it myself； then I shouldn't get tired of it； it
would be what pleased me； and not what pleased somebody else。〃
〃Well；〃 said Donal； after thinking for a moment； 〃suppose you begin
to write a book！〃
〃Oh； that will be fun！much better than learning verbs and nouns！〃
〃But the verbs and nouns are just the things that go to make a
storywith not a few adjectives and adverbs； and a host of
conjunctions； and； if it be a very moving story； a good many
interjections！ These all you have got to put together