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accustomed to a very different tone in young men。 She had found
their main ambition to amuse； to talk sense about other matters than
the immediate uses of this world； was an out…of…the…way thing！ I do
not say Miss Graeme； even on the subject last in hand； appreciated
the matter of Donal's talk。 She perceived he was in earnest； and
happily was able to know a deep pond from a shallow one； but her
best thought concerning him waswhat a strange new specimen of
humanity was here！
The appearance of her brother coming down the walk； put a stop to
the conversation。
CHAPTER XXIII。
A TRADITION OF THE CASTLE。
〃Well；〃 he said as he drew near； 〃I am glad to see you two getting
on so well！〃
〃How do you know we are？〃 asked his sister； with something of the
antagonistic tone which both in jest and earnest is too common
between near relations。
〃Because you have been talking incessantly ever since you met。〃
〃We have been only contradicting each other。〃
〃I could tell that too by the sound of your voices； but I took it
for a good sign。〃
〃I fear you heard mine almost only！〃 said Donal。 〃I talk too much；
and I fear I have gathered the fault in a way that makes it
difficult to cure。〃
〃How was it？〃 asked Mr。 Graeme。
〃By having nobody to talk to。 I learned it on the hill…side with
the sheep； and in the meadows with the cattle。 At college I thought
I was nearly cured of it； but now； in my comparative solitude at the
castle； it seems to have returned。〃
〃Come here；〃 said Mr。 Graeme； 〃when you find it getting too much for
you： my sister is quite equal to the task of re…curing you。〃
〃She has not begun to use her power yet！〃 remarked Donal； as Miss
Graeme； in hoydenish yet not ungraceful fashion； made an attempt to
box the ear of her slanderous brothera proceeding he had
anticipated； and so was able to frustrate。
〃When she knows you better；〃 he said； 〃you will find my sister Kate
more than your match。〃
〃If I were a talker；〃 she answered； 〃Mr。 Grant would be too much for
me： he quite bewilders me！ What do you think！ he has been actually
trying to persuade me〃
〃I beg your pardon； Miss Graeme； I have been trying to persuade you
of nothing。〃
〃What！ not to believe in ghosts and necromancy and witchcraft and
the evil eye and ghouls and vampyres； and I don't know what all out
of nursery stories and old annuals？〃
〃I give you my word； Mr。 Graeme；〃 returned Donal； laughing； 〃I have
not been persuading your sister of any of these things！ I am
certain she could be persuaded of nothing of which she did not first
see the common sense。 What I did dwell upon； without a doubt she
would accept it； was the evident fact that writing and printing have
done more to bring us into personal relations with the great dead；
than necromancy； granting the magician the power he claimed； could
ever do。 For do we not come into contact with the being of a man
when we hear him pour forth his thoughts of the things he likes best
to think about； into the ear of the universe？ In such a position
does the book of a great man place us！That was what I meant to
convey to your sister。〃
〃And；〃 said Mr。 Graeme； 〃she was not such a goose as to fail of
understanding you； however she may have chosen to put on the garb of
stupidity。〃
〃I am sure；〃 persisted Kate； 〃Mr。 Grant talked so as to make me
think he believed in necromancy and all that sort of thing！〃
〃That may be；〃 said Donal； 〃but I did not try to persuade you to
believe。〃
〃Oh； if you hold me to the letter！〃 cried Miss Graeme； colouring a
little。〃It would be impossible to get on with such a man；〃 she
thought； 〃for he not only preached when you had no pulpit to protect
you from him； but stuck so to his text that there was no amusement
to be got out of the business！〃
She did not know that if she could have met him； breaking the
ocean…tide of his thoughts with fitting opposition； his answers
would have come short and sharp as the flashes of waves on rocks。
〃If Mr。 Grant believes in such things；〃 said Mr。 Graeme； 〃he must
find himself at home in the castle； every room of which way well be
the haunt of some weary ghost！〃
〃I do not believe；〃 said Donal； 〃that any work of man's hands；
however awful with crime done in it； can have nearly such an
influence for belief in the marvellous； as the still presence of
live Nature。 I never saw an old castle beforeat least not to make
any close acquaintance with it； but there is not an aspect of the
grim old survival up there； interesting as every corner of it is；
that moves me like the mere thought of a hill…side with the veil of
the twilight coming down over it； making of it the last step of a
stair for the descending foot of the Lord。〃
〃Surely； Mr。 Grant； you do not expect such a personal advent！〃 said
Miss Graeme。
〃I should not like to say what I do or don't expect；〃 answered
Donaland held his peace； for he saw he was but casting
stumbling…blocks。
The silence grew awkward； and Mr。 Graeme's good breeding called on
him to say something； he supposed Donal felt himself snubbed by his
sister。
〃If you are fond of the marvellous； though； Mr。 Grant；〃 he said；
〃there are some old stories about the castle would interest you。
One of them was brought to my mind the other day in the town。 It
is strange how superstition seems to have its ebbs and flows！ A
story or legend will go to sleep； and after a time revive with fresh
interest； no one knows why。〃
〃Probably；〃 said Donal； 〃it is when the tale comes to ears fitted
for its reception。 They are now in many counties trying to get
together and store the remnants of such tales： possibly the wind of
some such inquiry may have set old people recollecting； and young
people inventing。 That would account for a good dealwould it
not？〃
〃Yes； but not for all； I think。 There has been no such inquiry made
anywhere near us； so far as I am aware。 I went to the Morven Arms
last night to meet a tenant； and found the tradesmen were talking；
over their toddy； of various events at the castle； and especially of
one； the most frightful of all。 It should have been forgotten by
this time； for the ratio of forgetting； increases。〃
〃I should like much to hear it！〃 said Donal。
〃Do tell him； Hector；〃 said Miss Graeme； 〃and I will watch his
hair。〃
〃It is the hair of those who mock at such things you should watch；〃
returned Donal。 〃Their imagination is so rarely excited that； when
it is； it affects their nerves more than the belief of others
affects theirs。〃
〃Now I have you！〃 cried Miss Graeme。 〃There you confess yourself a
believer！〃
〃I fear you have come to too general a conclusion。 Because I
believe the Bible； do I believe everything that comes from the
pulpit？ Some tales I should reject with a contempt that would
satisfy even Miss Graeme； of others I should say'These seem as if
they might be true；' and of still others； 'These ought to be true； I
think。'But do tell me the story。〃
〃It is not；〃 replied Mr。 Graeme； 〃a very peculiar onecertainly not
peculiar to our castle； though unique in some of its details； a
similar legend belongs to several houses in Scotland； and is to be
found； I fancy； in other countries as well。 There is one not far
from here； around whose dark basementsor hoary battlementswho
shall say which？floats a similar tale。 It is of a hidden room；
whose position or entrance nobody knows。 Whether it belongs to our
castle by right I cannot tell。〃
〃A species of report；〃 said Donal； 〃very likely to arise by a kind
of cryptogamic generation！ The common people； accustomed to the
narrowest dwellings； gazing on the huge proportions of the place；
and upon occasion admitted； and walking through a succession of
rooms and passages； to them as intricate and confused as a
rabbit…warren； must be very ready； I should think； to imagine the
existence within such a pile； of places unknown even to the
inhabitants of it themselves！But I beg your pardon： do tell us the
story。〃
〃Mr。 Grant；〃 said Kate； 〃you perplex me！ I begin to doubt if you
have any principles。 One moment you take one side and the next the
other！〃
〃No； no； I but love my own side too well to let any traitors into
its ranks： I would have nothing to do with lies。〃
〃They are all lies together！〃
〃Then I want to hear this one；〃 said Donal。
〃I daresay you have heard it before！〃 remarked Mr。 Graeme； and
began。
〃It was in the earldom of a certain recklessly wicked wretch； who
not only robbed his poor neighbours； and even killed them when they
opposed him； but went so far as to behave as wickedly on the Sabbath
as on any other day of the week。 Late one Saturday night； a company
were seated in the castle； playing cards； and drinking； and all the
time Sunday was drawing nearer and nearer； and nobody heeding。 At
length one of them； seeing the hands of the clock at a quarter to
twelve； made the remark that it was time to stop。 He did not
mention the sacred day； but all knew what he meant。 The earl
laughed； and said； if he was afraid of the kirk…session； he might
go； and another would take his hand。 But the man sat still； and
said no more till the clock gave the warning。 Then he spoke again；