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asleep so early in the night？
As Donal stood doubting and wondering； once more came the musical
cry out of the darknessand immediately from the earl a responsea
soft； low murmur； by degrees becoming audible； in the tone of one
meditating aloud； but in a restrained ecstacy。 From his words he
seemed still to be hearkening the sounds aerial； though to Donal at
least they came no more。
〃Yet once again；〃 he murmured； 〃once again ere I forsake the flesh；
are my ears blest with that voice！ It is the song of the eternal
woman！ For me she sings！Sing on； siren； my soul is a listening
universe； and therein nought but thy voice！〃
He paused； and began afresh：
〃It is the wind in the tree of life！ Its leaves rustle in words of
love。 Under its shadow I shall lie； with her I lovedand killed！
Ere that day come； she will have forgiven and forgotten； and all
will be well！
〃Hark the notes！ Clear as a flute！ Full and stringent as a violin！
They are colours！ They are flowers！ They are alive！ I can see them
as they grow； as they blow！ Those are primroses！ Those are
pimpernels！ Those high； intense； burning tonesso soft； yet so
certainwhat are they？ Jasmine？No； that flower is not a note！ It
is a chord！and what a chord！ I mean； what a flower！ I never saw
that flower beforenever on this earth！ It must be a flower of the
paradise whence comes the music！ It is！ It is！ Do I not remember the
night when I sailed in the great ship over the ocean of the stars；
and scented the airs of heaven； and saw the pearly gates gleaming
across myriads of wavering miles！saw； plain as I see them now； the
flowers on the fields within！ Ah； me！ the dragon that guards the
golden apples！ See his cresthis crest and his emerald eyes！ He
comes floating up through the murky lake！ It is Geryon！come to
bear me to the gyre below！〃
He turned； and with a somewhat quickened step left the room； hastily
shutting the door behind him； as if to keep back the creature of his
vision。
Strong…hearted and strong…brained； Donal had yet stood absorbed as
if he too were out of the body； and knew nothing more of this earth。
There is something more terrible in a presence that is not a
presence than in a vision of the bodiless； that is； a present ghost
is not so terrible as an absent one； a present but deserted body。 He
stood a moment helpless； then pulled himself together and tried to
think。 What should he do？ What could he do？ What was required of
him？ Was anything required of him？ Had he any right to do anything？
Could anything be done that would not both be and cause a wrong？ His
first impulse was to follow： a man in such a condition was surely
not to be left to go whither he would among the heights and depths
of the castle； where he might break his neck any moment！
Interference no doubt was dangerous； but he would follow him at
least a little way！ He heard the steps going down the stair； and
made haste after them。 But ere they could have reached the bottom；
the sound of them ceased； and Donal knew the earl must have left the
stair at a point from which he could not follow him。
CHAPTER XXIX。
EPPY AGAIN。
He would gladly have told his friend the cobbler all about the
strange occurrence； but he did not feel sure it would be right to
carry a report of the house where he held a position of trust； and
what made him doubtful was； that first he doubted whether the
cobbler would consider it right。 But he went to see him the next
day； in the desire to be near the only man to whom it was possible
he might tell what he had seen。
The moment he entered the room； where the cobbler as usual sat at
work by his wife； he saw that something was the matter。 But they
welcomed him with their usual cordiality； nor was it many minutes
before mistress Comin made him acquainted with the cause of their
anxiety。
〃We're jist a wee triblet； sir；〃 she said； 〃aboot Eppy！〃
〃I am very sorry；〃 said Donal； with a pang： he had thought things
were going right with her。 〃What is the matter？〃
〃It's no sae easy to say！〃 returned the grandmother。 〃It may weel be
only a fancy o' the auld fowk； but it seems to baith o' 's she has a
w'y wi' her 'at disna come o' the richt。 She'll be that meek as gien
she thoucht naething at a' o' hersel'； an' the next moment be angert
at a word。 She canna bide a syllable said 'at 's no correc' to the
verra hair。 It's as gien she dreidit waur 'ahint it； an' wud mairch
straucht to the defence。 I'm no makin' my meanin' that clear； I
doobt； but ye'll ken 't for a' that！〃
〃I think I do；〃 said Donal。 〃I see nothing of her。〃
〃I wudna mak a won'er o' that； sir！ She may weel haud oot o' your
gait； feelin' rebukit 'afore ane 'at kens a' aboot her gaein's on
wi' my lord！〃
〃I don't know how I should see her； though！〃 returned Donal。
〃Didna she sweep oot the schoolroom first whan ye gaed； sir？〃
〃When I think of ityes。〃
〃Does she still that same？〃
〃I do not know。 Understanding at what hour in the morning the room
will be ready for me； I do not go to it sooner。〃
〃It's but the luik； an' the general cairriage o' the lassie！〃 said
the old woman。 〃Gien we had onything to tak a haud o'； we wad maybe
think the less。 True； she was aye somewhat ye micht ca' a bit
cheengeable in her w'ys； but she was aye； whan she had the chance；
unco' willin' to gie her faither there or mysel' a spark o'
glaidness like。 It pleased her to be pleasin' i' the eyes o' the
auld fowk； though they war but her ain。 But noo we maunna say a word
til her。 We hae nae business to luik til her for naething！ No 'at
she's aye like that； but it comes sae aft 'at at last we daur hardly
open oor moo's for the fear o' hoo she'll tak it。 Only a' the time
it's mair as gien she was flingin' something frae her； something she
didna like an' wud fain be rid o'； than 'at she cared sae verra
muckle aboot onything we said no til her min'。 She taks a haud o'
the words； no doobt！ but I canna help thinkin' 'at 'maist whatever
we said； it wud be the same。 Something to compleen o' 's never
wantin' whan ye're ill…pleast a'ready！〃
〃It's no the duin' o' the richt； ye see；〃 said the cobbler； 〃I
mean； that's no itsel' the en'； but the richt humour o' the sowl
towards a' things thoucht or felt or dune！ That's richteousness； an'
oot o' that comes； o' the verra necessity o' natur'； a' richt deeds
o' whatever kin'。 Whaur they comena furth； it's whaur the sowl； the
thoucht o' the man 's no richt。 Oor puir lassie shaws a' mainner o'
sma' infirmities jist 'cause the humour o' her sowl 's no hermonious
wi' the trowth； no hermonious in itsel'； no at ane wi' the true
thingwi' the true manwi' the true God。 It may even be said it's
a sma' thing 'at a man sud du wrang； sae lang as he's capable o'
duin' wrang； an' lovesna the richt wi' hert an' sowl。 But eh； it's
no a sma' thing 'at he sud be capable！〃
〃Surely； Anerew；〃 interposed his wife； holding up her hands in mild
deprecation； 〃ye wudna lat the lassie du wrang gien ye could haud
her richt？〃
〃No； I wudna；〃 replied her husband； 〃supposin' the haudin' o' her
richt to fa' in wi' ony degree o' perception o' the richt on her
pairt。 But supposin' it was only the haudin' o' her frae ill by
ootward constraint； leavin' her ready upo' the first opportunity to
turn aside； whereas； gien she had dune wrang； she wud repent o' 't；
an' see what a foul thing it was to gang again' the holy wull o' him
'at made an' dee'd for herI lea' ye to jeedge for yersel' what ony
man 'at luved God an' luved the lass an' luved the richt； wud
chuise。 We maun haud baith een open upo' the trowth； an' no blink
sidewise upo' the warl' an' its richteousness wi' ane o' them。 Wha
wadna be Zacchay wi' the Lord in his hoose； an' the richteousness o'
God himsel' growin' in his hert； raither nor the prood Pharisee wha
kent nae ill he was duin'； an' thoucht it a shame to speak to sic a
man as Zacchay！〃
The grandmother held her peace； thinking probably that so long as
one kept respectable； there remained the more likelihood of a
spiritual change。
〃Is there anything you think I could do？〃 asked Donal。 〃I confess
I'm afraid of meddling。〃
〃I wudna hae you appear； sir；〃 said Andrew； 〃in onything； concernin'
her。 Ye're a yoong man yersel'； an' fowk's herts as well as fowk's
tongues are no to be lippent til。 I hae seen fowk； 'cause they
couldna believe a body duin' a thing frae a sma' modicum o' gude
wull； set themsel's to invent what they ca'd a motive til accoont
for'tsomething； that is； that wud hae prevailt wi' themsel's to
gar them du't。 Sic fowk canna un'erstan' a body duin' onything jist
'cause it was worth duin' in itsel'！〃
〃But maybe；〃 said the old woman； returning to the practical； 〃as ye
hae been pleased to say ye're on freen'ly terms wi' mistress
Brookes； ye micht jist see gien she 's observed ony ten'ency to
resumption o' the auld affair！〃
Donal promised； and as soon as he reached the castle sought an
interview with the house keeper。 She told him she had been
particularly pleased of late with Eppy's attention to her work； and
readiness to make herself useful。 If she did look sometimes a little
out of heart； they must remember； she said； that they had been young
themselves once； and tha