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out of heart； they must remember； she said； that they had been young
themselves once； and that it was not so easy to forget as to give
up。 But she would keep her eyes open！
CHAPTER XXX。
LORD MORVEN。
The winter came at last in good earnestfirst black frost； then
white snow； then sleet and wind and rain； then snow again； which
fell steady and calm； and lay thick。 After that came hard frost； and
brought plenty of skating； and to Davie the delight of teaching his
master。 Donal had many falls； but was soon； partly in virtue of
those same falls； a very decent skater。 Davie claimed all the merit
of his successful training； and when his master did anything
particularly well； would remark with pride； that he had taught him。
But the good thing in it for Davie was； that he noted the immediate
faith with which Donal did or tried to do what he told him： this
reacted in opening his mind to the beauty and dignity of obedience；
and went a long way towards revealing the low moral condition of the
man who seeks freedom through refusal to act at the will of another。
He who does so will come by degrees to have no will of his own； and
act only from impulsewhich may be the will of a devil。 So Donal
and Davie grew together into one heart of friendship。 Donal never
longed for his hours with Davie to pass； and Davie was never so
happy as when with Donal。 The one was gently leading the other into
the paths of liberty。 Nothing but the teaching of him who made the
human soul can make that soul free； but it is in great measure
through those who have already learned that he teaches； and Davie
was an apt pupil； promising to need less of the discipline of
failure and pain that he was strong to believe； and ready to obey。
But Donal was not all the day with Davie； and latterly had begun to
feel a little anxious about the time the boy spent away from
himpartly with his brother； partly with the people about the
stable； and partly with his father； who evidently found the presence
of his younger son less irksome to him than that of any other
person； and saw more of him than of Forgue： the amount of loneliness
the earl could endure was amazing。 But after what he had seen and
heard； Donal was most anxious concerning his time with his father；
only he felt it a delicate thing to ask him about it。 At length；
however； Davie himself opened up the matter。
〃Mr。 Grant；〃 he said one day； 〃I wish you could hear the grand
fairy…stories my papa tells！〃
〃I wish I might！〃 answered Donal。
〃I will ask him to let you come and hear。 I have told him you can
make fairy…tales too； only he has quite another way of doing
it；and I must confess；〃 added Davie a little pompously； 〃I do not
follow him so easily as you。Besides；〃 he added； 〃I never can find
anything in what you call the cupboard behind the curtain of the
story。 I wonder sometimes if his stories have any cupboard！I will
ask him to…day to let you come。〃
〃I think that would hardly do；〃 said Donal。 〃Your father likes to
tell his boy fairy…tales； but he might not care to tell them to a
man。 You must remember； too； that though I have been in the house
what you think a long time； your father has seen very little of me；
and might feel me in the way： invalids do not generally enjoy the
company of strangers。 You had better not ask him。〃
〃But I have often told him how good you are； Mr。 Grant； and how you
can't bear anything that is not right； and I am sure he must like
youI don't mean so well as I do； because you haven't to teach him
anything； and nobody can love anybody so well as the one he teaches
to be good。〃
〃Still I think you had better leave it alone lest he should not like
your asking him。 I should be sorry to have you disappointed。〃
〃I do not mind that so much as I used。 If you do not tell me I am
not to do it； I think I will venture。〃
Donal said no more。 He did not feel at liberty； from his own feeling
merely； to check the boy。 The thing was not wrong； and something
might be intended to come out of it！ He shrank from the least ruling
of events； believing man's only call to action is duty。 So he left
Davie to do as he pleased。
〃Does your father often tell you a fairy…tale？〃 he asked。
〃Not every day； sir。〃
〃What time does he tell them？〃
〃Generally when I go to him after tea。〃
〃Do you go any time you like？〃
〃Yes； but he does not always let me stay。 Sometimes he talks about
mamma； I think； but only coming into the fairy…tale。He has told me
one in the middle of the day！ I think he would if I woke him up in
the night！ But that would not do； for he has terrible headaches。
Perhaps that is what sometimes makes his stories so terrible I have
to beg him to stop！〃
〃And does he stop？〃
〃WellnoI don't think he ever does。When a story is once begun；
I suppose it ought to be finished！〃
So the matter rested for the time。 But about a week after； Donal
received one morning through the butler an invitation to dine with
the earl； and concluded it was due to Davie； whom he therefore
expected to find with his father。 He put on his best clothes； and
followed Simmons up the grand staircase。 The great rooms of the
castle were on the first floor； but he passed the entrance to them；
following his guide up and up to the second floor； where the earl
had his own apartment。 Here he was shown into a small room； richly
furnished after a sombrely ornate fashion； the drapery and coverings
much faded； worn even to shabbiness。 It had been for a century or so
the private sitting…room of the lady of the castle； but was now used
by the earl； perhaps in memory of his wife。 Here he received his
sons； and now Donal； but never any whom business or politeness
compelled him to see。
There was no one in the room when Donal entered； but after about ten
minutes a door opened at the further end； and lord Morven appearing
from his bedroom； shook hands with him with some faint show of
kindness。 Almost the same moment the butler entered from a third
door； and said dinner waited。 The earl walked on； and Donal
followed。 This room also was a small one。 The meal was laid on a
little round table。 There were but two covers； and Simmons alone was
in waiting。
While they ate and drank； which his lordship did sparingly； not a
word was spoken。 Donal would have found it embarrassing had he not
been prepared for the peculiar。 His lordship took no notice of his
guest； leaving him to the care of the butler。 He looked very white
and wornDonal thought a good deal worse than when he saw him
first。 His cheeks were more sunken； his hair more gray； and his eyes
more wearywith a consuming fire in them that had no longer much
fuel and was burning remnants。 He stooped over his plate as if to
hide the operation of eating； and drank his wine with a trembling
hand。 Every movement indicated indifference to both his food and his
drink。
At length the more solid part of the meal was removed； and they were
left alone； fruit upon the table； and two wine…decanters。 From one
of them the earl helped himself； then passed it to Donal； saying；
〃You are very good to my little Davie； Mr。 Grant！ He is full of your
kindness to him。 There is nobody like you！〃
〃A little goes a long way with Davie； my lord；〃 answered Donal。
〃Then much must go a longer way！〃 said the earl。
There was nothing remarkable in the words； yet he spoke them with
the difficulty a man accustomed to speak； and to weigh his words；
might find in clothing a new thought to his satisfaction。 The effort
seemed to have tried him； and he took a sip of wine。 This； however；
he did after every briefest sentence he uttered： a sip only he took；
nothing like a mouthful。
Donal told him that Davie； of all the boys he had known； was far the
quickest； and that just because he was morally the most teachable。
〃You greatly gratify me； Mr。 Grant；〃 said the earl。 〃I have long
wished such a man as you for Davie。 If only I had known you when
Forgue was preparing for college！〃
〃I must have been at that time only at college myself； my lord！〃
〃True！ true！〃
〃But for Davie； it is a privilege to teach him！〃
〃If only it might last a while！〃 returned the earl。 〃But of course
you have the church in your eye！〃
〃My lord； I have not。〃
〃What！〃 cried his lordship almost eagerly； 〃you intend giving your
life to teaching？〃
〃My lord；〃 returned Donal； 〃I never trouble myself about my life。
Why should we burden the mule of the present with the camel…load of
the future。 I take what comeswhat is sent me； that is。〃
〃You are right； Mr。 Grant！ If I were in your position； I should
think just as you do。 But； alas； I have never had any choice！〃
〃Perhaps your lordship has not chosen to choose！〃 Donal was on the
point of saying； but bethought himself in time not to hazard the
remark。
〃If I were a rich man； Mr。 Grant；〃 the earl continued； 〃I would
secure your services for a time indefinite； but； as every one knows；
not an acre of the property belongs to me； or goes with the title。
Davie； dear boy； will have nothing but a thousand or two。 The
marriage I have in view for lord Forgue will arrange a future for
him。〃
〃I hope there will be some love in the marriage！〃 said Donal
uneasily； wit