按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Tut！〃 he resumed； 〃that make you sleep till ten o'clock！If you
will kindly wait in the hall； or in the schoolroom； I will bring you
his lordship's orders。〃
So saying while he washed his hands and took off his white apron；
Simmons departed on his errand to his master。 Donal went to the foot
of the grand staircase； and there waited。
As he stood he heard a light step above him； and involuntarily
glancing up； saw the light shape of lady Arctura come round the
curve of the spiral stair； descending rather slowly and very softly；
as if her feet were thinking。 She checked herself for an
infinitesimal moment； then moved on again。 Donal stood with bended
head as she passed。 If she acknowledged his obeisance it was with
the slightest return； but she lifted her eyes to his face with a
look that seemed to have in it a strange wistful troublenot very
marked； yet notable。 She passed on and vanished； leaving that look a
lingering presence in Donal's thought。 What was it？ Was it anything？
What could it mean？ Had he really seen it？ Was it there； or had he
only imagined it？
Simmons kept him waiting a good while。 He had found his lordship
getting up； and had had to stay to help him dress。 At length he
came； excusing himself that his lordship's temper at such
timesthat was； in his dumpy fitswas not of the evenest； and
required a gentle hand。 But his lordship would see himand could
Mr。 Grant find the way himself； for his old bones ached with running
up and down those endless stone steps？ Donal answered he knew the
way； and sprang up the stair。
But his mind was more occupied with the coming interview than with
the way to it； which caused him to take a wrong turn after leaving
the stair： he had a good gift in space…relations； but instinct was
here not so keen as on a hill…side。 The consequence was that he
found himself in the picture…gallery。
A strange feeling of pain； as at the presence of a condition he did
not wish to encourage； awoke in him at the discovery。 He walked
along； however； thus taking； he thought； the readiest way to his
lordship's apartment： either he would find him in his bedroom； or
could go through that to his sitting…room！ He glanced at the
pictures he passed； and seemed； strange to say； though； so far as he
knew； he had never been in the place except in the dark； to
recognize some of them as belonging to the stuff of the dream in
which he had been wandering through the nightonly that was a
glowing and gorgeous dream； whereas the pictures were even
commonplace！ Here was something to be meditated uponbut for the
present postponed！ His lordship was expecting him！
Arrived； as he thought； at the door of the earl's bedroom； he
knocked； and receiving no answer； opened it； and found himself in a
narrow passage。 Nearly opposite was another door； partly open； and
hearing a movement within； he ventured to knock there。 A voice he
knew at once to be lady Arctura's； invited him to enter。 It was an
old； lovely； gloomy little room； in which sat the lady writing。 It
had but one low lattice…window； to the west； but a fire blazed
cheerfully in the old…fashioned grate。 She looked up； nor showed
more surprise than if he had been a servant she had rung for。
〃I beg your pardon； my lady；〃 he said： 〃my lord wished to see me；
but I have lost my way。〃
〃I will show it you；〃 she answered； and rising came to him。
She led him along the winding narrow passage； pointed out to him the
door of his lordship's sitting…room； and turned awayagain； Donal
could not help thinking； with a look as of some anxiety about him。
He knocked； and the voice of the earl bade him enter。
His lordship was in his dressing…gown； on a couch of faded satin of
a gold colour； against which his pale yellow face looked cadaverous。
〃Good morning； Mr。 Grant；〃 he said。 〃I am glad to see you better！〃
〃I thank you； my lord；〃 returned Donal。 〃I have to make an apology。
I cannot understand how it was； except； perhaps； that； being so
little accustomed to strong drink；〃
〃There is not the smallest occasion to say a word；〃 interrupted his
lordship。 〃You did not once forget yourself； or cease to behave like
a gentleman！〃
〃Your lordship is very kind。 Still I cannot help being sorry。 I
shall take good care in the future。〃
〃It might be as well；〃 conceded the earl； 〃to set yourself a
limitnecessarily in your case a narrow one。Some constitutions
are so immediately responsive！〃 he added in a murmur。 〃The least
exhibition of！But a man like you； Mr。 Grant；〃 he went on aloud；
〃will always know to take care of himself！〃
〃Sometimes； apparently； when it is too late！〃 rejoined Donal。 〃But I
must not annoy your lordship with any further expression of my
regret！〃
〃Will you dine with me to…night？〃 said the earl。 〃I am lonely now。
Sometimes； for months together； I feel no need of a companion： my
books and pictures content me。 All at once a longing for society
will seize me； and that longing my health will not permit me to
indulge。 I am not by nature unsociablemuch the contrary。 You may
wonder I do not admit my own family more freely； but my wretched
health makes me shrink from loud voices and abrupt motions。〃
〃But lady Arctura！〃 thought Donal。 〃Your lordship will find me a
poor substitute； I fear；〃 he said； 〃for the society you would like。
But I am at your lordship's service。〃
He could not help turning with a moment's longing and regret to his
tower…nest and the company of his books and thoughts； but he did not
feel that he had a choice。
CHAPTER XXXII。
THE SECOND DINNER WITH THE EARL。
He went as before； conducted by the butler； and formally announced。
To his surprise； with the earl was lady Arctura。 His lordship made
him give her his arm； and followed。
This was to Donal a very different dinner from that of the evening
before。 Whether the presence of his niece made the earl rouse
himself to be agreeable； or he had grown better since the morning
and his spirits had risen； certainly he was not like the same man。
He talked in a rather forced…playful way； but told two or three good
stories； described with vivacity some of the adventures of his
youth； spoke of several great men he had met； and in short was all
that could be desired in a host。 Donal took no wine during dinner；
the earl as before took very little； and lady Arctura none。 She
listened respectfully to her uncle's talk； and was attentive when
Donal spoke； he thought she looked even sympathetic two or three
times； and once he caught the expression as of anxiety he had seen
on her face that same day twice before。 It was strange； too； he
thought； that； not seeing her sometimes for a week together； he
should thus meet her three times in one day。 When the last of the
dinner was removed and the wine placed on the table； Donal thought
his lordship looked as if he expected his niece to go； but she kept
her place。 He asked her which wine she would have； but she declined
any。 He filled his glass； and pushed the decanter to Donal。 He too
filled his glass； and drank slowly。
The talk revived。 But Donal could not help fancying that the eyes of
the lady now and then sought his with a sort of question in
themalmost as if she feared something was going to happen to him。
He attributed this to her having heard that he took too much wine
the night before。 The situation was unpleasant。 He must； however；
brave it out！ When he refused a second glass； which the earl by no
means pressed； he thought he saw her look relieved； but more than
once thereafter he saw； or fancied he saw her glance at him with
that expression of slight anxiety。
In its course the talk fell upon sheep； and Donal was relating some
of his experiences with them and their dogs； greatly interested in
the subject； when all at once； just as before； something seemed to
burst in his head； and immediately； although he knew he was sitting
at table with the earl and lady Arctura； he was uncertain whether he
was not at the same time upon the side of a lonely hill； closed in a
magic night of high summer； his woolly and hairy friends lying all
about him； and a light glimmering faintly on the heather a little
way off； which he knew for the flame that marks for a moment the
footstep of an angel； when he touches ever so lightly the solid
earth。 He seemed to be reading the thoughts of his sheep around him；
yet all the time went on talking； and knew he was talking； with the
earl and the lady。
After a while； everything was changed。 He was no longer either with
his sheep or his company。 He was alone； and walking swiftly through
and beyond the park； in a fierce wind from the north…east； battling
with it； and ruling it like a fiery horse。 By and by came a hoarse；
terrible music； which he knew for the thunderous beat of the waves
on the low shore； yet imagined issuing from an indescribable
instrument； gigantic and grotesque。 He felt it firstthrough his
feet； as one feels without hearing the tones of an organ for which
the building is too small to allow scope to their vibration： the
waves made the ground beat against the soles of his feet as he
walked； but soon he heard it like the infinitely prolonged roaring
of a sky…built organ。 It was drawing