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down the stair。 About the middle of it； she stopped at a door； and
turning said； with a smile like that of a child； and the first
untroubled look Donal had yet seen upon her face
〃How delightful it is to be taken out of fear！ I am not the least
afraid now！〃
〃I am very glad；〃 said Donal。 〃I should like to kill fear； it is the
shadow that follows at the heels of wrong。Do you think the music
has anything to do with your uncle's condition？〃
〃I do not know。〃
She turned again hastily； and passing through the door； entered a
part of the house with which Donal had no acquaintance。 With many
bewildering turns； she led him to the great staircase； down which
she continued her course。 The house was very still： it must surely
be later than he had thoughtonly there were so few servants in it
for its extent！ His guide went very fast； with a step light as a
bird's： at one moment he had all but lost sight of her in the great
curve。 At the room in which Donal first saw the earl； she stopped。
The door was open； but there was no light within。 She led him across
to the door of the little chamber behind。 A murmur； but no light；
came from it。 In a moment it was gone； and the deepest silence
filled the world。 Arctura entered。 One step within the door she
stood still； and held high her taper。 Donal looked in sideways。
A small box was on the floor against the foot of the farthest wall；
and on the box； in a long dressing gown of rich faded stuff； the
silk and gold in which shone feebly in the dim light； stood the tall
meagre form of the earl； with his back to the door； his face to the
wall； close to it； and his arms and hands stretched out against it；
like one upon a cross。 He stood without moving a muscle or uttering
a sound。 What could it mean？ Donal gazed in a blank dismay。
Not a minute had passed； though it was to him a long and painful
time； when the murmuring came again。 He listened as to a voice from
another worlda thing terrible to those whose fear dwells in
another world。 But to Donal it was terrible as a voice from no other
world could have been； it came from an unseen world of sin and
sufferinga world almost a negation of the eternal； a world of
darkness and the shadow of death。 But surely there was hope for that
world yet！for whose were the words in which its indwelling despair
grew audible？
〃And we indeed justly； for we receive the due reward of our deeds；
but this man hath done nothing amiss！〃
Again the silence fell； but the form did not move； and still they
stood regarding him。
》From far away came the sound of the ghost…music。 The head against
the wall began to move as if waking from sleep。 The hands sank along
the wall and fell by the sides。 The earl gave a deep sigh； but still
stood leaning his forehead against the wall。
Arctura turned； and they left the room。
She went down the stair； and on to the library。 Its dark oak cases
and old bindings reflected hardly a ray of the poor taper she
carried； but the fire was not yet quite out。 She set down the light；
and looked at Donal in silence。
〃What does it all mean？〃 he asked in a hoarse whisper。
〃God knows！〃 she returned solemnly。
〃Are we safe？〃 he asked。 〃May he not come here？〃
〃I do not think he will。 I have seen him in many parts of the house；
but never here。〃
Even as she spoke the door swung noiselessly open； and the earl
entered。 His face was ghastly pale； his eyes were wide open； he came
straight towards them。 But he did not see them； or if he did； he saw
them but as phantoms of the dream in which he was walkingphantoms
which had not yet become active in the dream。 He drew a chair to the
embers； in his fancy doubtless a great fire； sat for a moment or two
gazing into them； rose； went the whole length of the room； took down
a book； returned with it to the fire； drew towards him Arctura's
tiny taper； opened the book； and began to read in an audible murmur。
Donal； trying afterwards to recall and set down what he had heard；
wrote nothing better than this：
In the heart of the earth…cave
Lay the king。
Through chancel and choir and nave
The bells ring。
Said the worm at his side；
Sweet fool；
Turn to thy bride；
Is the night so cool？
Wouldst thou lie like a stone till the aching morn
Out of the dark be born？
Heavily pressed the night enorm；
But he heard the voice of the worm；
Like the sound of a muttered thunder low；
In the realms where no feet go。
And he said； I will rise；
I will will myself glad；
I will open my eyes；
And no more sleep sad。
For who is a god
But the man who can spring
Up from the sod；
And be his own king？
I will model my gladness；
Dig my despair
And let goodness or badness
Be folly's own care！
I will he content；
And the world shall spin round
Till its force be outspent。
It shall drop
Like a top
Spun by a boy；
While I sit in my tent；
In a featureless joy
Sit without sound；
And toss up my world；
Till it burst and be drowned
In the blackness upcurled
》From the deep hell…ground。
The dreams of a god
Are the worlds of his slaves：
I will be my own god；
And rule my own knaves！
He went on in this way for some minutes； then the rimes grew less
perfect； and the utterance sank into measured prose。 The tone of the
speaker showed that he took the stuff for glowing verse； and
regarded it as embodying his own present consciousness。 One might
have thought the worm would have a word to say in rejoinder； but no；
the worm had vanished； and the buried dreamer had made himself a
godhis own god！ Donal stole up softly behind him； and peeped at
the open book： it was the Novum Organum！
They glided out of the room； and left the dreamer to his dreams。
〃Do you think；〃 said Donal； 〃I ought to tell Simmons？〃
〃It would be better。 Do you know where to find him？〃
〃I do not。〃
〃I will show you a bell that rings in his room。 He will think his
lordship has rung it。〃
They went and rang the bell。 In a minute or two they heard the steps
of the faithful servant seeking his master； and bade each other
good…night。
CHAPTER XL。
A RELIGION…LESSON。
In the morning Donal learned from Simmons that his master was very
illcould not raise his head。
〃The way he do moan and cry！〃 said Simmons。 〃You would think sure he
was either out of his mind； or had something heavy upon it！ All the
years I known him； he been like that every now an' then； and back to
his old self again； little the worse！ Only the fits do come
oftener。〃
Towards the close of school； as Donal was beginning to give his
lesson in religion； lady Arctura entered； and sat down beside Davie。
〃What would you think of me； Davie；〃 Donal was saying； 〃if I were
angry with you because you did not know something I had never taught
you？〃
Davie only laughed。 It was to him a grotesque； an impossible
supposition。
〃If；〃 Donal resumed； 〃I were to show you a proposition of Euclid
which you had never seen before； and say to you； 'Now； Davie； this
is one of the most beautiful of all Euclid's propositions； and you
must immediately admire it； and admire Euclid for constructing
it！'what would you say？〃
Davie thought； and looked puzzled。
〃But you wouldn't do it； sir！〃 he said。 〃I know you wouldn't do
it！〃 he added； after a moment。
〃Why should I not？〃
〃It isn't your way； sir。〃
〃But suppose I were to take that way？〃
〃You would not then be like yourself； sir！〃
〃Tell me how I should be unlike myself。 Think。〃
〃You would not be reasonable。〃
〃What would you say to me？〃
〃I should say； 'Please； sir； let me learn the proposition first； and
then I shall be able to admire it。 I don't know it yet！'〃
〃Very good！Now again； suppose； when you tried to learn it； you
were not able to do so； and therefore could see no beauty in
itshould I blame you？〃
〃No； sir； I am sure you would notbecause I should not be to blame；
and it would not be fair； and you never do what is not fair！〃
〃I am glad you think so： I try to be fair。That looks as if you
believed in me； Davie！〃
〃Of course I do； sir！〃
〃Why？〃
〃Just because you are fair。〃
〃Suppose； Davie； I said to you； 'Here is a very beautiful thing I
should like you to learn；' and you； after you had partly learned it；
were to say 'I don't see anything beautiful in this： I am afraid I
never shall！'would that be to believe in me？〃
〃No； surely； sir！ for you know best what I am able for。〃
〃Suppose you said； 'I daresay it is all as good as you say； but I
don't care to take so much trouble about it；'what would that be？〃
〃Not to believe in you； sir。 You would not want me to learn a thing
that was not worth my trouble； or a thing I should not be glad of
knowing when I did know it。〃
〃Suppose you said； 'Sir； I don't doubt what you say； but I am so
tired； I don't mean to do anything more you tell me；'would you
then be believing in me？〃
〃No。 That might be to believe your word； but it would not be to
trust you。 It would be to think my thinks better than your thinks；
and that would be no faith at all。〃
Davie had at times an oddly childish way of putting things。
〃Suppose you were to say nothing； but go away and do nothing of what
I told youwhat would that be？〃
〃Worse and worse； it would