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donal grant-第53章

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in us: there the Father is every moment watching his child。 If he
were not constantly pardoning and punishing our sins; what would
become of us! We must learn to trust him about our faults as much as
about everything else!〃

In the earnestness of his talk he had stopped; but now turned and
went on。

〃There is my land…; or roof…mark rather!〃 he said; 〃that
chimney…stack! Close by it I heard the music very near me
indeedwhen all at once the darkness and the wind came together so
thick that I could do nothing more。 We shall do better now in the
daylightand three of us instead of one!〃

〃What a huge block of chimneys!〃 said Arctura。

〃Is it not!〃 returned Donal。 〃It indicates the hugeness of the
building below us; of which we can see so little。 Like the volcanoes
of the world; it tells us how much fire is necessary to keep our
dwelling warm。〃

〃I thought it was the sun that kept the earth warm;〃 said Davie。

〃So it is; but not the sun alone。 The earth is like a man: the great
glowing fire is God in the heart of the earth; and the great sun is
God in the sky; keeping it warm on the other side。 Our gladness and
pleasure; our trouble when we do wrong; our love for all about us;
that is God inside us; and the beautiful things and lovable people;
and all the lessons of life in history and poetry; in the Bible; and
in whatever comes to us; is God outside of us。 Every life is between
two great fires of the love of God。 So long as we do not give
ourselves up heartily to him; we fear his fire will burn us。 And
burn us it does when we go against its flames and not with them;
refusing to burn with the fire with which God is always burning。
When we try to put it out; or oppose it; or get away from it; then
indeed it burns!〃

〃I think I know;〃 said Davie。

Arctura held her peace。

〃But now;〃 said Donal; 〃I must go round and have a peep at the other
side of the chimney…stack。〃

He disappeared; and Arctura and Davie stood waiting his return。 They
looked each in the other's face with the delight of consciously
sharing a great adventure。 Beyond their feet lay the wide country
and the great sea; over them the sky with the sun in it going down
towards the mountains; under their feet the mighty old pile that was
their home; and under that the earth with its molten heart of fire。

But Davie's look soon changed to one of triumph in his tutor。 〃Is is
not grand;〃 it said; 〃to be all day with a man like thattalking to
you and teaching you?〃 That at least was how Arctura interpreted it;
reading in it almost an assertion of superiority; in as much as this
man was his tutor and not hers。 She replied to the look in words:

〃I am his pupil; too; Davie;〃 she said; 〃though Mr。 Grant does not
know it。〃

〃How can that be;〃 answered Davie; 〃when you are afraid of him? I am
not a bit afraid of him!〃

〃How do you know I am afraid of him?〃 she asked。

〃Oh; anybody could see that!〃

She was afraid she had spoken foolishly; and Davie might repeat her
words: she did not desire to hasten further intimacy with Donal;
things were going in that direction fast enough! Her eyes; avoiding
Davie's; kept reconnoitring the stack of chimneys。

〃Aren't you glad to have such a castle all for your ownto do what
you like with; Arkie? You know you could pull it all to pieces if
you liked!〃

〃Would it be less mine;〃 said Arctura; 〃if I was not at liberty to
pull it all to pieces? And would it be more mine when I had pulled
it to pieces; Davie?〃

Donal was coming round the side of the stack; and heard what she
said。 It pleased him; for it was not a little in his own style。

〃What makes a thing your own; do you think; Davie?〃 she went on。

〃To be able to do with it what you like;〃 replied Davie。

〃Whether that be good or bad?〃

〃Yes; I think so;〃 answered Davie; doubtfully。

〃Then I think you are quite wrong;〃 she rejoined。 〃The moment you
begin to use a thing wrong; that moment you make it less yours。 I
can't quite explain it; but that is how it looks to me。〃

She ceased; and after a moment Donal took up the question。

〃Lady Arctura is quite right; Davie;〃 he said。 〃The nature; that is
the good of a thing; is that only by which it can be possessed。 Any
other possession is like slave…owning; it is not a righteous having。
The right and the power to use it to its true purpose; and the using
it so; are the conditions that make a thing ours。 To have the right
and the power; and not use it so; would be to make the thing less
ours than anybody's。Suppose you had a very beautiful picture; but
from some defect in your sight you could never see that picture as
it really was; while a servant in your house not only saw it as it
was meant to be seen; but had such delight in gazing on it; that
even in his dreams it came to him; and made him think of things he
would not have thought of but for it:which of you; you or the
servant in your house; would have the more real possession of that
picture? You could sell it away from yourself; and never know
anything about it more; but you could not by all the power of a
tyrant take it from your servant。〃

〃Ah; now I understand!〃 said Davie; with a look at lady Arctura
which seemed to say; 〃You see how Mr。 Grant can make me understand!〃

〃I wonder;〃 said lady Arctura; 〃what that curious opening in the
side of the chimney…stack means! It can't be for smoke to come out
at!〃

〃No;〃 said Donal; 〃there is not a mark of smoke about it。 If it had
been meant for that; it would hardly have been put half…way from the
top! I can't make it out! A hole like that in any chimney must
surely interfere with the draught! I must get a ladder!〃

〃Let me climb on your shoulders; Mr。 Grant;〃 said Davie。

〃Come then; up you go!〃 said Donal。

And up went Davie; and peeped into the horizontal slit。

〃It looks very like a chimney;〃 he said; turning his head and
thrusting it in sideways。 〃It goes right down to somewhere;〃 he
added; bringing his head out again; 〃but there is something across
it a little way downto prevent the jackdaws from tumbling in; I
suppose。〃

〃What is it?〃 asked Donal。

〃Something like a grating;〃 answered Davie; 〃no; not a grating
exactly; it is what you might call a grating; but it seems made of
wires。 I don't think it would keep a strong bird out if he wanted to
get in。〃

〃Aha!〃 said Donal to himself; 〃what if those wires be tuned! Did you
ever see an aeolian harp; my lady?〃 he asked: 〃I never did。〃

〃Yes;〃 answered lady Arctura; 〃once; when I was a little girl。 And
now you suggest it; I think the sounds we hear are not unlike those
of an aeolian harp! The strings are all the same length; if I
remember。 But I do not understand the principle。 They seem all to
play together; and make the strangest; wildest harmonies; when the
wind blows across them in a particular way。〃

〃I fancy then we have found the nest of our music…bird!〃 said Donal。
〃The wires Davie speaks of may be the strings of an aeolian harp! I
wonder if there could be a draught across them! I must get up and
see! I must go and get a ladder!〃

〃But how could there be an aeolian harp up here?〃 said Arctura。

〃It will be time enough to answer that question;〃 replied Donal;
〃when it changes to; 'How did an aeolian harp get up here?'
Something is here that wants accounting for: it may be an aeolian
harp!〃

〃But in a chimney! The soot would spoil the strings!〃

〃Then perhaps it is not a chimney: is there any sign of soot about;
Davie?〃

〃No; sir; there is nothing but clean stone and lime。〃

〃You see; my lady! We do not even know that it is a chimney!〃

〃What else can it be; standing with the rest?〃

〃It may have been built for one; but if it had ever been used for
one; the marks of smoke would remain; had it been disused ever so
long。 But to…morrow I will bring up a ladder。〃

〃Could you not do it now?〃 said Arctura; almost coaxingly。 〃I should
so like to have the thing settled!〃

〃As you please; my lady! I will go at once。 There is one leaning
against the garden…wall; not far from the bottom of the tower。〃

〃If you do not mind the trouble!〃

〃I will come and help;〃 said Davie。

〃You mustn't leave lady Arctura。 I am not sure if I can get it up
the stair; I am afraid it is too long。 If I cannot; we will haul it
up as we did the coal。〃

He went; and the cousins sat down to wait his return。 It was a cold
evening; but Arctura was well wrapt up; and Davie was hardy。 They
sat at the foot of the chimney…stack; and began to talk。

〃It is such a long time since you told me anything; Arkie!〃 said the
boy。

〃You do not need me now to tell you anything: you have Mr。 Grant!
You like him much better than ever you did me!〃

〃You see;〃 said Davie; thoughtfully; and making no defence against
her half…reproach; 〃he began by making me afraid of himnot that he
meant to do it; I think! he only meant that I should do what he told
me: I was never afraid of you; Arkie!〃

〃I was much crosser to you than Mr。 Grant; I am sure!〃

〃Mr。 Grant is never cross to me; and if ever you were; I've
forgotten it; Arkie。 I only remember that I was not good to you。 I
am sorry for it now when I lie awake in bed; but I say to myself you
forgive me; and go 
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