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CHAPTER L。
A SOUTH…EASTERLY WIND。
One morning； Donal in the schoolroom with Davie； a knock came to the
door； and lady Arctura entered。
〃The wind is blowing from the south…east；〃 she said。
〃Listen then； my lady； whether you can hear anything；〃 said Donal。
〃I fancy it is a very precise wind that is wanted。〃
〃I will listen；〃 she answered； and went。
The day passed； and he heard nothing more。 He was at work in his
room in the warm evening twilight； when Davie came running to his
door； and said Arkie was coming up after him。 He rose and stood at
the top of the stair to receive her。 She had heard the music； she
saidvery soft： would he go on the roof？
〃Where were you； my lady；〃 asked Donal； 〃when you heard it？ I have
heard nothing up here！〃
〃In my own little parlour；〃 she replied。 〃It was very faint； but I
could not mistake it。〃
They went upon the roof。 The wind was soft and low； an excellent
thing in winds。 They knew the paths of the roof better now； and had
plenty of light； although the moon； rising large and round； gave
them little of hers yet； and were soon at the foot of the great
chimney…stack； which grew like a tree out of the house。 There they
sat down to wait and hearken。
〃I am almost sorry to have made this discovery！〃 said Donal。
〃Why？〃 asked lady Arctura。 〃Should not the truth be found； whatever
it may be？ You at least think so！〃
〃Most certainly；〃 answered Donal。 〃And if this be the truth； as I
fully expect it will prove； then it is well it should be found to
be。 But I should have liked better it had been something we could
not explain。〃
〃I doubt if I understand you。〃
〃Things that cannot be explained so widen the horizon around us！
open to us fresh regions for question and answer； for possibility
and delight！ They are so many kernels of knowledge closed in the
hard nuts of seeming contradiction。You know； my lady； there are
stories of certain houses being haunted by a mysterious music
presaging evil to the family？〃
〃I have heard of such music。 But what can be the use of it？〃
〃I do not know。 I see not the smallest use in it。 If it were of use
it would surely be more common！ If it were of use； why should those
who have it be of the class less favoured； so to speak； of the Lord
of the universe； and the families of his poor never have it？〃
〃Perhaps for the same reason that they have their other good things
in this life！〃 said Arctura。
〃I am answered；〃 confessed Donal； 〃and have no more to say。 These
tales； if they require of us a belief in any special care over such
houses； as if they were more precious in the eyes of God than the
poorest cottage in the land； I cast them from me。〃
〃But；〃 said Arctura； in a deprecating tone； 〃are not those houses
which have more influence more important than the others？〃
〃Surelythose which have more good influence。 But such are rarely
the great houses of a country。 Our Lord was not an Asmonaean prince；
but the son of a humble maiden； his reputed father a working man。〃
〃I do not seeI should like to understand how that has to do with
it。〃
〃You may be sure the Lord took the position in life in which it was
most possible to do the highest good； and without driving the
argumentfor every work has its own specialtyit seems probable
that the true ends of his coming will still be better furthered from
the standpoint of humble circumstances； than from that of rank and
position。〃
〃You always speak；〃 said Arctura； 〃as if there were only the things
Jesus Christ came for to be cared about：is there nothing but
salvation worthy a human being's regard？〃
〃If you give a true and large enough meaning to the word salvation；
I answer you at once； Nothing。 Only in proportion as a man is saved；
will he do the work of the world arightthe whole design of which
is to rear a beautiful blessed family。 The world is God's nursery
for his upper rooms。 Oneness with God is the end of the order of
things。 When that is attained； we shall do greater things than the
Lord himself did on the earth！But was not that 苚lus？Listen！〃
There came a low prolonged wail。
The ladder was in readiness； Donal set it up in haste； climbed to
the cleft； and with a sheet of brown paper in his hands； waited the
next cry of the prisoned chords。 He was beginning to get tired of
his position； when suddenly came a stronger puff； and he heard the
music distinctly in the shaft beside him。 It swelled and grew。 He
spread the sheet of paper over the opening； the wind blew it flat
against the chimney； and the sound instantly ceased。 He removed it；
and again came the sound。 The wind continued； and grew stronger； so
that they were able to make the simple experiment until no shadow of
a doubt was left： they had discovered the source of the music！ By
certain dispositions of the paper they were even able to modify it。
Donal descended； and said to Davie；
〃I wish you not to say a word about this to any one； Davie； before
lady Arctura or I give you leave。 You have a secret with us now。 The
castle belongs to lady Arctura； and she has a right to ask you not
to speak of it to any one without her permission。I have a reason；
my lady；〃 he went on； turning to Arctura： 〃will you； please； desire
Davie to attend to what I say。 I will immediately explain to you；
but I do not want Davie to know my reason until you do。 You can on
the instant withdraw your prohibition； should you not think my
reason a good one。〃
〃Davie；〃 said Arctura； 〃I too have faith in Mr。 Grant： I beg you
will keep all this a secret for the present。〃
〃Oh surely； cousin Arkie！〃 said Davie。 〃But； Mr。 Grant； why should
you make Arkie speak to me too？〃
〃Because the thing is her business； not mine。 Run down and wait for
me in my room。 Go steadily over the bartizan； mind。〃
Donal turned again to Arctura。
〃You know they say there is a hidden room in the castle； my lady？〃
〃Do you believe it？〃 she returned。
〃I think there may be such a place。〃
〃Surely if there had been； it would have been found long ago。〃
〃They might have said that on the first report of the discovery of
America！〃
〃That was far off； and across a great ocean！〃
〃And here are thick walls； and hearts careless an timid！Has any
one ever set in earnest about finding it？〃
〃Not that I know of。〃
〃Then your objection falls to the ground。 If you could have told me
that one had tried to find the place； but without success； I would
have admitted some force in it； though it would not have satisfied
me without knowing the plans he had taken； and how they were carried
out。 On the other hand it may have been known to many who held their
peace about it。Would you not like to know the truth concerning
that too？〃
〃I should indeed。 But would not you be sorry to lose another
mystery？〃
〃On the contrary； there is only the rumour of a mystery now； and we
do not quite believe it。 We are not at liberty； in the name of good
sense； to believe it yet。 But if we find the room； or the space even
where it may be； we shall probably find also a mysterysomething
never in this world to be accounted for； but suggesting a hundred
unsatisfactory explanations。 But； pardon me； I do not in the least
presume to press it。〃
Lady Arctura smiled。
〃You may do what you please；〃 she said。 〃If I seemed for a moment to
hesitate； it was only that I wondered what my uncle would say to it。
I should not like to vex him。〃
〃Certainly not； but would he not be pleased？〃
〃I will speak to him； and find out。 He hates what he calls
superstition； and I fancy has curiosity enough not to object to a
search。 I do not think he would consent to pulling down； but short
of that； I don't think he will mind。 I should not wonder if he even
joined in the search。〃
Donal thought with himself it was strange then he had never
undertaken one。 Something told him the earl would not like the
proposal。
〃But tell me； Mr。 Granthow would you set about it？〃 said Arctura；
as they went towards the tower。
〃If the question were merely whether or not there was such a room；
and not the finding of it；〃
〃Excuse mebut how could you tell whether there was or was not such
a room except by searching for it？〃
〃By determining whether there was or was not some space in the
castle unaccounted for。〃
〃I do not see。〃
〃Would you mind coming to my room？ It will be a lesson for Davie
too！〃
She assented； and Donal gave them a lesson in cubic measure and
content。 He showed them how to reckon the space that must lie within
given boundaries： if then within those boundaries they could not
find so much； part of it must he hidden。 If they measured the walls
of the castle； allowing of course for their thickness and every
irregularity； and from that calculated the space they must hold；
then measured all the rooms and open places within the walls；
allowing for all partitions； and having again calculated； found the
space fall short of what they had from the outside measurements to
expect； they must conclude either that they had measured or
calculated wrong； or that there was space in the castle to which
they had no access。
〃But；〃 continued Donal； when they had in a degree mastered the idea；
〃if the thing was； to d