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！
they had no access。
〃But；〃 continued Donal； when they had in a degree mastered the idea；
〃if the thing was； to discover the room itself； I should set about
it in a different way； I should not care about the measuring。 I
would begin and go all over the castle； first getting the outside
shape right in my head； and then fitting everything inside it into
that shape of it in my brain。 If I came to a part I could not so fit
at once； I would examine that according to the rules I have given
you； take exact measurements of the angles and sides of the
different rooms and passages； and find whether these enclosed more
space than I could at once discover inside them。But I need not
follow the process farther： pulling down might be the next thing；
and we must not talk of that！〃
〃But the thing is worth doing； is it not； even if we do not go so
far as to pull down？〃
〃I think so。〃
〃And I think my uncle will not object。Say nothing about it though；
Davie； till we give you leave。〃
That we was pleasant in Donal's ears。
Lady Arctura rose； and they all went down together。 When they
reached the hall； Davie ran to get his kite。
〃But you have not told me why you would not have him speak of the
music；〃 said Arctura； stopping at the foot of the great stair。
〃Partly because； if we were to go on to make search for the room； it
ought to be kept as quiet as possible； and the talk about the one
would draw notice to the other； and partly because I have a hope
that the one may even guide us to the other。〃
〃You will tell me about that afterwards；〃 said Arctura； and went up
the stair。
That night the earl had another of his wandering fits； also all
night the wind blew from the south…east。
In the morning Arctura went to him with her proposal。 The instant he
understood what she wished； his countenance grew black as thunder。
〃What！〃 he cried； 〃you would go pulling the grand old bulk to pieces
for the sake of a foolish tale about the devil and a set of
cardplayers！ By my soul； I'll be damned if you do！Not while I'm
above ground at least！ That's what comes of putting such a place in
the power of a woman！ It's sacrilege！ By heaven； I'll throw my
brother's will into chancery rather！〃
His rage was such as to compel her to think there must be more in it
than appeared。 The wilderness of the temper she had roused made her
tremble； but it also woke the spirit of her race； and she repented
of the courtesy she had shown him： she had the right to make what
investigations she pleased！ Her father would not have left her the
property without good reasons for doing so； and of those reasons
some might well have lain in the character of the man before her！
Through all this rage the earl read something of what had sent the
blood of the Graemes to her cheek and brow。
〃I beg your pardon； my love；〃 he said； 〃but if he was your father；
he was my brother！〃
〃He is my father！〃 said Arctura coldly。
〃Dead and gone and all but forgotten！〃
〃No； my lord； not for one day forgotten！ not for one moment
unloved！〃
〃Ah； well； as you please！ but because you love his memory must I
regard him as a Solon？ 'T is surely no great treason to reflect upon
the wisdom of a dead man！〃
〃I wish you good day； my lord！〃 said Arctura； very angry； and left
him。
But when presently she found that she could not lift up her heart to
her father in heaven； gladly would she have sent her anger from her。
Was it not plainly other than good； when it came thus between her
and the living God！ All day at intervals she had to struggle and
pray against it； a great part of the night she lay awake because of
it； but at length she pitied her uncle too much to be very angry
with him any more； and so fell asleep。
In the morning she found that all sense of his having authority over
her had vanished； and with it her anger。 She saw also that it was
quite time she took upon herself the duties of a landowner。 What
could Mr。 Grant think of herdoing nothing for her people！ But she
could do little while her uncle received the rents and gave orders
to Mr。 Graeme！ She would take the thing into her own hands！ In the
meantime； Mr。 Grant should； if he pleased； go on quietly with his
examination of the house。
But she could not get her interview with her uncle out of her head；
and was haunted with vague suspicions of some dreadful secret about
the house belonging to the present as well as the past。 Her uncle
seemed to have receded to a distance incalculable； and to have grown
awful as he receded。 She was of a nature almost too delicately
impressionable； she not only felt things keenly； but retained the
sting of them after the things were nearly forgotten。 But then the
swift and rare response of her faculties arose in no small measure
from this impressionableness。 At the same time； but for instincts
and impulses derived from her race； her sensitiveness might have
degenerated into weakness。
CHAPTER LI。
A DREAM。
One evening； as Donal was walking in the little avenue below the
terraces； Davie； who was now advanced to doing a little work without
his master's immediate supervision； came running to him to say that
Arkie was in the schoolroom and wanted to see him。
He hastened to her。
〃A word with you； please； Mr。 Grant；〃 she said。
Donal sent the boy away。
〃I have debated with myself all day whether I should tell you；〃 she
beganand her voice trembled not a little； 〃but I think I shall not
be so much afraid to go to bed if I do tell you what I dreamt last
night。〃
Her face was very pale； and there was a quiver about her mouth： she
seemed ready to burst into tears。
〃Do tell me；〃 said Donal sympathetically。
〃Do you think it very silly to mind one's dreams？〃 she asked。
〃Silly or not；〃 answered Donal； 〃as regards the general run of
dreams； it is plain you have had one that must be minded。 What we
must mind； it cannot be silly to mind。〃
〃I am in no mood； I fear； for philosophy；〃 she rejoined； trying to
smile。 〃It has taken such a hold of me that I cannot get rid of it；
and there is no one I could tell it to but you； any one else would
laugh at me； but you never laugh at anybody！
〃I went to bed as well as usual； only a little troubled about my
uncle's strangeness； and soon fell asleep； to find myself presently
in a most miserable place。 It was like a brick…fieldbut a deserted
brick…field。 Heaps of broken and half…burnt bricks were all about。
For miles and miles they stretched around me。 I walked fast to get
out of it。 Nobody was near or in sight； there was not a sign of
human habitation from horizon to horizon。
〃All at once I saw before me a dreary church。 It was old；
tumble…down； and dirtynot in the least venerablevery uglya
huge building without shape； like most of our churches。 I shrank
from the look of it： it was more horrible to me than I could account
for； I feared it。 But I must go inwhy； I did not know； but I must：
the dream itself compelled me。
〃I went in。 It looked as if nobody had crossed its threshold for a
hundred years。 The pews were mouldering away； the canopy over the
pulpit had half fallen； and rested its edge on the book…board； the
great galleries had in parts tumbled into the body of the church； in
other parts they hung sloping from the walls。 The centre of the
floor had fallen in； and there was a great； descending slope of
earth； soft…looking； mixed with bits of broken and decayed wood；
from the pews above and the coffins below。 I stood gazing down in
horror unutterable。 How far the gulf went I could not see。 I was
fascinated by its slow depth； and the thought of its possible
contentswhen suddenly I knew rather than perceived that something
was moving in its darkness： it was something deadsomething
yellow…white。 It came nearer； it was slowly climbing； like one dead
and stiff it was labouring up the slope。 I could neither cry out nor
move。 It was about three yards below me； when it raised its head： it
was my uncle； dead； and dressed for the grave。 He beckoned meand I
knew I must go； I had to go； nor once thought of resisting。 My heart
became like lead； but immediately I began the descent。 My feet sank
in the mould of the ancient dead； soft as if thousands of graveyard
moles were for ever burrowing in it； as down and down I went；
settling and sliding with the black plane。 Then I began to see the
sides and ends of coffins in the walls of the gulf； and the walls
came closer and closer as I descended； until they scarcely left me
room to get through。 I comforted myself with the thought that those
in these coffins had long been dead； and must by this time be at
rest； nor was there any danger of seeing mouldy hands come out to
seize me。 At last I saw that my uncle had stopped； and I stood
still； a few yards above him； more composed than I can understand。〃
〃The wonder is we are so believing； yet not more terrified； in our
dreams；〃 said Donal。
〃He began to heave and pull at a coffin that seemed to stop the way。
Just as he got it dragged on one side； I saw on the bright silver
handle of it the Morven crest。 The same instant the lid rose； and my
father came out of the coffin； looking alive and bright； my uncle
stood beside him like a cor