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CHAPTER LXXIII。
IN THE NIGHT。
When he reached the town； he rode into the yard of the Morven Arms；
and having found a sleepy ostler； gave up his mare： he would be
better without her at the castle！whither he was setting out to
walk when the landlord appeared。
〃We didna luik to see you； sir； at this time！〃 he said。
〃Why not？〃 returned Donal。
〃We thoucht ye was awa' for the simmer； seein' ye tuik the yoong
gentleman wi' ye； an' the yerl himsel' followt！〃
〃Where is he gone？〃 asked Donal。
〃Oh！ dinna ye ken； sir？ hae na ye h'ard？〃
〃Not a word。〃
〃That's verra strange； sir！There's a clean clearance at the
castel。 First gaed my lord Forgue； an' syne my lord himsel' an' my
lady； an' syne gaed the hoosekeeperher mither was deein'； they
said。 I'm thinkin' there maun be a weddin' to the fore。 There was
some word o' fittin' up the auld hoose i' the toon； 'cause lord
Forgue didna care aboot bein' at the castel ony langer。 It's strange
ye haena h'ard； sir！〃
Donal stood absorbed in awful hearing。 Surely some letter must have
miscarried！ The sure and firm…set earth seemed giving way under his
feet。
〃I will run up to the castle； and hear all about it；〃 he said。 〃Look
after my mare； will you？〃
〃But I'm tellin' ye； sir； ye'll fin' naebody there！〃 said the man。
〃They're a' gane frae the hoose ony gait。 There's no a sowl aboot
that but deif Betty Lobban； wha wadna hear the angel wi' the last
trump。 Mair by token； she's that feart for robbers she gangs til her
bed the minute it begins to grow dark； an' sticks her heid 'aneth
the bed…claesno 'at that maks her ony deifer！〃
〃Then you think there is no use in going up？〃
〃Not the smallest；〃 answered the inn…keeper。
〃Get me some supper then。 I will take a look at my mare。〃
He went and saw that she was attended tothen set off for the
castle as fast as his legs would carry him。 There was foul play
beyond a doubt！of what sort he could not tell！ If the man's report
was correct； he would go straight to the police！ Then first he
remembered； in addition to the other reported absences； that before
he left with Davie； the factor and his sister had gone together for
a holiday： had this been contrived？
He mounted the hill and drew near the castle。 A terrible gloom fell
upon him： there was not a light in the sullen pile！ It was darksome
even to terror！ He went to the main entrance； and rang the great
bell as loud as he could ring it； but there was no answer to the
summons； which echoed and yelled horribly； as if the house were
actually empty。 He rang again； and again came the horrible yelling
echo； but no more answer than if it had been a mausoleum。 He had
been told what to expect； yet his heart sank within him。 Once more
he rang and waited； but there was no sound of hearing。 The place
grew terrible to him。 But his mother had sent him there； and into it
he must go！ He must at least learn whether it was indeed abandoned！
There was false play！ he kept repeating to himself； but what was it？
where and how was it to be met？
As to getting into the house there was no difficulty。 He had but to
climb two walls to get to the door of Baliol's tower； and the key of
that he always carried。 If he had not had it； he would yet soon have
got in； he knew the place better than any one else about it。 Happily
he had left the door locked when he went away； else probably they
would have secured it otherwise。 He entered softly； and； with a
strange feeling of dread； went winding up the stair to his
roomslowly； because he did not yet know at all what he was to do。
If there were no false play； surely at least Mrs。 Brookes would have
written to tell him they were going！ If only he could learn where
she was！ Before he reached the top he found himself very weary。 He
staggered in； and fell on his bed in the dark。
But he could not rest。 The air seemed stifling。 The storm had
lulled； but the atmosphere was full of thunder。 He got up and opened
the window。 A little breath came in and revived him； then came a
little wind； and in the wind the moan of its harp。 It woke many
memories。 There again was the lightning！ The thunder broke with a
great bellowing roar among the roofs and chimneys。 It was to his
mind！ He went out on the roof； and mechanically took his way toward
the nest of the music。 At the base of the chimneys he sat down； and
stared into the darkness。 The lightning came； he saw the sea lie
watching like a perfect peace to take up drift souls； and the land
bordering it like a waste of dread； then the darkness swallowed
both； and the thunder came so loud that it not only deafened but
seemed to blind him beyond the darkness； that his brain turned to a
lump of clay。 Then came a silence； and the silence was like a deeper
deafness。 But from the deafness burst and trickled a faint doubtful
stream： could it be a voice； calling； calling； from a great
distance？ Was he the fool of weariness and excitement； or did he
actually hear his own name？ Whose voice could it be but lady
Arctura's； calling to him from the spirit world！ They had killed
her； and she was calling to let him know she was in the land of
liberty！ With that came another flash and another roar of
thunderand there was the voice again： 〃Mr。 Grant！ Mr。 Grant！ come；
come！ You promised！〃 Did he actually hear the words？ They sounded so
far away that it seemed as if he ought not to hear them。 But could
the voice be from the spirit…land？ Would she claim his promise
thence； tempting him thither？ She would not！ And she knew he would
not go before his hour； if all the spirits on the other side were
calling him。 But he had heard of voices from far away； while those
who called were yet in the body！ If she would but say whither； he
would follow her that moment！ Once more it came； but very faint； he
could not tell what it said。 A wail of the ghost…music followed
close。God in heaven！ could she be down in the chapel？ He sprang to
his feet。 With superhuman energy he leapt up and caught the edge of
the cleft； drew himself up till his mouth reached it； and cried
aloud； 〃Lady Arctura！〃
There came no answer。
〃I am stupid as death！〃 he said to himself： 〃I have let her call me
in vain！〃
〃I am coming！〃 he cried again； revived with sudden joy。 He dropped
on the roof； and sped down the stair to the door that opened on the
second floor。 All was dark as underground； but he knew the way so
well he needed but a little guidance from his hands。 He hurried to
lady Arctura's chamber； and the spot where the press stood； ready
with one shove to send it yards out of his way。 There was no press
there！nothing but a smooth； cold； damp wall！ His heart sank within
him。 Was he in a terrible dream？ No； no！ he had but made a
mistakehad trusted too much to his knowledge of the house； and was
not where he thought he was！ He struck a light。 Alas！ alas！ he was
where he had intended！ It was her room！ There was the wardrobe； but
nearer the door！ Where it had stood was no recess！nothing but a
great patch of fresh plaster！ It was no dream； but a true horror！
Instinctively clutching his skene dhu； he darted to the great stair。
It must have been the voice of Arctura he had heard！ She was walled
up in the chapel！
Down the stair； with swift noiseless foot he sped； and stopped at
the door of the half…way room。 It was locked！
There was but one way left！ To the foot of the stair he shot。 Good
heavens！ if that way also should have been known to the earl！ He
crept through the little door underneath the stair； feeling with his
hands ere his body was through： the arch was open！ In an instant he
was in the crypt。
But now to get up through the opening into the passage
abovestopped with a heavy slab！ He sprang at the steep slope of
the window…sill； but there was no hold； and as often as he sprang he
slipped down again。 He tried and tried until he was worn out and
almost in despair。 She might be dying！ he was close to her！ he could
not reach her！ He stood still for a moment to think。 To his mind
came the word； 〃He that believeth shall not make haste。〃 He thought
with himself； 〃God cannot help men with wisdom when their minds are
in too great a tumult to hear what he says！〃 He tried to lift up his
heart and make a silence in his soul。
As he stood he seemed to see； through the dark； the gloomy place as
it first appeared when he threw in the lighted letter。 All at once
he started from his quiescence； dropped on his hands and knees； and
crawled until he found the flat stone like a gravestone。 Out came
his knife； and he dug away the earth at one end； until he could get
both hands under it。 Then he heaved it from the floor； and shifting
it along； got it under the opening in the wall。
CHAPTER LXXIV。
A MORAL FUNGUS。
Spiritual insanity； cupidity； cruelty； and possibly immediate
demoniacal temptation had long been working in and on a mind that
had now ceased almost to distinguish between the real and the
unreal。 Every man who bends the energies of an immortal spirit to
further the ends and objects of his lower being； fails so to
distinguish； but with the earl the blindness had wrought outward as
well as inwardly； so that he was even unable； during considerable
portion