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going home to a long line of living ancestors； to develop closest
relations with them。 She would yet talk； live face to face； with
those whose dust she was now lifting in her two hands to restore it
to its dust。 Then they carried the sheet to the altar； and thence
swept into it every little particle； back to its mother dust。 That
done； Donal knotted the sheet together； and they began to look
around them。
Desirous of discovering where the main entrance to the chapel had
been； Donal spied under the windows a second door； and opened it
with difficulty。 It disclosed a passage below the stair； three steps
lower than the floor of the chapel； parallel with the wall； and
turning； at right angles under the gallery。 Here he saw signs of an
obliterated door in the outer wall； but could examine no farther for
the present。
In the meantime his companions had made another sort of discovery：
near the foot of the bed was a little table； on which were two
drinking vessels； apparently of pewter； and a mouldering pack of
cards！ Card…playing and the hidden room did hold some relation with
each other！ The cards and the devil were real！
Donal took up the sheeta light burden； and Arctura led the way。
Arrived at her room； they went softly across to the door opening on
Donal's stairnot without fear of the earl； whom indeed they might
meet anywhereand by that descending； reached the open air； and
took their way down the terraces and through the park to the place
of burial。
It was a frosty night； with the waning sickle of a moon low in the
heaven； and many brilliant stars above it。 Followed by faint
ethereal shadows； they passed over the grass； through the ghostly
luminous duskof funereal processions one of the strangest that
ever sought a tomb。
The ruin was in a hollow； surrounded by trees。 Donal removed a
number of fallen stones and dug a grave。 They lowered into it the
knotted sheet； threw in the earth again； heaped the stones above；
and left the dust with its dust。 Then silent they went back；
straight along the green； moon…regarded rather than moon…lit grass：
if any one had seen them through the pale starry night； he would
surely have taken them for a procession of the dead themselves！
No dream of death sought Arctura that night； but in the morning she
woke suddenly from one of disembodied delight。
CHAPTER LX。
A LESSON ABOUT DEATH。
WHATEVER lady Arctura might decide concerning the restoration of the
chapel to the light of day； Donal thought it would not be amiss to
find； without troubling her； what he could of its relation to the
rest of the house： and it favoured his wish that Arctura was
prevailed upon by the housekeeper to remain in bed the next day。 Her
strong will； good courage； and trusting heart； had made severe
demands upon an organization as delicate as responsive。 It was now
Saturday： he resolved to go alone in the afternoon to exploreand
first of all would try the door beside the little gallery。
As soon as he was free； he got the tools he judged necessary； and
went down。
The door was of strong sound oak； with ornate iron hinges right
across it。 He was on the better side for opening it； that is； the
inside； but though the ends of the hinges were exposed； the door was
so well within the frame that it was useless to think of heaving
them off the bearing…pins。 The huge lock and its bolt were likewise
before him； but the key was in the lock from the other side； so that
it could not be picked； while the nails that fastened it to the door
were probably riveted through a plate。 But there was the socket into
which the bolt shot！ that was merely an iron staple！ he might either
force it out with a lever； or file it through！ Having removed the
roughest of the rust with which it was caked； and so reduced its
thickness considerably； he set himself to the task of filing it
through； first at the top then at the bottom。 It was a slow but a
sure process； and would make no great noise。
Although it was broad daylight outside； so like midnight was it here
and the season that belongs to the dead； that he was haunted with
the idea of a presence behind him。 But not once did he turn his head
to see； for he knew that if he yielded to the inclination； it would
but return the stronger。 Old experience had taught him that the way
to meet the horrors of the fancy is to refuse them a single
hair's…breadth of obedience。 And as he worked the conviction grew
that the only protection against the terrors of alien presence is
the consciousness of the home presence of the eternal： if a man felt
that presence； how could he fear any other？ But for those who are
not one with the source of being； every manifestation of that being
in a life other than their own； must be more or less a terror to
them； it is alien； antipathous； other；it may be unappeasable；
implacable。 The time must even come when to such their own being
will be a horror of repugnant consciousness； for God not self is
ourshis being； not our own； is our home； he is our kind。
The work was slowthe impression on the hard iron of the worn file
so weak that he was often on the point of giving up the attempt。
Fatigue at length began to invade him； and therewith the sense of
his situation grew more keen： great weariness overcomes terror； the
beginnings of weariness enhance it。 Every now and then he would
stop； thinking he heard the cry of a child； only to recognize it as
the noise of his file。 He resolved at last to stop for the night；
and after tea go to the town to buy a new and fitter file。
The next day was Sunday； and in the afternoon Donal and Davie were
walking in the old avenue together。 They had been to church； and had
heard a dull sermon on the most stirring fact next to the
resurrection of the Lord himselfhis raising of Lazarus。 The whole
aspect of the thing； as presented by the preaching man； was so dull
and unreal； that not a word on the subject had passed between them
on the way home。
〃Mr。 Grant； how could anybody make a dead man live again？〃 said
Davie suddenly。
〃I don't know； Davie；〃 answered Donal。 〃If I could know how； I
should probably be able to do it myself。〃
〃It is very hard to believe。〃
〃Yes； very hardthat is； if you do not know anything about the
person said to have done it； to account for his being able to do it
though another could not。 But just think of this： if one had never
seen or heard about death； it would be as hard； perhaps harder； to
believe that anything could bring about that change。 The one seems
to us easy to understand； because we are familiar with it； if we had
seen the other take place a few times； we should see in it nothing
too strange； nothing indeed but what was to be expected in certain
circumstances。〃
〃But that is not enough to prove it ever did take place。〃
〃Assuredly not。 It cannot even make it look in the least probable。〃
〃Tell me； please； anything that would make it look probable。〃
〃I will not answer your question directly； but I will answer it。
Listen； Davie。
〃In all ages men have longed to see Godsome men in a grand way。 At
last； according to the story of the gospel； the time came when it
was fit that the Father of m