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〃One might have thought he would not care about enlarging the room
after she was gone！〃
〃But； sir； he wasna jist sic a pattren o' a guidman；〃 said the
housekeeper。 〃An' what for mak this room less？〃
〃May it not have been for the sake of shutting out； or hiding
something？〃 suggested Donal。
〃I do remember a certain thing！Curious！But what then as to the
openin' o' 't efter？〃
〃He has never done it！〃 said Donal significantly。 〃The thing takes
shape to me in this way：that he wanted to build something out of
sightto annihilate it； but in order to prevent speculation； he
professed the intention of casting the one room into the other； then
built the wall across； on the pretence that it was necessary for
support when the other was broken throughor perhaps that two
recesses with arches would look better； but when he had got the wall
built； he put off opening the arches on one pretext or another； till
the thing should be forgotten altogetheras you see it is already；
almost entirely！I have been at the back of that wall； and heard
the earl moaning and crying on this side of it！〃
〃God bless me！〃 cried the good woman。 〃I'm no easy scaret； but
that's fearfu' to think o'！〃
〃You would not care to come there with me？〃
〃No the nicht； sir。 Come to my room again； an' I s' mak ye a cup o'
coffee； an' tell ye the storyit's a' come back to me noothe
thing 'at made my aunt tell me aboot the buildin' o' this wa'。
'Deed； sir； I hae hardly a doobt the thing was jist as ye say！〃
They went to her room： there was lady Arctura sitting by the fire！
〃My lady！〃 cried the housekeeper。 〃I thoucht I left ye soon'
asleep！〃
〃So I was； I daresay；〃 answered Arctura； 〃but I woke again； and
finding you had not come up； I thought I would go down to you。 I was
certain you and Mr。 Grant would be somewhere together！ Have you been
discovering anything more？〃
Mrs。 Brookes gave Donal a look： he left her to tell as much or as
little as she pleased。
〃We hae been prowlin' aboot the hoose； but no doon yon'er； my lady。
I think you an' me wad do weel to lea' that to Mr。 Grant！〃
〃When your ladyship is quite ready to have everything set to
rights；〃 said Donal； 〃and to have a resurrection of the chapel； then
I shall be glad to go with you again。 But I would rather not even
talk more about it just at present。〃
〃As you please； Mr。 Grant；〃 replied lady Arctura。 〃We will say
nothing more till I have made up my mind。 I don't want to vex my
uncle； and I find the question rather a difficult oneand the more
difficult that he is worse than usual。Will you not come to bed
now； mistress Brookes？〃
CHAPTER LXIV。
THE GARLAND…ROOM。
All through the terrible time； the sense of help and comfort and
protection in the presence of the young tutor； went on growing in
the mind of Arctura。 It was nothing to herwhat could it be？that
he was the son of a very humble pair； that he had been a shepherd；
and a cow…herd； and a farm labourerless than nothing。 She never
thought of the facts of his life except sympathetically； seeking to
enter into the feelings of his memorial childhood and youth； she
would never have known anything of those facts but for their lovely
intimacies of all sorts with Naturenature divine； human； animal；
cosmical。 By sharing with her his emotional history； Donal had made
its facts precious to her； through them he had gathered his bestby
home and by prayer； by mother and father； by sheep and mountains and
wind and sky。 And now he was to her a tower of strength； a refuge； a
strong city； the shadow of a great rock in a weary land。 She trusted
him the more that he never invited her trustnever put himself
before her； for always before her he set Life； the perfect
heart…origin of her and his yet unperfected humanity； teaching her
to hunger and thirst after being righteous like God； with the
assurance of being filled。 She had once trusted in Miss Carmichael；
not with her higher being； only with her judgment； and both her
judgment and her friend had misled her。 Donal had taught her that
obedience； not to man but to God； was the only guide to holy
liberty； and so had helped her to break the bonds of those
traditions which； in the shape of authoritative utterances of this
or that church； lay burdens grievous to be borne upon the souls of
men。 For Christ； against all the churches； seemed to her to express
Donal's mission。 An air of peace； an atmosphere of summer twilight
after the going down of the sun； seemed to her to precede him and
announce his approach with a radiation felt as rest。 She questioned
herself nowise about him。 Falling in love was a thing unsuggested to
her； if she was in what is called danger； it was of a better thing。
The next day she did not appear： mistress Brookes had persuaded her
to keep her bed again for a day or two。 There was nothing really the
matter with her； she said herself； but she was so tired she did not
care to lift her head from the pillow。 She had slept well； and was
troubled about nothing。 She sent to beg Mr。 Grant to let Davie go
and read to her； and to give him something to read； good for him as
well as for her。
Donal did not see Davie again till the next morning。
〃Oh； Mr。 Grant！〃 he said； 〃you never saw anything so pretty as Arkie
is in bed！ She is so white； and so sweet！ and she speaks with a
voice so gentle and low！ She was so kind to me for going to read to
her！ I never saw anybody like her！ She looks as if she had just said
her prayers； and God had told her she should have everything she
wanted。〃
Donal wondered a little； but hoped more。 Surely she must be finding
rest in the consciousness of God！ But why was she so white？ Was she
going to die？ A pang shot to his heart： if she were to go from the
castle； it would be hard to stay in it； even for the sake of Davie！
Donal； no more than Arctura； imagined himself fallen in love： he had
loved once； and his heart had not yet done achingthough more with
the memory than the presence of pain！ He was utterly satisfied with
what the Father of the children had decreed； and would never love
again！ But he did not seek to hide from himself that the friendship
of lady Arctura； and the help she sought and he gave； had added a
fresh and strong interest to his life。 At the first dawn of power in
his heart； when he began to make songs in the fields and on the
hills； he had felt that to brighten with true light the clouded
lives of despondent brothers and sisters was the one thing worthest
living for： it was what the Lord came into the world for； neither
had his trouble made him forget itfor more than one week or so：
while the pain was yet gnawing grievously； he woke to it again with
self…accusationalmost self…contempt。 To have helped this lovely
creature； whose life had seemed lapt in an ever closer…clasping
shroud of perplexity； was a thing to be glad ofnot to the day of
his death； but to the never…ending end of his life！ was an honour
conferred upon him by the Father； to last for evermore！ For he had
helped to open a human door for the Lord to enter！ she within heard
him knock； but； trying； was unable to open！ To be God's helper with
our fellows is the one high calling； t