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！
〃I know！〃 said Davie； but stared as if he wondered he would speak of
such things。
Donal returned his gaze。 Out of the fullness of his heart his eyes
shone。 Davie was reassured。
〃Can you ride？〃 he asked。
〃Yes； a little。〃
〃Who taught you？〃
〃An old mare I was fond of。〃
〃Ah； you are making game of me！ I do not like to be made game of；〃
said Davie； and turned away。
〃No indeed；〃 replied Donal。 〃I never make game of anybody。But now
I will go and find the letter。〃
〃I would go with you；〃 said the boy； 〃but my father will not let me
beyond the grounds。 I don't know why。〃
Donal hastened home； and found himself eagerly expected； for the
letter young Eppy had brought was from the earl。 It informed Donal
that it would give his lordship pleasure to see him； if he would
favour him with a call。
In a few minutes he was again on the road to the castle。
CHAPTER XI。
THE EARL。
He met no one on his way from the gate up through the wood。 He
ascended the hill with its dark ascending firs； to its crown of
silvery birches； above which； as often as the slowly circling road
brought him to the other side； he saw rise like a helmet the gray
mass of the fortress。 Turret and tower； pinnacle and battlement；
appeared and disappeared as he climbed。 Not until at last he stood
almost on the top； and from an open space beheld nearly the whole
front； could he tell what it was like。 It was a grand pile； but
looked a gloomy one to live in。
He stood on a broad grassy platform； from which rose a gravelled
terrace； and from the terrace the castle。 He ran his eye along the
front seeking a door but saw none。 Ascending the terrace by a broad
flight of steps； he approached a deep recess in the front； where two
portions of the house of differing date nearly met。 Inside this
recess he found a rather small door； flush with the wall； thickly
studded and plated with iron； surmounted by the Morven horses carved
in gray stone； and surrounded with several mouldings。 Looking for
some means of announcing his presence； he saw a handle at the end of
a rod of iron； and pulled； but heard nothing： the sound of the bell
was smothered in a wilderness of stone walls。 By and by； however；
appeared an old servant； bowed and slow； with plentiful hair white
as wool； and a mingled look of childishness and caution in his
wrinkled countenance。
〃The earl wants to see me；〃 said Donal。
〃What name？〃 said the man。
〃Donal Grant； but his lordship will be nothing the wiser； I suspect；
I don't think he knows my name。 Tell himthe young man he sent for
to Andrew Comin's。〃
The man left him； and Donal began to look about him。 The place
where he stood was a mere entry； a cell in huge walls； with a
second； a low； round…headed door； like the entrance to a prison； by
which the butler had disappeared。 There was nothing but bare stone
around him； with again the Morven arms cut deep into it on one side。
The ceiling was neither vaulted nor groined nor flat； but seemed
determined by the accidental concurrence of ends of stone stairs and
corners of floors on different levels。 It was full ten minutes
before the man returned and requested him to follow him。
Immediately Donal found himself in a larger and less irregular
stone…case； adorned with heads and horns and skins of animals。
Crossing this； the man opened a door covered with red cloth； which
looked strange in the midst of the cold hard stone； and Donal
entered an octagonal space； its doors of dark shining oak； with
carved stone lintels and doorposts； and its walls adorned with arms
and armour almost to the domed ceiling。 Into it； as if it descended
suddenly out of some far height； but dropping at last like a gently
alighting bird； came the end of a turnpike…stair； of slow sweep and
enormous diametersuch a stair as in wildest gothic tale he had
never imagined。 Like the revolving centre of a huge shell； it went
up out of sight； with plain promise of endless convolutions beyond。
It was of ancient stone； but not worn as would have been a narrow
stair。 A great rope of silk； a modern addition； ran up along the
wall for a hand…rail； and with slow…moving withered hand upon it； up
the glorious ascent climbed the serving man； suggesting to Donal's
eye the crawling of an insect； to his heart the redemption of the
sons of God。
With the stair yet ascending above them as if it would never stop；
the man paused upon a step no broader than the rest； and opening a
door in the round of the well； said； 〃Mr。 Grant； my lord；〃 and stood
aside for Donal to enter。
He found himself in the presence of a tall； bowed man； with a
large…featured white face； thin and worn； and a deep…sunken eye that
gleamed with an unhealthy life。 His hair was thin； but covered his
head； and was only streaked with gray。 His hands were long and thin
and white； his feet in large shoes； looking the larger that they
came out from narrow trousers； which were of shepherd…tartan。 His
coat was of light…blue； with a high collar of velvet； and much too
wide for him。 A black silk neckerchief tied carelessly about his
throat； and a waistcoat of pineapple shawl…stuff； completed his
dress。 On one long little finger shone a stone which Donal took for
an emerald。 He motioned his visitor to a seat； and went on writing；
with a rudeness more like that of a successful contractor than a
nobleman。 But it gave Donal the advantage of becoming a little
accustomed to his surroundings。 The room was not large； was
wainscoted； and had a good many things on the walls： Donal noted two
or three riding whips； a fishing rod； several pairs of spurs； a
sword with golden hilt； a strange looking dagger like a flame of
fire； one or two old engravings； and what seemed a plan of the
estate。 At the one window； small； with a stone mullion； the summer
sun was streaming in。 The earl sat in its flood； and in the heart
of it seemed cold and bloodless。 He looked about sixty years of
age； and as if he rarely or never smiled。 Donal tried to imagine
what a smile would do for his face； but failed。 He was not in the
least awed by the presence of the great man。 What is rank to the
man who honours everything human； has no desire to look what he is
not； has nothing to conceal and nothing to compass； is fearful of no
to…morrow； and does not respect riches！ Toward such ends of being
the tide of Donal's life was at least setting。 So he sat neither
fidgeting nor staring； but quietly taking things in。
The earl raised himself； pushed his writing from him； turned towards
him； and said with courtesy；
〃Excuse me； Mr。 Grant； I wished to talk to you with the ease of duty
done。〃
More polite his address could not have been； but there was a
something between him and Donal that was not to be passed
anameless gulf of the negative。
〃My time is at your lordship's service；〃 replied Donal； with the
ease that comes of simplicity。
〃You have probably guessed why I sent for you？〃
〃I have hoped； my lord。〃
There was something of old…world breeding about the lad that
commended him to the earl。 Such breeding is not rare among
Celt…born peasants。
〃My sons told me that they had met a