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richt to fa' in wi' ony degree o' perception o' the richt on her
pairt。 But supposin' it was only the haudin' o' her frae ill by
ootward constraint； leavin' her ready upo' the first opportunity to
turn aside； whereas； gien she had dune wrang； she wud repent o' 't；
an' see what a foul thing it was to gang again' the holy wull o' him
'at made an' dee'd for herI lea' ye to jeedge for yersel' what ony
man 'at luved God an' luved the lass an' luved the richt； wud
chuise。 We maun haud baith een open upo' the trowth； an' no blink
sidewise upo' the warl' an' its richteousness wi' ane o' them。 Wha
wadna be Zacchay wi' the Lord in his hoose； an' the richteousness o'
God himsel' growin' in his hert； raither nor the prood Pharisee wha
kent nae ill he was duin'； an' thoucht it a shame to speak to sic a
man as Zacchay！〃
The grandmother held her peace； thinking probably that so long as
one kept respectable； there remained the more likelihood of a
spiritual change。
〃Is there anything you think I could do？〃 asked Donal。 〃I confess
I'm afraid of meddling。〃
〃I wudna hae you appear； sir；〃 said Andrew； 〃in onything； concernin'
her。 Ye're a yoong man yersel'； an' fowk's herts as well as fowk's
tongues are no to be lippent til。 I hae seen fowk； 'cause they
couldna believe a body duin' a thing frae a sma' modicum o' gude
wull； set themsel's to invent what they ca'd a motive til accoont
for'tsomething； that is； that wud hae prevailt wi' themsel's to
gar them du't。 Sic fowk canna un'erstan' a body duin' onything jist
'cause it was worth duin' in itsel'！〃
〃But maybe；〃 said the old woman； returning to the practical； 〃as ye
hae been pleased to say ye're on freen'ly terms wi' mistress
Brookes； ye micht jist see gien she 's observed ony ten'ency to
resumption o' the auld affair！〃
Donal promised； and as soon as he reached the castle sought an
interview with the house keeper。 She told him she had been
particularly pleased of late with Eppy's attention to her work； and
readiness to make herself useful。 If she did look sometimes a little
out of heart； they must remember； she said； that they had been young
themselves once； and that it was not so easy to forget as to give
up。 But she would keep her eyes open！
CHAPTER XXX。
LORD MORVEN。
The winter came at last in good earnestfirst black frost； then
white snow； then sleet and wind and rain； then snow again； which
fell steady and calm； and lay thick。 After that came hard frost； and
brought plenty of skating； and to Davie the delight of teaching his
master。 Donal had many falls； but was soon； partly in virtue of
those same falls； a very decent skater。 Davie claimed all the merit
of his successful training； and when his master did anything
particularly well； would remark with pride； that he had taught him。
But the good thing in it for Davie was； that he noted the immediate
faith with which Donal did or tried to do what he told him： this
reacted in opening his mind to the beauty and dignity of obedience；
and went a long way towards revealing the low moral condition of the
man who seeks freedom through refusal to act at the will of another。
He who does so will come by degrees to have no will of his own； and
act only from impulsewhich may be the will of a devil。 So Donal
and Davie grew together into one heart of friendship。 Donal never
longed for his hours with Davie to pass； and Davie was never so
happy as when with Donal。 The one was gently leading the other into
the paths of liberty。 Nothing but the teaching of him who made the
human soul can make that soul free； but it is in great measure
through those who have already learned that he teaches； and Davie
was an apt pupil； promising to need less of the discipline of
failure and pain that he was strong to believe； and ready to obey。
But Donal was not all the day with Davie； and latterly had begun to
feel a little anxious about the time the boy spent away from
himpartly with his brother； partly with the people about the
stable； and partly with his father； who evidently found the presence
of his younger son less irksome to him than that of any other
person； and saw more of him than of Forgue： the amount of loneliness
the earl could endure was amazing。 But after what he had seen and
heard； Donal was most anxious concerning his time with his father；
only he felt it a delicate thing to ask him about it。 At length；
however； Davie himself opened up the matter。
〃Mr。 Grant；〃 he said one day； 〃I wish you could hear the grand
fairy…stories my papa tells！〃
〃I wish I might！〃 answered Donal。
〃I will ask him to let you come and hear。 I have told him you can
make fairy…tales too； only he has quite another way of doing
it；and I must confess；〃 added Davie a little pompously； 〃I do not
follow him so easily as you。Besides；〃 he added； 〃I never can find
anything in what you call the cupboard behind the curtain of the
story。 I wonder sometimes if his stories have any cupboard！I will
ask him to…day to let you come。〃
〃I think that would hardly do；〃 said Donal。 〃Your father likes to
tell his boy fairy…tales； but he might not care to tell them to a
man。 You must remember； too； that though I have been in the house
what you think a long time； your father has seen very little of me；
and might feel me in the way： invalids do not generally enjoy the
company of strangers。 You had better not ask him。〃
〃But I have often told him how good you are； Mr。 Grant； and how you
can't bear anything that is not right； and I am sure he must like
youI don't mean so well as I do； because you haven't to teach him
anything； and nobody can love anybody so well as the one he teaches
to be good。〃
〃Still I think you had better leave it alone lest he should not like
your asking him。 I should be sorry to have you disappointed。〃
〃I do not mind that so much as I used。 If you do not tell me I am
not to do it； I think I will venture。〃
Donal said no more。 He did not feel at liberty； from his own feeling
merely； to check the boy。 The thing was not wrong； and something
might be intended to come out of it！ He shrank from the least ruling
of events； believing man's only call to action is duty。 So he left
Davie to do as he pleased。
〃Does your father often tell you a fairy…tale？〃 he asked。
〃Not every day； sir。〃
〃What time does he tell them？〃
〃Generally when I go to him after tea。〃
〃Do you go any time you like？〃
〃Yes； but he does not always let me stay。 Sometimes he talks about
mamma； I think； but only coming into the fairy…tale。He has told me
one in the middle of the day！ I think he would if I woke him up in
the night！ But that would not do； for he has terrible headaches。
Perhaps that is what sometimes makes his stories so terrible I have
to beg him to stop！〃
〃And does he stop？〃
〃WellnoI don't think he ever does。When a story is once begun；
I suppose it ought to be finished！〃
So the matter rested for the time。 But about a week after； Donal
received one morning through the butler an invitation to dine with
the earl； and concluded it was due to Davie； whom he therefore
expected to find with his father。 He put on his best clothes； and
followed Simmons up the grand stairc