donal grant-第4部分

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was：　he　knew　nothing　of　the　law　of　libertyoneness　with　the　will　of
our　existence；　which　would　have　us　free　with　its　own　freedom。

When　the　clergyman　was　long　out　of　sight　he　rose　and　went　on；　and
soon　came　to　a　bridge　by　which　he　crossed　the　river。　　Then　on　he
went　through　the　cultivated　plain；　his　spirits　never　flagging。　　He
was　a　pilgrim　on　his　way　to　his　divine　fate！




CHAPTER　III。

THE　MOOR。

The　night　began　to　descend　and　he　to　be　weary；　and　look　about　him
for　a　place　of　repose。　　But　there　was　a　long　twilight　before　him；
and　it　was　warm。

For　some　time　the　road　had　been　ascending；　and　by　and　by　he　found
himself　on　a　bare　moor；　among　heather　not　yet　in　bloom；　and　a　forest
of　bracken。　　Here　was　a　great；　beautiful　chamber　for　him！　and　what
better　bed　than　God's　heather！　what　better　canopy　than　God's　high；
star…studded　night；　with　its　airy　curtains　of　dusky　darkness！　　Was
it　not　in　this　very　chamber　that　Jacob　had　his　vision　of　the　mighty
stair　leading　up　to　the　gate　of　heaven！　　Was　it　not　under　such　a
roof　Jesus　spent　his　last　nights　on　the　earth！　　For　comfort　and
protection　he　sought　no　human　shelter；　but　went　out　into　his
Father's　houseout　under　his　Father's　heaven！　　The　small　and　narrow
were　not　to　him　the　safe；　but　the　wide　and　open。　　Thick　walls　cover
men　from　the　enemies　they　fear；　the　Lord　sought　space。　　There　the
angels　come　and　go　more　freely　than　where　roofs　gather　distrust。　　If
ever　we　hear　a　far…off　rumour　of　angel…visit；　it　is　not　from　some
solitary　plain　with　lonely　children？

Donal　walked　along　the　high　table…land　till　he　was　weary；　and　rest
looked　blissful。　　Then　he　turned　aside　from　the　rough　track　into　the
heather　and　bracken。　　When　he　came　to　a　little　dry　hollow；　with　a
yet　thicker　growth　of　heather；　its　tops　almost　close　as　those　of　his
bed　at　his　father's　cottage；　he　sought　no　further。　　Taking　his
knife；　he　cut　a　quantity　of　heather　and　ferns；　and　heaped　it　on　the
top　of　the　thickest　bush；　then　creeping　in　between　the　cut　and　the
growing；　he　cleared　the　former　from　his　face　that　he　might　see　the
worlds　over　him；　and　putting　his　knapsack　under　his　head；　fell　fast
asleep。

When　he　woke　not　even　the　shadow　of　a　dream　lingered　to　let　him　know
what　he　had　been　dreaming。　　He　woke　with　such　a　clear　mind；　such　an
immediate　uplifting　of　the　soul；　that　it　seemed　to　him　no　less　than
to　Jacob　that　he　must　have　slept　at　the　foot　of　the　heavenly　stair。
The　wind　came　round　him　like　the　stuff　of　thought　unshaped；　and
every　breath　he　drew　seemed　like　God　breathing　afresh　into　his
nostrils　the　breath　of　life。　　Who　knows　what　the　thing　we　call　air
is？　　We　know　about　it；　but　it　we　do　not　know。　　The　sun　shone　as　if
smiling　at　the　self…importance　of　the　sulky　darkness　he　had　driven
away；　and　the　world　seemed　content　with　a　heavenly　content。　　So
fresh　was　Donal's　sense　that　he　felt　as　if　his　sleep　within　and　the
wind　without　had　been　washing　him　all　the　night。　　So　peaceful；　so
blissful　was　his　heart　that　it　longed　to　share　its　bliss；　but　there
was　no　one　within　sight；　and　he　set　out　again　on　his　journey。

He　had　not　gone　far　when　he　came　to　a　dip　in　the　moorlanda　round
hollow；　with　a　cottage　of　turf　in　the　middle　of　it；　from　whose
chimney　came　a　little　smoke：　there　too　the　day　was　begun！　　He　was
glad　he　had　not　seen　it　before；　for　then　he　might　have　missed　the
repose　of　the　open　night。　　At　the　door　stood　a　little　girl　in　a　blue
frock。　　She　saw　him；　and　ran　in。　　He　went　down　and　drew　near　to　the
door。　　It　stood　wide　open；　and　he　could　not　help　seeing　in。

A　man　sat　at　the　table　in　the　middle　of　the　floor；　his　forehead　on
his　hand。　　Donal　did　not　see　his　face。　　He　seemed　waiting；　like　his
father　for　the　Book；　while　his　mother　got　it　from　the　top　of　the
wall。　　He　stepped　over　the　threshold；　and　in　the　simplicity　of　his
heart；　said：

〃Ye'll　be　gaein'　to　hae　worship！〃

〃Na；　na！〃　returned　the　man；　raising　his　head；　and　taking　a　brief；
hard　stare　at　his　visitor；　〃we　dinna　set　up　for　prayin'　fowk　i'　this
hoose。〃　　We　ley　that　to　them　'at　kens　what　they　hae　to　be　thankfu'
for。〃

〃I　made　a　mistak；〃　said　Donal。　〃I　thoucht　ye　micht　hae　been　gaein'
to　say　gude　mornin'　to　yer　makker；　an'　wad　hae　likit　to　j'in　wi'　ye；
for　I　kenna　what　I　haena　to　be　thankfu'　for。　　Guid　day　to　ye。〃

〃Ye　can　bide　an'　tak　yer　parritch　gien　ye　like。〃

〃Ow；　na；　I　thank　ye。　　Ye　micht　think　I　cam　for　the　parritch；　an'　no
for　the　prayers。　　I　like　as　ill　to　be　coontit　a　hypocrite　as　gien　I
war　ane。〃

〃Ye　can　bide　an'　hae　worship　wi'　's；　gien　ye　tak　the　buik　yersel'。〃

〃I　canna　lead　whaur　's　nane　to　follow。　　Na；　I'll　du　better　on　the
muir　my　lane。〃

But　the　gudewife　was　a　religions　woman　after　her　fashionwho　can　be
after　any　one　else's？　　She　came　with　a　bible　in　her　hand；　and
silently　laid　it　on　the　table。　　Donal　had　never　yet　prayed　aloud
except　in　a　murmur　by　himself　on　the　hill；　but；　thus　invited；　could
not　refuse。　　He　read　a　psalm　of　trouble；　breaking　into　hope　at　the
close；　then　spoke　as　follows：

〃Freens；　I'm　but　yoong；　as　ye　see；　an'　never　afore　daured　open　my
moo　i'　sic　fashion；　but　it　comes　to　me　to　speyk；　an'　wi'　yer　leave
speyk　I　wull。　　I　canna　help　thinkin'　the　gudeman　's　i'　some
triblesiclike；　maybe；　as　King　Dawvid　whan　he　made　the　psalm　I　hae
been　readin'　i'　yer　hearin'。　　Ye　observt　hoo　it　began　like　a　stormy
mornin'；　but　ye　h'ard　hoo　it　changed　or　a'　was　dune。　　The　sun　comes
oot　bonny　i'　the　en'；　an'　ye　hear　the　birds　beginnin'　to　sing；
tellin'　Natur'　to　gie　ower　her　greitin'。　　An'　what　brings　the　guid
man　til's　senses；　div　ye　think？　　What　but　jist　the　thoucht　o'　him
'at　made　him；　him　'at　cares　aboot　him；　him　'at　maun　come　to　ill
himsel'　'afore　he　lat　onything　he　made　come　to　ill。　　Sir；　lat's　gang
doon　upo'　oor　knees；　an'　commit　the　keepin'　o'　oor　sowls　to　him　as
til　a　faithfu'　creator；　wha　winna　miss　his　pairt　'atween　him　an'
hiz。〃

They　went　down　on　their　knees；　and　Donal　said；

〃O　Lord；　oor　ain　father　an'　saviour；　the　day　ye　hae　sent　's　has
arrived　bonny　an'　gran'；　an'　we　bless　ye　for　sen'in'　't；　but　eh；　oor
father；　we　need　mair　the　licht　that　shines　i'　the　darker　place。　　We
need　the　dawn　o'　a　spiritual　day　inside　's；　or　the　bonny　day　ootside
winna　gang　for　muckle。　　Lord；　oor　micht；　speyk　a　word　o'　peacefu'
recall　to　ony　dog　o'　thine　'at　may　be　worryin'　at　the　hert　o'　ony
sheep　o'　thine　'at's　run　awa；　but　dinna　ca'　him　back　sae　as　to　lea'
the　puir　sheep　'ahint　him；　fess　back　dog　an'　lamb　thegither；　O　Lord。
Haud　's　a'　frae　ill；　an'　guide　's　a'　to　guid；　an'　oor　mornin'　prayer
's　ower。　　Amen。〃

They　rose　from　their　knees；　and　sat　silent　for　a　moment。　　Then　the
guidwife　put　the　pot　on　the　fire　with　the　water　for　the　porridge。
But　Donal　rose；　and　walked　out　of　the　cottage；　half　wondering　at
himself　that　he　had　dared　as　he　had；　yet　feeling　he　had　done　but　the
most　natural　thing　in　the　world。

〃Hoo　a　body　's　to　win　throuw　the　day　wantin'　the　lord　o'　the　day　an'
the　hoor　an'　the　minute；　's　'ayont　me！〃　he　said　to　himself；　and
hastened　away。

Ere　noon　the　blue　line　of　the　far　ocean　rose　on　the　horizon。




CHAPTER　IV。

THE　TOWN。

Donal　was　queer；　some　of　my　readers　will　think；　and　I　admit　it；　for
the　man　who　regards　the　affairs　of　life　from　any　other　point　than
his　own　greedy　self；　must　be　queer　indeed　in　the　eyes　of　all　who　are
slaves　to　their　imagined　necessities　and　undisputed　desires。

It　was　evening　when　he　drew　nigh　the　place　whither　he　had　directed
his　stepsa　little　country　town；　not　far　from　a　famous　seat　of
learning：　there　he　would　make　inquiry　before　going　further。　　The
minister　of　his　parish　knew　the　minister　of　Auchars；　and　had　given
him　a　letter　of　introduction。　　The　country　around　had　not　a　few
dwellings　of　distinction；　and　at　one　or　another　of　these　might　be
children　in　want　of　a　tutor。

The　sun　was　setting　over　the　hills　behind　him　as　he　entered　the
little　town。　　At　first　it　looked　but　a　village；　for　on　the
outskirts；　through　which　the　king's　highway　led；　were　chiefly
thatched　cottages；　with　here　and　there　a　slated　house　of　one　story
and　an　attic；　but　presently　began　to　appear　houses　of　larger
sizefew　of　them；　however；　of　more　than　two　stories。　　Most　of　them
looked　as　if　they　had　a　long　and　not　very　happy　history。　　All　at
once　he　found　himself　in　a　street；　partly　of　quaint　gables　with
corbel　steps；　they　called　them　here　corbie…steps；　in　allusion；
perhaps；　to　the　raven　sent　out　by　Noah；　for　which　lazy　bird　the
children　regarded　these　as　places　to　rest。　　There　were　two　or　three
curious　gateways　in　it　with　some　attempt　at　decoration；　and　one
house　with　the　pepperpot　turrets　which　Scotish　architecture　has
borrowed　from　the　French　chateau。　　The　heart　of　the　town　was　a　yet
narrower；　close…built　street；　with　several　short　closes　and　wynds
opening　out　of　itall　of　which　had　ancient　looking　houses。　　There
were　shops　not　a　few；　but　their　windows　were　those　of　dwellings；　as
the　upper　parts　of　their　buildings　mostly　were。　　In　those　shops　was
as　good　a　supply　of　the　necessities　of　life　as　in　a　great　town；　and
cheaper。　　You　could　not　get　a　coat　so　well　cut；　nor　a　pair　of　shoes
to　fit　you　so　tight　without　hurting；　but　you　could　get　first…rate
work。　　The　streets　were　unevenly　paved　with　roun