one； the most frightful of all。 It should have been forgotten by
this time； for the ratio of forgetting； increases。〃
〃I should like much to hear it！〃 said Donal。
〃Do tell him； Hector；〃 said Miss Graeme； 〃and I will watch his
hair。〃
〃It is the hair of those who mock at such things you should watch；〃
returned Donal。 〃Their imagination is so rarely excited that； when
it is； it affects their nerves more than the belief of others
affects theirs。〃
〃Now I have you！〃 cried Miss Graeme。 〃There you confess yourself a
believer！〃
〃I fear you have come to too general a conclusion。 Because I
believe the Bible； do I believe everything that comes from the
pulpit？ Some tales I should reject with a contempt that would
satisfy even Miss Graeme； of others I should say'These seem as if
they might be true；' and of still others； 'These ought to be true； I
think。'But do tell me the story。〃
〃It is not；〃 replied Mr。 Graeme； 〃a very peculiar onecertainly not
peculiar to our castle； though unique in some of its details； a
similar legend belongs to several houses in Scotland； and is to be
found； I fancy； in other countries as well。 There is one not far
from here； around whose dark basementsor hoary battlementswho
shall say which？floats a similar tale。 It is of a hidden room；
whose position or entrance nobody knows。 Whether it belongs to our
castle by right I cannot tell。〃
〃A species of report；〃 said Donal； 〃very likely to arise by a kind
of cryptogamic generation！ The common people； accustomed to the
narrowest dwellings； gazing on the huge proportions of the place；
and upon occasion admitted； and walking through a succession of
rooms and passages； to them as intricate and confused as a
rabbit…warren； must be very ready； I should think； to imagine the
existence within such a pile； of places unknown even to the
inhabitants of it themselves！But I beg your pardon： do tell us the
story。〃
〃Mr。 Grant；〃 said Kate； 〃you perplex me！ I begin to doubt if you
have any principles。 One moment you take one side and the next the
other！〃
〃No； no； I but love my own side too well to let any traitors into
its ranks： I would have nothing to do with lies。〃
〃They are all lies together！〃
〃Then I want to hear this one；〃 said Donal。
〃I daresay you have heard it before！〃 remarked Mr。 Graeme； and
began。
〃It was in the earldom of a certain recklessly wicked wretch； who
not only robbed his poor neighbours； and even killed them when they
opposed him； but went so far as to behave as wickedly on the Sabbath
as on any other day of the week。 Late one Saturday night； a company
were seated in the castle； playing cards； and drinking； and all the
time Sunday was drawing nearer and nearer； and nobody heeding。 At
length one of them； seeing the hands of the clock at a quarter to
twelve； made the remark that it was time to stop。 He did not
mention the sacred day； but all knew what he meant。 The earl
laughed； and said； if he was afraid of the kirk…session； he might
go； and another would take his hand。 But the man sat still； and
said no more till the clock gave the warning。 Then he spoke again；
and said the day was almost out； and they ought not to go on playing
into the Sabbath。 And as he uttered the word； his mouth was pulled
all on one side。 But the earl struck his fist on the table； and
swore a great oath that if any man rose he would run him through。
'What care I for the Sabbath！' he said。 'I gave you your chance to
go；' he added； turning to the man who had spoken； who was dressed in
black like a minister； 'and you would not take it： now you shall sit
where you are。' He glared fiercely at him； and the man returned him
an equally fiery stare。 And now first they began to discover what；
through the fumes of the whisky and the smoke of the pine…torches；
they had not observed； namely； that none of them knew the man； or
had ever seen him before。 They looked at him； and could not turn
their eyes from him； and a cold terror began to creep through their
vitals。 He kept his fierce scornful look fixed on the earl for a
moment； and then spoke。 'And I gave you your chance；' he said； 'and
you would not take it： now you shall sit still where you are； and no
Sabbath shall you ever see。' The clock began to strike； and the
man's mouth came straight again。 But when the hammer had struck
eleven times； it struck no more； and the clock stopped。 'This day
twelvemonth；' said the man； 'you shall see me again； and so every
year till your time is up。 I hope you will enjoy your game！' The
earl would have sprung to his feet； but could not stir； and the man
was nowhere to be seen。 He was gone； taking with him both door and
windows of the roomnot as Samson carried off the gates of Gaza；
however； for he left not the least sign of where they had been。
》From that day to this no one has been able to find the room。 There
the wicked earl and his companions still sit； playing with the same
pack of cards； and waiting their doom。 It has been said that； on
that same day of the yearonly； unfortunately； testimony differs as
to the dayshouts of drunken laughter may be heard issuing from
somewhere in the castle； but as to the direction whence they come；
none can ever agree。 That is the story。〃
〃A very good one！〃 said Donal。 〃I wonder what the ground of it is！
It must have had its beginning！〃
〃Then you don't believe it？〃 said Miss Graeme。
〃Not quite；〃 he replied。 〃But I have myself had a strange experience
up there。〃
〃What！ you have seen something？〃 cried Miss Graeme； her eyes growing
bigger。
〃No； I have seen nothing；〃 answered Donal； 〃only heard
something。One night； the first I was there indeed； I heard the
sound of a far…off musical instrument； faint and sweet。〃
The brother and sister exchanged looks。 Donal went on。
〃I got up and felt my way down the winding stairI sleep at the top
of Baliol's towerbut at the bottom lost myself； and had to sit
down and wait for the light。 Then I heard it again； but seemed no
nearer to it than before。 I have never heard it since； and have
never mentioned the thing。 I presume； however； that speaking of it
to you can do no harm。 You at least will not raise any fresh
rumours to injure the respectability of the castle！ Do you think
there is any instrument in it from which such a sound might have
proceeded？ Lady Arctura is a musician； I am told； but surely was
not likely to be at her piano 'in the dead waste and middle of the
night'！〃
〃It is impossible to say how far a sound may travel in the stillness
of the night； when there are no other sound…waves to cross and break
it。〃
〃That is all very well； Hector；〃 said his sister； 〃but you know Mr。
Grant is neither the first nor the second that has heard that
sound！〃
〃One thing is pretty clear；〃 said her brother； 〃it can have nothing
to do with the revellers at their cards！ The sound reported is very
different from any attributed to them！〃
〃Are you sure；〃 suggested Donal； 〃that there was not a violin shut
up with them？ Even if none of them could play； there has been time
enough to learn。 The sound I heard might have been that of a
ghostly violin。 Though like that of a stringed instrument； it was
different from anything I had ever heard beforeexcept perhaps
certain equally inexplicable sounds occasionally heard among the
hills。〃
They went on talking about the thing for a while； pacing up and down
the garden； the sun hot above their heads； the grass cool under
their feet。
〃It is enough；〃 said Miss Graeme； with a rather forced laugh； 〃to
make one glad the castle does not go with the title。〃
〃Why so？〃 asked Donal。
〃Because；〃 she answered； 〃were anything to happen to the boys up
there； Hector would come in for the title。〃
〃I'm not of my sister's mind！〃 said Mr。 Graeme； laughing more
genuinely。 〃A title with nothing to keep it up is a simple
misfortune。 I certainly should not take out the patent。 No wise
man would lay claim to a title without the means to make it
respected。〃
〃Have we come to that！〃 exclaimed Donal。 〃Must even the old titles
of the country be buttressed into respectability with money？ Away
in quiet places； reading old history books； we peasants are
accustomed to think differently。 If some millionaire money…lender
were to buy the old keep of Arundel castle； you would respect him
just as much as the present earl！〃
〃I would not；〃 said Mr。 Graeme。 〃I confess you have the better of
me。But is there not a fallacy in your argument？〃 he added；
thinkingly。
〃I believe not。 If the title is worth nothing without the money；
the money must be more than the title！If I were Lazarus；〃 Donal
went on； 〃and the inheritor of a title； I would use it； if only for
a lesson to Dives up stairs。 I scorn to think that honour should
wait on the heels of wealth。 You may think it is because I am and
always shall be a poor man； but if I know myself it is not
therefore。 At the same time a title is but a trifle； and if you had
given any other reason for not using it than homage to Mammon； I
should have said nothing。〃
〃For my part；〃 said Miss Graeme； 〃I have no quarrel with riches
except that they do not come my way。 I should know how to use and
not abuse them！〃
Donal made no other reply than to turn a look of divinely stupid
surprise and pity upon the young woman。 It was of no use to say
anything！ Were argument absolutely triumphant； Mammon would sit
just where he was before！ He had marked the great indifference of
the Lord to the convincing of the understanding： when men knew the
thing itself； then and not before would they understand its
relations and reasons！
If truth belongs to the human soul； then the soul is able to see it
and know it： if it do the truth； it takes therein the first
possible； and almost the last necessary step towards understanding
it。
Miss Graeme caught his look； and must have perceived its expression；
for her face flushed a more than rosy red； and the conversation grew
crumbly。
It was a half…holiday； and he stayed to tea； and after it went over
the arm…buildings with Mr。 Graeme； revealing such a practical
knowledge of all that was going on； that his entertainer soon saw
his opinion must b