rose to go down。
The time for speech concerning what they had seen； was not come！
〃Would you not like； my lady；〃 said Donal； 〃to come to the
schoolroom this afternoon？ You could sit beside while I give Davie
his lessons！〃
〃Yes；〃 she answered at once； 〃I should like it much！Is there not
something you could give me to do？Will you not teach me
something？〃
〃I should like to begin you with Greek； and teach you a little
mathematicsgeometry first of all。〃
〃You frighten me！〃
〃Your fright wouldn't outlast the beginning；〃 said Donal。 〃Anyhow；
you will have Davie and me for company！ You must be lonely
sometimes！ You see little of Miss Carmichael now； I fancy。〃
〃She has not been near me since that day in the avenue！ We salute
now and then coming out of church。 She will not come again except I
ask her； and I shall be in no haste： she would only assume I was
sorry； and could not do without her！〃
〃I should let her wait； my lady！〃 said Donal。 〃She sorely wants
humbling！〃
〃You do not know her； Mr。 Grant； if you think anything I could do
would have that effect on her。〃
〃Pardon me； my lady； I did not imagine it your task to humble her！
But you need not let her ride over you as she used to do； she knows
nothing really； and a great many things unreally。 Unreal knowledge
is worse than ignorance。Would not Miss Graeme be a better friend？〃
〃She is much more lovable； but she does not trouble her head about
the things I care for。I mean religion；〃 she added hesitatingly。
〃So much the better；〃
〃Mr。 Grant！〃
〃You did not let me finish； my lady！So much the better； I was
going to say； till she begins to trouble her heart about itor
rather to untrouble her heart with it！ The pharisee troubled his
head； and no doubt his conscience too； and did not go away
justified； but the poor publican； as we with our stupid pity would
call him； troubled his heart about it； and that trouble once set a
going； there is no fear。 Head and all must soon follow。But how am
I to get rid of this plaster without being seen？〃
〃I will show you the way to your own stair without going downthe
way we came once； you may remember。 You can take it to the top of
the house till it is dark。But I do not feel comfortable about my
uncle's visit。 Can it be that he suspects something？ Perhaps he
knows all about the chapeland that stair too！〃
〃He is a man to enjoy having a secret！But our discovery bears out
what we were saying as to the likeness of house and mandoes it
not？〃
〃You don't mean there is anything like that in me？〃 rejoined
Arctura； looking frightened。
〃You！〃 he exclaimed。 〃But I mean no individual application；〃 he
added； 〃except as reflected from the general truth。 This house is
like every human soul； and so； like me and you and all of us。 We
have found the chapel of the house； the place they used to pray to
God in； built up； lost； forgotten； filled with dust and dampand
the mouldering dead lying there before the Lord； waiting to be made
live again and praise him！〃
〃I said you meant me！〃 murmured Arctura； with a faint； sad smile。
〃No； the time is past for that。 It is long since first you were
aware of the dead self in the lost chapel； a hungry soul soon misses
both； and knows； without being sure of it； that they are somewhere。
You have kept searching for them in spite of all persuasion that the
quest was foolish。〃
Arctura's eyes shone in her pale face； but they shone with gathering
tears。 Donal turned away； and took up the pail。 She rose； and guided
him to his tower…stair； where he went up and she went down。
CHAPTER LVII。
THE HOUSEKEEPER'S ROOM。
As the clock upon the schoolroom chimney…piece struck the hour；
Arctura entered； and at once took her seat at the table with
Daviemuch to the boy's wonder and pleasure。 Donal gave her a
Euclid； and set her a task： she began at once to learn itand after
a while so brief that Davie stared incredulous； said；
〃If you please； Mr。 Grant； I think I could be questioned upon it
now。〃
Less than a minute sufficed to show Donal that she thoroughly
understood what she had been learning； and he set her then a little
more。 By the time their work was over he had not a doubt left that
suchlike intellectual occupation would greatly subserve all phases
of her health。 With entireness she gave herself to the thing she had
to do； and Donal thought how strong must be her nature； to work so
calmly； and think so clearly； after what she had gone through that
morning。
School over； and Davie gone to his rabbits。
〃Mistress Brookes invites us to supper with her；〃 said lady Arctura。
〃I asked her to ask us。 I don't want to go to bed till I am quite
sleepy。 You don't mind； do you？〃
〃I am very glad； my lady；〃 responded Donal。
〃Don't you think we had better tell her all about it？〃
〃As you think fit。 The secret is in no sense mine； it is only yours；
and the sooner it ceases to be a secret the better for all of us！〃
〃I have but one reason for keeping it；〃 she returned。
〃Your uncle？〃
〃Yes； I know he will be annoyed。 But there may be other reasons why
I should reveal the thing。〃
〃There may indeed！〃 said Donal。
〃Still； I should be sorry to offend him more than I cannot help。 If
he were a man like my father； I should never dream of going against
him； I should in fact leave everything to him he cared to attend to。
But seeing he is the man he is； it would be absurd。 I dare not let
him manage my affairs for me much longer。 I must understand for
myself how things are going。〃
〃You will not； I hope； arrange anything without the presence of a
lawyer！ I fear I have less confidence in your uncle than you have！〃
Arctura made no reply； and Donal was afraid he had hurt her； but the
next moment she looked up with a sad smile； and said；
〃Well； poor man！ we will not compare our opinions of him： he is my
father's brother； and I shall be glad not to offend him。 But my
father would have reason to be dissatisfied if I left everything to
my uncle as if he had not left everything to me。 If he had been
another sort of man； my father would surely have left the estate to
him！〃
At nine o'clock they met in the housekeeper's roomlow…ceiled；
large； lined almost round with oak presses； which were mistress
Brookes's delight。 She welcomed them as to her own house； and made
an excellent hostess。
But Donal would not mix the tumbler of toddy she would have had him
take。 For one thing he did not like his higher to be operated upon
from his lower： it made him feel as if possessed by a not altogether
real self。 But the root of his objection lay in the teaching of his
mother。 The things he had learned of his parents were to him his
patent of nobility； vouchers that he was honourably descended： of
his birth he was as proud as any man。 And hence this night he was
led to talk of his father and mother； and the things of his
childhood。 He told Arctura all about the life he had led； how at one
time he kept cattle in the fields； at another sheep on the
mountains； how it came that he was sent to college； and all the
story of sir Gibbie。 The night wore on。 Arctura listeneddid
nothing but listen； she was enchanted。 And it surprised Donal
himself to find how calmly he could now look back upon what had
seemed to threaten an everlasting winter of the soul。 It was indeed
the better thing that Ginevra should be Gibbie's wife！
A pause had come； and he had fallen into a brooding memory of things
gone by； when a sudden succession of quick knocks fell on his ear。
He startedstrangely affected。 Neither of his companions took
notice of it； though it was now past one o'clock。 It was like a
knocking with knuckles against the other side of the wall of the
room。
〃What can that be？〃 he said； listening for more。
〃H'ard ye never that 'afore； maister Grant？〃 said the housekeeper。
〃I hae grown sae used til't my ears hardly tak notice o' 't！〃
〃What is it？〃 asked Donal。
〃Ay； what is't？ Tell ye me that gien ye can！〃 she returned 〃It's
jist a chappin'； an' God's trowth it's a' I ken aboot the same！ It
comes； I believe I'm safe to say； ilka nicht； but I couldna tak my
aith upo' 't； I hae sae entirely drappit peyin' ony attention til't。
There's things aboot mony an auld hoose； maister Grant； 'at'll tak
the day o' judgment to explain them。 But sae lang as they keep to
their ain side o' the wa'； I dinna see I need trible my heid aboot
them。 Efter the experrience I had as a yoong lass； awa' doon in
Englan' yon'er； at a place my auntie got me intilfor she kenned a
heap o' gran' fowk throuw bein' hersel' sae near conneckit wi' them
as hoosekeeper i' the castel hereefter that； I'm sayin；' I wadna
need to be that easy scaret？〃
〃What was it？〃 said lady Arctura。 〃I don't think you ever told me。〃
〃No； my dear lady； I wud never hae thocht o' tellin' ye ony sic
story sae lang as ye was ower yoong no to be frichtit at it； for
'deed I think they're muckle to blame 'at tells bairns the varra
things they're no fit to hear； an' fix the dreid 'afore the sense。
But I s' tell ye the noo； gien ye care to hear。 It's a some awsome
story； but there's something unco fulish…like intil't as weel。 I
canna say I think muckle 'o craturs 'at trible their heids aboot
their heids！But that's tellin' 'aforehan'！〃
Here the good woman paused thoughtful。
〃I am longing to hear your story； mistress Brookes；〃 said Donal；
supposing she needed encouragement。
〃I'm but thinkin' hoo to begin；〃 she returned； 〃sae as to gie ye a
richt haud o' the thing。I'm thinkin' I canna do better nor jist
tell 't as it cam to mysel'！Weel； ye see； I was but a yoong lass；
abootweel； I micht be twenty； mair or less； whan I gaed til the
place I speak o'。 It was awa' upo' the borders o' Wales； like as
gien folk ower there i' Perth war doobtfu' whether sic or sic a
place was i' the hielan's or the lowlan's。 The maister o' the hoose
was a yoong man awa' upo' 's traivels； I kenna whaursomewhaur upo'
the continent； but that's a mickle word； an' as he had the intention
o' bein' awa' for some time to come； no carin' to settle doon aff
han' an' luik efter his ain； there was but ane gey auld wuman to
hoosekeep； an' me to help her； an' a man or twa aboot the place to
luik ef