of the highest； I think mere punishment a human idea； not a divine
one。 But the consuming fire is more terrible than any punishment
invented by riotous and cruel imagination。 Punishment indeed it
isnot mere punishment； a power of God for his creature。 Love is
God's being； love is his creative energy； they are one： God's
punishments are for the casting out of the sin that uncreates； for
the recreating of the things his love made and sin has unmade。
He heard the lean hands of the earl go slowly sweeping； at the ends
of his long arms； over the wall： he had seen the thing； else he
could hardly have interpreted the sounds； and he heard him muttering
on and on； though much too low for his words to be distinguishable。
Had they been； Donal by this time was so convinced that he had to do
with an evil and dangerous man； that he would have had little
scruple in listening。 It is only righteousness that has a right to
secrecy； and does not want it； evil has no right to secrecy； alone
intensely desires it； and rages at being foiled of it； for when its
deeds come to the light； even evil has righteousness enough left to
be ashamed of them。 But he could remain no longer； his very soul
felt sick within him。 He turned hastily away to leave the place。 But
carrying his light too much in front； and forgetting the stool； he
came against it and knocked it over； not without noise。 A loud cry
from the other side of the wall revealed the dismay he had caused。
It was followed by a stillness； and then a moaning。
He made haste to find Simmons； and send him to his master。 He heard
nothing afterwards of the affair。
CHAPTER LXIII。
THE CLOSET。
Tender over lady Arctura； Donal would ask a question or two of the
housekeeper before disclosing what further he had found。 He sought
her room； therefore； while Arctura and Davie； much together now；
were reading in the library。
〃Did you ever hear anything about that little room on the stair；
mistress Brookes？〃 he asked。
〃I canna say；〃 she answeredbut thoughtfully； 〃Bide a wee： auld
auntie did mention something ance abootbide a weeI hae a wullin'
memorymaybe I'll min' upo' 't i' the noo！It was something aboot
biggin' up an' takin' doonsomething he was to do； an' something he
never did！I'm sure I canna tell！ But gie me time； an' I'll min'
upo' 't！ Ance is aye wi' meonly I maun hae time！〃
Donal waited； and said not a word。
〃I min' this much；〃 she said at length； 〃that they used to be
thegither i' that room。 I min' too that there was something aboot
buildin' up ae wa'； an' pu'in' doon anither。It's comin'it's
comin' back to me！〃
She paused again awhile； and then said：
〃All I can recollec'； Mr。 Grant； is this： that efter her death； he
biggit up something no far frae that room！what was't noo？an'
there was something aboot makin' o' the room bigger！ Hoo that could
be by buildin' up； I canna think！ Yet I feel sure that was what he
did！〃
〃Would you mind coming to the place？〃 said Donal。 〃To see it might
help you to remember。〃
〃I wull； sir。 Come ye here aboot half efter ten； an' we s' gang
thegither。〃
As soon as the house was quiet； they went。 But Mistress Brookes
could recall nothing； and Donal gazed about him to no purpose。
〃What's that？〃 he said at last； pointing to the wall on the other
side of which was the little chamber。
Two arches； in chalk； as it seemed； had attracted his gaze。 Light
surely was about to draw nigh through the darkness！ Chaos surely was
settling a little towards order！
The one arch was drawn opposite the hidden chamber； the other
against the earl's closet； as it had come to be called in the
housemost of the domestics thinking he there said his prayers。 It
looked as if there had been an intention of piercing the wall with
such arches； to throw the two small rooms on the other side as
recesses into the larger。 But if that had been the intent； what
could the building of a wall； vaguely recollected by mistress
Brookes； have been for？ That a wall had been built he did not doubt；
for he believed he knew the wall； but why？
〃What's that？〃 said Donal。
〃What？〃 returned Mrs。 Brookes。
〃Those two arches。〃
The housekeeper looked at them thoughtfully for a few moments。
〃I canna help fancyin'；〃 she said slowly； 〃yes； I'm sure that's
the varra thing my aunt told me aboot！ That's the twa places whaur
he was goin' to tak the wall doon； to mak the room lairger。 But I'm
sure she said something aboot buildin' a wall as weel！〃
〃Look here；〃 said Donal； 〃I will measure the distance from the door
to the other side of this first arch。Now come into the closet
behind。 Look here！ This same measurement takes us right up to the
end of the place！ So you see if we were to open the other arch； it
would be into something behind this wall。〃
〃Then this may be the varra wa' he biggit？〃
〃I don't doubt it； but what could he have had it built for； if he
was going to open the other wall？ I must think it all over！It was
after his wife's death； you say？〃
〃Yes； I believe so。〃
〃One might have thought he would not care about enlarging the room
after she was gone！〃
〃But； sir； he wasna jist sic a pattren o' a guidman；〃 said the
housekeeper。 〃An' what for mak this room less？〃
〃May it not have been for the sake of shutting out； or hiding
something？〃 suggested Donal。
〃I do remember a certain thing！Curious！But what then as to the
openin' o' 't efter？〃
〃He has never done it！〃 said Donal significantly。 〃The thing takes
shape to me in this way：that he wanted to build something out of
sightto annihilate it； but in order to prevent speculation； he
professed the intention of casting the one room into the other； then
built the wall across； on the pretence that it was necessary for
support when the other was broken throughor perhaps that two
recesses with arches would look better； but when he had got the wall
built； he put off opening the arches on one pretext or another； till
the thing should be forgotten altogetheras you see it is already；
almost entirely！I have been at the back of that wall； and heard
the earl moaning and crying on this side of it！〃
〃God bless me！〃 cried the good woman。 〃I'm no easy scaret； but
that's fearfu' to think o'！〃
〃You would not care to come there with me？〃
〃No the nicht； sir。 Come to my room again； an' I s' mak ye a cup o'
coffee； an' tell ye the storyit's a' come back to me noothe
thing 'at made my aunt tell me aboot the buildin' o' this wa'。
'Deed； sir； I hae hardly a doobt the thing was jist as ye say！〃
They went to her room： there was lady Arctura sitting by the fire！
〃My lady！〃 cried the housekeeper。 〃I thoucht I left ye soon'
asleep！〃
〃So I was； I daresay；〃 answered Arctura； 〃but I woke again； and
finding you had not come up； I thought I would go down to you。 I was
certain you and Mr。 Grant would be somewhere together！ Have you been
discovering anything more？〃
Mrs。 Brookes gave Donal a look： he left her to tell as much or as
little as she pleased。
〃We hae been prowlin' aboot the hoose； but no doon yon'er； my lady。
I think you an' me wad do weel to lea' that to Mr。 Grant！〃
〃When your ladyship is quite ready to have everything set to
rights；〃 said Donal； 〃and to have a resurrection of the chapel； then
I shall be glad to go with you again。 But I would rather not even
talk more about it just at present。〃
〃As you please； Mr。 Grant；〃 replied lady Arctura。 〃We will say
nothing more till I have made up my mind。 I don't want to vex my
uncle； and I find the question rather a difficult oneand the more
difficult that he is worse than usual。Will you not come to bed
now； mistress Brookes？〃
CHAPTER LXIV。
THE GARLAND…ROOM。
All through the terrible time； the sense of help and comfort and
protection in the presence of the young tutor； went on growing in
the mind of Arctura。 It was nothing to herwhat could it be？that
he was the son of a very humble pair； that he had been a shepherd；
and a cow…herd； and a farm labourerless than nothing。 She never
thought of the facts of his life except sympathetically； seeking to
enter into the feelings of his memorial childhood and youth； she
would never have known anything of those facts but for their lovely
intimacies of all sorts with Naturenature divine； human； animal；
cosmical。 By sharing with her his emotional history； Donal had made
its facts precious to her； through them he had gathered his bestby
home and by prayer； by mother and father； by sheep and mountains and
wind and sky。 And now he was to her a tower of strength； a refuge； a
strong city； the shadow of a great rock in a weary land。 She trusted
him the more that he never invited her trustnever put himself
before her； for always before her he set Life； the perfect
heart…origin of her and his yet unperfected humanity； teaching her
to hunger and thirst after being righteous like God； with the
assurance of being filled。 She had once trusted in Miss Carmichael；
not with her higher being； only with her judgment； and both her
judgment and her friend had misled her。 Donal had taught her that
obedience； not to man but to God； was the only guide to holy
liberty； and so had helped her to break the bonds of those
traditions which； in the shape of authoritative utterances of this
or that church； lay burdens grievous to be borne upon the souls of
men。 For Christ； against all the churches； seemed to her to express
Donal's mission。 An air of peace； an atmosphere of summer twilight
after the going down of the sun； seemed to her to precede him and
announce his approach with a radiation felt as rest。 She questioned
herself nowise about him。 Falling in love was a thing unsuggested to
her； if she was in what is called danger； it was of a better thing。
The next day she did not appear： mistress Brookes had persuaded her
to keep her bed again for a day or two。 There was nothing really the
matter with her； she said herself； but she was so tired she did not
care to lift her head from the pillow。 She had slept well； and was
troubled about nothing。 She sent to beg Mr。 Grant to let Davie go
and read to her； and to give him something to read； good for him as
well as for her。
Donal did not see Davie again till the next morning。