按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the offence he had given。
〃I will tell you；〃 Donal went on； 〃something you did wicked to…day。〃
Davie grew rosy red。 〃When we find out one wicked thing we do； it
is a beginning to finding out all the wicked things we do。 Some
people would rather not find them out； but have them hidden from
themselves and from God too。 But let us find them out； everyone of
them； that we may ask Jesus to take them away； and help Jesus to
take them away； by fighting them with all our strength。This
morning you pulled the little pup's ears till he screamed。〃 Davie
hung his head。 〃You stopped a while； and then did it again！ So I
knew it wasn't that you didn't know。 Is that a thing Jesus would
have done when he was a little boy？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because it would have been wrong。〃
〃I suspect； rather； it is because he would have loved the little
pup。 He didn't have to think about its being wrong。 He loves every
kind of living thing。 He wants to take away your sin because he
loves you。 He doesn't merely want to make you not cruel to the
little pup； but to take away the wrong think that doesn't love him。
He wants to make you love every living creature。 Davie； Jesus came
out of the grave to make us good。〃
Tears were flowing down Davie's checks。
〃The lesson 's done； Davie；〃 said Donal； and rose and went； leaving
him with lady Arctura。
But ere he reached the door； he turned with sudden impulse； and
said：
〃Davie； I love Jesus Christ and his Father more than I can tell
youmore than I can put in wordsmore than I can think； and if you
love me you will mind what Jesus tells you。〃
〃What a good man you must be； Mr。 Grant！Mustn't he； Arkie？〃 sobbed
Davie。
Donal laughed。
〃What； Davie！〃 he exclaimed。 〃You think me very good for loving the
only good person in the whole world！ That is very odd！ Why； Davie；
I should be the most contemptible creature； knowing him as I do； not
to love him with all my heartyes； with all the big heart I shall
have one day when he has done making me。〃
〃Is he making you still； Mr。 Grant？ I thought you were grown up！〃
〃Well； I don't think he will make me any taller；〃 answered Donal。
〃But the live part of methe thing I love you with； the thing I
think about God with； the thing I love poetry with； the thing I read
the Bible withthat thing God keeps on making bigger and bigger。 I
do not know where it will stop； I only know where it will not stop。
That thing is me； and God will keep on making it bigger to all
eternity； though he has not even got it into the right shape yet。〃
〃Why is he so long about it？〃
〃I don't think he is long about it； but he could do it quicker if I
were as good as by this time I ought to be； with the father and
mother I have； and all my long hours on the hillsides with my New
Testament and the sheep。 I prayed to God on the hill and in the
fields； and he heard me； Davie； and made me see the foolishness of
many things； and the grandeur and beauty of other things。 Davie；
God wants to give you the whole world； and everything in it。 When
you have begun to do the things Jesus tells you； then you will be my
brother； and we shall both be his little brothers； and the sons of
his Father God； and so the heirs of all things。〃
With that he turned again and went。
The tears were rolling down Arctura's face without her being aware
of it。
〃He is a well…meaning man；〃 she said to herself； 〃but dreadfully
mistaken： the Bible says believe； not do！〃
The poor girl； though she read her bible regularly； was so blinded
by the dust and ashes of her teaching； that she knew very little of
what was actually in it。 The most significant things slipped from
her as if they were merest words without shadow of meaning or
intent： they did not support the doctrines she had been taught； and
therefore said nothing to her。 The story of Christ and the appeals
of those who had handled the Word of Life had another end in view
than making people understand how God arranged matters to save them。
God would have us live： if we live we cannot but know； all the
knowledge in the universe could not make us live。 Obedience is the
road to all thingsthe only way in which to grow able to trust him。
Love and faith and obedience are sides of the same prism。
Regularly after that； lady Arctura came to the lessonalways
intending to object as soon as it was over。 But always before the
end came； Donal had said something that went so to the heart of the
honest girl that she could say nothing。 As if she too had been a
pupil； as indeed she was； far more than either knew； she would rise
when Davie rose； and go away with him。 But it was to go alone into
the garden； or to her room； not seldom finding herself wishing
things true which yet she counted terribly dangerous： listening to
them might not she as well as Davie fail miserably of escape from
the wrath to come？
CHAPTER XIX。
THE FACTOR。
The old avenue of beeches； leading immediately nowhither any more；
but closed at one end by a built…up gate； and at the other by a high
wall； between which two points it stretched quite a mile； was a
favourite resort of Donal's； partly for its beauty； partly for its
solitude。 The arms of the great trees crossing made of it a long
aisleits roof a broken vault of leaves； upheld by irregular
pointed archeswhich affected one's imagination like an ever
shifting dream of architectural suggestion。 Having ceased to be a
way； it was now all but entirely deserted； and there was eeriness in
the vanishing vista that showed nothing beyond。 When the wind of
the twilight sighed in gusts through its moanful crowd of fluttered
leaves； or when the wind of the winter was tormenting the ancient
haggard boughs； and the trees looked as if they were weary of the
world； and longing after the garden of God； yet more when the snow
lay heavy upon their branches； sorely trying their aged strength to
support its oppression； and giving the onlooker a vague sense of
what the world would be if God were gone from itthen the old
avenue was a place from which one with more imagination than courage
would be ready to haste away； and seek instead the abodes of men。
But Donal； though he dearly loved his neighbour； and that in the
fullest concrete sense； was capable of loving the loneliest spots；
for in such he was never alone。
It was altogether a neglected place。 Long grass grew over its floor
from end to endcut now and then for hay； or to feed such animals
as had grass in their stalls。 Along one border； outside the trees；
went a footpathso little used that； though not quite conquered by
the turf； the long grass often met over the top of it。 Finding it
so lonely； Donal grew more and more fond of it。 It was his outdoor
study； his proseuche ｛Compilers note： pi； rho； omicron； sigma；
epsilon upsilon； chi； eta with stress＇outdoor＇ place of prayer｝a
little aisle of the great temple！ Seldom indeed was his reading or
meditation there interrupted by sight of human being。
About a month after he had taken up his abode at the castle； he was
lying one day in the grass with a book…companion； under the shade of
one of the largest of its beeches； when he fel