Strong-hearted and strong-brained, Donal had yet stood absorbed as
if he too were out of the body, and knew nothing more of this earth.
There is something more terrible in a presence that is not a
presence than in a vision of the bodiless; that is, a present ghost
is not so terrible as an absent one, a present but deserted body. He
stood a moment helpless, then pulled himself together and tried to
think. What should he do? What could he do? What was required of
him? Was anything required of him? Had he any right to do anything?
Could anything be done that would not both be and cause a wrong? His
first impulse was to follow: a man in such a condition was surely
not to be left to go whither he would among the heights and depths
of the castle, where he might break his neck any moment!
Interference no doubt was dangerous, but he would follow him at
least a little way! He heard the steps going down the stair, and
made haste after them. But ere they could have reached the bottom,
the sound of them ceased; and Donal knew the earl must have left the
stair at a point from which he could not follow him.
CHAPTER XXIX.
EPPY AGAIN.
He would gladly have told his friend the cobbler all about the
strange occurrence; but he did not feel sure it would be right to
carry a report of the house where he held a position of trust; and
what made him doubtful was, that first he doubted whether the
cobbler would consider it right.
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