Dolon

“ The brilliant sunlight bathed the tops of the beeches, over which his eyes wandered to emerald meadows and golden cornfields--the meadows and fields of Dollan, which lay like a quiet sunny Eden among the shaded, wood-covered hills that enclosed it on all sides. Amid the meadows and fields, relieved against the darker foliage of the trees in the garden, appeared the straw thatched roofs of the farm buildings, and the tiled roof of the long, low mansion-house, in whose red gable he could distinctly perceive the tiny window of the little room he had occupied with Curt whenever he went to Dollan. ”

“ The more I think how every man differs from his neighbour, and all our sins are the result of individual weakness at the end of lonely struggles with lonely temptations—the more I think maybe there is something in what you say, and that not only John but each of us—each of us under this shining sun, sir—keeps his private God."
"You'll have to break that news gently to the Pope," returned Dolan. "I'll not try it. Right's right, Mart Culpepper, and wrong's wrong for me and for Johnnie Barclay, white, black, brown, or yellow—'tis the same." ”

“ There were dull sounds of wooden machinery near, but they made no discord with the sweetness of the hour, speaking only of activity, not labour. From the long bleaching meadows by the river-side rose the wooded base of the castle. Donal’s bosom swelled with delight; then came a sting: was he already forgetting his inextinguishable grief? “But,” he answered himself, “God is more to me than any woman! When he puts joy in my heart, shall I not be glad? When he calls my name shall I not answer?”
He stepped out joyfully, and was soon climbing the hill. He was again admitted by the old butler. ”

“ Why, I’m going to meet Dolan–Inspector Dolan, you know–at eleven o’clock to-day, and we’re going down to a meeting that those people are going to hold this morning. I’m going to make a sketch of it. They are quite the most interesting thing I have come across for a long time, and I think the world will be rather struck to find that these strange folk are living in its very midst without its knowing anything at all about them.”
“Really!” said Gilderman. And then, after a moment of pause: “Do you know, Mr. Foord, I’d like immensely to go with you and Dolan and see these people.” ”

“ Why should they kill you when there's no reason?"
She did not seem very strongly convinced herself, Dolan thought.
"How do you mean, I'll forget it? You mean they'll hypnotize me, something like that?"
She shook her head. "No, they won't have to do anything. It's the displacement effect. You see, we are not really here, in a way, it is a sort of illusion, but more real for us than for you. When we return to our own time, we will remember all that happened, but you will remember nothing, since the translator does not really exist in your time. ”

“ Surely an old Irishman mending an old army coat under a dusty electric light bulb in the basement of a court-house, wherein he is janitor by grace of the united demand of Henry Schnitzler Post of the G.A.R. No. 432, is not a particularly inspiring picture. But he has bitten the last thread with his teeth, and is putting away the sewing outfit. And now Mr. Dolan, from the drawer of a little table beside the cot,—a table with Bob Hendricks' picture, framed in plush, sitting on the top,—now Mr. Dolan takes from the drawer a tablet of writing paper printed by the county. ”

“ The box, whose ponderosity was unintelligible to its owner, having been hoisted, amid the smiles of the passengers, to the mid region of the roof of the coach, Donal clambered after it, and took, for the first time in his life, his place behind four horses—to go softly rushing through the air towards endless liberty. It was to the young poet an hour of glorious birth—in which there seemed nothing too strange, nothing but what should have come. I fancy, when they die, many will find themselves more at home than ever they were in this world. ”

“ He was Dolan—Dolan—Dolan. He was Irish. If he lagged, he would imperil the life of this indomitable man who had gone to the devil because of a woman's unfaith. What if he had laughed, poked fun at Belfort alias Dolan? He had made a lonely old man's dream come true.
Hours and hours passed, so it seemed. The Professor wondered if he could ever loosen his grip on Synde's coat. Unexpectedly they came upon the lights of the house. Evidently Synde had lighted the lamps before going into the forest.
“We'll make it,” said Synde. “Only a few steps to the car. Plenty of gas!” ”

“ While nations shuddered and gasped, cannon belched forth, thunder and flaming, battleships crashed together and sudden death was almost as unintermitting as the ticking of the clock, among the thousands of pairing souls and bodies drawn together in a new world where for the time being all sound was stilled but the throb of pulsing hearts, there moved with the spellbound throng one boy and girl whose dream of being was a thing of entrancement.
Every few days they met in some wonderfully chosen and always quiet spot. Donal knew and loved the half unknown remote corners of the older London too. ”

“ A butler always had been Dolly's secret dream.
Charles-Norton, also, though unconsciously perhaps, gets a good deal of pleasure out of the house (and the butler) , for Dolly, with innate genius, has given it an air of quiet elegance and culture which he secretly enjoys. There is, also, a certain contentment in living life along a definite routine. He flies every night but Sunday, and two afternoons a week. And then, if Dolly has her house, he has his automobile.
A big, high-powered, red automobile. He goes out in it with Dolly every Sunday. ”

“ As there is a temptation on the cards, Donal began playing, and he did not stop until he lost every penny of all that he had. "There is no good in my going home now," says Donal; "I'll stake the horses and the cart against all I lost." He played again, and he lost the horses and the cart. Then he did not know what he should do, but he thought and said: "Unless I go home, my poor mother will be anxious. I will go home and tell the truth to her. They can but banish me."
When he came home, Dermod asked him: "Did you sell the oats? or where are the horses and the cart?" ”

“ As he spoke these words, the boat shot out into the water.
“Now,” continued Mr. Dolan, “as a working hypothesis, we may take it for granted that those boys went to Pictured Rocks; everybody goes there. So we’ll make for that place and reach it, I dare say, in six or seven minutes.”
“I hope nothing has happened,” said the father. “This morning my wife had a bad sick headache, and Clarence was overflowing with animal spirits. We had promised him, the night before, a ride on the river and a swim. He had never been on the Mississippi, and he was all eagerness. ”

“ Dolan hesitated, studying both Moirta's and the men's positions, and then nodded sullenly.
"I thought there might be," Brown said with satisfaction. "Mr. Smith, help Mr. Dolan up to the machine."
Dolan reached out unsteadily, leaning on Smith, and reversed two connections. "That's it," he mumbled.
"Thank you, Mr. Dolan. Now, Mr. Smith, if you will just carry Mr. Dolan over there into the corner, well away from the machine, and immobilize him—no, no, just temporarily. We may still need him again, Mr. Dolan is a very tricky sort of person." ”

“ As the cold and the nights grew, the water-level rose in Donal’s well, and the poetry began to flow. When we have no summer without, we must supply it from within. Those must have comfort in themselves who are sent to help others. Up in his aerie, like an eagle above the low affairs of the earth, he led a keener life, breathed the breath of a more genuine existence than the rest of the house. No doubt the old cobbler, seated at his last over a mouldy shoe, breathed a yet higher air than Donal weaving his verse, or reading grand old Greek, in his tower ”

“ Bernard, standing still, thought fashionable people talked like imbeciles. Dolly, shy, though no one saw it, was in a glow of triumph.
Their way home led through woods. So much rain had fallen that the mossy bridle-path was scored with deep ruts full of water, and Dolly had to hold her skirt away from the black leaf-mould. [59] Rain-drops held in crumpled copper leaves shone gemlike, smooth young stems glistened; only the grey boles of the forest trees looked warm and dry. Dolly, herself like a russet leaf, harmonised with the woodland scenery, which seemed a frame made for her. ”

“ Dolly kissed the kitten and went on, "About you and Dulcie Mildmay."
"That's very ancient history," said I, rather disgusted.
"You admit it is history, though?"
"History is what women have agreed to repeat, Lady Mickleham."
"Oh, if you're going to take it like that! I thought we were friends—and——"
"There is no greater mark of friendship," I observed, "than a complete absence of interest in one's doings."
"An absence of interest?" smiled Dolly, re-tying the kitten's bow in a meditative way.
"It makes the heart grow fonder (not, of course, that that's always desirable) . ”

“ In the spring, summer, and autumn, Donal laboured all day with his body, and in the evening as much as he could with his mind. Lover of Nature as he was, however, more alive indeed than before to the delights of the country, and the genial companionship of terrene sights and sounds, scents and motions, he could not help longing for the winter and the city, that his soul might be freer to follow its paths. And yet what a season some of the labours of the field afforded him for thought! To the student who cannot think without books, the easiest of such labours are a dull burden, or a distress ”

“ Donal was now descending the heights of youth to walk along the king’s highroad of manhood: happy he who, as his sun is going down behind the western, is himself ascending the eastern hill, returning through old age to the second and better childhood which shall not be taken from him! He who turns his back on the setting sun goes to meet the rising sun; he who loses his life shall find it. Donal had lost his past—but not so as to be ashamed. ”

“ Captain Dolan shook his head.
“There is no murderer,” he said.
We all looked startled, I imagine. Kenton would have spoken, but Captain Dolan motioned him to silence. Even Corcoran, for once, found himself without words.
“I spoke of an item in the paper tonight,” continued Captain Dolan. “Doubtless ’twas seen by all of you. Did you not read that one of the gorillas at the Zoo had escaped from its cage and was at large in the city?”
In the breathless silence which ensued I felt a peculiar thrill of terror pass up my spine. ”

“ Out of Arctura’s sight Donal had his turn of so-called weakness!
The day was a glorious one, and Davie, full of spirits, could not understand why he seemed so unlike himself.
“Arkie would scold you, Mr. Grant!” he said.
Donal avoided the town, and walked a long way round to get into the road beyond it, his head bent as if he were pondering a pain. At moments he felt as if he must return at once, and refuse to leave the castle for any reason. But he could not see that it was the will of God he should do so. A presentiment is not a command. A prophecy may fail of the least indication of duty. ”

“ Killers in the house at the end of River Road.
This was the house at the end of River Road.
Brown had stopped speaking and was looking at him questioningly.
"Uh, yeah," Dolan said hastily. "Well, that still doesn't tell me too much." He carefully rolled the length of wire and hung it on a projecting piece of the time translator. His hands were damp, and he was sure he was moving awkwardly and unnaturally. Dolan was not an easily flustered person, but things were coming a little fast—mysterious aliens, time machines, and now—murder, or hint of it. ”

“ The gentleman got him his clothes, gave him his wages, and off for ever with him.
Donal went to the gentleman's house, and when he ate and drank his enough, he said: "I have a story to tell you." Then he told him everything that happened to him the night before, until he came as far as the part about the gold. "Come with me till I see the gold," said the gentleman. He went to the castle, he lifted the flag, and when he saw the gold, he said: "I know now that the story is true." ”

“ The dearest wish of Donal's heart no one knew but himself. His soul was full of music, and he longed to have a violin.
One night Donal was going home through a dark forest when a storm came up. He found an old hollow tree and got inside of it to keep dry. Soon he fell asleep.
After a while Donal was awakened by a strange noise. He peeped out, and he saw a queer sight. The storm had passed, and the moon was shining. Many elves were dancing to strange music played by an old, old elf.
{207}
Such queer dancing it was! ”

“ As it was, I left only in obedience to my father's command, and brought news of Lyon's ravaging the city to General Wolcott, dodging Hessians and outlying marauders by the way. Do you stop here long, Dolly, or will you have my escort back to Lebanon?"
"I came for a month," answered Dolly; "I was ill of spring fever, and since then my mother thinks this mountain air benefits me. But you go back to your duties at Yale College, though it's early yet for them." ”

“ A famished child creep tremblin' on me flure!"
I listened to ould Dolan's honest words,
That's twenty years ago this very spring,
An' Mick is married—an' me Rosie wears
A swateheart's little, shinin' goulden ring.
'Twould make yer heart lape just to take a look
At the green fields upon me own big farm;
An' God be prais'd! all men may have the same
That owns an axe! an' has a strong right arm! ”