david elginbrod-第100部分

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energy　to　his　novel；　and　worked　at　it　as　his　invention　gave　him
scope。　　There　was　the　more　necessity　that　he　should　make　progress；
from　the　fact　that；　having　sent　his　mother　the　greater　part　of　the
salary　he　had　received　from　Mr。　Arnold；　he　was　now　reduced　to　his
last　sovereign。　　Poverty　looks　rather　ugly　when　she　comes　so　close
as　this。　　But　she　had　not　yet　accosted　him；　and　with　a　sovereign　in
his　pocket；　and　last　week's　rent　paid；　a　bachelor　is　certainly　not
poverty…stricken；　at　least　when　he　is　as　independent；　not　only　of
other　people；　but　of　himself；　as　Hugh　was。　　Still；　without　more
money　than　that　a　man　walks　in　fetters；　and　is　ready　to　forget　that
the　various　restraints　he　is　under　are　not　incompatible　with　most
honourable　freedom。　　So　Hugh　worked　as　hard　as　he　could　to　finish
his　novel；　and　succeeded　within　a　week。　　Then　the　real　anxiety
began。　　He　carried　it；　with　much　doubtful　hope；　to　one　of　the
principal　publishing　houses。　　Had　he　been　more　selfishly　wise；　he
would　have　put　it　into　the　hands　of　Falconer　to　negotiate　for　him。
But　he　thought　he　had　given　him　quite　trouble　enough　already。　　So
he　went　without　an　introduction　even。　　The　manuscript　was　received
politely；　and　attention　was　promised。　　But　a　week　passed；　and
another；　and　another。　　A　human　soul　was　in　commotion　about　the　meat
that　perishethand　the　manuscript　lay　all　the　time
unread；forgotten　in　a　drawer。

At　length　he　reached　his　last　coin。　　He　had　had　no　meat　for　several
days；　except　once　that　he　dined　at　Mrs。　Elton's。　　But　he　would　not
borrow　till　absolutely　compelled；　and　sixpence　would　keep　him　alive
another　day。　　In　the　morning　he　had　some　breakfast　（for　he　knew　his
books　were　worth　enough　to　pay　all　he　owed　Miss　Talbot）；　and　then　he
wandered　out。　　Through　the　streets　he　paced　and　paced；　looking　in　at
all　the　silversmiths'　and　printsellers'　windows；　and　solacing　his
poverty　with　a　favourite　amusement　of　his　in　uneasy　circumstances；
an　amusement　cheap　enough　for　a　Scotchman　reduced　to　his　last
sixpencecastle…building。　　This　is　not　altogether　a　bad　employment
where　hope　has　laid　the　foundation；　but　it　is　rather　a　heartless　one
where　the　imagination　has　to　draw　the　ground　plan　as　well　as　the
elevations。　　The　latter；　however；　was　not　quite　Hugh's　condition
yet。He　returned　at　night；　carefully　avoiding　the　cook…shops　and
their　kindred　snares；　with　a　silver　groat　in　his　pocket　still。　　But
he　crawled　up　stairs　rather　feebly；　it　must　be　confessed；　for　a
youth　with　limbs　moulded　in　the　fashion　of　his。

He　found　a　letter　waiting　him；　from　a　friend　of　his　mother；
informing　him　that　she　was　dangerously　ill；　and　urging　him　to　set
off　immediately　for　home。　　This　was　like　the　blast　of　fiery　breath
from　the　dragon's　maw；　which　overthrew　the　Red…cross　knightbut
into　the　well　of　life；　where　all　his　wounds　were　healed；
andandwellboard　and　lodging　provided　him　gratis。

When　he　had　read　the　letter；　he　fell　on　his　knees；　and　said　to　his
father　in　heaven：　〃What　am　I　to　do？〃

There　was　no　lake　with　golden　pieces　in　its　bottom；　whence　a　fish
might　bring　him　a　coin。　　Nor　in　all　the　wide　London　lay　there　one　he
could　claim　as　his；　but　the　groat　in　his　pocket。

He　rose　with　the　simple　resolution　to　go　and　tell　Falconer。　　He
went。　　He　was　not　at　home。　　Emboldened　by　necessity；　Hugh　left　his
card；　with　the　words　on　it：　〃Come　to　me；　I　need　you。〃　　He　then
returned；　packed　a　few　necessaries；　and　sat　down　to　wait。　　But　he
had　not　sat　five　minutes　before　Falconer　entered。

〃What's　the　matter；　Sutherland；　my　dear　fellow？　　You　haven't　pricked
yourself　with　that　skewer；　have　you？〃

Hugh　handed　him　the　letter　with　one　hand；　and　when　he　had　read　it；
held　out　the　fourpenny　piece　in　the　other　hand；　to　be　read　likewise。
Falconer　understood　at　once。

〃Sutherland；〃　he　said；　in　a　tone　of　reproof；　〃it　is　a　shame　of　you
to　forget　that　men　are　brothers。　　Are　not　two　who　come　out　of　the
heart　of　God；　as　closely　related　as　if　they　had　lain　in　the　womb　of
one　mother？　　Why　did　you　not　tell　me？　　You　have　sufferedI　am　sure
you　have。〃

〃I　havea　little；〃　Hugh　confessed。　〃I　am　getting　rather　low　in
fact。　　I　haven't　had　quite　enough　to　eat。〃

He　said　this　to　excuse　the　tears　which　Falconer's　kindnessnot
hungercompelled　from　their　cells。

〃But；〃　he　added；　〃I　would　have　come　to　you　as　soon　as　the　fourpence
was　gone；　or　at　least；　if　I　hadn't　got　another　before　I　was　very
hungry　again。〃

〃Good　heavens！〃　exclaimed　Falconer；　half　angrily。　　Then　pulling　out
his　watch；　〃We　have　two　hours；〃　said　he；　〃before　a　train　starts　for
the　north。　　Come　to　my　place。〃

Hugh　rose　and　obeyed。　　Falconer's　attendant　soon　brought　them　a
plentiful　supper　from　a　neighbouring　shop；　after　which　Falconer　got
out　one　of　his　bottles　of　port；　well　known　to　his　more　intimate
friends；　and　Hugh　thought　no　more　about　money　than　if　he　had　had　his
purse　full。　　If　it　had　not　been　for　anxiety　about　his　mother；　he
would　have　been　happier　than　he　had　ever　been　in　his　life　before。
For；　crossing　in　the　night　the　wavering；　heaving　morass　of　the
world；　had　he　not　set　his　foot　upon　one　spot　which　did　not　shake；
the　summit；　indeed；　of　a　mighty　Plutonic　rock；　that　went　down
widening　away　to　the　very　centre　of　the　earth？　　As　he　sped　along　in
the　railway　that　night；　the　prophecy　of　thousands　of　years　came
back：　〃A　man　shall　be　a　hiding…place　from　the　wind；　a　covert　from
the　tempest；　the　shadow　of　a　great　rock　in　a　weary　land。〃　　And　he
thought　it　would　be　a　blessed　time　indeed；　when　this　was　just　what　a
man　was。　　And　then　he　thought　of　the　Son　of　Man；　who；　by　being　such
first；　was　enabling　all　his　friends　to　be　such　too。　　Of　him　Falconer
had　already　learned　this　〃truth　in　the　inward　parts〃；　and　had　found；
in　the　process　of　learning　it；　that　this　was　the　true　nature　which
God　had　made　his　from　the　first；　no　new　thing　superinduced　upon　it。
He　had　had　but　to　clear　away　the　rubbish　of　worldliness；　which　more
or　less　buries　the　best　natures　for　a　time；　and　so　to　find　himself。

After　Hugh　had　eaten　and　drunk；　and　thus　once　more　experienced　the
divinity　that　lay　in　food　and　wine；　he　went　to　take　leave　of　his
friends　at　Mrs。　Elton's。　　Like　most　invalids；　Euphra　was　better　in
the　evening：　she　requested　to　see　him。　　He　found　her　in　bed；　and
much　wasted　since　he　saw　her　last。　　He　could　not　keep　the　tears　from
filling　his　eyes；　for　all　the　events　of　that　day　had　brought　them
near　the　surface。

〃Do　not　cry；　dear　friend；〃　she　said　sweetly。　〃There　is　no　room　for
me　here　any　more；　and　I　am　sent　for。〃

Hugh　could　not　reply。　　She　went　on：

〃I　have　written　to　Mr。　Arnold　about　the　ring；　and　all　you　did　to　get
it。　　Do　you　know　he　is　going　to　marry　Lady　Emily？〃

Still　Hugh　could　not　answer。

Margaret　stood　on　the　other　side　of　the　bed；　the　graceful　embodiment
of　holy　health；　and　in　his　sorrow；　he　could　not　help　feeling　the
beauty　of　her　presence。　　Her　lovely　hands　were　the　servants　of
Euphra；　and　her　light；　firm　feet　moved　only　in　ministration。　　He
felt　that　Euphra　had　room　in　the　world　while　Margaret　waited　on　her。
It　is　not　house；　and　fire；　and　plenty　of　servants；　and　all　the
things　that　money　can　procure；　that　make　a　homenot　father　or
mother　or　friends；　but　one　heart　which　will　not　be　weary　of　helping；
will　not　be　offended　with　the　petulance　of　sickness；　nor　the
ministrations　needful　to　weakness：　this　〃entire　affection　hating
nicer　hands〃　will　make　a　home　of　a　cave　in　a　rock；　or　a　gipsy's
tent。　　This　Euphra　had　in　Margaret；　and　Hugh　saw　it。

〃I　trust　you　will　find　your　mother　better；　Hugh〃　said　Euphra。

〃I　fear　not；〃　answered　he。

〃Well；　Margaret　has　been　teaching　me；　and　I　think　I　have　learned　it；
that　death　is　not　at　all　such　a　dreadful　thing　as　it　looks。　　I　said
to　her：　'It　is　easy　for　you；　Margaret；　who　are　so　far　from　death's
door。'　　But　she　told　me　that　she　had　been　all　but　dead　once；　and
that　you　had　saved　her　life　almost　with　your　own。　　Oh；　Hugh！　she　is
such　a　dear！〃

Euphra　smiled　with　ten　times　the　fascination　of　any　of　her　old
smiles；　for　the　soul　of　the　smile　was　love。

〃I　shall　never　see　you　again；　I　daresay；〃　she　went　on。　〃My　heart
thanks　you；　from　its　very　depths；　for　your　goodness　to　me。　　It　has
been　a　thousand　times　more　than　I　deserve。〃

Hugh　kissed　in　silence　the　wasted　hand　held　out　to　him　in　adieu；　and
departed。　　And　the　world　itself　was　a　sad　wandering　star。

Falconer　had　called　for　him。　　They　drove　to　Miss　Talbot's；　where
Hugh　got　his　'bag　of　needments；'　and　bade　his　landlady　good…bye　for
a　time。　　Falconer　then　accompanied　him　to　the　railway。

Having　left　him　for　a　moment；　Falconer　rejoined　him；　saying：　〃I　have
your　ticket；〃　and　put　him　into　a　first…class　carriage。

Hugh　remonstrated。　　Falconer　replied：

〃I　find　this　hulk　of　mine　worth　taking　care　of。　　You　will　be　twice
the　good　to　your　mother；　if　you　reach　her　tolerably　fresh。〃

He　stood　by　the　carriage　door　talking　to　him；　till　the　train
started；　walked　alongside　till　it　was　fairly　in　motion；　then；
bidding　him　good…bye；　left　in　his　hand　a　little　packet；　which　Hugh；
opening　it　by　the　light　of　the　lamp；　found　to　consist　of　a　few
sovereigns　and　a　few　shillings　folded　up　in　a　twenty…pound…note。

I　ought　to　tell　one　other　little　fact；　however。　　Jus