david elginbrod-第32部分

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the　boy　began　to　feel　fatigue；　or　cold；　or　any　other　discomfort；　his
tutor　took　measures　accordingly。

Harry　would　have　crept　into　the　straw…house；　but　Hugh　said；　pulling
a　book　out　of　his　pocket；

〃I　have　a　poem　here　for　you；　Harry。　　I　want　to　read　it　to　you　now；
and　we　can't　see　in　there。〃

They　threw　themselves　down　on　the　straw；　and　Hugh；　opening　a　volume
of　Robert　Browning's　Poems；　read　the　famous　ride　from　Ghent　to　Aix。
He　knew　the　poem　well；　and　read　it　well。　　Harry　was　in　raptures。

〃I　wish　I　could　read　that　as　you　do；〃　said　he。

〃Try；〃　said　Hugh。

Harry　tried　the　first　verse；　and　threw　the　book　down　in　disgust　with
himself。

〃Why　cannot　I　read　it？〃　said　he。

〃Because　you　can't　ride。〃

〃I　could　ride；　if　I　had　such　a　horse　as　that　to　ride　upon。〃

〃But　you　could　never　have　such　a　horse　as　that　except　you　could
ride；　and　ride　well；　first。　　After　that；　there　is　no　saying　but　you
might　get　one。　　You　might；　in　fact；　train　one　for　yourselftill
from　being　a　little　foal　it　became　your　own　wonderful　horse。〃

〃Oh！　that　would　be　delightful！　　Will　you　teach　me　horses　as　well；
Mr。　Sutherland？〃

〃Perhaps　I　will。〃

That　evening；　at　dinner；　Hugh　said　to　Mr。　Arnold：

〃Could　you　let　me　have　a　horse　to…morrow　morning；　Mr。　Arnold？〃

Mr。　Arnold　stared　a　little；　as　he　always　did　at　anything　new。　　But
Hugh　went　on：

〃Harry　and　I　want　to　have　a　ride　to…morrow；　and　I　expect　we　shall
like　it　so　much；　that　we　shall　want　to　ride　very　often。〃

〃Yes；　that　we　shall！〃　cried　Harry。

〃Could　not　Mr。　Sutherland　have　your　white　mare；　Euphra？〃　said　Mr。
Arnold；　reconciled　at　once　to　the　proposal。

〃I　would　rather　not；　if　you　don't　mind；　uncle。　　My　Fatty　is　not　used
to　such　a　burden　as　I　fear　Mr。　Sutherland　would　prove。　　She　drops　a
little　now；　on　the　hard　road。〃

The　fact　was；　Euphra　would　want　Fatima。

〃Well；　Harry；〃　said　Mr。　Arnold；　graciously　pleased　to　be　facetious；
〃don't　you　think　your　Welsh　dray…horse　could　carry　Mr。　Sutherland？〃

〃Ha！　ha！　ha！　　Papa；　do　you　know；　Mr。　Sutherland　set　him　up　on　his
hind　legs　yesterday；　and　made　him　walk　on　them　like　a　dancing…dog。
He　was　going　to　lift　him；　but　he　kicked　about　so　when　he　felt
himself　leaving　the　ground；　that　he　tumbled　Mr。　Sutherland　into　the
horse…trough。〃

Even　the　solemn　face　of　the　butler　relaxed　into　a　smile；　but　Mr。
Arnold's　clouded　instead。　　His　boy's　tutor　ought　to　be　a　gentleman。

〃Wasn't　it　fun；　Mr。　Sutherland？〃

〃It　was　to　you；　you　little　rogue！〃　said　Sutherland；　laughing。

〃And　how　you　did　run　home；　dripping　like　a　water…cart！and　all　the
dogs　after　you！〃

Mr。　Arnold's　monotonous　solemnity　soon　checked　Harry's　prattle。

〃I　will　see；　Mr。　Sutherland；　what　I　can　do　to　mount　you。〃

〃I　don't　care　what　it　is；〃　said　Hugh；　who　though　by　no　means　a
thorough　horseman；　had　been　from　boyhood　in　the　habit　of　mounting
everything　in　the　shape　of　a　horse　that　he　could　lay　hands　upon；
from　a　cart…horse　upwards　and　downwards。

〃There's　an　old　bay　that　would　carry　me　very　well。〃

〃That　is　my　own　horse；　Mr。　Sutherland。〃

This　stopped　the　conversation　in　that　direction。　　But　next　morning
after　breakfast；　an　excellent　chestnut　horse　was　waiting　at　the
door；　along　with　Harry's　new　pony。　　Mr。　Arnold　would　see　them　go
off。　　This　did　not　exactly　suit　Miss　Cameron；　but　if　she　frowned；　it
was　when　nobody　saw　her。　　Hugh　put　Harry　up　himself；　told　him　to
stick　fast　with　his　knees；　and　then　mounted　his　chestnut。　　As　they
trotted　slowly　down　the　avenue；　Euphrasia　heard　Mr。　Arnold　say　to
himself；　〃The　fellow　sits　well；　at　all　events。〃　　She　took　care　to
make　herself　agreeable　to　Hugh　by　reporting　this；　with　the　omission
of　the　initiatory　epithet；　however。

Harry　returned　from　his　ride　rather　tired；　but　in　high　spirits。

〃Oh；　Euphra！〃　he　cried；　〃Mr。　Sutherland　is　such　a　rider！　　He　jumps
hedges　and　ditches　and　everything。　　And　he　has　promised　to　teach　me
and　my　pony　to　jump　too。　　And　if　I　am　not　too　tired；　we　are　to　begin
to…morrow；　out　on　the　common。　　Oh！　jolly！〃

The　little　fellow's　heart　was　full　of　the　sense　of　growing　life　and
strength；　and　Hugh　was　delighted　with　his　own　success。　　He　caught
sight　of　a　serpentine　motion　in　Euphra's　eyebrows；　as　she　bent　her
face　again　over　the　work　from　which　she　had　lifted　it　on　their
entrance。　　He　addressed　her。

〃You　will　be　glad　to　hear　that　Harry　has　ridden　like　a　man。〃

〃I　am　glad　to　hear　it；　Harry。〃

Why　did　she　reply　to　the　subject　of　the　remark；　and　not　to　the
speaker？　　Hugh　perplexed　himself　in　vain　to　answer　this　question；
but　a　very　small　amount　of　experience　would　have　made　him　able　to
understand　at　once　as　much　of　her　behaviour　as　was　genuine。　　At
luncheon　she　spoke　only　in　reply；　and　then　so　briefly；　as　not　to
afford　the　smallest　peg　on　which　to　hang　a　response。

〃What　can　be　the　matter？〃　thought　Hugh。　〃What　a　peculiar　creature
she　is！　　But　after　what　has　passed　between　us；　I　can't　stand　this。〃

When　dinner　was　over　that　evening；　she　rose　as　usual　and　left　the
room；　followed　by　Hugh　and　Harry；　but　as　soon　as　they　were　in　the
drawing…room；　she　left　it；　and；　returning　to　the　dining…room；
resumed　her　seat　at　the　table。

〃Take　a　glass　of　claret；　Euphra；　dear？〃　said　Mr。　Arnold。

〃I　will；　if　you　please；　uncle。　　I　should　like　it。　　I　have　seldom　a
minute　with　you　alone　now。〃

Evidently　flattered；　Mr。　Arnold　poured　out　a　glass　of　claret；　rose
and　carried　it　to　his　niece　himself；　and　then　took　a　chair　beside
her。

〃Thank　you；　dear　uncle；〃　she　said；　with　one　of　her　bewitching
flashes　of　smile。

〃Harry　has　been　getting　on　bravely　with　his　riding；　has　he　not？〃　she
continued。

〃So　it　would　appear。〃

Harry　had　been　full　of　the　story　of　the　day　at　the　dinner…table；
where　he　still　continued　to　present　himself；　for　his　father　would
not　be　satisfied　without　hint。　　It　was　certainly　good　moral　training
for　the　boy；　to　sit　there　almost　without　eating；　and　none　the　worse
that　he　found　it　rather　hard　sometimes。　　He　talked　much　more　freely
now；　and　asked　the　servants　for　anything　he　wanted　without　referring
to　Euphra。　　Now　and　then　he　would　glance　at　her；　as　if　afraid　of
offending　her；　but　the　cords　which　bound　him　to　her　were　evidently
relaxing；　and　she　saw　it　plainly　enough；　though　she　made　no
reference　to　the　unpleasing　fact。

〃I　am　only　a　little　fearful；　uncle；　lest　Mr。　Sutherland　should　urge
the　boy　to　do　more　than　his　strength　will　admit　of。　　He　is
exceedingly　kind　to　him；　but　he　has　evidently　never　known　what
weakness　is　himself。〃

〃True；　there　is　danger　of　that。　　But　you　see　he　has　taken　him　so
entirely　into　his　own　hands。　　I　don't　seem　to　be　allowed　a　word　in
the　matter　of　his　education　any　more。〃　　Mr。　Arnold　spoke　with　the
peevishness　of　weak　importance。　〃I　wish　you　would　take　care　that　he
does　not　carry　things　too　far；　Euphra。〃

This　was　just　what　Euphra　wanted。

〃I　think；　if　you　do　not　disapprove；　uncle；　I　will　have　Fatima
saddled　to…morrow　morning；　and　go　with　them　myself。〃

〃Thank　you；　my　love；　I　shall　be　much　obliged　to　you。〃　　The　glass　of
claret　was　soon　finished　after　this。　　A　little　more　conversation
about　nothing　followed；　and　Euphra　rose　the　second　time；　and
returned　to　the　drawing…room。　　She　found　it　unoccupied。　　She　sat
down　to　the　piano；　and　sang　song　after　songScotch；　Italian；　and
Bohemian。　　But　Hugh　did　not　make　his　appearance。　　The　fact　was；　he
was　busy　writing　to　his　mother；　whom　he　had　rather　neglected　since
he　came。　　Writing　to　her　made　him　think　of　David；　and　he　began　a
letter　to　him　too；　but　it　was　never　finished；　and　never　sent。　　He
did　not　return　to　the　drawing…room　that　evening。　　Indeed；　except　for
a　short　time；　while　Mr。　Arnold　was　drinking　his　claret；　he　seldom
showed　himself　there。　　Had　Euphra　repelled　him　too　muchhurt　him？
She　would　make　up　for　it　to…morrow。

Breakfast　was　scarcely　over；　when　the　chestnut　and　the　pony　passed
the　window；　accompanied　by　a　lovely　little　Arab　mare；　broad…chested
and　light…limbed；　with　a　wonderfully　small　head。　　She　was　white　as
snow；　with　keen；　dark　eyes。　　Her　curb…rein　was　red　instead　of　white。
Hearing　their　approach；　and　begging　her　uncle　to　excuse　her；　Euphra
rose　from　the　table；　and　left　the　room；　but　re…appeared　in　a
wonderfully　little　while；　in　a　well…fitted　riding…habit　of　black
velvet；　with　a　belt　of　dark　red　leather　clasping　a　waist　of　the
roundest　and　smallest。　　Her　little　hat；　likewise　black；　had　a　single
long；　white　feather；　laid　horizontally　within　the　upturned　brim；　and
drooping　over　it　at　the　back。　　Her　white　mare　would　be　just　the
right　pedestal　for　the　dusky　figureblack　eyes；　tawny　skin；　and
all。　　As　she　stood　ready　to　mount；　and　Hugh　was　approaching　to　put
her　up；　she　called　the　groom；　seemed　just　to　touch　his　hand；　and　was
in　the　saddle　in　a　moment；　foot　in　stirrup；　and　skirt　falling　over
it。　　Hugh　thought　she　was　carrying　out　the　behaviour　of　yesterday；
and　was　determined　to　ask　her　what　it　meant。　　The　little　Arab　began
to　rear　and　plunge　with　pride；　as　soon　as　she　felt　her　mistress　on
her　back；　but　she　seemed　as　much　at　home　as　if　she　had　been　on　the
music…stool；　and　patted　her　arching　neck；　talking　to　her　in　the　same
tone　almost　in　which　she　had　addressed　the　flowers。

〃Be　quiet；　Fatty　dear；　you're　frightening　Mr。　Su