david elginbrod-第37部分

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〃What　books　have　you？〃

〃Oh！　no　books；　if　you　please；　just　yet。　　If　you　are　satisfied　with
Harry's　progress　so　far；　let　me　have　my　own　way　in　this　too。〃

〃But　geography　does　not　seem　your　strong　point。〃

〃No；　but　I　may　be　able　to　teach　it　all　the　better　from　feeling　the
difficulties　of　a　learner　myself。〃

〃Well；　you　shall　have　a　fair　trial。〃

Next　morning　Hugh　and　Harry　went　out　for　a　walk　to　the　top　of　a　hill
in　the　neighbourhood。　　When　they　reached　it；　Hugh　took　a　small
compass　from　his　pocket；　and　set　it　on　the　ground；　contemplating　it
and　the　horizon　alternately。

〃What　are　you　doing；　Mr。　Sutherland？〃

〃I　am　trying　to　find　the　exact　line　that　would　go　through　my　home；〃
said　he。

〃Is　that　funny　little　thing　able　to　tell　you？〃

〃Yes；　this　along　with　other　things。　　Isn't　it　curious；　Harry；　to
have　in　my　pocket　a　little　thing　with　a　kind　of　spirit　in　it；　that
understands　the　spirit　that　is　in　the　big　world；　and　always　points
to　its　North　Pole？〃

〃Explain　it　to　me。〃

〃It　is　nearly　as　much　a　mystery　to　me　as　to　you。〃

〃Where　is　the　North　Pole？〃

〃Look；　the　little　thing　points　to　it。〃

〃But　I　will　turn　it　away。　　Oh！　it　won't　go。　　It　goes　back　and　back；
do　what　I　will。〃

〃Yes；　it　will；　if　you　turn　it　away　all　day　long。　　Look；　Harry；　if
you　were　to　go　straight　on　in　this　direction；　you　would　come　to　a
Laplander；　harnessing　his　broad…horned　reindeer　to　his　sledge。　　He's
at　it　now；　I　daresay。　　If　you　were　to　go　in　this　line　exactly；　you
would　go　through　the　smoke　and　fire　of　a　burning　mountain　in　a　land
of　ice。　　If　you　were　to　go　this　way；　straight　on；　you　would　find
yourself　in　the　middle　of　a　forest　with　a　lion　glaring　at　your　feet；
for　it　is　dark　night　there　now；　and　so　hot！　　And　over　there；
straight　on；　there　is　such　a　lovely　sunset。　　The　top　of　a　snowy
mountain　is　all　pink　with　light；　though　the　sun　is　downoh！　such
colours　all　about；　like　fairyland！　　And　there；　there　is　a　desert　of
sand；　and　a　camel　dying；　and　all　his　companions　just　disappearing　on
the　horizon。　　And　there；　there　is　an　awful　sea；　without　a　boat　to　be
seen　on　it；　dark　and　dismal；　with　huge　rocks　all　about　it；　and　waste
borders　of　sandso　dreadful！〃

〃How　do　you　know　all　this；　Mr。　Sutherland？　　You　have　never　walked
along　those　lines；　I　know；　for　you　couldn't。〃

〃Geography　has　taught　me。〃

〃No；　Mr。　Sutherland！〃　said　Harry；　incredulously。
〃Well；　shall　we　travel　along　this　line；　just　across　that　crown　of
trees　on　the　hill？〃

〃Yes；　do　let　us。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Hugh；　drawing　a　telescope　from　his　pocket；　〃this　hill
is　henceforth　Geography　Point；　and　all　the　world　lies　round　about
it。　　Do　you　know　we　are　in　the　very　middle　of　the　earth？〃

〃Are　we；　indeed？〃

〃Yes。　Don't　you　know　any　point　you　like　to　choose　on　a　ball　is　the
middle　of　it？〃

〃Oh！　yesof　course。〃

〃Very　well。　　What　lies　at　the　bottom　of　the　hill　down　there？〃

〃Arnstead；　to　be　sure。〃

〃And　what　beyond　there？〃

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃Look　through　here。〃

〃Oh！　that　must　be　the　village　we　rode　to　yesterdayI　forget　the
name　of　it。〃

Hugh　told　him　the　name；　and　then　made　him　look　with　the　telescope
all　along　the　receding　line　to　the　trees　on　the　opposite　hill。　　Just
as　he　caught　them；　a　voice　beside　them　said：

〃What　are　you　about；　Harry？〃

Hugh　felt　a　glow　of　pleasure　as　the　voice　fell　on　his　ear。

It　was　Euphra's。

〃Oh！〃　replied　Harry；　〃Mr。　Sutherland　is　teaching　me　geography　with　a
telescope。　　It's　such　fun！〃

〃He's　a　wonderful　tutor；　that　of　yours；　Harry！〃

〃Yes；　isn't　he　just？　　But；〃　Harry　went　on；　turning　to　Hugh；　〃what
are　we　to　do　now？　　We　can't　get　farther　for　that　hill。〃

〃Ah！　we　must　apply　to　your　papa　now；　to　lend　us　some　of　his
beautiful　maps。　　They　will　teach　us　what　lies　beyond　that　hill。　　And
then　we　can　read　in　some　of　his　books　about　the　places；　and　so　go　on
and　on；　till　we　reach　the　beautiful；　wide；　restless　sea；　over　which
we　must　sail　in　spite　of　wind　and　tidestraight　on　and　on；　till　we
come　to　land　again。　　But　we　must　make　a　great　many　such　journeys
before　we　really　know　what　sort　of　a　place　we　are　living　in；　and　we
shall　have　ever　so　many　things　to　learn　that　will　surprise　us。〃

〃Oh！　it　will　be　nice！〃　cried　Harry。

After　a　little　more　geographical　talk；　they　put　up　their
instruments；　and　began　to　descend　the　hill。　　Harry　was　in　no　need　of
Hugh's　back　now；　but　Euphra　was　in　need　of　his　hand。　　In　fact；　she
spelled　for　its　support。

〃How　awkward　of　me！　　I　am　stumbling　over　the　heather　shamefully！〃

She　was；　in　fact；　stumbling　over　her　own　dress；　which　she　would　not
hold　up。　　Hugh　offered　his　hand；　and　her　small　one　seemed　quite
content　to　be　swallowed　up　in　his　large　one。

〃Why　do　you　never　let　me　put　you　on　your　horse？〃　said　Hugh。　〃You
always　manage　to　prevent　me　somehow　or　other。　　The　last　time；　I　just
turned　my　head；　and；　behold！　when　I　looked；　you　were　gathering　your
reins。〃

〃It　is　only　a　trick　of　independence；　HughMr。　SutherlandI　beg
your　pardon。〃

I　can　make　no　excuse　for　Euphra；　for　she　had　positively　never　heard
him　called　Hugh：　there　was　no　one　to　do　so。　　But；　the　slip　had　not；
therefore；　the　less　effect；　for　it　sounded　as　if　she　had　been　saying
his　name　over　and　over　again　to　herself。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　repeated　Euphra；　hastily；　for；　as　Hugh　did　not
reply；　she　feared　her　arrow　had　swerved　from　its　mark。

〃For　a　sweet　fault；　EuphraI　beg　your　pardonMiss　Cameron。〃

〃You　punish　me　with　forgiveness；〃　returned　she；　with　one　of　her
sweetest　looks。

Hugh　could　not　help　pressing　the　little　hand。

Was　the　pressure　returned？　　So　slight；　so　airy　was　the　touch；　that
it　might　have　been　only　the　throb　of　his　own　pulses；　all　consciously
vital　about　the　wonderful　woman…hand　that　rested　in　his。　　If　he　had
claimed　it；　she　might　easily　have　denied　it；　so　ethereal　and
uncertain　was　it。　　Yet　he　believed　in　it。　　He　never　dreamed　that　she
was　exercising　her　skill　upon　him。　　What　could　be　her　object　in
bewitching　a　poor　tutor？　　Ah！　what　indeed？

Meantime　this　much　is　certain；　that　she　was　drawing　Hugh　closer　and
closer　to　her　side；　that　a　soothing　dream　of　delight　had　begun　to
steal　over　his　spirit；　soon　to　make　it　toss　in　feverous　unrestas
the　first　effects　of　some　poisons　are　like　a　dawn　of　tenfold
strength。　　The　mountain　wind　blew　from　her　to　him；　sometimes
sweeping　her　garments　about　him；　and　bathing　him　in　their　faint
sweet　odoursodours　which　somehow　seemed　to　belong　to　her　whom　they
had　only　last　visited；　sometimes；　so　kindly　strong　did　it　blow；
compelling　her；　or　at　least　giving　her　excuse　enough；　to　leave　his
hand　and　cling　closely　to　his　arm。　　A　fresh　spring　began　to　burst
from　the　very　bosom　of　what　had　seemed　before　a　perfect　summer。　　A
spring　to　summer！　　What　would　the　following　summer　be？　　Ah！　and　what
the　autumn？　　And　what　the　winter？　　For　if　the　summer　be　tenfold
summer；　then　must　the　winter　be　tenfold　winter。

But　though　knowledge　is　good　for　man；　foreknowledge　is　not　so　good。

And；　though　Love　be　good；　a　tempest　of　it　in　the　brain　will　not
ripen　the　fruits　like　a　soft　steady　wind；　or　waft　the　ships　home　to
their　desired　haven。

Perhaps；　what　enslaved　Hugh　most；　was　the　feeling　that　the　damsel
stooped　to　him；　without　knowing　that　she　stooped。　　She　seemed　to　him
in　every　way　above　him。　　She　knew　so　many　things　of　which　he　was
ignorant；　could　say　such　lovely　things；　could；　he　did　not　doubt；
write　lovely　verses；　could　sing　like　an　angel；　（though　Scotch　songs
are　not　of　essentially　angelic　strain；　nor　Italian　songs　either；　in
general；　and　they　were　all　that　she　could　do）；　was　mistress　of　a
great　rich　wonderful　house；　with　a　history；　and；　more　than　all；　was；
or　appeared　to　him　to　bea　beautiful　woman。　　It　was　true　that　his
family　was　as　good　as　hers；　but　he　had　disowned　his　familyso　his
pride　declared；　and　the　same　pride　made　him　despise　his　present
position；　and　look　upon　a　tutor's　employment　asaswell；　as　other
people　look　upon　it；　as　a　rather　contemptible　one　in　fact；
especially　for　a　young；　powerful；　six…foot　fellow。

The　influence　of　Euphrasia　was　not　of　the　best　upon　him　from　the
first；　for　it　had　greatly　increased　this　feeling　about　his
occupation。　　It　could　not　affect　his　feelings　towards　Harry；　so　the
boy　did　not　suffer　as　yet。　　But　it　set　him　upon　a　very　unprofitable
kind　of　castle…building：　he　would　be　a　soldier　like　his　father；　he
would　leave　Arnstead；　to　revisit　it　with　a　sword　by　his　side；　and　a
Sir　before　his　name。　　Sir　Hugh　Sutherland　would　be　somebody　even　in
the　eyes　of　the　master　of　Arnstead。　　Yes；　a　six…foot　fellow；　though
he　may　be　sensible　in　the　main；　is　not；　therefore；　free　from　small
vanities；　especially　if　he　be　in　love。　　But　how　leave　Euphra？

Again　I　outrun　my　story。




CHAPTER　X。

ITALIAN。

Per　me　si　va　nella　citt？dolente。

DANTE


Through　me　thou　goest　into　the　city　of　grief。

Of　necessity；　with　so　many　shafts　opened　into　the　mountain　of
knowledge；　a　far　greater　amount　of　time　must　be　devoted　by　Harry　and
his　tutor　to　the　working　of　the　mine；　than　they　had　given　hitherto。
This　made　a　considerable　alteration　in　the　intercourse　of　the　youth
and　the　lady；　for；　although　Euphra　was　often　present　during
school…hours；　it　must　be　said　for　Hugh　that；　during　those　hours