david elginbrod-第43部分

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he　was　a　man　of　intellect　or　not；　for　he　could　not　go　wrong。

Little　was　said　in　reply　to　this；　except　something　not　very　audible
or　definite；　by　Mrs。　Elton；　about　the　necessity　of　faith。　　The
conversation；　which　took　place　at　luncheon；　flagged；　and　the
visitors　withdrew　to　their　respective　rooms；　to　comfort　themselves
with　their　Daily　Portions。

At　dinner；　Mr。　Arnold；　evidently　believing　he　had　made　an　impression
by　his　harangue　of　the　morning；　resumed　the　subject。　　Hugh　was　a
little　surprised　to　find　that　he　had；　even　of　a　negative　sort；
strong　opinions　on　the　subject　of　religion。

〃What　do　you　think；　then；　Mrs。　Elton；　my　dear　madam；　that　a
clergyman　ought　to　preach？〃

〃I　think；　Mr。　Arnold；　that　he　ought　to　preach　salvation　by　faith　in
the　merits　of　the　Saviour。〃

〃Oh！　of　course；　of　course。　　We　shall　not　differ　about　that。
Everybody　believes　that。〃

〃I　doubt　it　very　much。He　ought；　in　order　that　men　may　believe；　to
explain　the　divine　plan；　by　which　the　demands　of　divine　justice　are
satisfied；　and　the　punishment　due　to　sin　averted　from　the　guilty；
and　laid　upon　the　innocent；　that；　by　bearing　our　sins；　he　might　make
atonement　to　the　wrath　of　a　justly　offended　God；　and　so〃

〃Now；　my　dear　madam；　permit　me　to　ask　what　right　we；　the　subjects　of
a　Supreme　Authority；　have　to　inquire　into　the　reasons　of　his　doings？
It　seems　to　meI　should　be　sorry　to　offend　any　one；　but　it　seems
to　me　quite　as　presumptuous　as　the　present　arrogance　of　the　lower
classes　in　interfering　with　government；　and　demanding　a　right　to
give　their　opinion；　forsooth；　as　to　the　laws　by　which　they　shall　be
governed；　as　if　they　were　capable　of　understanding　the　principles　by
which　kings　rule；　and　governors　decree　justice。I　believe　I　quote
Scripture。〃

〃Are　we；　then；　to　remain　in　utter　ignorance　of　the　divine
character？〃

〃What　business　have　we　with　the　divine　character？　　Or　how　could　we
understand　it？　　It　seems　to　me　we　have　enough　to　do　with　our　own。
Do　I　inquire　into　the　character　of　my　sovereign？　　All　we　have　to　do
is；　to　listen　to　what　we　are　told　by　those　who　are　educated　for　such
studies；　whom　the　Church　approves；　and　who　are　appointed　to　take
care　of　the　souls　committed　to　their　charge；　to　teach　them　to
respect　their　superiors；　and　to　lead　honest；　hard…working　lives。〃

Much　more　of　the　same　sort　flowed　from　the　oracular　lips　of　Mr。
Arnold。　　When　he　ceased；　he　found　that　the　conversation　had　ceased
also。　　As　soon　as　the　ladies　withdrew；　he　said；　without　looking　at
Hugh；　as　he　filled　his　glass：

〃Mr。　Sutherland；　I　hate　cant。〃

And　so　he　canted　against　it。

But　the　next　day；　and　during　the　whole　week；　he　seemed　to　lay
himself　out　to　make　amends　for　the　sharpness　of　his　remarks　on　the
Sunday。　　He　was　afraid　he　had　made　his　guests　uncomfortable；　and　so
sinned　against　his　own　character　as　a　host。　　Everything　that　he
could　devise；　was　brought　to　bear　for　their　entertainment；　daily
rides　in　the　open　carriage；　in　which　he　always　accompanied　them；　to
show　his　estate；　and　the　improvements　he　was　making　upon　it；　visits
sometimes　to　the　more　deserving；　as　he　called　them；　of　the　poor　upon
his　propertythe　more　deserving　being　the　most　submissive　and
obedient　to　the　wishes　of　their　lord；　inspections　of　the　schools；
&c。；　&c。；　in　all　of　which　matters　he　took　a　stupid；　benevolent
interest。　　For　if　people　would　be　content　to　occupy　the　corner　in
which　he　chose　to　place　them；　he　would　throw　them　morsel　after
morsel；　as　long　as　ever　they　chose　to　pick　it　up。　　But　woe　to　them
if　they　left　this　corner　a　single　pace！

Euphra　made　one　of　the　party　always；　and　it　was　dreary　indeed　for
Hugh　to　be　left　in　the　desolate　house　without　her；　though　but　for　a
few　hours。　　And　when　she　was　at　home；　she　never　yet　permitted　him　to
speak　to　her　alone。

There　might　have　been　some　hope　for　Harry　in　Hugh's　separation　from
Euphra；　but　the　result　was；　that；　although　he　spent　school…hours
more　regularly　with　him；　Hugh　was　yet　more　dull；　and　uninterested　in
the　work；　than　he　had　been　before。　　Instead　of　caring　that　his　pupil
should　understand　this　or　that　particular；　he　would　be　speculating
on　Euphra's　behaviour；　trying　to　account　for　this　or　that　individual
look　or　tone；　or　seeking；　perhaps；　a　special　symbolic　meaning　in
some　general　remark　that　she　had　happened　to　let　fall。　　Meanwhile；
poor　Harry　would　be　stupifying　himself　with　work　which　he　could　not
understand　for　lack　of　some　explanation　or　other　that　ought　to　have
been　given　him　weeks　ago。　　Still；　however；　he　clung　to　Hugh　with　a
far…off；　worshipping　love；　never　suspecting　that　he　could　be　to
blame；　but　thinking　at　one　time　that　he　must　be　ill；　at　another　that
he　himself　was　really　too　stupid；　and　that　his　big　brother　could　not
help　getting　tired　of　him。　　When　Hugh　would　be　wandering　about　the
place；　seeking　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　the　skirt　of　Euphra's　dress；　as
she　went　about　with　her　guests；　or　devising　how　he　could　procure　an
interview　with　her　alone；　Harry　would　be　following　him　at　a
distance；　like　a　little　terrier　that　had　lost　its　master；　and　did
not　know　whether　this　man　would　be　friendly　or　not；　never　spying　on
his　actions；　but　merely　longing　to　be　near　himfor　had　not　Hugh　set
him　going　in　the　way　of　life；　even　if　he　had　now　left　him　to　walk　in
it　alone？　　If　Hugh　could　have　once　seen　into　that　warm；　true；　pining
little　heart；　he　would　not　have　neglected　it　as　he　did。　　He　had　no
eyes；　however；　but　for　Euphra。

Still；　it　may　be　that　even　now　Harry　was　able　to　gather；　though　with
tears；　some　advantage　from　Hugh's　neglect。　　He　used　to　wander　about
alone；　and　it　may　be　that　the　hints　which　his　tutor　had　already
given　him；　enabled　him　now　to　find　for　himself　the　interest
belonging　to　many　objects　never　before　remarked。　　Perhaps　even　now
he　began　to　take　a　few　steps　alone；　the　waking　independence　of　which
was　of　more　value　for　the　future　growth　of　his　nature；　than　a
thousand　miles　accomplished　by　the　aid　of　the　strong　arm　of　his
tutor。　　One　certain　advantage　was；　that　the　constitutional　trouble
of　the　boy's　nature　had　now　assumed　a　definite　form；　by　gathering
around　a　definite　object；　and　blending　its　own　shadowy　being　with
the　sorrow　he　experienced　from　the　loss　of　his　tutor's　sympathy。
Should　that　sorrow　ever　be　cleared　away；　much　besides　might　be
cleared　away　along　with　it。

Meantime；　nature　found　some　channels；　worn　by　his　grief；　through
which　her　comforts；　that；　like　waters；　press　on　all　sides；　and　enter
at　every　cranny　and　fissure　in　the　house　of　life；　might　gently　flow
into　him　with　their　sympathetic　soothing。　　Often　he　would　creep　away
to　the　nest　which　Hugh　had　built　and　then　forsaken；　and　seated　there
in　the　solitude　of　the　wide…bourgeoned　oak；　he　would　sometimes　feel
for　a　moment　as　if　lifted　up　above　the　world　and　its　sorrows；　to　be
visited　by　an　all…healing　wind　from　God；　that　came　to　him；　through
the　wilderness　of　leaves　around　him…gently；　like　all　powerful
things。

But　I　am　putting　the　boy's　feelings　into　forms　and　words　for　him。
He　had　none　of　either　for　them。




CHAPTER　XIII。

A　STORM。

　　　　　When　the　mind's　free；
The　body's　delicate：　the　tempest　in　my　mind
Doth　from　my　senses　take　all　feeling　else
Save　what　beats　there。

King　Lear。


While　Harry　took　to　wandering　abroad　in　the　afternoon　sun；　Hugh；　on
the　contrary；　found　the　bright　weather　so　distasteful　to　him；　that
he　generally　trifled　away　his　afternoons　with　some　old　romance　in
the　dark　library；　or　lay　on　the　couch　in　his　study；　listless　and
suffering。　　He　could　neither　read　nor　write。　　What　he　felt　he　must
do　he　did；　but　nothing　more。

One　day；　about　noon；　the　weather　began　to　change。　　In　the　afternoon
it　grew　dark；　and　Hugh；　going　to　the　window；　perceived　with
delightthe　first　he　had　experienced　for　many　daysthat　a　great
thunder…storm　was　at　hand。　　Harry　was　rather　frightened；　but　under
his　fear；　there　evidently　lay　a　deep　delight。　　The　storm　came　nearer
and　nearer；　till　at　length　a　vivid　flash　broke　from　the　mass　of
darkness　over　the　woods；　lasted　for　one　brilliant　moment；　and
vanished。　　The　thunder　followed；　like　a　pursuing　wild　beast；　close
on　the　traces　of　the　vanishing　light；　as　if　the　darkness　were
hunting　the　light　from　the　earth；　and　bellowing　with　rage　that　it
could　not　overtake　and　annihilate　it。　　Without　the　usual　prelude　of
a　few　great　drops；　the　rain　poured　at　once；　in　continuous　streams；
from　the　dense　canopy　overhead；　and　in　a　few　moments　there　were　six
inches　of　water　all　round　the　house；　which　the　force　of　the　falling
streams　made　to　foam；　and　fume；　and　flash　like　a　seething　torrent。
Harry　had　crept　close　to　Hugh；　who　stood　looking　out　of　the　window；
and　as　if　the　convulsion　of　the　elements　had　begun　to　clear　the
spiritual　and　moral；　as　well　as　the　physical　atmosphere；　Hugh　looked
down　on　the　boy　kindly；　and　put　his　arm　round　his　shoulders。　　Harry
nestled　closer；　and　wished　it　would　thunder　for　ever。　　But　longing
to　hear　his　tutor's　voice；　he　ventured　to　speak；　looking　up　to　his
face：

〃Euphra　says　it　is　only　electricity；　Mr。　Sutherland。　　What　is　that？〃

A　common　tutor　would　have　seized　the　opportunity　of　explaining　what
he　knew　of　the　laws　and　operations　of　electricity。　　But　Hugh　had
been　long