david elginbrod-第47部分

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him　and　go　alone　to　her　own　room？She　must　have　felt　that　she　ought
not　to　be　in　his；　at　that　hour；　and　therefore　dared　not　stay。Why
dared　not？　　Did　she　think　the　house　was　haunted　by　a　ghost　of
propriety？　　What　rational　theory　could　he　invent　to　account　for　the
strange　and　repeated　sounds？He　puzzled　himself　over　it　to　the
verge　of　absolute　intellectual　prostration。

He　was　generally　the　first　in　the　breakfast…room；　that　is；　after
Euphra；　who　was　always　the　first。　　She　went　up　to　him　as　he　entered；
and　said；　almost　in　a　whisper：

〃Have　you　got　the　poems　for　me？　　Quick！〃

Hugh　hesitated。　　She　looked　at　him。

〃No；〃　he　said　at　last。〃You　never　wanted　them。〃

〃That　is　very　unkind；　when　you　know　I　was　frightened　out　of　my　wits。
Do　give　me　them。〃

〃They　are　not　worth　giving　you。　　Besides；　I　have　not　got　them。　　I
don't　carry　them　in　my　pocket。　　They　are　in　the　escritoire。　　I
couldn't　leave　them　lying　about。　　Never　mind　them。〃

〃I　have　a　right　to　them；〃　she　said；　looking　up　at　him　slyly　and
shyly。

〃Well；　I　gave　you　them；　and　you　did　not　think　them　worth　keeping。　　I
kept　my　part　of　the　bargain。〃

She　looked　annoyed。

〃Never　mind；　dear　Euphra；　you　shall　have　them；　or　anything　else　I
have；the　brain　that　made　them；　if　you　like。〃

〃Was　it　only　the　brain　that　had　to　do　with　the　making　of　them？〃

〃Perhaps　the　heart　too；　but　you　have　that　already。〃

Her　face　flushed　like　a　damask　rose。

At　that　moment　Mrs。　Elton　entered；　and　looked　a　little　surprised。
Euphra　instantly　said：

〃I　think　it　is　rather　too　bad　of　you；　Mr。　Sutherland；　to　keep　the
poor　boy　so　hard　to　his　work；　when　you　know　he　is　not　strong。　　Mrs。
Elton；　I　have　been　begging　a　holiday　for　poor　Harry；　to　let　him　go
with　us　to　Wotton　House；　but　he　has　such　a　hard　task…master！　　He
will　not　hear　of　it。〃

The　flush；　which　she　could　not　get　rid　of　all　at　once；　was　thus　made
to　do　duty　as　one　of　displeasure。　　Mrs。　Elton　was　thoroughly
deceived；　and　united　her　entreaties　to　those　of　Miss　Cameron。　　Hugh
was　compelled　to　join　in　the　deception；　and　pretend　to　yield　a　slow
consent。　　Thus　a　holiday　was　extemporised　for　Harry；　subject　to　the
approbation　of　his　father。　　This　was　readily　granted；　and　Mr。
Arnold；　turning　to　Hugh；　said：

〃You　will　have　nothing　to　do；　Mr。　Sutherland：　had　you　not　better
join　us？〃

〃With　pleasure；〃　replied　he；　〃but　the　carriage　will　be　full。〃

〃You　can　take　your　horse。〃

〃Thank　you　very　much。　　I　will。〃

The　day　was　delightful；　one　of　those　grey　summer…days；　that　are　far
better　for　an　excursion　than　bright　ones。　　In　the　best　of　spirits；
mounted　on　a　good　horse；　riding　alongside　of　the　carriage　in　which
was　the　lady　who　was　all　womankind　to　him；　and　who；　without　taking
much　notice　of　him；　yet　contrived　to　throw　him　a　glance　now　and
then；　Hugh　would　have　been　overflowingly　happy；　but　for　an　unquiet；
distressed　feeling；　which　all　the　time　made　him　aware　of　the
presence　of　a　sick　conscience　somewhere　within。　　Mr。　Arnold　was
exceedingly　pleasant；　for　he　was　much　taken　with　the　sweetness　and
modesty　of　Lady　Emily；　who；　having　no　strong　opinions　upon　anything；
received　those　of　Mr。　Arnold　with　attentive　submission。　　He　saw；　or
fancied　he　saw　in　her；　a　great　resemblance　to　his　deceased　wife；　to
whom　he　had　been　as　sincerely　attached　as　his　nature　would　allow。
In　fact；　Lady　Emily　advanced　so　rapidly　in　his　good　graces；　that
either　Euphra　was；　or　thought　fit　to　appear；　rather　jealous　of　her。
She　paid　her　every　attention；　however；　and　seemed　to　gratify　Mr。
Arnold　by　her　care　of　the　invalid。　　She　even　joined　in　the
entreaties　which；　on　their　way　home；　he　made　with　evident
earnestness；　for　an　extension　of　their　visit　to　a　month。　　Lady　Emily
was　already　so　much　better　for　the　change；　that　Mrs。　Elton　made　no
objection　to　the　proposal。　　Euphra　gave　Hugh　one　look　of　misery；
and；　turning　again；　insisted　with　increased　warmth　on　their
immediate　consent。　　It　was　gained　without　much　difficulty　before
they　reached　home。

Harry；　too；　was　captivated　by　the　gentle　kindness　of　Lady　Emily；　and
hardly　took　his　eyes　off　her　all　the　way；　while；　on　the　other　hand；
his　delicate　little　attentions　had　already　gained　the　heart　of　good
Mrs。　Elton；　who　from　the　first　had　remarked　and　pitied　the　sad　looks
of　the　boy。




CHAPTER　XVI。

A　NEW　VISITOR　AND　AN　OLD　ACQUAINTANCE。

　　　　　He's　enough
To　bring　a　woman　to　confusion；
More　than　a　wiser　man；　or　a　far　greater。

MIDDLETON。The　Witch。


When　they　reached　the　lodge；　Lady　Emily　expressed　a　wish　to　walk　up
the　avenue　to　the　house。　　To　this　Mr。　Arnold　gladly　consented。　　The
carriage　was　sent　round　the　back　way；　and　Hugh；　dismounting；　gave
his　horse　to　the　footman　in　attendance。　　As　they　drew　near　the
house；　the　rest　of　the　party　having　stopped　to　look　at　an　old　tree
which　was　a　favourite　with　its　owner；　Hugh　and　Harry　were　some　yards
in　advance；　when　the　former　spied；　approaching　them　from　the　house；
the　distinguished　figure　of　Herr　von　Funkelstein。　　Saluting　as　they
met；　the　visitor　informed　Hugh　that　he　had　just　been　leaving　his
card　for　him；　and　would　call　some　other　morning　soon；　for；　as　he　was
rusticating；　he　had　little　to　occupy　him。　　Hugh　turned　with　him
towards　the　rest　of　the　party；　who　were　now　close　at　hand；　when
Funkelstein　exclaimed；　in　a　tone　of　surprise；

〃What！　　Miss　Cameron　here！〃　and　advanced　with　a　profound　obeisance；
holding　his　hat　in　his　hand。

Hugh　thought　he　saw　her　look　annoyed；　but　she　held　out　her　hand　to
him；　and；　in　a　voice　indicatingstill　as　it　appeared　to　Hughsome
reluctance；　introduced　him　to　her　uncle；　with　the　words：

〃We　met　at　Sir　Edward　Laston's；　when　I　was　visiting　Mrs。　Elkingham；
two　years　ago；　uncle。〃

Mr。　Arnold　lifted　his　hat　and　bowed　politely　to　the　stranger。　　Had
Euphra　informed　him　that；　although　a　person　of　considerable
influence　in　Sir　Edward's　household；　Herr　von　Funkelstein　had　his
standing　there　only　as　Sir　Edward's　private　secretary；　Mr。　Arnold's
aversion　to　foreigners　generally　would　not　have　been　so　scrupulously
banished　into　the　background　of　his　behaviour。　　Ordinary　civilities
passed　between　them；　marked　by　an　air　of　flattering　deference　on
Funkelstein's　part；　which　might　have　been　disagreeable　to　a　man　less
uninterruptedly　conscious　of　his　own　importance　than　Mr。　Arnold；　and
the　new　visitor　turned　once　more；　as　if　forgetful　of　his　previous
direction；　and　accompanied　them　towards　the　house。　　Before　they
reached　it　he　had；　even　in　that　short　space；　ingratiated　himself　so
far　with　Mr。　Arnold；　that　he　asked　him　to　stay　and　dine　with
theman　invitation　which　was　accepted　with　manifest　pleasure。

〃Mr。　Sutherland；〃　said　Mr。　Arnold；　〃will　you　show　your　friend
anything　worth　note　about　the　place？　　He　has　kindly　consented　to
dine　with　us；　and　in　the　meantime　I　have　some　letters　to　write。〃

〃With　pleasure；〃　answered　Hugh。

But　all　this　time　he　had　been　inwardly　commenting　on　the　appearance
of　his　friend；　as　Mr。　Arnold　called　him；　with　the　jealousy　of　a
youth　in　love；　for　was　not　Funkelstein　an　old　acquaintance　of　Miss
Cameron？　　What　might　not　have　passed　between　them　in　that　old　hidden
time？for　love　is　jealous　of　the　past　as　well　as　of　the　future。
Love；　as　well　as　metaphysics；　has　a　lasting　quarrel　with　time　and
space：　the　lower　love　fears　them；　while　the　higher　defies　them。And
he　could　not　help　seeing　that　Funkelstein　was　one　to　win　favour　in
ladies'　eyes。　　Very　regular　features　and　a　dark　complexion　were
lighted　up　by　eyes　as　black　as　Euphra's；　and　capable　of　a　wonderful
play　of　light；　while　his　form　was　remarkable　for　strength　and
symmetry。　　Hugh　felt　that　in　any　company　he　would　attract　immediate
attention。　　His　long　dark　beard；　of　which　just　the　centre　was
removed　to　expose　a　finely…turned　chin；　blew　over　each　shoulder　as
often　as　they　met　the　wind　in　going　round　the　house。　　From　what　I
have　heard　of　him　from　other　deponents　besides　Hugh；　I　should　judge
that　he　did　well　to　conceal　the　lines　of　his　mouth　in　a　long
moustache；　which　flowed　into　his　bifurcated　beard。　　He　had　just
enough　of　the　foreign　in　his　dress　to　add　to　the　appearance　of
fashion　which　it　bore。

As　they　walked；　Hugh　could　not　help　observing　an　odd　peculiarity　in
the　carriage　of　his　companion。　　It　was；　that；　every　few　steps；　he
gave　a　backward　and　downward　glance　to　the　right；　with　a　sweeping
bend　of　his　body；　as　if　he　were　trying　to　get　a　view　of　the　calf　of
his　leg；　or　as　if　he　fancied　he　felt　something　trailing　at　his　foot。
So　probable；　from　his　motion；　did　the　latter　supposition　seem；　that
Hugh　changed　sides　to　satisfy　himself　whether　or　not　there　was　some
dragging　briar　or　straw　annoying　him；　but　no　follower　was　to　be
discovered。

〃You　are　a　happy　man；　Mr。　Sutherland；〃　said　the　guest；　〃to　live
under　the　same　roof　with　that　beautiful　Miss　Cameron。〃

〃Am　I？〃　thought　Hugh；　but　he　only　said；　affecting　some　surprise：

〃Do　you　think　her　so　beautiful？〃

Funkelstein's　eyes　were　fixed　upon　him；　as　if　to　see　the　effect　of
his　remark。　　Hugh　felt　them；　and　could　not　conform　his　face　to　the
indifference　of　his　words。　　But　his　companion　only　answered
indifferently：

〃Well；　I　should　say　so；　but　beauty　is　not；　that　is　not　beauty　for
us。〃

Whether　or　not　there　was　poison　in　the