david elginbrod-第53部分

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desire　to　see　him。

Mrs。　Elton　was　amusingly　bewildered　by　the　occurrences　of　the
evening。　　Her　theories　were　something　astounding；　and　followed　one
another　with　such　alarming　rapidity；　that　had　they　been　in
themselves　such　as　to　imply　the　smallest　exercise　of　the　thinking
faculty；　she　might　well　have　been　considered　in　danger　of　an　attack
of　brain…fever。　　As　it　was；　none　such　supervened。　　Lady　Emily　said
nothing；　but　seemed　unhappy。　　As　for　Hugh；　he　simply　could　not　tell
what　to　make　of　the　writing。　　But　he　did　not　for　a　moment　doubt　that
the　vision　he　had　seen　was　only　a　visiona　home…made　ghost；　sent
out　from　his　own　creative　brain。　　Still　he　felt　that　Margaret's
face；　come　whence　it　might；　was　a　living　reproof　to　him；　for　he　was
losing　his　life　in　passion；　sinking　deeper　in　it　day　by　day。　　His
powers　were　deserting　him。　　Poetry；　usually　supposed　to　be　the
attendant　of　love；　had　deserted　him。　　Only　by　fits　could　he　see
anything　beautiful；　and　then　it　was　but　in　closest　association　of
thought　with　the　one　image　which　was　burning　itself　deeper　and
deeper　into　his　mental　sensorium。　　Come　what　might；　he　could　not
tear　it　away。　　It　had　become　a　part　of　himselfof　his　inner
lifeeven　while　it　seemed　to　be　working　the　death　of　life。　　Deeper
and　deeper　it　would　burn；　till　it　reached　the　innermost　chamber　of
life。　　Let　it　burn。

Yet　he　felt　that　he　could　not　trust　her。　　Vague　hopes　he　had；　that；
by　trusting；　she　might　be　made　trustworthy；　but　he　feared　they　were
vain　as　well　as　vague。　　And　yet　he　would　not　cast　them　away；　for　he
could　not　cast　her　away。




CHAPTER　XVIII。

MORE　MATERIALISM　AND　SOME　SPIRITUALISM。

God　wisheth　none　should　wreck　on　a　strange　shelf：
　　To　Him　man's　dearer　than　to　himself。

BEN　Jonson。The　Forest：　To　Sir　Robert　Wroth。


At　breakfast　the　following　morning；　the　influences　of　the　past　day
on　the　family　were　evident。　　There　was　a　good　deal　of　excitement；
alternated　with　listlessness。　　The　moral　atmosphere　seemed
unhealthy；　and　Harry；　although　he　had；　fortunately　for　him；　had
nothing　to　do　with　the　manifestations　of　the　previous　evening；　was
affected　by　the　condition　of　those　around　him。　　Hugh　was　still
careful　enough　of　him　to　try　to　divert　the　conversation　entirely
from　what　he　knew　would　have　a　very　injurious　effect　upon　him；　and
Mr。　Arnold；　seeing　the　anxious　way　in　which　he　glanced　now　and　then
at　his　pupil；　and　divining　the　reason；　by　the　instinct　of　his
affection；　with　far　more　than　his　usual　acuteness；　tried　likewise　to
turn　it　aside；　as　often　as　it　inclined　that　way。　　Still　a　few　words
were　let　fall　by　the　visitors；　which　made　Harry　stare。　　Hugh　took
him　away　as　soon　as　breakfast　was　over。

In　the　afternoon；　Funkelstein　called　to　inquire　after　the　ladies；
and　hoped　he　had　no　injury　to　their　health　to　lay　on　his　conscience。
Mr。　Arnold；　who　had　a　full　allowance　of　curiosity；　its　amount　being
frequently　in　an　inverse　ratio　to　that　of　higher　intellectual　gifts；
begged　him　to　spend　the　rest　of　the　day　with　them；　but　not　to　say　a
word　of　what　had　passed　the　day　before；　till　after　Harry　had　retired
for　the　night。

Renewed　conversation　led　to　renewed　experiments　in　the　library。
Hugh；　however；　refused　to　have　anything　more　to　do　with　the
plate…writing；　for　he　dreaded　its　influence　on　his　physical　nature；
attributing；　as　I　have　said；　the　vision　of　Margaret　to　a　cerebral
affection。　　And　the　plate　did　not　seem　to　work　satisfactorily　with
any　one　else；　except　Funkelstein；　who；　for　his　part；　had　no　great
wish　to　operate。　　Recourse　was　had　to　a　more　vulgar　methodthat　of
expectant　solicitation　of　those　noises　whereby　the　prisoners　in　the
a雛ial　vaults　are　supposed　capable　of　communicating　with　those　in
this　earthly　cell。　　Certainly；　raps　were　heard　from　some　quarter　or
another；　and　when　the　lights　were　extinguished；　and　the　crescent
moon　only　allowed　to　shine　in　the　room；　some　commotion　was
discernible　amongst　the　furniture。　　Several　light　articles　flew
about。　　A　pen…wiper　alighted　on　Euphra's　lap；　and　a　sofa…pillow
gently　disarranged　Mrs。　Elton's　cap。　　Most　of　the　artillery；
however；　was　directed　against　Lady　Emily；　and　she　it　was　who　saw；　in
a　faint　stream　of　moonlight；　a　female　arm　uplifted　towards　her；　from
under　a　table；　with　a　threatening　motion。　　It　was　bare　to　the　elbow；
and　draped　above。　　It　showed　first　a　clenched　fist；　and　next　an　open
hand；　palm　outwards；　making　a　repellent　gesture。　　Then　the　back　of
the　hand　was　turned；　and　it　motioned　her　away；　as　if　she　had　been　an
importunate　beggar。　　But　at　this　moment；　one　of　the　doors　opened；
and　a　dark　figure　passed　through　the　room　towards　the　opposite　door。
Everything　that　could　be　called　ghostly；　ceased　instantaneously。
The　arm　vanished。　　The　company　breathed　more　freely。

Lady　Emily；　who　had　been　on　the　point　of　going　into　hysterics；
recovered　herself；　and　overcame　the　still　lingering　impulse：　she
felt　as　if　she　had　awaked　from　a　momentary　aberration　of　the
intellect。　　Mr。　Arnold　proceeded　to　light　the　candles；　saying；　in　a
righteous　tone：

〃I　think　we　have　had　enough　of　this　nonsense。〃

When　the　candles　were　lighted；　there　was　no　one　to　be　seen　in　the
room　besides　themselves。　　Several；　Hugh　amongst　them；　had　observed
the　figure；　but　all　had　taken　it　for　part　of　the　illusive
phantasmagoria。　　Hugh　would　have　concluded　it　a　variety　of　his
vision　of　the　former　night；　but　others　had　seen　it　as　well　as　he。

There　was　no　renewal　of　the　experiments　that　night。　　But　all　were　in
a　very　unhealthy　state　of　excitement。　　Vague　fear；　vague　wonder；　and
a　certain　indescribable　oppression；　had　dimmed　for　the　time　all　the
clearer　vision；　and　benumbed　all　the　nobler　faculties　of　the　soul。
Lady　Emily　was　affected　the　most。　　Her　eyes　looked　scared；　there
was　a　bright　spot　on　one　cheek　amidst　deathly　paleness；　and　she
seemed　very　unhappy。　　Mrs。　Elton　became　alarmed；　and　this　brought
her　back　to　a　more　rational　condition。　　She　persuaded　Lady　Emily　to
go　to　bed。

But　the　contagion　spread；　and　indistinct　terrors　were　no　longer
confined　to　the　upper　portions　of　the　family。　　The　bruit　revived；
which　had　broken　out　a　year　beforethat　the　house　was　haunted。　　It
was　whispered　that；　the　very　night　after　these　occurrences；　the
Ghost's　Walk　had　been　in　use　as　the　name　signified：　a　figure　in
death…garments　had　been　seen　gliding　along　the　deserted　avenue；　by
one　of　the　maid…servants；　the　truth　of　whose　story　was　corroborated
by　the　fact　that；　to　support　it；　she　did　not　hesitate　to　confess
that　she　had　escaped　from　the　house；　nearly　at　midnight；　to　meet　one
of　the　grooms　in　a　part　of　the　wood　contiguous　to　the　avenue　in
question。　　Mr。　Arnold　instantly　dismissed　hernot　on　the　ground　of
the　intrigue；　he　took　care　to　let　her　know；　although　that　was　bad
enough；　but　because　she　was　a　fool；　and　spread　absurd　and　annoying
reports　about　the　house。　　Mr。　Arnold's　usual　hatred　of　what　he
called　superstition；　was　rendered　yet　more　spiteful　by　the　fact；
that　the　occurrences　of　the　week　had　had　such　an　effect　on　his　own
mind；　that　he　was　mortally　afraid　lest　he　should　himself　sink　into
the　same　limbo　of　vanity。　　The　girl；　however；　was；　or　pretended　to
be；　quite　satisfied　with　her　discharge；　protesting　she　would　not
have　staid　for　the　world；　and　as　the　groom；　whose　wages　happened　to
have　been　paid　the　day　before；　took　himself　off　the　same　evening；　it
may　be　hoped　her　satisfaction　was　not　altogether　counterfeit。

〃If　all　tales　be　true；〃　said　Mrs。　Elton；　〃Lady　Euphrasia　is　where
she　can't　get　out。〃

〃But　if　she　repented　before　she　died？〃　said　Euphra；　with　a　muffled
scorn　in　her　tone。

〃My　dear　Miss　Cameron；　do　you　call　becoming　a　nunrepentance？　　We
Protestants　know　very　well　what　that　means。　　Besides；　your　uncle
does　not　believe　it。〃

〃Haven't　you　found　out　yet；　dear　Mrs。　Elton；　what　my　uncle's
favourite　phrase　is？〃

〃No。　What　is　it？〃

〃I　don't　believe　it。〃

〃You　naughty　girl！〃

〃I'm　not　naughty；〃　answered　Euphra；　affecting　to　imitate　the
simplicity　of　a　chidden　child。　〃My　uncle　is　so　fond　of　casting　doubt
upon　everything！　　If　salvation　goes　by　quantity；　his　faith　won't
save　him。〃

Euphra　knew　well　enough　that　Mrs。　Elton　was　no　tell…tale。　　The　good
lady　had　hopes　of　her　from　this　moment；　because　she　all　but　quoted
Scripture　to　condemn　her　uncle；　the　verdict　corresponding　with　her
own　judgment　of　Mr。　Arnold；　founded　on　the　clearest　assertions　of
Scripture；　strengthened　somewhat；　it　must　be　confessed；　by　the　fact
that　the　spirits；　on　the　preceding　evening　but　one；　had　rapped　out
the　sentence：　〃Without　faith　it　is　impossible　to　please　him。〃

Lady　Emily　was　still　in　bed；　but　apparently　more　sick　in　mind　than
in　body。　　She　said　she　had　tossed　about　all　the　previous　night
without　once　falling　asleep；　and　her　maid；　who　had　slept　in　the
dressing…room　without　waking　once；　corroborated　the　assertion。　　In
the　morning；　Mrs。　Elton；　wishing　to　relieve　the　maid；　sent　Margaret
to　Lady　Emily。　　Margaret　arranged　the　bedclothes　and　pillows；　which
were　in　a　very　uncomfortable　condition；　sat　down　behind　the　curtain；
and；　knowing　that　it　would　please　Lady　Emily；　began　to　sing；　in　what
the　French　call　a；　veiled　voice；　The　Land　o'　the　Leal。　Now　the　air
of　this　lovely　song　is　t