david elginbrod-第56部分

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appearances。　　Sorely　bewildered；　he　returned　to　his　own　room。　　After
speculating　till　thought　was　weary；　he　lay　down　beside　Harry；　whom
he　was　thankful　to　find　in　a　still　repose；　and　fell　fast　asleep。

Margaret　lay　on　a　couch　in　Lady　Emily's　room；　and　slept　likewise；
but　she　started　wide　awake　at　every　moan　of　the　invalid；　who　often
moaned　in　her　sleep。




CHAPTER　XX。

THE　BAD　MAN。

She　kent　he　was　nae　gentle　knight；
　　That　she　had　letten　in；
For　neither　when　he　gaed　nor　cam'；
　　Kissed　he　her　cheek　or　chin。

He　neither　kissed　her　when　he　cam'
　　Nor　clappit　her　when　he　gaed；
And　in　and　out　at　her　bower　window；
　　The　moon　shone　like　the　gleed。

Glenkindie。Old　Scotch　Ballad。


When　Euphra　recovered　from　the　swoon　into　which　she　had　fallenfor
I　need　hardly　explain　to　my　readers；　that　it　was　she　who　walked　the
Ghost's　Walk　in　whiteon　seeing　Margaret；　whom；　under　the
irresistible　influences　of　the　moonlight　and　a　bad　conscience；　she
took　for　the　very　being　whom　Euphra　herself　was　personatingwhen
she　recovered；　I　say；　she　found　herself　lying　in　the　wood；　with
Funkelstein；　whom　she　had　gone　to　meet；　standing　beside　her。　　Her
first　words　were　of　anger；　as　she　tried　to　rise；　and　found　she　could
not。

〃How　long；　Count　Halkar；　am　I　to　be　your　slave？〃

〃Till　you　have　learned　to　submit。〃

〃Have　I　not　done　all　I　can？〃

〃You　have　not　found　it。　　You　are　free　from　the　moment　you　place　that
ring；　belonging　to　me；　in　right　of　my　family；　into　my　hands。〃

I　do　not　believe　that　the　man　really　was　Count　Halkar；　although　he
had　evidently　persuaded　Euphra　that　such　was　his　name　and　title。　　I
think　it　much　more　probable　that；　in　the　course　of　picking　up　a　mass
of　trifling　information　about　various　families　of　distinction；　for
which　his　position　of　secretary　in　several　of　their　houses　had
afforded　him　special　facilities；　he　had　learned　something　about　the
Halkar　family；　and　this　particular　ring；　of　which；　for　some　reason
or　other；　he　wanted　to　possess　himself。

〃What　more　can　I　do？〃　moaned　Euphra；　succeeding　at　length　in　raising
herself　to　a　sitting　posture；　and　leaning　thus　against　a　tree。　〃I
shall　be　found　out　some　day。　　I　have　been　already　seen　wandering
through　the　house　at　midnight；　with　the　heart　of　a　thief。　　I　hate
you；　Count　Halkar！〃

A　low　laugh　was　the　count's　only　reply。

〃And　now　Lady　Euphrasia　herself　dogs　my　steps；　to　keep　me　from　the
ring。〃　　She　gave　a　low　cry　of　agony　at　the　remembrance。

〃Miss　CameronEuphraare　you　going　to　give　way　to　such　folly？〃

〃Folly！　　Is　it　not　worse　folly　to　torture　a　poor　girl　as　you　do
meall　for　a　worthless　ring？　　What　can　you　want　with　the　ring？　　I
do　not　know　that　he　has　it　even。〃

〃You　lie。　　You　know　he　has。　　You　need　not　think　to　take　me　in。〃

〃You　base　man！　　You　dare　not　give　the　lie　to　any　but　a　woman。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　you　are　a　coward。　　You　are　afraid　of　Lady　Euphrasia
yourself。　　See　there！〃

Von　Funkelstein　glanced　round　him　uneasily。　　It　was　only　the
moonlight　on　the　bark　of　a　silver　birch。　　Conscious　of　having
betrayed　weakness；　he　grew　spiteful。

〃If　you　do　not　behave　to　me　better；　I　will　compel　you。　　Rise　up！〃

After　a　moment's　hesitation；　she　rose。

〃Put　your　arms　round　me。〃

She　seemed　to　grow　to　the　earth；　and　to　drag　herself　from　it；　one
foot　after　another。　　But　she　came　close　up　to　the　Bohemian；　and　put
one　arm　half　round　him；　looking　to　the　earth　all　the　time。

〃Kiss　me。〃

〃Count　Halkar！〃　her　voice　sounded　hollow　and　harsh；　as　if　from　a
dead　throat〃I　will　do　what　you　please。　　Only　release　me。〃

〃Go　then；　but　mind　you　resist　me　no　more。　　I　do　not　care　for　your
kisses。　　You　were　ready　enough　once。　　But　that　idiot　of　a　tutor　has
taken　my　place；　I　see。〃

〃Would　to　God　I　had　never　seen　you！never　yielded　to　your　influence
over　me！　　Swear　that　I　shall　be　free　if　I　find　you　the　ring。〃

〃You　find　the　ring　first。　　Why　should　I　swear？　　I　can　compel　you。
You　know　you　laid　yourself　out　to　entrap　me　first　with　your　arts；
and　I　only　turned　upon　you　with　mine。　　And　you　are　in　my　power。　　But
you　shall　be　free；　notwithstanding；　and　I　will　torture　you　till　you
free　yourself。　　Find　the　ring。〃

〃Cruel！　cruel！　　You　are　doing　all　you　can　to　ruin　me。〃

〃On　the　contrary；　I　am　doing　all　I　can　to　save　myself。　　If　you　had
loved　me　as　you　allowed　me　to　think　once；　I　should　never　have　made
you　my　tool。〃

〃You　would　all　the　same。〃

〃Take　care。　　I　am　irritable　to…night。〃

For　a　few　moments　Euphra　made　no　reply。

〃To　what　will　you　drive　me？〃　she　said　at　last。

〃I　will　not　go　too　far。　　I　should　lose　my　power　over　you　if　I　did。
I　prefer　to　keep　it。〃

〃Inexorable　man！〃

〃Yes。〃

Another　despairing　pause。

〃What　am　I　to　do？〃

〃Nothing。　　But　keep　yourself　ready　to　carry　out　any　plan　that　I　may
propose。　　Something　will　turn　up；　now　that　I　have　got　into　the　house
myself。　　Leave　me　to　find　out　the　means。　　I　can　expect　no　invention
from　your　brains。　　You　can　go　home。〃

Euphra　turned　without　another　word；　and　went；　murmuring；　as　if　in
excuse　to　herself：

〃It　is　for　my　freedom。　　It　is　for　my　freedom。〃

Of　course　this　account　must　have　come　originally　from　Euphra
herself；　for　there　was　no　one　else　to　tell　it。　　She；　at　least；
believed　herself　compelled　to　do　what　the　man　pleased。　　Some　of　my
readers　will　put　her　down　as　insane。　　She　may　have　been；　but；　for　my
part；　I　believe　there　is　such　a　power　of　one　being　over　another；
though　perhaps　only　in　a　rare　contact　of　psychologically　peculiar
natures。　　I　have　testimony　enough　for　that。　　She　had　yielded　to　his
will　once。　　Had　she　not　done　so；　he　could　not　have　compelled　her；
but；　having　once　yielded；　she　had　not　strength　sufficient　to　free
herself　again。　　Whether　even　he　could　free　her；　further　than　by
merely　abstaining　from　the　exercise　of　the　power　he　had　gained；　I
doubt　much。

It　is　evident　that　he　had　come　to　the　neighbourhood　of　Arnstead　for
the　sake　of　finding　her；　and　exercising　his　power　over　her　for　his
own　ends；　that　he　had　made　her　come　to　him　once；　if　not　oftener；
before　he　met　Hugh；　and　by　means　of　his　acquaintance；　obtained
admission　into　Arnstead。　　Once　admitted；　he　had　easily　succeeded；　by
his　efforts　to　please；　in　so　far　ingratiating　himself　with　Mr。
Arnold；　that　now　the　house…door　stood　open　to　him；　and　he　had　even
his　recognised　seat　at　the　dinner…table。




CHAPTER　XXI。

SPIRIT　VERSUS　MATERIALISM。

Next　this　marble　venomed　seat；
Smeared　with　gums　of　glutinous　heat；
I　touch　with　chaste　palms　moist　and　cold
Now　the　spell　hath　lost　his　hold。

MILTON。Comas。


Next　morning　Lady　Emily　felt　better；　and　wanted　to　get　up：　but　her
eyes　were　still　too　bright；　and　her　hands　too　hot；　and　Margaret
would　not　hear　of　it。

Fond　as　Lady　Emily　was　in　general　of　Mrs。　Elton's　society；　she　did
not　care　to　have　her　with　her　now；　and　got　tired　of　her　when
Margaret　was　absent。

They　had　taken　care　not　to　allow　Miss　Cameron　to　enter　the　room；　but
to…day　there　was　not　much　likelihood　of　her　making　the　attempt；　for
she　did　not　appear　at　breakfast；　sending　a　message　to　her　uncle　that
she　had　a　bad　headache；　but　hoped　to　take　her　place　at　the
dinner…table。

During　the　day；　Lady　Emily　was　better；　but　restless　by　fits。

〃Were　you　not　out　of　the　room　for　a　little　while　last　night；
Margaret？〃　she　said；　rather　suddenly。

〃Yes；　my　lady。　　I　told　you　I　should　have　to　go；　perhaps。〃

〃I　remember　I　thought　you　had　gone；　but　I　was　not　in　the　least
afraid；　and　that　dreadful　man　never　came　near　me。　　I　do　not　know
when　you　returned。　　Perhaps　I　had　fallen　asleep；　but　when　I　thought
about　you　next；　there　you　were　by　my　bedside。〃

〃I　shall　not　have　to　leave　you　to…night；〃　was　all　Margaret's　answer。

As　for　Hugh；　when　first　he　woke；　the　extraordinary　experiences　of
the　previous　night　appeared　to　him　to　belong　only　to　the　night；　and
to　have　no　real　relation　to　the　daylight　world。　　But　a　little
reflection　soon　convinced　him　of　the　contrary；　and　then　he　went
through　the　duties　of　the　day　like　one　who　had　nothing　to　do　with
them。　　The　phantoms　he　had　seen　even　occupied　some　of　the　thinking
space　formerly　appropriated　by　the　image　of　Euphra；　though　he　knew
to　his　concern　that　she　was　ill；　and　confined　to　her　room。　　He　had
heard　the　message　sent　to　Mr。　Arnold；　however；　and　so　kept　hoping
for　the　dinner…hour。

With　it　came　Euphra；　very　pale。　　Her　eyes　had　an　unsettled　look；　and
there　were　dark　hollows　under　them。　　She　would　start　and　look
sideways　without　any　visible　cause；　and　was　thus　very　different　from
her　usual　selfordinarily　remarkable　for　self…possession；　almost　to
coolness；　of　manner　and　speech。　　Hugh　saw　it；　and　became　both
distressed　and　speculative　in　consequence。　　It　did　not　diminish　his
discomfort　that；　about　the　middle　of　dinner；　Funkelstein　was
announced。　　Was　it；　then；　that　Euphra　had　been　tremulously　expectant
of　him？

〃This　is　an　unforeseen　pleasure；　Herr　von　Funkelstein；〃　said　Mr。
Arnold。

〃It　is　very　good　of　you　to　call　it　a　pleasure；　Mr。　Arnold；〃　said　he。
〃Miss　Cameronbut；　good　heavens！　how　ill　you　look！〃

〃Don't　be　alarmed。　　I　have　only　caught　the　plague。〃

〃Only？〃　was　all　Funkelstein　said　in　reply；　yet　Hugh　thought　he　had
no　right　to　be　so　solicitous　about　Euphra's　health。

As