david elginbrod-第68部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

always　fell　before　hers。　　She　walked　softly　like　Ahab；　as　if；　now
that　Hugh　knew；　she；　too；　was　ever　conscious。

Her　behaviour　to　Mrs。　Elton　and　Lady　Emily　was　likewise　improved；
but　apparently　only　from　an　increase　of　indifference。　　When　the　time
came；　and　they　departed；　she　did　not　even　appear　to　be　much
relieved。

Once　she　asked　Hugh　to　help　her　with　a　passage　of　Dante；　but
betrayed　no　memory　of　the　past。　　His　pleased　haste　to　assist　her；
showed　that　he　at　least；　if　fancy…free；　was　not　memory…clear。　　She
thanked　him　very　gently　and　truly；　took　up　her　book　like　a
school…girl；　and　limped　away。　　Hugh　was　smitten　to　the　heart。　〃If　I
could　but　do　something　for　her！〃　thought　he；　but　there　was　nothing
to　be　done。　　Although　she　had　deserved　it；　somehow　her　behaviour
made　him　feel　as　if　he　had　wronged　her　in　ceasing　to　love　her。

One　day；　in　the　end　of　September；　Mr。　Arnold　and　Hugh　were　alone
after　breakfast。　　Mr。　Arnold　spoke：

〃Mr。　Sutherland；　I　have　altered　my　plans　with　regard　to　Harry。　　I
wish　him　to　spend　the　winter　in　London。〃

Hugh　listened　and　waited。　　Mr。　Arnold　went　on；　after　a　slight　pause：

〃There　I　wish　him　to　reap　such　advantages　as　are　to　be　gained　in　the
metropolis。　　He　has　improved　wonderfully　under　your　instruction；　and
is　now；　I　think；　to　be　benefited　principally　by　a　variety　of
teachers。　　I　therefore　intend　that　he　shall　have　masters　for　the
different　branches　which　it　is　desirable　he　should　study。
Consequently　I　shall　be　compelled　to　deny　him　your　services；
valuable　as　they　have　hitherto　been。〃

〃Very　well；　Mr。　Arnold；〃　said　Mr。　Sutherland；　with　the　indifference
of　one　who　feels　himself　ill…used。　〃When　shall　I　take　my　leave　of
him？〃

〃Not　before　the　middle　of　the　next　month；　at　the　earliest。　　But　I
will　write　you　a　cheque　for　your　salary　at　once。〃

So　saying；　Mr。　Arnold　left　the　room　for　a　moment；　and　returning；
handed　Hugh　a　cheque　for　a　year's　salary。　　Hugh　glanced　at　it；　and
offering　it　again　to　Mr。　Arnold；　said：

〃No；　Mr。　Arnold；　I　can　claim　scarcely　more　than　half　a　year's
salary。〃

〃Mr。　Sutherland；　your　engagement　was　at　so　much　a　year；　and　if　I
prevent　you　from　fulfilling　your　part　of　it；　I　am　bound　to　fulfil
mine。　　Indeed；　you　might　claim　further　provision。〃

〃You　are　very　kind；　Mr。　Arnold。〃

〃Only　just；〃　rejoined　Mr。　Arnold；　with　conscious　dignity。　〃I　am
under　great　obligation　to　you　for　the　way　in　which　you　have　devoted
yourself　to　Harry。〃

Hugh's　conscience　gave　him　a　pang。　　Is　anything　more　painful　than
undeserved　praise？

〃I　have　hardly　done　my　duty　by　him；〃　said　he。

〃I　can　only　say　that　the　boy　is　wonderfully　altered　for　the　better；
and　I　thank　you。　　I　am　obliged　to　you：　oblige　me　by　putting　the
cheque　in　your　pocket。〃

Hugh　persisted　no　longer　in　his　refusal；　and　indeed　it　had　been　far
more　a　feeling　of　pride　than　of　justice　that　made　him　decline
accepting　it　at　first。　　Nor　was　there　any　generosity　in　Mr。　Arnold's
cheque；　for　Hugh；　as　he　admitted；　might　have　claimed　board　and
lodging　as　well。　　But　Mr。　Arnold　was　one　of　the　ordinarily
honourable；　who；　with　perfect　characters　for　uprightness；　always
contrive　to　err　on　the　safe　side　of　the　purse；　and　the　doubtful　side
of　a　severely　interpreted　obligation。　　Such　people；　in　so　doing；　not
unfrequently　secure　for　themselves；　at　the　same　time；　the　reputation
of　generosity。

Hugh　could　not　doubt　that　his　dismissal　was　somehow　or　other
connected　with　the　loss　of　the　ring；　but　he　would　not　stoop　to
inquire　into　the　matter。　　He　hoped　that　time　would　set　all　right；
and；　in　fact；　felt　considerable　indifference　to　the　opinion　of　Mr。
Arnold；　or　of　any　one　in　the　house；　except　Harry。

The　boy　burst　into　tears　when　informed　of　his　father's　decision　with
regard　to　his　winter　studies；　and　could　only　be　consoled　by　the　hope
which　Hugh　held　out　to　himcertainly　upon　a　very　slight
foundationthat　they　might　meet　sometimes　in　London。　　For　the
little　time　that　remained；　Hugh　devoted　himself　unceasingly　to　his
pupil；　not　merely　studying　with　him；　but　walking；　riding；　reading
stories；　and　going　through　all　sorts　of　exercises　for　the
strengthening　of　his　person　and　constitution。　　The　best　results
followed　both　for　Harry　and　his　tutor。




CHAPTER　XXXI。

EXPLANATIONS。

I　have　done　nothing　good　to　win　belief；
My　life　hath　been　so　faithless；　all　the　creatures
Made　for　heaven's　honours；　have　their　ends；　and　good　ones；
All　but。。。false　women。。。When　they　die；　like　tales
Ill…told；　and　unbelieved；　they　pass　away。

I　will　redeem　one　minute　of　my　age；
Or；　like　another　Niobe；　I'll　weep
Till　I　am　water。

BEAUMONT　AND　FLETCHER。The　Maid's　Tragedy。


The　days　passed　quickly　by；　and　the　last　evening　that　Hugh　was　to
spend　at　Arnstead　arrived。　　He　wandered　out　alone。　　He　had　been　with
Harry　all　day；　and　now　he　wished　for　a　few　moments　of　solitude。　　It
was　a　lovely　autumn　evening。　　He　went　into　the　woods　behind　the
house。　　The　leaves　were　still　thick　upon　the　trees；　but　most　of　them
had　changed　to　gold；　and　brown；　and　red；　and　the　sweet　faint　odours
of　those　that　had　fallen；　and　lay　thick　underfoot；　ascended　like　a
voice　from　the　grave；　saying：　〃Here　dwelleth　some　sadness；　but　no
despair。〃　　As　he　strolled　about　among　them；　the　whole　history　of　his
past　life　arose　before　him。　　This　often　happens　before　any　change　in
our　history；　and　is　surest　to　take　place　at　the　approach　of　the
greatest　change　of　all；　when　we　are　about　to　pass　into　the　unknown；
whence　we　came。

In　this　mood；　it　was　natural　that　his　sins　should　rise　before　him。
They　came　as　the　shadows　of　his　best　pleasures。　　For　now；　in
looking　back；　he　could　fix　on　no　period　of　his　history；　around　which
the　aureole；　which　glorifies　the　sacred　things　of　the　past；　had
gathered　in　so　golden　a　hue；　as　around　the　memory　of　the　holy
cottage；　the　temple　in　which　abode　David；　and　Janet；　and　Margaret。
All　the　story　glided　past；　as　the　necromantic　Will　called　up　the
sleeping　dead　in　the　mausoleum　of　the　brain。　　And　that　solemn；
kingly；　gracious　old　man；　who　had　been　to　him　a　father；　he　had
forgotten；　the　homely　tenderness　which；　from　fear　of　its　own　force；
concealed　itself　behind　a　humorous　roughness　of　manner；　he　hadno；
not　despisedbut　forgotten；　too；　and　if　the　dim　pearly　loveliness
of　the　trustful；　grateful　maiden　had　not　been　quite　forgotten；　yet
she　too　had　been　neglected；　had　died；　as　it　were；　and　been　buried　in
the　churchyard　of　the　past；　where　the　grass　grows　long　over　the
graves；　and　the　moss　soon　begins　to　fill　up　the　chiselled　records。
He　was　ungrateful。　　He　dared　not　allow　to　himself　that　he　was
unloving；　but　he　must　confess　himself　ungrateful。

Musing　sorrowfully　and　self…reproachfully；　he　came　to　the　Ghost's
Avenue。　　Up　and　down　its　aisle　he　walked；　a　fit　place　for
remembering　the　past；　and　the　sins　of　the　present。　　Yielding　himself
to　what　thoughts　might　arise；　the　strange　sight　he　had　seen　here　on
that　moonlit　night；　of　two　silent　wandering　figuresor　could　it　be
that　they　were　one　and　the　same；　suddenly　changed　in　hue？returned
upon　him。　　This　vision　had　been　so　speedily　followed　by　the　second
and　more　alarming　apparition　of　Lady　Euphrasia；　that　he　had　hardly
had　time　to　speculate　on　what　the　former　could　have　been。　　He　was
meditating　upon　all　these　strange　events；　and　remarking　to　himself
that；　since　his　midnight　encounter　with　Lady　Euphrasia；　the　house
had　been　as　quiet　as　a　church…yard　at　noon；　when　all　suddenly；　he
saw　before　him；　at　some　little　distance；　a　dark　figure　approaching
him。　　His　heart　seemed　to　bound　into　his　throat　and　choke　him；　as　he
said　to　himself：　〃It　is　the　nun　again！〃　　But　the　next　moment　he　saw
that　it　was　Euphra。　　I　do　not　know　which　he　would　have　preferred　not
meeting　alone；　and　in　the　deepening　twilight：　Euphra；　too；　had
become　like　a　ghost　to　him。　　His　first　impulse　was　to　turn　aside
into　the　wood；　but　she　had　seen　him；　and　was　evidently　going　to
address　him。　　He　therefore　advanced　to　meet　her。　　She　spoke　first；
approaching　him　with　painful　steps。

〃I　have　been　looking　for　you；　Mr。　Sutherland。　　I　wanted　very　much　to
have　a　little　conversation　with　you　before　you　go。　　Will　you　allow
me？〃

Hugh　felt　like　a　culprit　directly。　　Euphra's　manner　was　quite
collected　and　kind；　yet　through　it　all　a　consciousness　showed
itself；　that　the　relation　which　had　once　existed　between　them　had
passed　away　for　ever。　　In　her　voice　there　was　something　like　the
tone　of　wind　blowing　through　a　ruin。

〃I　shall　be　most　happy；〃　said　he。

She　smiled　sadly。　　A　great　change　had　passed　upon　her。

〃I　am　going　to　be　quite　open　with　you；〃　she　said。　〃I　am　perfectly
aware；　as　well　as　you　are；　that　the　boyish　fancy　you　had　for　me　is
gone。　　Do　not　be　offended。　　You　are　manly　enough；　but　your　love　for
me　was　boyish。　　Most　first　loves　are　childish；　quite　irrespective　of
age。　　I　do　not　blame　you　in　the　least。〃

This　seemed　to　Hugh　rather　a　strange　style　to　assume；　if　all　was
true　that　his　own　eyes　had　reported。　　She　went　on：

〃Nor　must　you　think　it　has　cost　me　much　to　lose　it。〃

Hugh　felt　hurt；　at　which　no　one　who　understands　will　be　surprised。

〃But　I　cannot　afford　to　lose　you；　the　only　friend　I　have；〃　she
added。

Hugh　turned　towards　her　with　a　face　full　of　manhood　a