david elginbrod-第73部分

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agonizing　transitions；　while　the　failure　generally　points；　in　its
detected　cause；　to　the　way　of　future　success。　　He　worked　on。

He　did　not；　however；　forget　the　ring。　　Frequent　were　his
meditations；　in　the　pauses　of　his　story；　and　when　walking　in　the
streets；　as　to　the　best　means　of　recovering　it。　　I　should　rather　say
any　means　than　best；　for　it　was　not　yet　a　question　of　choice　and
degrees。　　The　count　could　not　but　have　known　that　the　ring　was　of　no
money　value；　therefore　it　was　not　likely　that　he　had　stolen　it　in
order　to　part　with　it　again。　　Consequently　it　would　be　of　no　use　to
advertise　it；　or　to　search　for　it　in　the　pawnbrokers'　or　second…hand
jewellers'　shops。　　To　find　the　crystal；　it　was　clear　as　itself　that
he　must　first　find　the　count。

But　how？He　could　think　of　no　plan。　　Any　alarm　would　place　the
count　on　the　defensive；　and　the　jewel　at　once　beyond　reach。
Besides；　he　wished　to　keep　the　whole　matter　quiet；　and　gain　his
object　without　his　or　any　other　name　coming　before　the　public。
Therefore　he　would　not　venture　to　apply　to　the　police；　though
doubtless　they　would　be　able　to　discover　the　man；　if　he　were
anywhere　in　London。　　He　surmised　that　in　all　probability　they　knew
him　already。　　But　he　could　not　come　to　any　conclusion　as　to　the
object　he　must　have　had　in　view　in　securing　such　a　trifle。

Hugh　had　all　but　forgotten　the　count's　cheque　for　a　hundred　guineas；
for；　in　the　first　place；　he　had　never　intended　presenting　itthe
repugnance　which　some　minds　feel　to　using　money　which　they　have
neither　received　by　gift　nor　acquired　by　honest　earning；　being　at
least　equal　to　the　pleasure　other　minds　feel　in　gaining　it　without
the　expense　of　either　labour　or　obligation；　and　in　the　second　place；
since　he　knew　more　about　the　drawer；　he　had　felt　sure　that　it　would
be　of　no　use　to　present　it。　　To　make　this　latter　conviction　a
certainty；　he　did　present　it；　and　found　that　there　were　no　effects。




CHAPTER　IV。

A　LETTER　FROM　THE　POST。


Hipolito。　　Is　your　wife　then　departed？
　Orlando。　　She's　an　old　dweller　in　those　high　countries；　yet　not
from　me：　here；　she's　here；　a　good　couple　are　seldom　parted。DEKKER。

What　wonderful　things　letters　are！　　In　trembling　and　hope　the
fingers　unclasp；　and　the　folded　sheet　drops　intono；　not　the
post…office　letter…boxbut　into　space。

I　have　read　a　story　somewhere　of　a　poor　child　that　dropped　a　letter
into　the　post…office；　addressed　to　Jesus　Christ　in　Heaven。　　And　it
reached　him；　and　the　child　had　her　answer。　　For　was　it　not　Christ
present　in　the　good　man　or　womanI　forget　the　particulars　of　the
storywho　sent　the　child　the　help　she　needed？　　There　was　no
necessity　for　him　to　answer　in　person；　as　in　the　case　of　Abgarus；
king　of　Edessa。

Out　of　space　from　somewhere　comes　the　answer。　　Such　letters　as　those
given　in　a　previous　chapter；　are　each　a　spirit…cry　sent　out；　like　a
Noah's　dove；　into　the　abyss；　and　the　spirit　turns　its　ear；　where　its
mouth　had　been　turned　before；　and　leans　listening　for　the
spirit…echothe　echo　with　a　soul　in　itthe　answering　voice　which
out　of　the　abyss　will　enter　by　the　gate　now　turned　to　receive　it。
Whose　will　be　the　voice？　　What　will　be　the　sense？　　What　chords　on
the　harp　of　life　have　been　struck　afar　off　by　the　arrow…words　of　the
letter？　　What　tones　will　they　send　back　to　the　longing；　hungering
ear？　　The　mouth　hath　spoken；　that　the　fainting　ear　may　be　filled　by
the　return　of　its　words　through　the　alembic　of　another　soul。

One　cause　of　great　uneasiness　to　Hugh　was；　that；　for　some　time　after
a　reply　might　have　been　expected；　he　received　no　answer　from　David
Elginbrod。　　At　length；　however；　a　letter　arrived；　upon　the
hand…writing　of　which　he　speculated　in　vain；　perplexed　with　a
resemblance　in　it　to　some　writing　that　he　knew；　and　when　he　opened
it；　he　found　the　following　answer　to　his　own：

〃DEAR　MR。　SUTHERLAND；Your　letter　to　my　father　has　been　sent　to　me
by　my　mother；　for　what　you　will　feel　to　be　the　sad　reason；　that　he
is　no　more　in　this　world。　　But　I　cannot　say　it　is　so　very　sad　to　me
to　think　that　he　is　gone　home；　where　my　mother　and　I　will　soon　join
him。　　True　love　can　wait　well。　　Nor　indeed；　dear　Mr。　Sutherland；
must　you　be　too　much　troubled　that　your　letter　never　reached　him。
My　father　was　like　God　in　this；　that　he　always　forgave　anything　the
moment　there　was　anything　to　forgive；　for　when　else　could　there　be
such　a　good　time？although；　of　course；　the　person　forgiven　could
not　know　it　till　he　asked　for　forgiveness。　　But；　dear　Mr。
Sutherland；　if　you　could　see　me　smiling　as　I　write；　and　could　yet
see　how　earnest　my　heart　is　in　writing　it；　I　would　venture　to　say
that；　in　virtue　of　my　knowing　my　father　as　I　dofor　I　am　sure　I
know　his　very　soul；　as　near　as　human　love　could　know　itI　forgive
you；　in　his　name；　for　anything　and　everything　with　which　you
reproach　yourself　in　regard　to　him。　　Ah！　how　much　I　owe　you！　　And
how　much　he　used　to　say　he　owed　you！　　We　shall　thank　you　one　day；
when　we　all　meet。

〃I　am；　dear　Mr。　Sutherland；

〃Your　grateful　scholar；

〃MARGARET　ELGINBROD。〃

Hugh　burst　into　tears　on　reading　this　letter；with　no　overpowering
sense　of　his　own　sin；　for　he　felt　that　he　was　forgiven；　but　with　a
sudden　insight　into　the　beauty　and　grandeur　of　the　man　whom　he　had
neglected；　and　the　wondrous　loveliness　which　he　had　transmitted　from
the　feminine　part　of　his　nature　to　the　wholly　feminine　and　therefore
delicately　powerful　nature　of　Margaret。　　The　vision　he　had　beheld　in
the　library　at　Arnstead；　about　which；　as　well　as　about　many　other
things　that　had　happened　to　him　there；　he　could　form　no　theory
capable　of　embracing　all　the　factsthis　vision　returned　to　his
mind's　eye；　and　he　felt　that　the　glorified　face　he　had　beheld　must
surely　have　been　Margaret's；　whether　he　had　seen　it　in　the　body　or
out　of　the　body：　such　a　face　alone　seemed　to　him　worthy　of　the
writer　of　this　letter。　　Purposely　or　not；　there　was　no　address　given
in　it；　and　to　his　surprise；　when　he　examined　the　envelope　with　the
utmost　care；　he　could　discover　no　postmark　but　the　London　one。　　The
date…stamp　likewise　showed　that　it　must　have　been　posted　in　London。

〃So；〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃in　my　quest　of　a　devil；　I　may　cross　the
track　of　an　angel；　who　knows？　　But　how　can　she　be　here？〃

To　this　of　course　he　had　no　answer　at　hand。




CHAPTER　V。

BEGINNINGS。

Since　a　man　is　bound　no　farther　to　himself　than　to　do　wisely；　chance
is　only　to　trouble　them　that　stand　upon　chance。SIR　PHILIP
SIDNEY。The　Arcadia。


Meantime　a　feeble　star；　but　sparkling　some　rays　of　comfort；　began　to
shine　upon　Hugh's　wintry　prospects。　　The　star　arose　in　a　grocer's
shop。　　For　one　day　his　landlady；　whose　grim　attentions　had　been
increasing　rather　than　diminishing；　addressed　him　suddenly　as　she
was　removing　his　breakfast　apparatus。　　This　was　a　very　extraordinary
event；　for　she　seldom　addressed　him　it　all；　and　replied；　when　he
addressed　her；　only　in　the　briefest　manner　possible。

〃Have　you　got　any　pupils　yet；　Mr。　Sutherland？〃

〃NoI　am　sorry　to　say。　　But　how　did　you　come　to　know　I　wanted　any；
Miss　Talbot？〃

〃You　shouldn't　have　secrets　at　home；　Mr。　Sutherland。　　I　like　to　know
what　concerns　my　own　family；　and　I　generally　find　out。〃

〃You　saw　my　advertisement；　perhaps？〃

To　this　suggestion　Miss　Talbot　made　no　other　answer　than　the　usual
compression　of　her　lips。

〃You　wouldn't　be　above　teaching　a　tradesman's　son　to　begin　with？〃

〃Certainly　not。　　I　should　be　very　happy。　　Do　you　know　of　such　a
pupil？〃

〃Well；　I　can't　exactly　say　I　do　know　or　I　don't　know；　but　I　happened
to　mention　to　my　grocer　round　the　corner　that　you　wanted　pupils。
Don't　suppose；　Mr。　Sutherland；　that　I'm　in　the　way　of　talking　about
any　young　men　of　mine；　but　it〃

〃Not　for　a　moment；〃　interrupted　Hugh；　and　Miss　Talbot　resumed；
evidently　gratified。

〃Well；　if　you　wouldn't　mind　stepping　round　the　corner；　I　shouldn't
wonder　if　you　might　make　an　arrangement　with　Mr。　Appleditch。　　He
said　you　might　call　upon　him　if　you　liked。〃

Hugh　jumped　up；　and　got　his　hat　at　once；　received　the　few　necessary
directions　from　Miss　Talbot；　and　soon　found　the　shop。　　There　were　a
good　many　poor　people　in　it；　buying　sugar；　and　soap；　&c。；　and　one
lady　apparently　giving　a　large　order。　　A　young　man　came　to　Hugh；　and
bent　over　the　counter　in　a　recipient　position；　like　a　live　point　of
interrogation。　　Hugh　answered

〃Mr。　Appleditch。〃

〃Mr。　Appleditch　will　be　disengaged　in　a　few　minutes。　　Will　you　take
a　seat？〃

The　grocer　was　occupied　with　the　lady　and　her　order；　but　as　soon　as
she　departed；　he　approached　Hugh　behind　the　rampart；　and　stood
towards　him　in　the　usual　retail　attitude。

〃My　name　is　Sutherland。〃

〃Sutherland？〃　said　Mr。　Appleditch；　〃I　think　I've　'eard　the　name
somewheres；　but　I　don't　know　the　face。〃

〃Miss　Talbot　mentioned　me　to　you；　I　understand；　Mr。　Appleditch。〃

〃Oh！　ah！　　I　remember。　　I　beg　your　pardon。　　Will　you　step　this　way；
Mr。　Sutherland？〃

Hugh　followed　him　through　a　sort　of　draw…bridge　which　he　lifted　in
the　counter；　into　a　little　appendix　at　the　back　of　the　shop。　　Mr。
Appleditch　was　a　meek…looking　man；　with　large　eyes；　plump　pasty
cheeks；　and　a　thin　little　person。

〃'Ow　de　do；　Mr。　Sutherland？〃　said　he；　holding　out　his　hand；　as　soon