david elginbrod-第80部分

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because　he　had　been　her　lover。

How　glad　she　would　have　been　of　Harry　now！　　The　days　crawled　one
after　the　other　like　weary　snakes。　　She　tried　to　read　the　New
Testament：　it　was　to　her　like　a　mouldy　chamber　of　worm…eaten
parchments；　whose　windows　had　not　been　opened　to　the　sun　or　the　wind
for　centuries；　and　in　which　the　dust　of　the　decaying　leaves　choked
the　few　beams　that　found　their　way　through　the　age…blinded　panes。

This　state　of　things　could　not　have　lasted　long；　for　Euphra　would
have　died。　　It　lasted；　however；　until　she　felt　that　she　had　been
leading　a　false；　worthless　life；　that　she　had　been　casting　from　her
every　day　the　few　remaining　fragments　of　truth　and　reality　that　yet
kept　her　nature　from　falling　in　a　heap　of　helpless　ruin；　that　she
had　never　been　a　true　friend　to　any　one；　that　she　was　of　no
valuefit　for　no　one's　admiration；　no　one's　love。　　She　must　leave
her　former　self；　like　a　dead　body；　behind　her；　and　rise　into　a　purer
air　of　life　and　reality；　else　she　would　perish　with　that　everlasting
death　which　is　the　disease　and　corruption　of　the　soul　itself。

To　those　who　know　anything　of　such　experiences；　it　will　not　be
surprising　that　such　feelings　as　these　should　be　alternated　with
fierce　bursts　of　passion。　　The　old　self　then　started　up　with
feverish　energy；　and　writhed　for　life。　　Never　any　one　tried　to　be
better；　without；　for　a　time；　seeming　to　himself；　perhaps　to　others；
to　be　worse。　　For　the　suffering　of　the　spirit　weakens　the　brain
itself；　and　the　whole　physical　nature　groans　under　it；　while　the
energy　spent　in　the　effort　to　awake；　and　arise　from　the　dust；　leaves
the　regions　previously　guarded　by　prudence　naked　to　the　wild　inroads
of　the　sudden　destroying　impulses　born　of　suffering；　self…sickness；
and　hatred。　　As　in　the　delirious　patient；　they　would　dash　to　the
earth　whatever　comes　first　within　reach；　as　if　the　thing　first
perceived；　and　so　（by　perception　alone）　brought　into　contact　with
the　suffering；　were　the　cause　of　all　the　distress。

One　day　a　letter　arrived　for　her。　　She　had　had　no　letter　from　any
one　for　weeks。　　Yet；　when　she　saw　the　direction；　she　flung　it　from
her。　　It　was　from　Mrs。　Elton；　whom　she　disliked；　because　she　found
her　utterly　uninteresting　and　very　stupid。

Poor　Mrs。　Elton　laid　no　claim　to　the　contraries　of　these　epithets。
But　in　proportion　as　she　abjured　thought；　she　claimed　speech；　both
by　word　of　mouth　and　by　letter。　　Why　not？　　There　was　nothing　in　it。
She　considered　reason　as　an　awful　enemy　to　the　soul；　and　obnoxious
to　God；　especially　when　applied　to　find　out　what　he　means　when　he
addresses　us　as　reasonable　creatures。　　But　speech？　　There　was　no
harm　in　that。　　Perhaps　it　was　some　latent　conviction　that　this　power
of　speech　was　the　chief　distinction　between　herself　and　the　lower
animals；　that　made　her　use　it　so　freely；　and　at　the　same　time　open
her　purse　so　liberally　to　the　Hospital　for　Orphan　Dogs　and　Cats。　Had
it　not　been　for　her　own　dire　necessity；　the　fact　that　Mrs。　Elton　was
religious　would　have　been　enough　to　convince　Euphra　that　there　could
not　possibly　be　anything　in　religion。

The　letter　lay　unopened　till　next　daya　fact　easy　to　account　for；
improbable　as　it　may　seem；　for　besides　writing　as　largely　as　she
talked；　and　less　amusingly　because　more　correctly；　Mrs。　Elton　wrote
such　an　indistinct　though　punctiliously　neat　hand；　that　the　reading
of　a　letter　of　hers　involved　no　small　amount　of　labour。　　But　the　sun
shining　out　next　morning；　Euphra　took　courage　to　read　it；　while
drinking　her　coffee；　although　she　could　not　expect　to　make　that
ceremony　more　pleasant　thereby。　　It　contained　an　invitation　to　visit
Mrs。　Elton　at　her　house　in　…　Street；　Hyde　Park；　with　the　assurance
that；　now　that　everything　was　arranged；　they　had　plenty　of　room　for
her。　　Mrs。　Elton　was　sure　she　must　be　lonely　at　Arnstead；　and　Mrs。
Horton　could；　no　doubt；　be　trustedand　so　on。

Had　this　letter　arrived　a　few　weeks　earlier；　Euphra　would　have
infused　into　her　answer　a　skilful　concoction　of　delicate　contempt；
not　for　the　amusement　of　knowing　that　Mrs。　Elton　would　never
discover　a　trace　of　it；　but　simply　for　a　relief　to　her　own　dislike。
Now　she　would　have　written　a　plain　letter；　containing　as　brief　and
as　true　an　excuse　as　she　could　find；　had　it　not　been；　that；　inclosed
in　Mrs。　Elton's　note　she　found　another；　which　ran　thus：

〃DEAR　EUPHRA；Do　come　and　see　us。　　I　do　not　like　London　at　all
without　you。　　There　are　no　happy　days　here　like　those　we　had　at
Arnstead　with　Mr。　Sutherland。　　Mrs。　Elton　and　Margaret　are　very　kind
to　me。　　But　I　wish　you　would　come。　　Do；　do；　do。　　Please　do。

〃Your　affectionate　cousin；

〃HARRY　ARNOLD。〃

〃The　dear　boy！〃　said　Euphra；　with　a　gush　of　pure　and　grateful
affection；　〃I　will　go　and　see　him。〃

Harry　had　begun　to　work　with　his　masters；　and　was　doing　his　best；
which　was　very　good。　　If　his　heart　was　not　so　much　in　it　as　when　he
was　studying　with　his　big　brother；　he　gained　a　great　benefit　from
the　increase　of　exercise　to　his　will；　in　the　doing　of　what　was　less
pleasant。　　Ever　since　Hugh　had　given　his　faculties　a　right
direction；　and　aided　him　by　healthful　manly　sympathy；　he　had　been
making　up　for　the　period　during　which　childhood　had　been　protracted
into　boyhood；　and　now　he　was　making　rapid　progress。

When　Euphra　arrived；　Harry　rushed　to　the　hall　to　meet　her。　　She　took
him　in　her　arms；　and　burst　into　tears。　　Her　tears　drew　forth　his。
He　stroked　her　pale　face；　and　said：

〃Dear　Euphra；　how　ill　you　look！〃

〃I　shall　soon　be　better　now；　Harry。〃

〃I　was　afraid　you　did　not　love　me；　Euphra；　but　now　I　am　sure　you
do。〃

〃Indeed　I　do。　　I　am　very　sorry　for　everything　that　made　you　think　I
did　not　love　you。〃

〃No；　no。　　It　was　all　my　fancy。　　Now　we　shall　be　very　happy。〃

And　so　Harry　was。　　And　Euphra；　through　means　of　Harry；　began　to　gain
a　little　of　what　is　better　than　most　kinds　of　happiness；　because　it
is　nearest　to　the　best　happinessI　mean　peace。　　This　foretaste　of
rest　came　to　her　from　the　devotedness　with　which　she　now　applied
herself　to　aid　the　intellect；　which　she　had　unconsciously　repressed
and　stunted　before。　　She　took　Harry's　books　when　he　had　gone　to　bed；
and　read　over　all　his　lessons；　that　she　might　be　able　to　assist　him
in　preparing　them；　venturing　thus　into　some　regions　of　labour　into
which　ladies　are　too　seldom　conducted　by　those　who　instruct　them。
This　produced　in　her　quite　new　experiences。　　One　of　these　was；　that
in　proportion　as　she　laboured　for　Harry；　hope　grew　for　herself。　　It
was　likewise　of　the　greatest　immediate　benefit　that　the　intervals　of
thought；　instead　of　lying　vacant　to　melancholy；　or　the　vapours　that
sprung　from　the　foregoing　strife　of　the　spiritual　elements；　should
be　occupied　by　healthy　mental　exercise。

Still；　however；　she　was　subject　to　great　vicissitudes　of　feeling。　　A
kind　of　peevishness；　to　which　she　had　formerly　been　a　stranger；　was
but　too　ready　to　appear；　even　when　she　was　most　anxious；　in　her
converse　with　Harry；　to　behave　well　to　him。　　But　the　pure
forgiveness　of　the　boy　was　wonderful。　　Instead　of　plaguing　himself
to　find　out　the　cause　of　her　behaviour；　or　resenting　it　in　the
least；　he　only　laboured；　by　increased　attention　and　submission；　to
remove　it；　and　seemed　perfectly　satisfied　when　it　was　followed　by　a
kind　word；　which　to　him　was　repentance；　apology；　amends；　and
betterment；　all　in　one。　　When　he　had　thus　driven　away　the　evil
spirit；　there　was　Euphra　her　own　self。　　So　perfectly　did　she　see；
and　so　thoroughly　appreciate　this　kindness　and　love　of　Harry；　that
he　began　to　look　to　her　like　an　angel　of　forgiveness　come　to　live　a
boy's　life；　that　he　might　do　an　angel's　work。

Her　health　continued　very　poor。　　She　suffered　constantly　from　more
or　less　headache；　and　at　times　from　faintings。　　But　she　had　not　for
some　time　discovered　any　signs　of　somnambulism。

Of　this　peculiarity　her　friends　were　entirely　ignorant。　　The
occasions；　indeed；　on　which　it　had　manifested　itself　to　an　excessive
degree；　had　been　but　few。




CHAPTER　IX。

THE　NEW　PUPILS。

Think　you　a　little　din　can　daunt　mine　ears？
Have　I　not　in　my　time　heard　lions　roar？

And　do　you　tell　me　of　a　woman's　tongue；
That　gives　not　half　so　great　a　blow　to　hear；
As　will　a　chestnut　in　a　farmer's　fire？
Tush！　tush！　fear　boys　with　bugs。

Taming　of　the　Shrew。


During　the　whole　of　his　first　interview　with　Falconer；　which　lasted
so　long　that　he　had　been　glad　to　make　a　bed　of　Falconer's　sofa；　Hugh
never　once　referred　to　the　object　for　which　he　had　accepted
MacPherson's　proffered　introduction；　nor　did　Falconer　ask　him　any
questions。　　Hugh　was　too　much　interested　and　saddened　by　the　scenes
through　which　Falconer　led　him；　not　to　shrink　from　speaking　of
anything　less　important；　and　with　Falconer　it　was　a　rule；　a
principle　almost；　never　to　expedite　utterance　of　any　sort。

In　the　morning；　feeling　a　little　good…natured　anxiety　as　to　his
landlady's　reception　of　him；　Hugh　made　some　allusion　to　it；　as　he
sat　at　his　new　friend's　breakfast…table。

Falconer　said：

〃What　is　your　landlady's　name？〃

〃Miss　Talbot。〃

〃Oh！　little　Miss　Talbot？　　You　are　in　good　quarterstoo　good　to
lose；　I　can　tell　you。　　Just　say　to　Miss　Talbot　that　you　were　with
me。〃

〃You　know　her；　then？〃

〃Oh