david elginbrod-第87部分

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difficulty　about　that。　　There　are　such　places　to　be　found　now　and
then　in　old　houses。　　But；　indeed；　if　you　will　excuse　me；　I　do　not
consider　your　testimony；　on　every　minute　particular；　quite
satisfactory。〃

〃Why？〃　asked　Hugh；　rather　offended。

〃First；　because　of　the　state　of　excitement　you　must　have　been　in；
and　next；　because　I　doubt　the　wine　that　was　left　in　your　room。　　The
count　no　doubt　knew　enough　of　drugs　to　put　a　few　ghostly　horrors
into　the　decanter。　　But　poor　Miss　Cameron！　　The　horrors　he　has　put
into　her　mind　and　life！　　It　is　a　sad　fateall　but　a　sentence　of
insanity。〃

Hugh　sprang　to　his　feet。

〃By　heaven！〃　he　cried；　〃I　will　strangle　the　knave。〃

〃Stop；　stop！〃　said　Falconer。　〃No　revenge！　　Leave　him　to　the　sleeping
divinity　within　him；　which　will　awake　one　day；　and　complete　the　hell
that　he　is　now　building　for　himselffor　the　very　fire　of　hell　is
the　divine　in　it。　　Your　work　is　to　set　Euphra　free。　　If　you　did
strangle　him；　how　do　you　know　if　that　would　free　her　from　him？〃

〃Horrible！Have　you　no　news　of　him？〃

〃None　whatever。〃

〃What；　then；　can　I　do　for　her？〃

〃You　must　teach　her　to　foil　him。〃

〃How　am　I　to　do　that？　　Even　if　I　knew　how；　I　cannot　see　her；　I
cannot　speak　to　her。〃

〃I　have　a　great　faith　in　opportunity。〃

〃But　how　should　she　foil　him？〃

〃She　must　pray　to　God　to　redeem　her　fettered　willto　strengthen　her
will　to　redeem　herself。　　She　must　resist　the　count；　should　he　again
claim　her　submission　（as；　for　her　sake；　I　hope　he　will）；　as　she
would　the　devil　himself。　　She　must　overcome。　　Then　she　will　be
freenot　before。　　This　will　be　very　hard　to　do。　　His　power　has　been
excessive　and　peculiar；　and　her　submission　long　and　complete。　　Even
if　he　left　her　alone；　she　would　not　therefore　be　free。　　She　must
defy　him；　break　his　bonds；　oppose　his　will；　assert　her　freedom；　and
defeat　him　utterly。〃

〃Oh！　who　will　help　her？　　I　have　no　power。　　Even　if　I　were　with　her；
I　could　not　help　her　in　such　a　struggle。　　I　wish　David　were　not
dead。　　He　was　the　man。You　could　now；　Mr。　Falconer。〃

〃No。　Except　I　knew　her；　had　known　her　for　some　time；　and　had　a
strong　hold　of　all　her　nature；　I　could　not；　would　not　try　to　help
her。　　If　Providence　brought　this　about；　I　would　do　my　best；　but
otherwise　I　would　not　interfere。　　But　if　she　pray　to　God；　he　will
give　her　whatever　help　she　needs；　and　in　the　best　way；　too。〃

〃I　think　it　would　be　some　comfort　to　her　if　we　could　find　the
ringthe　crystal；　I　mean。〃

〃It　would　be　more；　I　think；　if　we　could　find　the　diamond。〃

〃How　can　we　find　either？〃

〃We　must　find　the　count　first。　　I　have　not　given　that　up；　of　course。
I　will　tell　you　what　I　should　like　to　do；　if　I　knew　the　lady。〃

〃What？〃

〃Get　her　to　come　to　London；　and　make　herself　as　public　as　possible：
go　to　operas　and　balls；　and　theatres；　be　presented　at　court；　take　a
stall　at　every　bazaar；　and　sell　charity　puff…ballsget　as　much　into
the　papers　as　possible。　'The　lovely；　accomplished；　fascinating　Miss
Cameron；　&c。；　&c。'〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃I　will　tell　you　what　I　mean。　　The　count　has　forsaken　her　now；　but
as　soon　as　he　heard　that　she　was　somebody；　that　she　was　followed　and
admired；　his　vanity　would　be　roused；　his　old　sense　of　property　in
her　would　revive；　and　he　would　begin　once　more　to　draw　her　into　his
toils。　　What　the　result　would　be；　it　is　impossible　to　foretell；　but
it　would　at　least　give　us　a　chance　of　catching　him；　and　her　a　chance
of　resisting　him。〃

〃I　don't　think；　however；　that　she　would　venture　on　that　course
herself。　　I　should　not　dare　to　propose　it　to　her。〃

〃No；　no。　　It　was　only　an　invention；　to　deceive　myself　with　the　fancy
that　I　was　doing　something。　　There　would　be　many　objections　to　such
a　plan；　even　if　it　were　practicable。　　I　must　still　try　to　find　him；
and　if　fresh　endeavours　should　fail；　devise　fresher　still。〃

〃Thank　you　a　thousand　times；〃　said　Hugh。　〃It　is　too　good　of　you　to
take　so　much　trouble。〃

〃It　is　my　business；〃　answered　Falconer。　〃Is　there　not　a　soul　in
trouble？〃

Hugh　went　home；　full　of　his　new　friend。　　With　the　clue　he　had　given
him；　he　was　able　to　follow　all　the　windings　of　Euphra's　behaviour；
and　to　account　for　almost　everything　that　had　taken　place。　　It　was
quite　painful　to　him　to　feel　that　he　could　be　of　no　immediate
service　to　her；　but　he　could　hardly　doubt　that；　before　long；
Falconer　would；　in　his　wisdom　and　experience；　excogitate　some　mode
of　procedure　in　which　he　might　be　able　to　take　a　part。

He　sat　down　to　his　novel；　which　had　been　making　but　little　progress
for　some　time；　for　it　is　hard　to　write　a　novel　when　one　is　living　in
the　midst　of　a　romance。　　But　the　romance；　at　this　time；　was　not　very
close　to　him。　　It　had　a　past　and　a　possible　future；　but　no　present。
That　same　future；　however；　might　at　any　moment　dawn　into　the
present。

In　the　meantime；　teaching　the　Latin　grammar　and　the　English　alphabet
to　young　aspirants　after　the　honours　of　the　ministry；　was　not　work
inimical　to　invention；　from　either　the　exhaustion　of　its　excitement
or　the　absorption　of　its　interest。




CHAPTER　XIII。

THE　LADY'S…MAID。

Her　yellow　hair；　beyond　compare；
　　Comes　trinkling　down　her　swan…white　neck；
And　her　two　eyes；　like　stars　in　skies；
　　Would　keep　a　sinking　ship　frae　wreck。
Oh！　　Mally's　meek；　Mally's　sweet；
　　Mally's　modest　and　discreet；
Mally's　rare；　Mally's　fair；
　　Mally's　every　way　complete。

BURNS。


What　arms　for　innocence　but　innocence。

GILES　FLETCHER。


Margaret　had　sought　Euphra's　room；　with　the　intention　of　restoring
to　her　the　letter　which　she　had　written　to　David　Elginbrod。　　Janet
had　let　it　lie　for　some　time　before　she　sent　it　to　Margaret；　and
Euphra　had　given　up　all　expectation　of　an　answer。

Hopes　of　ministration　filled　Margaret's　heart；　but　she　expected；
from　what　she　knew　of　her；　that　anger　would　be　Miss　Cameron's　first
feeling。　　Therefore；　when　she　heard　no　answer　to　her　application　for
admission；　and　had　concluded；　in　consequence；　that　Euphra　was　not　in
the　room；　she　resolved　to　leave　the　letter　where　it　would　meet　her
eye；　and　thus　prepare　the　way　for　a　future　conversation。　　When　she
saw　Euphra　and　Harry；　she　would　have　retired　immediately；　but
Euphra；　annoyed　by　her　entrance；　was　now　quite　able　to　speak。

〃What　do　you　want？〃　she　said　angrily。

〃This　is　your　letter；　Miss　Cameron；　is　it　not？〃　said　Margaret；
advancing　with　it　in　her　hand。

Euphra　took　it；　glanced　at　the　direction；　pushed　Harry　away　from
her；　started　up　in　a　passion；　and　let　loose　the　whole　gathered
irritability　of　contempt；　weariness；　disappointment；　and　suffering；
upon　Margaret。　　Her　dark　eyes　flashed　with　rage；　and　her　sallow
cheek　glowed　like　a　peach。

〃What　right　have　you；　pray；　to　handle　my　letters？　　How　did　you　get
this？　　It　has　never　been　posted！　　And　open；　too。　　I　declare！　　I
suppose　you　have　read　it？〃

Margaret　was　afraid　of　exciting　more　wrath　before　she　had　an
opportunity　of　explaining；　but　Euphra　gave　her　no　time　to　think　of　a
reply。

〃You　have　read　it；　you　shameless　woman！　　Why　don't　you　lie；　like　the
rest　of　your　tribe；　and　keep　me　from　dying　with　indignation？
Impudent　prying！　　My　maid　never　posted　it；　and　you　have　found　it
and　read　it！　　Pray；　did　you　hope　to　find　a　secret　worth　a　bribe？〃

She　advanced　on　Margaret　till　within　a　foot　of　her。

〃Why　don't　you　answer；　you　hussy？　　I　will　go　this　instant　to　your
mistress。　　You　or　I　leave　the　house。〃

Margaret　had　stood　all　this　time　quietly；　waiting　for　an　opportunity
to　speak。　　Her　face　was　very　pale；　but　perfectly　still；　and　her　eyes
did　not　quail。　　She　had　not　in　the　least　lost　her　self…possession。
She　would　not　say　at　once　that　she　had　read　the　letter；　because
that　would　instantly　rouse　the　tornado　again。

〃You　do　not　know　my　name；　Miss　Cameron；　of　course　you　could　not。〃

〃Your　name！　　What　is　that　to　me？〃

〃That；〃　said　Margaret；　pointing　to　the　letter；　〃is　my　father's
name。〃

Euphra　looked　at　her　own　direction　again；　and　then　looked　at
Margaret。　　She　was　so　bewildered；　that　if　she　had　any　thoughts；　she
did　not　know　them。　　Margaret　went　on：

〃My　father　is　dead。　　My　mother　sent　the　letter　to　me。〃

〃Then　you　have　had　the　impertinence　to　read　it！〃

〃It　was　my　duty　to　read　it。〃

〃Duty！　　What　business　had　you　with　it？〃

Euphra　felt　ashamed　of　the　letter　as　soon　as　she　found　that　she　had
applied　to　a　man　whose　daughter　was　a　servant。　　Margaret　answered：

〃I　could　at　least　reply　to　it　so　far；　that　the　writer　should　not
think　my　father　had　neglected　it。　　I　did　not　know　who　it　was　from
till　I　came　to　the　end。〃

Euphra　turned　her　back　on　her；　with　the　words：

〃You　may　go。〃

Margaret　walked　out　of　the　room　with　an　unconscious　stately
gentleness。

〃Come　back；〃　cried　Euphra。

Margaret　obeyed。

〃Of　course　you　will　tell　all　your　fellow…servants　the　contents　of
this　foolish　letter。〃

Margaret's　face　flushed；　and　her　eye　flashed；　at　the　first　words　of
this　speech；　but　the　last　words　made　her　forget　the　first；　and　to
them　only　she　replied。　　Clasping。　her　hands；　she　said：

〃Dear　Miss　Cameron；　do　not　call　it　foolish。　　For　God's　sake；　do　not
call　it　foolish。〃

〃What　is　it　to　you？　　Do　you　think　I　am　going　to　make　a　confidante　of
you？〃

Margaret　again　left　the　room。　　Notwithstanding