david elginbrod-第88部分

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

Margaret　again　left　the　room。　　Notwithstanding　that　she　had　made　no
answer　to　her　insult；　Euphra　felt　satisfied　that　her　letter　was　safe
from　profanation。

No　sooner　was　Margaret　out　of　sight；　than；　with　the　reaction　common
to　violent　tempers；　which　in　this　case　resulted　the　sooner；　from　the
exhaustion　produced　in　a　worn　frame　by　the　violence　of　the　outburst；
Euphra　sat　down；　in　a　hopeless；　unresting　way；　upon　the　chair　from
which　she　had　just　risen；　and　began　weeping　more　bitterly　than
before。　　She　was　not　only　exhausted；　but　ashamed；　and　to　these
feelings　was　added　a　far　greater　sense　of　disappointment　than　she
could　have　believed　possible；　at　the　frustration　of　the　hope　of　help
from　David　Elginbrod。　　True；　this　hope　had　been　small；　but　where
there　is　only　one　hope；　its　death　is　equally　bitter；　whether　it　be　a
great　or　a　little　hope。　　And　there　is　often　no　power　of　reaction；　in
a　mind　which　has　been　gradually　reduced　to　one　little　faint　hope；
when　that　hope　goes　out　in　darkness。　　There　is　a　recoil　which　is
very　helpful；　from　the　blow　that　kills　a　great　hope。

All　this　time　Harry　had　been　looking　on；　in　a　kind　of　paralysed
condition；　pale　with　perplexity　and　distress。　　He　now　came　up　to
Euphra；　and；　trying　to　pull　her　hand　gently　from　her　face；　said：

〃What　is　it　all　about；　Euphra；　dear？〃

〃Oh！　　I　have　been　very　naughty；　Harry。〃

〃But　what　is　it　all　about？　　May　I　read　the　letter？〃

〃If　you　like；〃　answered　Euphra；　listlessly。

Harry　read　the　letter　with　quivering　features。　　Then；　laying　it　down
on　the　table　with　a　reverential　slowness；　went　to　Euphra；　put　his
arms　round　her　and　kissed　her。

〃Dear；　dear　Euphra；　I　did　not　know　you　were　so　unhappy。　　I　will　find
God　for　you。　　But　first　I　willwhat　shall　I　do　to　the　bad　man？　　Who
is　it？　　I　will〃

Harry　finished　the　sentence　by　setting　his　teeth　hard。

〃Oh！　you　can't　do　anything　for　me；　Harry；　dear。　　Only　mind　you　don't
say　anything　about　it　to　any　one。　　Put　the　letter　in　the　fire　there
for　me。〃

〃Nothat　I　won't；〃　said　Harry；　taking　up　the　letter；　and　holding　it
tight。　〃It　is　a　beautiful　letter；　and　it　does　me　good。　　Don't　you
think；　though　it　is　not　sent　to　God　himself；　he　may　read　it；　and
take　it　for　a　prayer？〃

〃I　wish　he　would；　Harry。〃

〃But　it　was　very　wrong　of　you；　Euphra；　dear；　to　speak　as　you　did　to
the　daughter　of　such　a　good　man。〃

〃Yes；　it　was。〃

〃But　then；　you　see；　you　got　angry　before　you　knew　who　she　was。〃

〃But　I　shouldn't　have　got　angry　before　I　knew　all　about　it〃

〃Well；　you　have　only　to　say　you　are　sorry；　and　Margaret　won't　think
anything　more　about　it。　　Oh；　she　is　so　good！〃

Euphra　recoiled　from　making　confession　of　wrong　to　a　lady's　maid；
and；　perhaps；　she　was　a　little　jealous　of　Harry's　admiration　of
Margaret。　　For　Euphra　had　not　yet　cast　off　all　her　old　habits　of
mind；　and　one　of　them　was　the　desire　to　be　first　with　every　one　whom
she　cared　for。　　She　had　got　rid　of　a　worse；　which　was；　a　necessity
of　being　first　in　every　company；　whether　she　cared　for　the　persons
composing　it；　or　not。　　Mental　suffering　had　driven　the　latter　far
enough　from　her；　though　it　would　return　worse　than　ever；　if　her　mind
were　not　filled　with　truth　in　the　place　of　ambition。　　So　she　did　not
respond　to　what　Harry　said。　　Indeed；　she　did　not　speak　again；　except
to　beg　him　to　leave　her　alone。　　She　did　not　make　her　appearance
again　that　day。

But　at　night；　when　the　household　was　retiring；　she　rose　from　the　bed
on　which　she　had　been　lying　half…unconscious；　and　going　to　the　door；
opened　it　a　little　way；　that　she　might　hear　when　Margaret　should
pass　from　Mrs。　Elton's　room　towards　her　own。　　She　waited　for　some
time；　but　judging；　at　length；　that　she　must　have　passed　without　her
knowledge；　she　went　and　knocked　at　her　door。　　Margaret　opened　it　a
little；　after　a　moment's　delay；　half…undressed。

〃May　I　come　in；　Margaret？〃

〃Pray；　do；　Miss　Cameron；〃　answered　Margaret。

And　she　opened　the　door　quite。　　Her　cap　was　off；　and　her　rich　dark
hair　fell　on　her　shoulders；　and　streamed　thence　to　her　waist。　　Her
under…clothing　was　white　as　snow。

〃What　a　lovely　skin　she　has！〃　thought　Euphra；　comparing　it　with　her
own　tawny　complexion。　　She　felt；　for　the　first　time；　that　Margaret
was　beautifulyes；　more：　that　whatever　her　gown　might　be；　her　form
and　her　skin　（give　me　a　prettier　word；　kind　reader；　for　a　beautiful
fact；　and　I　will　gladly　use　it）　were　those　of　one　of　nature's
ladies。　　She　was　soon　to　find　that　her　intellect　and　spirit　were
those　of　one　of　God's　ladies。

〃I　am　very　sorry；　Margaret；　that　I　spoke　to　you　as　I　did　today。〃

〃Never　mind　it；　Miss　Cameron。　　We　cannot　help　being　angry　sometimes。
And　you　had　great　provocation　under　the　mistake　you　made。　　I　was
only　sorry　because　I　knew　it　would　trouble　you　afterwards。　　Please
don't　think　of　it　again。〃

〃You　are　very　kind；　Margaret。〃

〃I　regretted　my　father's　death；　for　the　first　time；　after　reading
your　letter；　for　I　knew　he　could　have　helped　you。　　But　it　was　very
foolish　of　me；　for　God　is　not　dead。〃

Margaret　smiled　as　she　said　this；　looking　full　in　Euphra's　eyes。　　It
was　a　smile　of　meaning　unfathomable；　and　it　quite　overcame　Euphra。
She　had　never　liked　Margaret　before；　for；　from　not　very　obscure
psychological　causes；　she　had　never　felt　comfortable　in　her
presence；　especially　after　she　had　encountered　the　nun　in　the
Ghost's　Walk；　though　she　had　had　no　suspicion　that　the　nun　was
Margaret。　　A　great　many　of　our　dislikes；　both　to　persons　and　things；
arise　from　a　feeling　of　discomfort　associated　with　them；　perhaps
only　accidentally　present　in　our　minds　the　first　time　we　met　them。
But　this　vanished　entirely　now。

〃Do　you；　then；　know　God　too；　Margaret？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Margaret；　simply　and　solemnly。

〃Will　you　tell　me　about　him？〃

〃I　can　at　least　tell　you　about　my　father；　and　what　he　taught　me。〃

〃Oh！　thank　you；　thank　you！　　Do　tell　me　about　himnow。〃

〃Not　now；　dear　Miss　Cameron。　　It　is　late；　and　you　are　too　unwell　to
stay　up　longer。　　Let　me　help　you　to　bed　to…night。　　I　will　be　your
maid。〃

As　she　spoke；　Margaret　proceeded　to　put　on　her　dress　again；　that　she
might　go　with　Euphra；　who　had　no　attendant。　　She　had　parted　with
Jane；　and　did　not　care；　in　her　present　mood；　to　have　a　woman　about
her；　especially　a　new　one。

〃No；　Margaret。　　You　have　enough　to　do　without　adding　me　to　your
troubles。〃

〃Please；　do　let　me；　Miss　Cameron。　　It　will　be　a　great　pleasure　to
me。　　I　have　hardly　anything　to　call　work。　　You　should　see　how　I　used
to　work　when　I　was　at　home。〃

Euphra　still　objected；　but　Margaret's　entreaty　prevailed。　　She
followed　Euphra　to　her　room。　　There　she　served　her　like　a
ministering　angel；　brushed　her　hairoh；　so　gently！　smoothing　it　out
as　if　she　loved　it。　　There　was　health　in　the　touch　of　her　hands；
because　there　was　love。　　She　undressed　her；　covered　her　in　bed　as　if
she　had　been　a　child；　made　up　the　fire　to　last　as　long　as　possible；
bade　her　good　night；　and　was　leaving　the　room；　when　Euphra　called
her。　　Margaret　returned　to　the　bed…side。

〃Kiss　me；　Margaret；〃　she　said。

Margaret　stooped；　kissed　her　forehead　and　her　lips；　and　left　her。

Euphra　cried　herself　to　sleep。　　They　were　the　first　tears　she　had
ever　shed　that　were　not　painful　tears。　　She　slept　as　she　had　not
slept　for　months。

In　order　to　understand　this　change　in　Euphrasia's　behaviour　to
Margaretin　order；　in　fact；　to　represent　it　to　our　minds　as　at　all
crediblewe　must　remember　that　she　had　been　trying　to　do　right　for
some　time；　that　Margaret；　as　the　daughter　of　David；　seemed　the　only
attainable　source　of　the　knowledge　she　sought；　that　long　illness　had
greatly　weakened　her　obstinacy；　that　her　soul　hungered；　without
knowing　it；　for　love；　and　that　she　was　naturally　gifted　with　a
strong　will；　the　position　in　which　she　stood　in　relation　to　the
count　proving　only　that　it　was　not　strong　enough；　and　not　that　it
was　weak。　　Such　a　character　must；　for　any　good；　be　ruled　by　itself；
and　not　by　circumstances。　　To　have　been　overcome　in　the　process　of
time　by　the　persistent　goodness　of　Margaret；　might　have　been　the
blessed　fate　of　a　weaker　and　worse　woman；　but　if　Euphra　did　not
overcome　herself；　there　was　no　hope　of　further　victory。　　If　Margaret
could　even　wither　the　power　of　her　oppressor；　it　would　be　but　to
transfer　the　lordship　from　a　bad　man　to　a　good　woman；　and　that　would
not　be　enough。　　It　would　not　be　freedom。　　And　indeed；　the　aid　that
Margaret　had　to　give　her；　could　only　be　bestowed　on　one　who　already
had　freedom　enough　to　act　in　some　degree　from　duty。　　She　knew　she
ought　to　go　and　apologize　to　Margaret。　　She　went。

In　Margaret's　presence；　and　in　such　a　mood；　she　was　subjected　at
once　to　the　holy　enchantment　of　her　loving…kindness。　　She　had　never
received　any　tenderness　from　a　woman　before。　　Perhaps　she　had　never
been　in　the　right　mood　to　profit　by　it　if　she　had。　　Nor　had　she　ever
before　seen　what　Margaret　was。　　It　was　only　when　servicedivine
serviceflowed　from　her　in　full　outgoing；　that　she　reached　the
height　of　her　loveliness。　　Then　her　whole　form　was　beautiful。　　So
was　it　interpenetrated　by；　and　respondent　to；　the　uprising　soul
within；　that　it　radiated　thoug