david elginbrod-第96部分

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well；　however　impossible　they　may　count　it　who　never　try　it；　or　who
do　not　trust　in　God　to　effect　it；　when　they　find　themselves　baffled
in　the　attempt。

In　the　afternoon；　Euphra　fell　asleep；　and　when　she　woke；　seemed
better。　　She　said　to　Margaret：

〃Can　it　be　that　it　was　all　a　dream；　Margaret？　　I　mean　my　association
with　that　dreadful　man。　　I　feel　as　if　it　were　only　some　horrid
dream；　and　that　I　could　never　have　had　anything　to　do　with　him。　　I
may　have　been　out　of　my　mind；　you　know；　and　have　told　you　things
which　I　believed　firmly　enough　then；　but　which　never　really　took
place。　　It　could　not　have　been　me；　Margaret；　could　it？〃

〃Not　your　real；　true；　best　self；　dear。〃

〃I　have　been　a　dreadful　creature；　Margaret。　　But　I　feel　that　all
that　has　melted　away　from　me；　and　gone　behind　the　sunset；　which　will
for　ever　stand；　in　all　its　glory　and　loveliness；　between　me　and　it；
an　impassable　rampart　of　defence。〃

Her　words　sounded　strange　and　excited；　but　her　eye　and　her　pulse
were　calm。

〃How　could　he　ever　have　had　that　hateful　power　over　me？〃

〃Don't　think　any　more　about　him；　dear；　but　enjoy　the　rest　God　has
given　you。〃

〃I　will；　I　will。〃

At　that　moment；　a　maid　came　to　the　door；　with　Funkelstein's　card　for
Miss　Cameron。

〃Very　well；〃　said　Margaret；　〃ask　him　to　wait。　　I　will　tell　Miss
Cameron。　　She　may　wish　to　send　him　a　message。　　You　may　go。〃

She　told　Euphra　that　the　count　was　in　the　house。　　Euphra　showed　no
surprise；　no　fear；　no　annoyance。

〃Will　you　see　him　for　me；　Margaret；　if　you　don't　mind；　and　tell　him
from　me；　that　I　defy　him；　that　I　do　not　hate　him；　only　because　I
despise　and　forget　him；　that　I　challenge　him　to　do　his　worst。〃

She　had　forgotten　all　about　the　ring。　　But　Margaret　had　not。

〃I　will；〃　said　she；　and　left　the　room。

On　her　way　down；　she　went　into　the　drawing…room；　and　rang　the　bell。

〃Send　Mr。　Irwan　to　me　here；　please。　　It　is　for　Miss　Cameron。〃

The　man　went；　but　presently　returned；　saying　that　the　butler　had
just　stepped　out。

〃Very　well。　　You　will　do　just　as　well。　　When　the　gentleman　leaves
who　is　calling　now；　you　must　follow　him。　　Take　a　cab；　if　necessary；
and　follow　him　everywhere；　till　you　find　where　he　stops　for　the
night。　　Watch　the　place；　and　send　me　word　where　you　are。　　But　don't
let　him　know。　　Put　on　plain　clothes；　please；　as　fast　as　you　can。〃

〃Yes；　Miss；　directly。〃

The　servants　all　called　Margaret；　Miss。

She　lingered　yet　a　little；　to　give　the　man　time。　　She　was　not　at　all
satisfied　with　her　plan；　but　she　could　think　of　nothing　better。
Happily；　it　was　not　necessary。　　Irwan　had　run　as　fast　as　his　old
legs　would　carry　him　to　the　Golden　Staff。　　Hugh　received　the　news
with　delight。　　His　heart　seemed　to　leap　into　his　throat；　and　he　felt
just　as　he　did；　when；　deer…stalking　for　the　first　time；　he　tried　to
take　aim　at　a　great　red　stag。

〃I　shall　wait　for　him　outside　the　door。　　We　must　have　no　noise　in
the　house。　　He　is　a　thief；　or　worse；　Irwan。〃

〃Good　gracious！　　And　there's　the　plate　all　laid　out　for　dinner　on
the　sideboard！〃　exclaimed　Irwan；　and　hurried　off　faster　than　he　had
come。

But　Hugh　was　standing　at　the　door　long　before　Irwan　got　up　to　it。
Had　Margaret　known　who　was　watching　outside；　it　would　have　been　a
wonderful　relief　to　her。

She　entered　the　dining…room；　where　the　count　stood　impatient。　　He
advanced　quickly；　acting　on　his　expectation　of　Euphra；　but　seeing
his　mistake；　stopped；　and　bowed　politely。　　Margaret　told　him　that
Miss　Cameron　was　ill；　and　gave　him　her　message；　word　for　word。　　The
count　turned　pale　with　mortification　and　rage。　　He　bit　his　lip；　made
no　reply；　and　walked　out　into　the　hall；　where　Irwan　stood　with　the
handle　of　the　door　in　his　hand；　impatient　to　open　it。　　No　sooner　was
he　out　of　the　house；　than　Hugh　sprang　upon　him；　but　the　count；　who
had　been　perfectly　upon　his　guard；　eluded　him；　and　darted　off　down
the　street。　　Hugh　pursued　at　full　speed；　mortified　at　his　escape。
He　had　no　fear　at　first　of　overtaking　him；　for　he　had　found　few　men
his　equals　in　speed　and　endurance；　but　he　soon　saw；　to　his　dismay；
that　the　count　was　increasing　the　distance　between　them；　and　feared
that；　by　a　sudden　turn　into　some　labyrinth；　he　might　escape　him
altogether。　　They　passed　the　Golden　Staff　at　full　speed；　and　at　the
next　corner　Hugh　discovered　what　gave　the　count　the　advantage：　it
was　his　agility　and　recklessness　in　turning　corners。　　But；　like　the
sorcerer's　impunity；　they　failed　him　at　last；　for；　at　the　next　turn；
he　ran　full　upon　Falconer；　who　staggered　back；　while　the　count
reeled　and　fell。　　Hugh　was　upon　him　in　a　moment。　〃Help！〃　roared　the
count；　for　a　last　chance　from　the　sympathies　of　a　gathering　crowd。

〃I've　got　him！〃　cried　Hugh。

〃Let　the　man　alone；〃　growled　a　burly　fellow　in　the　crowd；　with　his
fists　clenched　in　his　trowser…pockets。

〃Let　me　have　a　look　at　him；〃　said　Falconer；　stooping　over　him。　〃Ah！
I　don't　know　him。　　That's　as　well　for　him。　　Let　him　up；
Sutherland。〃

The　bystanders　took　Falconer　for　a　detective；　and　did　not　seem
inclined　to　interfere；　all　except　the　carman　before　mentioned。　　He
came　up；　pushing　the　crowd　right　and　left。

〃Let　the　man　alone；〃　said　he；　in　a　very　offensive　tone。

〃I　assure　you；〃　said　Falconer；　〃he's　not　worth　your　trouble；　for〃

〃None　o'　your　cursed　jaw！〃　said　the　fellow；　in　a　louder　and　deeper
growl；　approaching　Falconer　with　a　threatening　mien。

〃Well；　I　can't　help　it；〃　said　Falconer；　as　if　to　himself。

〃Sutherland；　look　after　the　count。〃

〃That　I　will；〃　said　Hugh；　confidently。

Falconer　turned　on　the　carman；　who　was　just　on　the　point　of　closing
with　him；　preferring　that　mode　of　fighting；　and　saying　only：　〃Defend
yourself；〃　retreated　a　step。　　The　man　was　good　at　his　fists　too；
and；　having　failed　in　his　first　attempt；　made　the　best　use　of　them
he　could。　　But　he　had　no　chance　with　Falconer；　whose　coolness
equalled　his　skill。

Meantime；　the　Bohemian　had　been　watching　his　chance；　and　although
the　contest　certainly　did　not　last　longer　than　one　minute；　found
opportunity；　in　the　middle　of　it；　to　wrench　himself　free　from　Hugh；
trip　him　up；　and　dart　off。　　The　crowd　gave　way　before　him。　　He
vanished　so　suddenly　and　completely；　that　it　was　evident　he　must
have　studied　the　neighbourhood　from　the　retreat　side　of　the
question。　　With　rat…like　instinct；　he　had　consulted　the　holes　and
corners　in　anticipation　of　the　necessity　of　applying　to　them。　　Hugh
got　up；　and；　directed；　or　possibly　misdirected　by　the　bystanders；
sped　away　in　pursuit；　but　he　could　hear　or　see　nothing　of　the
fugitive。

At　the　end　of　the　minute；　the　carman　lay　in　the　road。

〃Look　after　him；　somebody；〃　said　Falconer。

〃No　fear　of　him；　sir；　he's　used　to　it；〃　answered　one　of　the
bystanders；　with　the　respect　which　Falconer's　prowess　claimed。

Falconer　walked　after　Hugh；　who　soon　returned；　looking　excessively
mortified；　and　feeling　very　small　indeed。

〃Never　mind；　Sutherland；〃　said　he。　〃The　fellow　is　up　to　a　trick　or
two；　but　we　shall　catch　him　yet。　　If　it　hadn't　been　for　that　big
fool　therebut　he's　punished　enough。〃

〃But　what　can　we　do　next？　　He　will　not　come　here　again。〃

〃Very　likely　not。　　Still　he　may　not　give　up　his　attempts　upon　Miss
Cameron。　　I　almost　wonder；　seeing　she　is　so　impressible；　that　she
can　give　no　account　of　his　whereabouts。　　But　I　presume　clairvoyance
depends　on　the　presence　of　other　qualifications　as　well。　　I　should
like　to　mesmerize　her　myself；　and　see　whether　she　could　not　help　us
then。〃

〃Well；　why　not；　if　you　have　the　power？〃

〃Because　I　have　made　up　my　mind　not　to　superinduce　any　condition　of
whose　laws　I　am　so　very　partially　informed。　　Besides；　I　consider　it
a　condition　of　disease　in　which；　as　by　sleeplessness　for　instance；
the　senses　of　the　soul；　if　you　will　allow　the　expression；　are；　for
its　present　state；　rendered　unnaturally　acute。　　To　induce　such　a
condition；　I　dare　not　exercise　a　power　which　itself　I　do　not
understand。〃




CHAPTER　XIX。

MARGARET。

For　though　that　ever　virtuous　was　she；
　　She　was　increased　in　such　excellence；
Of　thewes　good；　yset　in　high　bount？
　　And　so　discreet　and　fair　of　eloquence；
　　So　benign；　and　so　digne　of　reverence；
And　couth？so　the　poeple's　hert　embrace；
That　each　her　loveth　that　looketh　in　her　face。

CHAUCER。The　Clerk's　Tale。


Hugh　returned　to　Mrs。　Elton's；　and；　in　the　dining…room；　wrote　a　note
to　Euphra；　to　express　his　disappointment；　and　shame　that；　after　all；
the　count　had　foiled　him；　but；　at　the　same　time；　his　determination
not　to　abandon　the　quest；　till　there　was　no　room　for　hope　left。　　He
sent　this　up　to　her；　and　waited；　thinking　that　she　might　be　on　the
sofa；　and　might　send　for　him。　　A　little　weary　from　the　reaction　of
the　excitement　he　had　just　gone　through；　he　sat　down　in　the　corner
farthest　from　the　door。　　The　large　room　was　dimly　lighted　by　one
untrimmed　lamp。

He　sat　for　some　time；　thinking　that　Euphra　was　writing　him　a　note；
or　perhaps　preparing　herself　to　see　him　in　her　room。　　Involuntarily
he　looked　up；　and　a　sudden　pang；　as　at　the　vision　of　the
disembodied；　shot　through　his　heart。　　A　dim　form　stood　in　the　middle
of　the　room；　gazing　earnestly　at　him。　　He　saw　the　same　face　which　he
had　seen　for　a　moment　in　the　library　at　Arnsteadthe　glo