david elginbrod-第97部分

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had　seen　for　a　moment　in　the　library　at　Arnsteadthe　glorified　face
of　Margaret　Elginbrod；　shimmering　faintly　in　the　dull　light。
Instinctively　he　pressed　his　hands　together；　palm　to　palm；　as　if　he
had　been　about　to　kneel　before　Madonna　herself。　　Delight；　mingled
with　hope；　and　tempered　by　shame；　flushed　his　face。　　Ghost　or　none；
she　brought　no　fear　with　her；　only　awe。

She　stood　still。

〃Margaret！〃　he　said；　with　trembling　voice。

〃Mr。　Sutherland！〃　she　responded；　sweetly。

〃Are　you　a　ghost；　Margaret？〃

She　smiled　as　if　she　were　all　spirit；　and；　advancing　slowly；　took
his　joined　hands　in　both　of　hers。

〃Forgive　me；　Margaret；〃　sighed　he；　as　if　with　his　last　breath；　and
burst　into　an　agony　of　tears。

She　waited　motionless；　till　his　passion　should　subside；　still
holding　his　hands。　　He　felt　that　her　hands　were　so　good。

〃He　is　dead！〃　said　Hugh；　at　last；　with　all　effort；　followed　by　a
fresh　outburst　of　weeping。

〃Yes；　he　is　dead；〃　rejoined　Margaret；　calmly。　〃You　would　not　weep　so
if　you　had　seen　him　die　as　I　diddie　with　a　smile　like　a　summer
sunset。　　Indeed；　it　was　the　sunset　to　me；　but　the　moon　has　been　up
for　a　long　time　now。〃

She　sighed　a　gentle；　painless　sigh；　and　smiled　again　like　a　saint。
She　spoke　nearly　as　Scotch　as　ever　in　tone；　though　the　words　and
pronunciation　were　almost　pure　English。This　lapse　into　so　much　of
the　old　form；　or　rather　garment；　of　speech；　constantly　recurred；　as
often　as　her　feelings　were　moved；　and　especially　when　she　talked　to
children。

〃Forgive　me；〃　said　Hugh；　once　more。

〃We　are　the　same　as　in　the　old　days；〃　answered　Margaret；　and　Hugh
was　satisfied。

〃How　do　you　come　to　be　here？〃　said　Hugh；　at　last；　after　a　silence。

〃I　will　tell　you　all　about　that　another　time。　　Now　I　must　give　you
Miss　Cameron's　message。　　She　is　very　sorry　she　cannot　see　you；　but
she　is　quite　unable。　　Indeed；　she　is　not　out　of　bed。　　But　if　you
could　call　to…morrow　morning；　she　hopes　to　be　better　and　to　be　able
to　see　you。　　She　says　she　can　never　thank　you　enough。〃

The　lamp　burned　yet　fainter。　　Margaret　went；　and　proceeded　to　trim
it。　　The　virgins　that　arose　must　have　looked　very　lovely；　trimming
their　lamps。　　It　is　a　deed　very　fair　and　womanlythe　best　for　a
womanto　make　the　lamp　burn。　　The　light　shone　up　in　her　face；　and
the　hands　removing　the　globe　handled　it　delicately。　　He　saw　that　the
good　hands　were　very　beautiful　hands；　not　small；　but　admirably
shaped；　and　very　pure。　　As　she　replaced　the　globe；

〃That　man；〃　she　said；　〃will　not　trouble　her　any　more。〃

〃I　hope　not；〃　said　Hugh；　〃but　you　speak　confidently：　why？〃

〃Because　she　has　behaved　gloriously。　　She　has　fought　and　conquered
him　on　his　own　ground；　and　she　is　a　free；　beautiful；　and　good
creature　of　God　for　ever。〃

〃You　delight　me；〃　rejoined　Hugh　〃Another　time；　perhaps；　you　will　be
able　to　tell　me　all　about　it。〃

〃I　hope　so。　　I　think　she　will　not　mind　my　telling　you。〃

They　bade　each　other　good　night；　and　Hugh　went　away　with　a　strange
feeling；　which　he　had　never　experienced　before。　　To　compare　great
things　with　small；　it　was　something　like　what　he　had　once　felt　in　a
dream；　in　which；　digging　in　his　father's　garden；　he　had　found　a
perfect　marble　statue；　young　as　life；　and　yet　old　as　the　hills。　　To
think　of　the　girl　he　had　first　seen　in　the　drawing…room　at
Turriepuffit；　idealizing　herself　into　such　a　creature　as　that；　so
grand；　and　yet　so　womanly！　so　lofty；　and　yet　so　lovely；　so　strong；
and　yet　so　graceful！

Would　that　every　woman　believed　in　the　ideal　of　herself；　and　hoped
for　it　as　the　will　of　God；　not　merely　as　the　goal　of　her　own　purest
ambition！　　But　even　if　the　lower　development　of　the　hope　were　all
she　possessed；　it　would　yet　be　well；　for　its　inevitable　failure
would　soon　develope　the　higher　and　triumphant　hope。

He　thought　about　her　till　he　fell　asleep；　and　dreamed　about　her　till
he　woke。　　Not　for　a　moment；　however；　did　he　fancy　he　was　in　love
with　her：　the　feeling　was　different　from　any　he　had　hitherto
recognized　as　embodying　that　passion。　　It　was　the　recognition　and
consequent　admiration　of　a　beauty　which　everyone　who　beheld　it　must
recognize　and　admire；　but　mingled；　in　his　case；　with　old　and
precious　memories；　doubly　dear　now　in　the　increased　earnestness　of
his　nature　and　aspirations；　and　with　a　deep　personal　interest　from
the　fact　that；　however　little；　he　had　yet　contributed　a　portion　of
the　vital　food　whereby　the　gracious　creature　had　become　what　she
was。

In　the　so…called　morning　he　went　to　Mrs。　Elton's。　　Euphra　was
expecting　his　visit；　and　he　was　shown　up　into　her　room；　where　she
was　lying　on　a　couch　by　the　fire。　　She　received　him　with　the　warmth
of　gratitude　added　to　that　of　friendship。　　Her　face　was　pale　and
thin；　but　her　eyes　were　brilliant。　　She　did　not　appear　at　first
sight　to　be　very　ill：　but　the　depth　and　reality　of　her　sickness　grew
upon　him。　　Behind　her　couch　stood　Margaret；　like　a　guardian　angel。
Margaret　could　bear　the　day；　for　she　belonged　to　it；　and　therefore
she　looked　more　beautiful　still　than　by　the　lamp…light。　　Euphra　held
out　a　pale　little　hand　to　Hugh；　and　before　she　withdrew　it；　led
Hugh's　towards　Margaret。　　Their　hands　joined。　　How　different　to　Hugh
was　the　touch　of　the　two　hands！　　Life；　strength；　persistency　in　the
one：　languor；　feebleness；　and　fading　in　the　other。

〃I　can　never　thank　you　enough；〃　said　Euphra；　〃therefore　I　will　not
try。　　It　is　no　bondage　to　remain　your　debtor。〃

〃That　would　be　thanks　indeed；　if　I　had　done　anything。〃

〃I　have　found　out　another　mystery；〃　Euphra　resumed；　after　a　pause。

〃I　am　sorry　to　hear　it；〃　answered　he。　〃I　fear　there　will　be　no
mysteries　left　by…and…by。〃

〃No　fear　of　that；〃　she　rejoined；　〃so　long　as　the　angels　come　down　to
men。〃　　And　she　turned　towards　Margaret　as　she　spoke。

Margaret　smiled。　　In　the　compliment　she　felt　only　the　kindness。

Hugh　looked　at　her。　　She　turned　away；　and　found　something　to　do　at
the　other　side　of　the　room。

〃What　mystery；　then；　have　you　destroyed？〃

〃Not　destroyed　it；　for　the　mystery　of　courage　remains。　　I　was　the
wicked　ghost　that　night　in　the　Ghost's　Walk；　you　knowthe　white
one：　there　is　the　good　ghost；　the　nun；　the　black　one。〃

〃Who？　　Margaret？〃

〃Yes；　indeed。　　She　has　just　been　confessing　it　to　me。　　I　had　my　two
angels；　as　one　whose　fate　was　undetermined；　my　evil　angel　in　the
countmy　good　angel　in　Margaret。　　Little　did　I　think　then　that　the
holy　powers　were　watching　me　in　her。　　I　knew　the　evil　one；　I　knew
nothing　of　the　good。　　I　suppose　it　is　so　with　a　great　many　people。〃

Hugh　sat　silent　in　astonishment。　　Margaret；　then；　had　been　at
Arnstead　with　Mrs。　Elton　all　the　time。　　It　was　herself　he　had　seen
in　the　study。

〃Did　you　suspect　me；　Margaret？〃　resumed　Euphra；　turning　towards　her
where　she　sat　at　the　window。

〃Not　in　the　least。　　I　only　knew　that　something　was　wrong　about　the
house；　that　some　being　was　terrifying　the　servants；　and　poor　Harry；
and　I　resolved　to　do　my　best　to　meet　it；　especially　if　it　should　be
anything　of　a　ghostly　kind。〃

〃Then　you　do　believe　in　such　appearances？〃　said　Hugh。

〃I　have　never　met　anything　of　the　sort　yet。　　I　don't　know。〃

〃And　you　were　not　afraid？〃

〃Not　much。　　I　am　never　really　afraid　of　anything。　　Why　should　I　be？〃

No　justification　of　fear　was　suggested　either　by　Hugh　or　by　Euphra。
They　felt　the　dignity　of　nature　that　lifted　Margaret　above　the
region　of　fear。

〃Come　and　see　me　again　soon；〃　said　Euphra；　as　Hugh　rose　to　go。

He　promised。

Next　day　he　dined　by　invitation　with　Mrs。　Elton　and　Harry。　　Euphra
was　unable　to　see　him；　but　sent　a　kind　message　by　Margaret　as　he　was
taking　his　leave。　　He　had　been　fearing　that　he　should　not　see
Margaret；　and　when　she　did　appear　he　was　the　more　delighted；　but　the
interview　was　necessarily　short。

He　called　the　next　day；　and　saw　neither　Euphra　nor　Margaret。　　She
was　no　better。　　Mrs。　Elton　said　the　physicians　could　discover　no
definite　disease　either　of　the　lungs　or　of　any　other　organ。　　Yet
life　seemed　sinking。　　Margaret　thought　that　the　conflict　which　she
had　passed　through；　had　exhausted　her　vitality；　that；　had　she
yielded；　she　might　have　lived　a　slave；　but　that　now；　perhaps；　she
must　die　a　free　woman。

Her　continued　illness　made　Hugh　still　more　anxious　to　find　the　ring；
for　he　knew　it　would　please　her　much。　　Falconer　would　have　applied
to　the　police；　but　he　feared　that　the　man　would　vanish　from　London；
upon　the　least　suspicion　that　he　was　watched。　　They　held　many
consultations　on　the　subject。




CHAPTER　XX。

A　NEW　GUIDE。

Das　Denken　ist　nur　ein　Traum　des　F黨lens；　ein　erstorbenes　F黨len；
ein　blass…graues；　schwaches　Leben。

Thinking　is　only　a　dream　of　feeling；　a　dead　feeling；　a　pale…grey；
feeble　life。

NOVALIS。Die　Lehrlinge　zu　Sais。


For　where's　no　courage；　there's　no　ruth　nor　mone。

Faerie　Queene：　vi。　7；　18。


One　morning；　as　soon　as　she　waked；　Euphra　said：

〃Have　I　been　still　all　the　night；　Margaret？〃

〃Quite　still。　　Why　do　you　ask？〃

〃Because　I　have　had　such　a　strange　and　vivid　dream；　that　I　feel　as
if　I　must　have　been　to　the　place。　　It　was　a　foolish　question；
though；　because；　of　course；　you　would　not　have　let　me　go。〃

〃I　hope　it　did　not　trouble　you　much。〃

〃No；　not　much；　for　though　I　was　with