david elginbrod-第99部分

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rouse；　and　which　is　a　kind　of　spiritual　somnambulism；　in　an　hour　of
God's　good　sleep；　into　a　means　of　which　the　book　was　temporarily
elevated。　　When　he　woke　he　found　himself　greatly　refreshed　by　the
influence　it　had　exercised　upon　him。

It　was　now　the　hour　for　the　daily　pretence　of　going　to　dine。　　So　he
went　out。　　But　all　he　had　was　some　bread；　which　he　ate　as　he　walked
about。　　Loitering　here；　and　trifling　there；　passing　five　minutes
over　a　volume　on　every　bookstall　in　Holborn；　and　comparing　the
shapes　of　the　meerschaums　in　every　tobacconist's　window；　time　ambled
gently　along　with　him；　and　it　struck　nine　just　as　he　found　himself
at　Falconer's　door。

〃You　are　ready；　then？〃　said　Falconer。

〃Quite。〃

〃Will　you　take　anything　before　you　go？　　I　think　we　had　better　have
some　supper　first。　　It　is　early　for　our　project。〃

This　was　a　welcome　proposal　to　Hugh。　Cold　meat　and　ale　were
excellent　preparatives　for　what　might　be　required　of　him；　for　a
tendency　to　collapse　in　a　certain　region；　called　by　courtesy　the
chest；　is　not　favourable　to　deeds　of　valour。　　By　the　time　he　had
spent　ten　minutes　in　the　discharge　of　the　agreeable　duty　suggested；
he　felt　himself　ready　for　anything　that　might　fall　to　his　lot。

The　friends　set　out　together；　and；　under　the　guidance　of　the　two
foremost　bumps　upon　Falconer's　forehead；　soon　arrived　at　the　place
he　judged　to　be　that　indicated　by　Euphra。　　It　was　very　different
from　the　place　Hugh　had　pictured　to　himself。　　Yet　in　everything　it
corresponded　to　her　description。

〃Are　we　not　great　fools；　Sutherland；　to　set　out　on　such　a　chase；
with　the　dream　of　a　sick　girl　for　our　only　guide？〃

〃I　am　sure　you　don't　think　so；　else　you　would　not　have　gone。〃

〃I　think　we　can　afford　the　small　risk　to　our　reputation　involved　in
the　chase　of　this　same　wild…goose。　　There　is　enough　of　strange
testimony　about　things　of　the　sort　to　justify　us　in　attending　to　the
hint。　　Besides；　if　we　neglected　it；　it　would　be　mortifying　to　find
out　some　day；　perhaps　a　hundred　years　after　this；　that　it　was　a　true
hint。　　It　is　altogether　different　from　giving　ourselves　up　to　the
pursuit　of　such　things。But　this　ought　to　be　the　house；〃　he　added；
going　up　to　one　that　had　a　rather　more　respectable　look　than　the
rest。

He　knocked　at　the　door。　　An　elderly　woman　half　opened　it　and　looked
at　them　suspiciously。

〃Will　you　take　my　card　to　the　foreign　gentleman　who　is　lodging　with
you；　and　say　I　am　happy　to　wait　upon　him？〃　said　Falconer。

She　glanced　at　him　again；　and　turned　inwards；　hesitating　whether　to
leave　the　door　half…open　or　not。　　Falconer　stood　so　close　to　it；
however；　that　she　was　afraid　to　shut　it　in　his　face。

〃Now；　Sutherland；　follow　me；〃　whispered　Falconer；　as　soon　as　the
woman　had　disappeared　on　the　stair。

Hugh　followed　behind　the　moving　tower　of　his　friend；　who　strode　with
long；　noiseless　strides　till　he　reached　the　stair。　　That　he　took
three　steps　at　a　time。　　They　went　up　two　flights；　and　reached　the
top　just　as　the　woman　was　laying　her　hand　on　the　lock　of　the
back…room　door。　　She　turned　and　faced　them。

〃Speak　one　word；〃　said　Falconer；　in　a　hissing　whisper；　〃and〃

He　completed　the　sentence　by　an　awfully　threatening　gesture。　　She
drew　back　in　terror；　and　yielded　her　place　at　the　door。

〃Come　in；〃　bawled　some　one；　in　second　answer　to　the　knock　she　had
already　given。

〃It　is　he！〃　said　Hugh；　trembling　with　excitement。

〃Hush！〃　said　Falconer；　and　went　in。

Hugh　followed。　　He　know　the　back　of　the　count　at　once。　　He　was
seated　at　a　table；　apparently　writing；　but；　going　nearer；　they　saw
that　he　was　drawing。　　A　single　closer　glance　showed　them　the
portrait　of　Euphra　growing　under　his　hand。　　In　order　to　intensify
his　will　and　concentrate　it　upon　her；　he　was　drawing　her　portrait
from　memory。　　But　at　the　moment　they　caught　sight　of　it；　the　wretch；
aware　of　a　hostile　presence；　sprang　to　his　feet；　and　reached　the
chimney…piece　at　one　bound；　whence　he　caught　up　a　sword。

〃Take　care；　Falconer；〃　cried　Hugh；　〃that　weapon　is　poisoned。　　He　is
no　every…day　villain　you　have　to　deal　with。〃

He　remembered　the　cat。

Funkelstein　made　a　sudden　lunge　at　Hugh；　his　face　pale　with　hatred
and　anger。　　But　a　blow　from　Falconer's　huge　fist；　travelling　faster
than　the　point　of　his　weapon；　stretched　him　on　the　floor。　　Such　was
Falconer's　impetus；　that　it　hurled　both　him　and　the　table　across　the
fallen　villain。　　Falconer　was　up　in　a　moment。　　Not　so　Funkelstein。
There　was　plenty　of　time　for　Hugh　to　secure　the　rapier；　and　for
Falconer　to　secure　its　owner；　before　he　came　to　himself。

〃Where's　my　ring？〃　said　Hugh；　the　moment　he　opened　his　eyes。

〃Gentlemen；　I　protest；〃　began　Funkelstein；　in　a　voice　upon　which　the
cord　that　bound　his　wrists　had　an　evident　influence。

〃No　chaff！〃　said　Falconer。　〃We've　got　all　our　feathers。　　Hand　over
the　two　rings；　or　be　the　security　for　them　yourself。〃

〃What　witness　have　you　against　me？〃

〃The　best　of　witnessesMiss　Cameron。〃

〃And　me；〃　added　Hugh。

〃Gentlemen；　I　am　very　sorry。　　I　yielded　to　temptation。　　I　meant　to
restore　the　diamond　after　the　joke　had　been　played　out；　but　I　was
forced　to　part　with　it。〃

〃The　joke　is　played　out；　you　see；〃　said　Falconer。　〃So　you　had　better
produce　the　other　bauble　you　stole　at　the　same　time。〃

〃I　have　not　got　it。〃

〃Come；　come；　that's　too　much。　　Nobody　would　give　you　more　than　five
shillings　for　it。　　And　you　knew　what　it　was　worth　when　you　took　it。
Sutherland；　you　stand　over　him　while　I　search　the　room。　　This
portrait　may　as　well　be　put　out　of　the　way　first。〃

As　he　spoke；　Falconer　tore　the　portrait　and　threw　it　into　the　fire。
He　then　turned　to　a　cupboard　in　the　room。　　Whether　it　was　that
Funkelstein　feared　further　revelations；　I　do　not　know；　but　he
quailed。

〃I　have　not　got　it；〃　he　repeated；　however。

〃You　lie；〃　answered　Falconer。

〃I　would　give　it　you　if　I　could。〃

〃You　shall。〃

The　Bohemian　looked　contemptible　enough　now；　despite　the
handsomeness　of　his　features。　　It　needed　freedom；　and　the　absence　of
any　urgency；　to　enable　him　to　personate　a　gentleman。　　Given　those
conditions；　he　succeeded。　　But　as　soon　as　he　was　disturbed；　the
gloss　vanished；　and　the　true　nature　came　out；　that　of　a　ruffian　and
a　sneak。　　He　quite　quivered　at　the　look　with　which　Falconer　turned
again　to　the　cupboard。

〃Stop；〃　he　cried；　〃here　it　is。〃

And　muttering　what　sounded　like　curses；　he　pulled　out　of　his　bosom
the　ring；　suspended　from　his　neck

〃Sutherland；〃　said　Falconer；　taking　the　ring；　〃secure　that　rapier；
and　be　careful　with　it。　　We　will　have　its　point　tested。
Meantime；〃here　he　turned　again　to　his　prisoner〃I　give　you
warning　that　the　moment　I　leave　this　house；　I　go　to　Scotland
Yard。Do　you　know　the　place？　　I　there　recommend　the　police　to　look
after　you；　and　they　will　mind　what　I　say。　　If　you　leave　London；　a
message　will　be　sent；　wherever　you　go；　that　you　had　better　be
watched。　　My　advice　to　you　is；　to　stay　where　you　are　as　long　as　you
can。　　I　shall　meet　you　again。〃

They　left　him　on　the　floor；　to　the　care　of　his　landlady；　whom　they
found　outside　the　room；　speechless　with　terror。

As　soon　as　they　were　in　the　square；　on　which　the　moon　was　now
shining；　as　it　had　shone　in　Euphra's　dream　the　night　before；
Falconer　gave　the　ring　to　Hugh。

〃Take　it　to　a　jeweller's；　Sutherland；　and　get　it　cleaned；　before　you
give　it　to　Miss　Cameron。〃

〃I　will；〃　answered　Hugh；　and　added；　〃I　don't　know　how　to　thank　you。〃

〃Then　don't；〃　said　Falconer；　with　a　smile。

When　they　reached　the　end　of　the　street；　he　turned；　and　bade　Hugh
good　night。

〃Take　care　of　that　cowardly　thing。　　It　may　be　as　you　say。〃

Hugh　turned　towards　home。　　Falconer　dived　into　a　court；　and　was　out
of　sight　in　a　moment。




CHAPTER　XXI。

THE　LAST　GROAT。

　　　　　Thou　hast　been
As　one；　in　suffering　all；　that　suffers　nothing；
A　man　that　fortune's　buffets　and　rewards
Hast　ta'en　with　equal　thanks；　and　blessed　are　those
Whose　blood　and　judgment　are　so　well　commingled
That　they　are　not　a　pipe　for　fortune's　finger
To　sound　what　stop　she　please。

Hamlet。


Most　friends　befriend　themselves　with　friendship's　show。

SOUTHWELL。


Hugh　took　the　ring　to　Mrs。　Elton's；　and　gave　it　into　Margaret's
hand。　　She　brought　him　back　a　message　of　warmest　thanks　from　Euphra。
She　had　asked　for　writing　materials　at　once；　and　was　now
communicating　the　good　news　to　Mr。　Arnold；　in　Madeira。

〃I　have　never　seen　her　look　so　happy；〃　added　Margaret。　〃She　hopes　to
be　able　to　see　you　in　the　evening；　if　you　would　not　mind　calling
again。〃

Hugh　did　call；　and　saw　her。　　She　received　him　most　kindly。　　He　was
distressed　to　see　how　altered　she　was。　　The　fire　of　one　life　seemed
dying　outflowing　away　and　spending　from　her　eyes；　which　it
illuminated　with　too　much　light　as　it　passed　out。　　But　the　fire　of
another　life；　the　immortal　life；　which　lies　in　thought　and　feeling；
in　truth　and　love　divine；　which　death　cannot　touch；　because　it　is
not　of　his　kind；　was　growing　as　fast。　　He　sat　with　her　for　an　hour；
and　then　went。

This　chapter　of　his　own　history　concluded；　Hugh　returned　with　fresh
energy　to　his　novel；　and　worked　at　it　as　his　invention　gave　him
scope。　　There　was　the　more　necessity　that　he　should　make　progress；
from　the　fact　that；