david elginbrod-第102章

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CHAPTER　XVI。

FOREBODINGS。

Faust。　　　　　　If　heaven　was　made　for　man；　'twas　made　for　me。
Good　Angel。　　Faustus；　repent；　yet　heaven　will　pity　thee。
Bad　Angel。　　Thou　art　a　spirit；　God　cannot　pity　thee。
Faust。　　　　　　Be　I　a　devil；　yet　God　may　pity　me。
Bad　Angel。　　Too　late。
Good　Angel。　　Never　too　late　if　Faustus　will　repent。
Bad　Angel。　　If　thou　repent；　devils　will　tear　thee　in　pieces。

Old　Man。　　　　I　see　an　angel　hover　o'er　thy　head；
　　　　　　　　　　　　And　with　a　vial　full　of　precious　grace；
　　　　　　　　　　　　Offers　to　pour　the　same　into　thy　soul。

MARLOWE。Doctor　Faustus。


Mr。　Appleditch　had　had　some　business…misfortunes；　not　of　a　heavy
nature；　but　sufficient　to　cast　a　gloom　over　the　house　in　Dervish
Town；　and　especially　over　the　face　of　his　spouse；　who　had　set　her
heart　on　a　new　carpet　for　her　drawing…room；　and　feared　she　ought　not
to　procure　it　now。　　It　is　wonderful　how　conscientious　some　people
are　towards　their　balance　at　the　banker's。　　How　the　drawing…room；
however；　could　come　to　want　a　new　carpet　is　something　mysterious；
except　there　is　a　peculiar　power　of　decay　inherent　in　things
deprived　of　use。　　These　influences　operating；　however；　she　began　to
think　that　the　two　scions　of　grocery　were　not　drawing　nine
shillings'　worth　a　week　of　the　sap　of　divinity。　　This　she　hinted　to
Mr。　Appleditch。　　It　was　resolved　to　give　Hugh　warning。

As　it　would　involve　some　awkwardness　to　state　reasons；　Mrs。
Appleditch　resolved　to　quarrel　with　him；　as　the　easiest　way　of
prefacing　his　discharge。　　It　was　the　way　she　took　with　her
maids…of…all…work；　for　it　was　grand　in　itself；　and　always　left　her
with　a　comfortable　feeling　of　injured　dignity。

As　a　preliminary　course；　she　began　to　treat　him　with　still　less
politeness　than　before。　　Hugh　was　so　careless　of　her　behaviour；　that
this　made　no　impression　upon　him。　　But　he　came　to　understand　it　all
afterwards；　from　putting　together　the　remarks　of　the　children；　and
the　partial　communications　of　Mr。　Appleditch　to　Miss　Talbot；　which
that　good　lady　innocently　imparted　to　her　lodger。

At　length；　one　day；　she　came　into　the　room　where　Hugh　was　more　busy
in　teaching　than　his　pupils　were　in　learning；　and　seated　herself　by
the　fire　to　watch　for　an　opportunity。　　This　was　soon　found。　　For　the
boys；　rendered　still　more　inattentive　by　the　presence　of　their
mother；　could　not　be　induced　to　fix　the　least　thought　upon　the
matter　in　hand；　so　that　Hugh　was　compelled　to　go　over　the　same　thing
again　and　again；　without　success。　　At　last　he　said：

〃I　am　afraid；　Mrs。　Appleditch；　I　must　ask　you　to　interfere；　for　I
cannot　get　any　attention　from　the　boys　to…day。〃

〃And　how　could　it　be　otherwise；　Mr。　Sutherland；　when　you　keep
wearing　them　out　with　going　over　and　over　the　same　thing；　till　they
are　sick　of　it？　　Why　don't　you　go　on？〃

〃How　can　I　go　on　when　they　have　not　learned　the　thing　they　are　at？
That　would　be　to　build　the　chimneys　before　the　walls。〃

〃It　is　very　easy　to　be　witty；　sir；　but　I　beg　you　will　behave　more
respectfully　to　me　in　the　presence　of　my　children；　innocent　lambs！〃

Looking　round　at　the　moment；　Hugh　caught　in　his　face　what　the　elder
lamb　had　intended　for　his　back；　a　grimace　hideous　enough　to　have
procured　him　instant　promotion　in　the　kingdom　of　apes。　　The　mother
saw　it　too；　and　added：

〃You　see　you　cannot　make　them　respect　you。　　Really；　Mr。　Sutherland！〃

Hugh　was　about　to　reply；　to　the　effect　that　it　was　useless；　in　such
circumstances；　to　attempt　teaching　them　at　all；　some　utterance　of
which　sort　was　watched　for　as　the　occasion　for　his　instant
dismission；　but　at　that　very　moment　a　carriage　and　pair　pulled
sharply　up　at　the　door；　with　more　than　the　usual　amount　of
quadrupedation；　and　mother　and　sons　darted　simultaneously　to　the
window。

〃My！〃　cried　Johnnie；　〃what　a　rum　go！　　Isn't　that　a　jolly　carriage；
Peetie？〃

〃Papa's　bought　a　carriage！〃　shouted　Peetie。

〃Be　quiet；　children；〃　said　their　mother；　as　she　saw　a　footman　get
down　and　approach　the　door。

〃Look　at　that　buffer；〃　said　Johnnie。　〃Do　come　and　see　this　grand
footman；　Mr。　Sutherland。　　He's　such　a　gentleman！〃

A　box　on　the　ear　from　his　mother　silenced　him。　　The　servant　entering
with　some　perturbation　a　moment　after；　addressed　her　mistress；　for
she　dared　not　address　any　one　else　while　she　was　in　the　room：

〃Please　'm；　the　carriage　is　astin'　after　Mr。　Sutherland。〃

〃Mr。　Sutherland？〃

〃Yes　'm。〃

The　lady　turned　to　Mr。　Sutherland；　who；　although　surprised　as　well；
was　not　inclined　to　show　his　surprise　to　Mrs。　Appleditch。

〃I　did　not　know　you　had　carriage…friends；　Mr。　Sutherland；〃　said　she；
with　a　toss　of　her　head。

〃Neither　did　I；〃　answered　Hugh。　〃But　I　will　go　and　see　who　it　is。〃

When　he　reached　the　street；　he　found　Harry　on　the　pavement；　who
having　got　out　of　the　carriage；　and　not　having　been　asked　into　the
house；　was　unable　to　stand　still　for　impatience。　　As　soon　as　he　saw
his　tutor；　he　bounded　to　him；　and　threw　his　arms　round　his　neck；
standing　as　they　were　in　the　open　street。　　Tears　of　delight　filled
his　eyes。

〃Come；　come；　come；〃　said　Harry；　〃we　all　want　you。〃

〃Who　wants　me？〃

〃Mrs。　Elton　and　Euphra　and　me。　　Come；　get　in。〃

〃And　he　pulled　Hugh　towards　the　carriage。

〃I　cannot　go　with　you　now。　　I　have　pupils　here。〃

Harry's　face　fell。

〃When　will　you　come？〃

〃In　half…an…hour。〃

〃Hurrah！　　I　shall　be　back　exactly　in　half…an…hour　then。　　Do　be
ready；　please；　Mr。　Sutherland。〃

〃I　will。〃

Harry　jumped　into　the　carriage；　telling　the　coachman　to　drive　where
he　pleased；　and　be　back　at　the　same　place　in　half…an…hour。　　Hugh
returned　into　the　house。

As　may　be　supposed；　Margaret　was　the　means　of　this　happy　meeting。
Although　she　saw　plainly　enough　that　Euphra　would　like　to　see　Hugh；
she　did　not　for　some　time　make　up　her　mind　to　send　for　him。　　The
circumstances　which　made　her　resolve　to　do　so　were　these。

For　some　days　Euphra　seemed　to　be　gradually　regaining　her　health　and
composure　of　mind。　　One　evening；　after　a　longer　talk　than　usual；
Margaret　had　left　her　in　bed；　and　had　gone　to　her　own　room。　　She　was
just　preparing　to　get　into　bed　herself；　when　a　knock　at　her　door
startled　her；　and　going　to　it；　she　saw　Euphra　standing　there；　pale
as　death；　with　nothing　on　but　her　nightgown；　notwithstanding　the
bitter　cold　of　an　early　and　severe　frost。　　She　thought　at　first　she
must　be　walking　in　her　sleep；　but　the　scared　intelligence　of　her
open　eyes；　soon　satisfied　her　that　it　was　not　so。

〃What　is　the　matter；　dear　Miss　Cameron？〃　she　said；　as　calmly　as　she
could。

〃He　is　coming。　　He　wants　me。　　If　he　calls　me；　I　must　go。〃

〃No；　you　shall　not　go；〃　rejoined　Margaret；　firmly。

〃I　must；　I　must；〃　answered　Euphra；　wringing　her　hands。

〃Do　come　in；〃　said　Margaret；　〃you　must　not　stand　there　in　the　cold。〃

〃Let　me　get　into　your　bed。〃

〃Better　let　me　go　with　you　to　yours。　　That　will　be　more　comfortable
for　you。〃

〃Oh！　yes；　please　do。〃

Margaret　threw　a　shawl　round　Euphra；　and　went　back　with　her　to　her
room。

〃He　wants　me。　　He　wants　me。　　He　will　call　me　soon；〃　said　Euphra；　in
an　agonised　whisper；　as　soon　as　the　door　was　shut。　〃What　shall　I
do！〃

〃Come　to　bed　first；　and　we　will　talk　about　it　there。〃

As　soon　as　they　were　in　bed；　Margaret　put　her　arm　round　Euphra；　who
was　trembling　with　cold　and　fear；　and　said：

〃Has　this　man　any　right　to　call　you？〃

〃No；　no；〃　answered　Euphra；　vehemently。

〃Then　don't　go。〃

〃But　I　am　afraid　of　him。〃

〃Defy　him　in　God's　name。〃

〃But　besides　the　fear；　there　is　something　that　I　can't　describe；
that　always　keeps　telling　meno；　not　telling　me；　pushing　meno；
drawing　me；　as　if　I　could　not　rest　a　moment　till　I　go。　　I　cannot
describe　it。　　I　hate　to　go；　and　yet　I　feel　that　if　I　were　cold　in　my
grave；　I　must　rise　and　go　if　he　called　me。　　I　wish　I　could　tell　you
what　it　is　like。　　It　is　as　if　some　demon　were　shaking　my　soul　till　I
yielded　and　went。　　Oh！　don't　despise　me。　　I　can't　help　it。〃

〃My　darling；　I　don't；　I　can't　despise　you。　　You　shall　not　go　to
him。〃

〃But　I　must；〃　answered　she；　with　a　despairing　faintness　more
convincing　than　any　vehemence；　and　then　began　to　weep　with　a　slow；
hopeless　weeping；　like　the　rain　of　a　November　eve。

Margaret　got　out　of　bed。　　Euphra　thought　she　was　offended