david elginbrod-第103章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Margaret　got　out　of　bed。　　Euphra　thought　she　was　offended。　　Starting
up；　she　clasped　her　hands；　and　said：

〃Oh　Margaret！　　I　won't　cry。　　Don't　leave　me。　　Don't　leave　me。〃

She　entreated　like　a　chidden　child。

〃No；　no；　I　didn't　mean　to　leave　you　for　a　moment。　　Lie　down　again；
dear；　and　cry　as　much　as　you　like。　　I　am　going　to　read　a　little　bit
out　of　the　New　Testament　to　you。〃

〃I　am　afraid　I　can't　listen　to　it。〃

〃Never　mind。　　Don't　try。　　I　want　to　read　it。〃

Margaret　got　a　New　Testament；　and　read　part　of　that　chapter　of　St。
John's　Gospel　which　speaks　about　human　labour　and　the　bread　of　life。
She　stopped　at　these　words：

〃For　I　came　down　from　heaven；　not　to　do　mine　own　will；　but　the　will
of　him　that　sent　me。〃

Euphra's　tears　had　ceased。　　The　sound　of　Margaret's　voice；　which；　if
it　lost　in　sweetness　by　becoming　more　Scotch　when　she　read　the
Gospel；　yet　gained　thereby　in　pathos；　and　the　power　of　the　blessed
words　themselves；　had　soothed　the　troubled　spirit　a　little；　and　she
lay　quiet。

〃The　count　is　not　a　good　man；　Miss　Cameron？〃

〃You　know　he　is　not；　Margaret。　　He　is　the　worst　man　alive。〃

〃Then　it　cannot　be　God's　will　that　you　should　go　to　him。〃

〃But　one　does　many　things　that　are　not　God's　will。〃

〃But　it　is　God's　will　that　you　should　not　go　to　him。〃

Euphra　lay　silent　for　a　few　moments。　　Suddenly　she　exclaimed：

〃Then　I　must　not　go　to　him；〃got　out　of　bed；　threw　herself　on　her
knees　by　the　bedside；　and　holding　up　her　clasped　hands；　said；　in　low
tones　that　sounded　as　if　forced　from　her　by　agony：

〃I　won't！　　I　won't！　　O　God；　I　will　not。　　Help　me；　help　me！〃

Margaret　knelt　beside　her；　and　put　her　arm　round　her。　　Euphra　spoke
no　more；　but　remained　kneeling；　with　her　extended　arms　and　clasped
hands　lying　on　the　bed；　and　her　head　laid　between　them。　　At　length
Margaret　grew　alarmed；　and　looked　at　her。　　But　she　found　that　she
was　in　a　sweet　sleep。　　She　gently　disengaged　herself；　and　covering
her　up　soft　and　warm；　left　her　to　sleep　out　her　God…sent　sleep
undisturbed；　while　she　sat　beside；　and　watched　for　her　waking。

She　slept　thus　for　an　hour。　　Then　lifting　her　head；　and　seeing
Margaret；　she　rose　quietly；　as　if　from　her　prayers；　and　said　with　a
smile：

〃Margaret；　I　was　dreaming　that　I　had　a　mother。〃

〃So　you　have；　somewhere。〃

〃Yes；　so　I　have；　somewhere；〃　she　repeated；　and　crept　into　bed　like　a
child；　lay　down；　and　was　asleep　again　in　a　moment。

Margaret　watched　her　for　another　hour；　and　then　seeing　no　signs　of
restlessness；　but　that　on　the　contrary　her　sleep　was　profound；　lay
down　beside　her；　and　soon　shared　in　that　repose　which　to　weary　women
and　men　is　God's　best　gift。

She　rose　at　her　usual　hour　the　next　day；　and　was　dressed　before
Euphra　awoke。　　It　was　a　cold　grey　December　morning；　with　the
hoar…frost　lying　thick　on　the　roofs　of　the　houses。　　Euphra　opened
her　eyes　while　Margaret　was　busy　lighting　the　fire。　　Seeing　that　she
was　there；　she　closed　them　again；　and　fell　once　more　fast　asleep。
Before　she　woke　again；　Margaret　had　some　tea　ready　for　her；　after
taking　which；　she　felt　able　to　get　up。　　She　rose　looking　more　bright
and　hopeful　than　Margaret　had　seen　her　before。

But　Margaret；　who　watched　her　intently　through　the　day；　saw　a　change
come　over　her　cheer。　　Her　face　grew　pale　and　troubled。　　Now　and　then
her　eyes　were　fixed　on　vacancy；　and　again　she　would　look　at　Margaret
with　a　woebegone　expression　of　countenance；　but　presently；　as　if
recollecting　herself；　would　smile　and　look　cheerful　for　a　moment。
Margaret　saw　that　the　conflict　was　coming　on；　if　not　already
begunthat　at　least　its　shadow　was　upon　her；　and　thinking　that　if
she　could　have　a　talk　with　Hugh　about　what　he　had　been　doing；　it
would　comfort　her　a　little；　and　divert　her　thoughts　from　herself；
even　if　no　farther　or　more　pleasantly　than　to　the　count；　she　let
Harry　know　Hugh's　address；　as　given　in　the　letter　to　her　father。
She　was　certain　that；　if　Harry　succeeded　in　finding　him；　nothing
more　was　necessary　to　insure　his　being　brought　to　Mrs。　Elton's。　　As
we　have　seen；　Harry　had　traced　him　to　Buccleuch　Terrace。

Hugh　re…entered　the　house　in　the　same　mind　in　which　he　had　gone　out；
namely；　that　after　Mrs。　Appleditch's　behaviour　to　him　before　his
pupils；　he　could　not　remain　their　tutor　any　longer；　however　great
his　need　might　be　of　the　pittance　he　received　for　his　services。

But　although　Mrs。　Appleditch's　first　feeling　had　been　jealousy　of
Hugh's　acquaintance　with　〃carriage…people；〃　the　toadyism　which　is　so
essential　an　element　of　such　jealousy；　had　by　this　time　revived；　and
when　Hugh　was　proceeding　to　finish　the　lesson　he　had　begun；
intending　it　to　be　his　last；　she　said：

〃Why　didn't　you　ask　your　friend　into　the　drawing…room；　Mr。
Sutherland？〃

〃Good　gracious！　　The　drawing…room！〃　thought　Hughbut　answered：　〃He
will　fetch　me　when　the　lesson　is　over。〃

〃I　am　sure；　sir；　any　friends　of　yours　that　like　to　call　upon　you
here；　will　be　very　welcome。　　It　will　be　more　agreeable　to　you　to
receive　them　here；　of　course；　for　your　accommodation　at　poor　Miss
Talbot's　is　hardly　suitable　for　such　visitors。〃

〃I　am　sorry　to　say；　however；〃　answered　Hugh；　〃that　after　the　way　you
have　spoken　to　me　to…day；　in　the　presence　of　my　pupils；　I　cannot
continue　my　relation　to　them　any　longer。〃

〃Ho！　ho！〃　resnorted　the　lady；　indignation　and　scorn　mingling　with
mortification；　〃our　grand　visitors　have　set　our　backs　up。　　Very
well；　Mr。　Sutherland；　you　will　oblige　me　by　leaving　the　house　at
once。　　Don't　trouble　yourself；　pray；　to　finish　the　lesson。　　I　will
pay　you　for　it　all　the　same。　　Anything　to　get　rid　of　a　man　who
insults　me　before　the　very　faces　of　my　innocent　lambs！　　And　please
to　remember；〃　she　added；　as　she　pulled　out　her　purse；　while　Hugh　was
collecting　some　books　he　had　lent　the　boys；　〃that　when　you　were
starving；　my　husband　and　I　took　you　in　and　gave　you　employment　out
of　charitypure　charity；　Mr。　Sutherland。　　Here　is　your　money。〃

〃Good　morning；　Mrs。　Appleditch；〃　said　Hugh；　and　walked　out　with　his
books　under　his　arm；　leaving　her　with　the　money　in　her　hand。

He　had　to　knock　his　feet　on　the　pavement　in　front　of　the　house；　to
keep　them　from　freezing；　for　half…an…hour；　before　the　carriage
arrived　to　take　him　away。　　As　soon　as　it　came　up；　he　jumped　into　it；
and　was　carried　off　in　triumph　by　Harry。

Mrs。　Elton　received　him　kindly。　　Euphra　held　out　her　hand　with　a
slight　blush；　and　the　quiet　familiarity　of　an　old　friend。　　Hugh
could　almost　have　fallen　in　love　with　her　again；　from　compassion　for
her　pale；　worn　face；　and　subdued　expression。

Mrs。　Elton　went　out　in　the　carriage　almost　directly；　and　Euphra
begged　Harry　to　leave　them　alone；　as　she　had　something　to　talk　to
Mr。　Sutherland　about。

〃Have　you　found　any　trace　of　Count　Halkar；　Hugh？〃　she　said；　the
moment　they　were　by　themselves。

〃I　am　very　sorry　to　say　I　have　not。　　I　have　done　my　best。〃

〃I　am　quite　sure　of　that。I　just　wanted　to　tell　you；　that；　from
certain　indications　which　no　one　could　understand　so　well　as　myself；
I　think　you　will　have　more　chance　of　finding　him　now。〃

〃I　am　delighted　to　hear　it；〃　responded　Hugh。　〃If　I　only　had　him！〃

Euphra　sighed；　paused；　and　then　said：

〃But　I　am　not　sure　of　it。　　I　think　he　is　in　London；　but　he　may　be　in
Bohemia；　for　anything　I　know。　　I　shall；　however；　in　all　probability；
know　more　about　him　within　a　few　days。〃

Hugh　resolved　to　go　at　once　to　Falconer；　and　communicate　to　him　what
Euphra　had　told　him。　　But　he　said　nothing　to　her　as　to　the　means　by
which　he　had　tried　to　discover　the　count；　for　although　he　felt　sure
that　he　had　done　right　in　telling　Falconer　all　about　it；　he　was
afraid　lest　Euphra；　not　knowing　what　sort　of　a　man　he　was；　might　not
like　it。　　Euphra；　on　her　part；　did　not　mention　Margaret's　name；　for
she　had　begged　her　not　to　do　so。

〃You　will　tell　me　when　you　know　yourself？〃

〃Perhaps。I　will；　if　I　can。　　I　do　wish　you　could　get　the　ring。　　I
have　a　painful　feeling　that　it　gives　him　power　over　me。〃

〃That　can　only　be　a　nervous　fancy；　surely；〃　Hugh　ventured　to　say。

〃Perhaps　it　is。　　I　don't　know。　　But；　still；　without　that；　there　are
plenty　of　reasons　for　wishing　to　recover　it。　　He　will　put　it　to　a
bad　use；　if　he　can。　　But　for　your　sake；