david elginbrod-第104章

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plenty　of　reasons　for　wishing　to　recover　it。　　He　will　put　it　to　a
bad　use；　if　he　can。　　But　for　your　sake；　especially；　I　wish　we　could
get　it。〃

〃Thank　you。　　You　were　always　kind。〃

〃No；〃　she　replied；　without　lifting　her　eyes；　〃I　brought　it　all　upon
you。〃

〃But　you　could　not　help　it。〃

〃Not　at　the　moment。　　But　all　that　led　to　it　was　my　fault。〃

She　paused；　then　suddenly　resumed：

〃I　will　confess。Do　you　know　what　gave　rise　to　the　reports　of　the
house　being　haunted？〃

〃No。〃

〃It　was　me　wandering　about　it　at　night；　looking　for　that　very　ring；
to　give　to　the　count。　　It　was　shameful。　　But　I　did。　　Those　reports
prevented　me　from　being　found　out。　　But　I　hope　not　many　ghosts　are
so　miserable　as　I　was。You　remember　my　speaking　to　you　of　Mr。
Arnold's　jewels？〃

〃Yes；　perfectly。〃

〃I　wanted　to　find　out；　through　you；　where　the　ring　was。　　But　I　had
no　intention　of　involving　you。〃

〃I　am　sure　you　had　not。〃

〃Don't　be　too　sure　of　anything　about　me。　　I　don't　know　what　I　might
have　been　led　to　do。　　But　I　am　very　sorry。　　Do　forgive　me。〃

〃I　cannot　allow　that　I　have　anything　to　forgive。　　But　tell　me；
Euphra；　were　you　the　creature；　in　white　that　I　saw　in　the　Ghost's
Walk　one　night？　　I　don't　mean　the　last　time。〃

〃Very　likely；〃　she　answered；　bending　her　head　yet　lower；　with　a
sigh。

〃Then　who　was　the　creature　in　black　that　met　you？　　And　what　became
of　you　then？〃

〃Did　you　see　her？〃　rejoined　Euphra；　turning　paler　still。　〃I　fainted
at　sight　of　her。　　I　took　her　for　the　nun　that　hangs　in　that　horrid
room。〃

〃So　did　I；〃　said　Hugh。　〃But　you　could　not　have　lain　long；　for　I　went
up　to　the　spot　where　you　vanished；　and　found　nothing。〃

〃I　suppose　I　got　into　the　shrubbery　before　I　fell。　　Or　the　count
dragged　me　in。But　was　that　really　a　ghost？　　I　feel　now　as　if　it
was　a　good　messenger；　whether　ghost　or　not；　come　to　warn　me；　if　I
had　had　the　courage　to　listen。　　I　wish　I　had　taken　the　warning。〃

They　talked　about　these　and　other　things；　till　Mrs。　Elton；　who　had
made　Hugh　promise　to　stay　to　lunch；　returned。　　When　they　were　seated
at　table；　the　kind…hearted　woman　said：

〃Now；　Mr。　Sutherland；　when　will　you　begin　again　with　Harry？〃

〃I　do　not　quite　understand　you；〃　answered　Hugh。

〃Of　course　you　will　come　and　give　him　lessons；　poor　boy。　　He　will　be
broken…hearted　if　you　don't。〃

〃I　wish　I　could。　　But　I　cannotat　least　yet；　for　I　know　his　father
was　dissatisfied　with　me。　　That　was　one　of　the　reasons　that　made　him
send　Harry　to　London。〃

Harry　looked　wretchedly　disappointed；　but　said　nothing。

〃I　never　heard　him　say　anything　of　the　sort。〃

〃I　am　sure　of　it；　though。　　I　am　very　sorry　he　has　mistaken　me；　but
he　will　know　me　better　some　day。〃

〃I　will　take　all　the　responsibility；〃　persisted　Mrs。　Elton。

〃But　unfortunately　the　responsibility　sticks　too　fast　for　you　to
take　it。　　I　cannot　get　rid　of　my　share　if　I　would。〃

〃You　are　too　particular。　　I　am　sure　Mr。　Arnold　never　could　have
meant　that。　　This　is　my　house　too。〃

〃But　Harry　is　his　boy。　　If　you　will　let　me　come　and　see　him
sometimes；　I　shall　be　very　thankful；　though。　　I　may　be　useful　to　him
without　giving　him　lessons。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Harry　with　delight。

〃Well；　well！　　I　suppose　you　are　so　much　in　request　in　London　that
you　won't　miss　him　for　a　pupil。〃

〃On　the　contrary；　I　have　not　a　single　engagement。　　If　you　could　find
me　one；　I　should　be　exceedingly　obliged　to　you。〃

〃Dear！　dear！　dear！〃　said　Mrs。　Elton。　〃Then　you　shall　have　Harry。〃

〃Oh！　yes；　please　take　me；〃　said　Harry；　beseechingly。

〃No；　I　cannot。　　I　must　not。〃

Mrs。　Elton　rang　the　bell。

〃James；　tell　the　coachman　I　want　the　carriage　in　an　hour。〃

Mrs。　Elton　was　as　submissive　to　her　coachman　as　ladies　who　have
carriages　generally　are；　and　would　not　have　dreamed　of　ordering　the
horses　out　so　soon　again　for　herself；　but　she　forgot　everything　else
when　a　friend　was　in　need　of　help；　and　became　perfectly
pachydermatous　to　the　offended　looks　or　indignant　hints　of　that
important　functionary。

Within　a　few　minutes　after　Hugh　took　his　leave；　Mrs。　Elton　was　on
her　way　to　repeat　a　visit　she　had　already　paid　the　same　morning；　and
to　make　several　other　calls；　with　the　express　object　of　finding
pupils　for　Hugh。　But　in　this　she　was　not　so　successful　as　she　had
expected。　　In　fact；　no　one　whom　she　could　think　of；　wanted　such
services　at　present。　　She　returned　home　quite　down…hearted；　and　all
but　convinced　that　nothing　could　be　done　before　the　approach　of　the
London　season。




CHAPTER　XVII。

STRIFE。

They'll　turn　me　in　your　arms；　Janet；
　　An　adder　and　a　snake；
But　haud　me　fast；　let　me　not　pass；
　　Gin　ye　would　be　my　maik。

They'll　turn　me　in　your　arms；　Janet；
　　An　adder　and　an　aske；
They'll　turn　me　in　your　arms；　Janet；
　　A　bale　that　burns　fast。

They'll　shape　me　in　your　arms；　Janet；
　　A　dove；　but　and　a　swan；
And　last；　they'll　shape　me　in　your　arms
　　A　mother…naked　man：
Cast　your　green　mantle　over　me
　　And　sae　shall　I　be　wan。

Scotch　Ballad：　Tamlane。


As　soon　as　Hugh　had　left　the　house；　Margaret　hastened　to　Euphra。
She　found　her　in　her　own　room；　a　little　more　cheerful；　but　still
strangely　depressed。　　This　appearance　increased　towards　the　evening；
till　her　looks　became　quite　haggard；　revealing　an　inward　conflict　of
growing　agony。　　Margaret　remained　with　her。

Just　before　dinner；　the　upstairs　bell；　whose　summons　Margaret　was
accustomed　to　obey；　rang；　and　she　went　down。　　Mrs。　Elton　detained
her　for　a　few　minutes。　　The　moment　she　was　at　liberty；　she　flew　to
Euphra's　room　by　the　back　staircase。　　But；　as　she　ascended；　she　was
horrified　to　meet　Euphra；　in　a　cloak　and　thick　veil；　creeping　down
the　stairs　like　a　thief。　　Without　saying　a　word；　the　strong　girl
lifted　her　in　her　arms　as　if　she　had　been　a　child；　and　carried　her
back　to　her　room。　　Euphra　neither　struggled　nor　spoke。　　Margaret
laid　her　on　her　couch；　and　sat　down　beside　her。　　She　lay　without
moving；　and；　although　wide　awake；　gave　no　other　sign　of　existence
than　an　occasional　low　moan；　that　seemed　to　come　from　a　heart
pressed　almost　to　death。

Having　lain　thus　for　an　hour；　she　broke　the　silence。

〃Margaret；　do　you　despise　me　dreadfully？〃

〃No；　not　in　the　least。〃

〃Yet　you　found　me　going　to　do　what　I　knew　was　wrong。〃

〃You　had　not　made　yourself　strong　by　thinking　about　the　will　of　God。
Had　you；　dear？〃

〃No。　I　will　tell　you　how　it　was。　　I　had　been　tormented　with　the
inclination　to　go　to　him；　and　had　been　resisting　it　till　I　was　worn
out；　and　could　hardly　bear　it　more。　　Suddenly　all　grew　calm　within
me；　and　I　seemed　to　hate　Count　Halkar　no　longer。　　I　thought　with
myself　how　easy　it　would　be　to　put　a　stop　to　this　dreadful　torment；
just　by　yielding　to　itonly　this　once。　　I　thought　I　should　then　be
stronger　to　resist　the　next　time；　for　this　was　wearing　me　out　so；
that　I　must　yield　the　next　time；　if　I　persisted　now。　　But　what
seemed　to　justify　me；　was　the　thought　that　so　I　should　find　out
where　he　was；　and　be　able　to　tell　Hugh；　and　then　he　would　get　the
ring　for　me；　and；　perhaps　that　would　deliver　me。　　But　it　was　very
wrong　of　me。　　I　forgot　all　about　the　will　of　God。　I　will　not　go
again；　Margaret。　　Do　you　think　I　may　try　again　to　fight　him？〃

〃That　is　just　what　you　must　do。　　All　that　God　requires　of　you　is；　to
try　again。　　God's　child　must　be　free。　　Do　try；　dear　Miss　Cameron。〃

〃I　think　I　could；　if　you　would　call　me　Euphra。　　You　are　so　strong；
and　pure；　and　good；　Margaret！　　I　wish　I　had　never　had　any　thoughts
but　such　as　you　have；　you　beautiful　creature！　　Oh；　how　glad　I　am
that　you　found　me！　　Do　watch　me　always。〃

〃I　will　call　you　Euphra。　　I　will　be　your　sister…servantanything
you　like；　if　you　will　only　try　again。〃

〃Thank　you；　with　all　my　troubled　heart；　dear　Margaret。　　I　will
indeed　try　again。〃

She　sprang　from　the　couch　in　a　sudden　agony；　and　grasping　Margaret
by　the　arm；　looked　at　her　with　such　a　terror…stricken　face；　that　she
began　to　fear　she　was　losing　her　reason。

〃Margaret；〃　she　said；　as　if　with　the　voice　as　of　one　just　raised
from　the　dead；　speaking　with　all　the　charnel　damps　in　her　throat；
〃could　it　be　that　I　am　in　love　with　him　still？〃

Margaret　shuddered；　but　did　not　lose　her　self…possession。

〃No；　no；　Euphra；　darlin