david elginbrod-第105章

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〃could　it　be　that　I　am　in　love　with　him　still？〃

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

〃No；　no；　Euphra；　darling。　　You　were　haunted　with　him；　and　so　tired
that　you　were　not　able　to　hate　him　any　longer。　　Then　you　began　to
give　way　to　him。　　That　was　all。　　There　was　no　love　in　that。〃

Euphra's　grasp　relaxed。

〃Do　you　think　so？〃

〃Yes。〃

A　pause　followed。

〃Do　you　think　God　cares　to　have　me　do　his　will？　　Is　it　anything　to
him？〃

〃I　am　sure　of　it。　　Why　did　he　make　you　else？　　But　it　is　not　for　the
sake　of　being　obeyed　that　he　cares　for　it；　but　for　the　sake　of
serving　you　and　making　you　blessed　with　his　blessedness。　　He　does
not　think　about　himself；　but　about　you。〃

〃Oh；　dear！　oh；　dear！　　I　must　not　go。〃

〃Let　me　read　to　you　again；　Eupra。〃

〃Yes；　please　do；　Margaret。〃

She　read　the　fortieth　chapter　of　Isaiah；　one　of　her　father's
favourite　chapters；　where　all　the　strength　and　knowledge　of　God　are
urged　to　a　height；　that　they　may　fall　in　overwhelming　profusion　upon
the　wants　and　fears　and　unbelief　of　his　children。　　How　should　he
that　calleth　the　stars　by　their　names　forget　his　people？

While　she　read；　the　cloud　melted　away　from　Euphra's　face；　a　sweet
sleep　followed；　and　the　paroxysm　was　over　for　the　time。

Was　Euphra　insane？　and　were　these　the　first　accesses　of　daily　fits
of　madness；　which　had　been　growing　and　approaching　for　who　could
tell　how　long？

Even　if　she　were　mad；　or　going　mad；　was　not　this　the　right　way　to
treat　her？　　I　wonder　how　often　the　spiritual　cure　of　faith　in　the
Son　of　Man；　the　Great　Healer；　has　been　tried　on　those　possessed　with
our　modern　demons。　　Is　it　proved　that　insanity　has　its　origin　in　the
physical　disorder　which；　it　is　now　said；　can　be　shown　to　accompany
it　invariably？　　Let　it　be　so：　it　yet　appears　to　me　that　if　the
physician　would；　like　the　Son　of　Man　himself；　descend　as　it　were
into　the　disorganized　world　in　which　the　consciousness　of　his
patient　exists；　and　receiving　as　fact　all　that　he　reveals　to　him　of
its　conditionfor　fact　it　is；　of　a　very　real　sortintroduce；　by
all　the　means　that　sympathy　can　suggest；　the　one　central　cure　for
evil；　spiritual　and　material；　namely；　the　truth　of　the　Son　of　Man；
the　vision　of　the　perfect　friend　and　helper；　with　the　revelation　of
the　promised　liberty　of　obedienceif　he　did　this；　it　seems　to　me
that　cures　might　still　be　wrought　as　marvellous　as　those　of　the
ancient　time。

It　seems　to　me；　too；　that　that　can　be　but　an　imperfect　religion；　as
it　would　be　a　poor　salvation；　from　which　one　corner　of　darkness　may
hide　us；　from　whose　blessed　health　and　freedom　a　disordered　brain
may　snatch　us；　making　us　hopeless　outcasts；　till　first　the
physician；　the　student　of　physical　laws；　shall　interfere　and　restore
us　to　a　sound　mind；　or　the　great　God's…angel　Death　crumble　the
soul…oppressing　brain；　with　its　thousand　phantoms　of　pain　and　fear
and　horror；　into　a　film　of　dust　in　the　hollow　of　the　deserted　skull。

Hugh　repaired　immediately　to　Falconer's　chambers；　where　he　was　more
likely　to　find　him　during　the　day　than　in　the　evening。　　He　was　at
home。　　He　told　him　of　his　interview　with　Euphra；　and　her　feeling
that　the　count　was　not　far　off。

〃Do　you　think　there　can　be　anything　in　it？〃　asked　he；　when　he　had
finished　his　relation。

〃I　think　very　likely；〃　answered　his　friend。　〃I　will　be　more　on　the
outlook　than　ever。　　It　may；　after　all；　be　through　the　lady　herself
that　we　shall　find　the　villain。　　If　she　were　to　fall　into　one　of　her
trances；　now；　I　think　it　almost　certain　she　would　go　to　him。　　She
ought　to　be　carefully　watched　and　followed；　if　that　should　take
place。　　Let　me　know　all　that　you　learn　about　her。　　Go　and　see　her
again　to…morrow；　that　we　may　be　kept　informed　of　her　experiences；　so
far　as　she　thinks　proper　to　tell　them。〃

〃I　will；〃　said　Hugh；　and　took　his　leave。

But　Margaret；　who　knew　Euphra's　condition；　both　spiritual　and
physical；　better　than　any　other；　had　far　different　objects　for　her；
through　means　of　the　unholy　attraction　which　the　count　exercised
over　her；　than　the　discovery　of　the　stolen　ring。　　She　was　determined
that　neither　sleeping　nor　waking　should　she　follow　his　call；　or
dance　to　his　piping。　　She　should　resist　to　the　last；　in　the　name　of
God；　and　so　redeem　her　lost　will　from　the　power　of　this　devil；　to
whom　she　had　foolishly　sold　it。

The　next　day；　the　struggle　evidently　continued；　and　it　had　such　an
effect　on　Euphra；　that　Margaret　could　not　help　feeling　very　anxious
about　the　result　as　regarded　her　health；　even　if　she　should　be
victorious　in　the　contest。　　But　not　for　one　moment　did　Margaret
quail；　for　she　felt　convinced；　come　of　it　what　might；　that　the　only
hope　for　Euphra　lay　in　resistance。　　Death；　to　her　mind；　was　simply
nothing　in　the　balance　with　slavery　of　such　a　sort。

Oncebut　evidently　in　a　fit　of　absenceEuphra　rose；　went　to　the
door；　and　opened　it。　　But　she　instantly　dashed　it　to　again；　and
walking　slowly　back；　resumed　her　seat　on　the　couch。　　Margaret　came
to　her　from　the　other　side　of　the　bed；　where　she　had　been　working　by
the　window；　for　the　last　quarter　of　an　hour；　for　the　sake　of　the
waning　light。

〃What　is　it；　dear？〃　she　said。

〃Oh；　Margaret！　are　you　there？　　I　did　not　know　you　were　in　the　room。
I　found　myself　at　the　door　before　I　knew　what　I　was　doing。〃

〃But　you　came　back　of　yourself　this　time。〃

〃Yes　I　did。　　But　I　still　feel　inclined　to　go。〃

〃There　is　no　sin　in　that；　so　long　as　you　do　not　encourage　the
feeling；　or　yield　to　it。〃

〃I　hate　it。〃

〃You　will　soon　be　free　from　it。　　Keep　on　courageously；　dear　sister。
You　will　be　in　liberty　and　joy　soon。〃

〃God　grant　it。〃

〃He　will；　Euphra。　　I　am　sure　he　will。〃

〃I　am　sure　you　know；　or　you　would　not　say　it。〃

A　knock　came　to　the　street　door。　　Euphra　started；　and　sat　in　the
attitude　of　a　fearful　listener。　　A　message　was　presently　brought
her；　that　Mr。　Sutherland　was　in　the　drawing…room；　and　wished　to　see
her。

Euphra　rose　immediately；　and　went　to　him。　　Margaret；　who　did　not
quite　feel　that　she　could　be　trusted　yet；　removed　to　a　room　behind
the　drawing…room；　whence　she　could　see　Euphra　if　she　passed　to　go
down　stairs。

Hugh　asked　her　if　she　could　tell　him　anything　more　about　Count
Halkar。

〃Only；〃　she　answered；　〃that　I　am　still　surer　of　his　being　near　me。〃

〃How　do　you　know　it？〃

〃I　need　not　mind　telling　you；　for　I　have　told　you　before　that　he　has
a　kind　of　supernatural　power　over　me。　　I　know　it　by　his　drawing　me
towards　him。　　It　is　true　I　might　feel　it　just　the　same　whether　he
was　in　America　or　in　London；　but　I　do　not　think　he　would　care　to　do
it；　if　he　were　so　far　off。　　I　know　him　well　enough　to　know　that　he
would　not　wish　for　me　except　for　some　immediate　advantage　to
himself。〃

〃But　what　is　the　use　of　his　doing　so；　when　you　don't　know　where　he
is　to　be　found。〃

〃I　should　go　straight　to　him；　without　knowing　where　I　was　going。〃

Hugh　rose　in　haste。

〃Put　on　your　bonnet　and　cloak；　and　come　with　me。　　I　will　take　care
of　you。　　Lead　me　to　him；　and　the　ring　shall　soon　be　in　your　hands
again。〃

Euphra　hesitated；　half　rose；　but　sat　down　immediately。

〃No；　no！　　Not　for　worlds；〃　she　said。　〃Do　not　tempt　me。　　I　must
notI　dare　notI　will　not　go。〃

〃But　I　shall　be　with　you。　　I　will　take　care　of　you。　　Don't　you　think
I　am　able；　Euphra？〃

〃Oh；　yes！　quite　able。　　But　I　must　not　go　anywhere　at　that　man's
bidding。〃

〃But　it　won't　be　at　his　bidding：　it　will　be　at　mine。〃

〃Ah！　that　alters　the　case　rather；　does　it　not？　　I　wonder　what
Margaret　would　say。〃

〃Margaret！　　What　Margaret？〃　said　Hugh。

〃Oh！　my　new　maid；〃　answered　Euphra；　recollecting　herself。

〃Not　being　well　at　present；　she　is　my　nurse。〃

〃We　shall　take　a　cab　as　soon　as　we　get　to　the　corner。〃

〃I　don't　think　the　count　would　be　able　to　guide　the　horse；〃　said
Euphra；　with　a　smile。　〃I　must　walk。　　But　I　should　like　to　go。　　I
will。　　It　would　be　such　a　victory　to　catch　him　in　his　own　toils。〃

She　rose　and　ran　up　stairs。　　In　a　few　minutes　she　came　down　again；
cloaked　and　veiled。　　But　Margaret　met　her　as　she　descended；　and
leading　her　into　the　back　drawing…room；　said：

〃Are　you　going；　Euphra？〃

〃Yes；　but　I　am　going　with　Mr。　Sutherland；〃　answered　Euphra；　in　a
defensive　tone。　〃It