david elginbrod-第109章
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had seen for a moment in the library at Arnsteadthe glorified face
of Margaret Elginbrod； shimmering faintly in the dull light。
Instinctively he pressed his hands together； palm to palm； as if he
had been about to kneel before Madonna herself。 Delight； mingled
with hope； and tempered by shame； flushed his face。 Ghost or none；
she brought no fear with her； only awe。
She stood still。
〃Margaret！〃 he said； with trembling voice。
〃Mr。 Sutherland！〃 she responded； sweetly。
〃Are you a ghost； Margaret？〃
She smiled as if she were all spirit； and； advancing slowly； took
his joined hands in both of hers。
〃Forgive me； Margaret；〃 sighed he； as if with his last breath； and
burst into an agony of tears。
She waited motionless； till his passion should subside； still
holding his hands。 He felt that her hands were so good。
〃He is dead！〃 said Hugh； at last； with all effort； followed by a
fresh outburst of weeping。
〃Yes； he is dead；〃 rejoined Margaret； calmly。 〃You would not weep so
if you had seen him die as I diddie with a smile like a summer
sunset。 Indeed； it was the sunset to me； but the moon has been up
for a long time now。〃
She sighed a gentle； painless sigh； and smiled again like a saint。
She spoke nearly as Scotch as ever in tone； though the words and
pronunciation were almost pure English。This lapse into so much of
the old form； or rather garment； of speech； constantly recurred； as
often as her feelings were moved； and especially when she talked to
children。
〃Forgive me；〃 said Hugh； once more。
〃We are the same as in the old days；〃 answered Margaret； and Hugh
was satisfied。
〃How do you come to be here？〃 said Hugh； at last； after a silence。
〃I will tell you all about that another time。 Now I must give you
Miss Cameron's message。 She is very sorry she cannot see you； but
she is quite unable。 Indeed； she is not out of bed。 But if you
could call to…morrow morning； she hopes to be better and to be able
to see you。 She says she can never thank you enough。〃
The lamp burned yet fainter。 Margaret went； and proceeded to trim
it。 The virgins that arose must have looked very lovely； trimming
their lamps。 It is a deed very fair and womanlythe best for a
womanto make the lamp burn。 The light shone up in her face； and
the hands removing the globe handled it delicately。 He saw that the
good hands were very beautiful hands； not small； but admirably
shaped； and very pure。 As she replaced the globe；
〃That man；〃 she said； 〃will not trouble her any more。〃
〃I hope not；〃 said Hugh； 〃but you speak confidently： why？〃
〃Because she has behaved gloriously。 She has fought and conquered
him on his own ground； and she is a free； beautiful； and good
creature of God for ever。〃
〃You delight me；〃 rejoined Hugh 〃Another time； perhaps； you will be
able to tell me all about it。〃
〃I hope so。 I think she will not mind my telling you。〃
They bade each other good night； and Hugh went away with a strange
feeling； which he had never experienced before。 To compare great
things with small； it was something like what he had once felt in a
dream； in which； digging in his father's garden； he had found a
perfect marble statue； young as life； and yet old as the hills。 To
think of the girl he had first seen in the drawing…room at
Turriepuffit； idealizing herself into such a creature as that； so
grand； and yet so womanly！ so lofty； and yet so lovely； so strong；
and yet so graceful！
Would that every woman believed in the ideal of herself； and hoped
for it as the will of God； not merely as the goal of her own purest
ambition！ But even if the lower development of the hope were all
she possessed； it would yet be well； for its inevitable failure
would soon develope the higher and triumphant hope。
He thought about her till he fell asleep； and dreamed about her till
he woke。 Not for a moment； however； did he fancy he was in love
with her： the feeling was different from any he had hitherto
recognized as embodying that passion。 It was the recognition and
consequent admiration of a beauty which everyone who beheld it must
recognize and admire； but mingled； in his case； with old and
precious memories； doubly dear now in the increased earnestness of
his nature and aspirations； and with a deep personal interest from
the fact that； however little； he had yet contributed a portion of
the vital food whereby the gracious creature had become what she
was。
In the so…called morning he went to Mrs。 Elton's。 Euphra was
expecting his visit； and he was shown up into her room； where she
was lying on a couch by the fire。 She received him with the warmth
of gratitude added to that of friendship。 Her face was pale and
thin； but her eyes were brilliant。 She did not appear at first
sight to be very ill： but the depth and reality of her sickness grew
upon him。 Behind her couch stood Margaret； like a guardian angel。
Margaret could bear the day； for she belonged to it； and therefore
she looked more beautiful still than by the lamp…light。 Euphra held
out a pale little hand to Hugh； and before she withdrew it； led
Hugh's towards Margaret。 Their hands joined。 How different to Hugh
was the touch of the two hands！ Life； strength； persistency in the
one： languor； feebleness； and fading in the other。
〃I can never thank you enough；〃 said Euphra； 〃therefore I will not
try。 It is no bondage to remain your debtor。〃
〃That would be thanks indeed； if I had done anything。〃
〃I have found out another mystery；〃 Euphra resumed； after a pause。
〃I am sorry to hear it；〃 answered he。 〃I fear there will be no
mysteries left by…and…by。〃
〃No fear of that；〃 she rejoined； 〃so long as the angels come down to
men。〃 And she turned towards Margaret as she spoke。
Margaret smiled。 In the compliment she felt only the kindness。
Hugh looked at her。 She turned away； and found something to do at
the other side of the room。
〃What mystery； then； have you destroyed？〃
〃Not destroyed it； for the mystery of courage remains。 I was the
wicked ghost that night in the Ghost's Walk； you knowthe white
one： there is the good ghost； the nun； the black one。〃
〃Who？ Margaret？〃
〃Yes； indeed。 She has just been confessing it to me。 I had my two
angels； as one whose fate was undetermined； my evil angel in the
countmy good angel in Margaret。 Little did I think then that the
holy powers were watching me in her。 I knew the evil one； I knew
nothing of the good。 I suppose it is so with a great many people。〃
Hugh sat silent in astonishment。 Margaret； then； had been at
Arnstead with Mrs。 Elton all the time。 It was herself he had seen
in the study。
〃Did you suspect me； Margaret？〃 resumed Euphra； turning towards her
where she sat at the window。
〃Not in the least。 I only knew that something was wrong about the
house； that some being was terrifying the servants； and poor Harry；
and I resolved to do my best to meet it； especially if it should be
anything of a ghostly kind。〃
〃Then you do believe in such appearances？〃 said Hugh。
〃I have never met anything of the sort yet。 I don't know。〃
〃And you were not afraid？〃
〃Not much。 I am never really afraid of anything。 Why should I be？〃
No justification of fear was suggested either by Hugh or by Euphra。
They felt the dignity of nature that lifted Margaret above the
region of fear。
〃Come and see me again soon；〃 said Euphra； as Hugh rose to go。
He promised。
Next day he dined by invitation with Mrs。 Elton and Harry。 Euphra
was unable to see him； but sent a kind message by Margaret as he was
taking his leave。 He had been fearing that he should not see
Margaret； and when she did appear he was the more delighted； but the
interview was necessarily short。
He called the next day； and saw neither Euphra nor Margaret。 She
was no better。 Mrs。 Elton said the physicians could discover no
definite disease either of the lungs or of any other organ。 Yet
life seemed sinking。 Margaret thought that the conflict which she
had passed through； had exhausted her vitality； that； had she
yielded； she might have lived a slave； but that now； perhaps； she
must die a free woman。
Her continued illness made Hu
