david elginbrod-第110章
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yielded; she might have lived a slave; but that now; perhaps; she
must die a free woman。
Her continued illness made Hugh still more anxious to find the ring;
for he knew it would please her much。 Falconer would have applied
to the police; but he feared that the man would vanish from London;
upon the least suspicion that he was watched。 They held many
consultations on the subject。
CHAPTER XX。
A NEW GUIDE。
Das Denken ist nur ein Traum des F黨lens; ein erstorbenes F黨len;
ein blass…graues; schwaches Leben。
Thinking is only a dream of feeling; a dead feeling; a pale…grey;
feeble life。
NOVALIS。Die Lehrlinge zu Sais。
For where's no courage; there's no ruth nor mone。
Faerie Queene: vi。 7; 18。
One morning; as soon as she waked; Euphra said:
〃Have I been still all the night; Margaret?〃
〃Quite still。 Why do you ask?〃
〃Because I have had such a strange and vivid dream; that I feel as
if I must have been to the place。 It was a foolish question;
though; because; of course; you would not have let me go。〃
〃I hope it did not trouble you much。〃
〃No; not much; for though I was with the count; I did not seem to be
there in the body at all; only somehow near him; and seeing him。 I
can recall the place perfectly。〃
〃Do you think it really was the place he was in at the time?〃
〃I should not wonder。 But now I feel so free; so far beyond him and
all his power; that I don't mind where or when I see him。 He cannot
hurt me now。〃
〃Could you describe the place to Mr。 Sutherland? It might help him
to find the count。〃
〃That's a good idea。 Will you send for him?〃
〃Yes; certainly。 May I tell him for what?〃
〃By all means。〃
Margaret wrote to Hugh at once; and sent the note by hand。 He was
at home when it arrived。 He hurriedly answered it; and went to find
Falconer。 To his delight he was at homenot out of bed; in fact。
〃Read that。〃
〃Who is it from?〃
〃Miss Cameron's maid。〃
〃It does not look like a maid's production。〃
〃It is though。 Will you come with me? You know London ten thousand
times better than I do。 I don't think we ought to lose a chance。〃
〃Certainly not。 I will go with you。 But perhaps she will not see
me。〃
〃Oh! yes; she will; when I have told her about you。〃
〃It will be rather a trial to see a stranger。〃
〃A man cannot be a stranger with you ten minutes; if he only looks
at you;still less a woman。〃
Falconer looked pleased; and smiled。
〃I am glad you think so。 Let us go。〃
When they arrived; Margaret came to them。 Hugh told her that
Falconer was his best friend; and one who knew London perhaps better
than any other man in it。 Margaret looked at him full in the face
for a moment。 Falconer smiled at the intensity of her still gaze。
Margaret returned the smile; and said:
〃I will ask Miss Cameron to see yet。〃
〃Thank you;〃 was all Falconer's reply; but the tone was more than
speech。
After a little while; they were shown up to Euphra's room。 She had
wanted to sit up; but Margaret would not let her; so she was lying
on her couch。 When Falconer was presented to her; he took her hand;
and held it for a moment。 A kind of indescribable beam broke over
his face; as if his spirit smiled and the smile shone through
without moving one of his features as it passed。 The tears stood in
his eyes。 To understand all this look; one would need to know his
history as I do。 He laid her hand gently on her bosom; and said:
〃God bless you!〃
Euphra felt that God did bless her in the very words。 She had been
looking at Falconer all the time。 It was only fifteen seconds or
so; but the outcome of a life was crowded into Falconer's side of
it; and the confidence of Euphra rose to meet the faithfulness of a
man of God。What words those are!A man of God! Have I not
written a revelation? Yesto him who can read ityes。
〃I know enough of your story; Miss Cameron;〃 he said; 〃to understand
without any preface what you choose to tell me。〃
Euphra began at once:
〃I dreamed last night that I found myself outside the street door。
I did not know where I was going; but my feet seemed to know。 They
carried me; round two or three corners; into a wide; long street;
which I think was Oxford…street。 They carried me on into London;
far beyond any quarter I knew。 All I can tell further is; that I
turned to the left beside a church; on the steeple of which stood
what I took for a wandering ghost just lighted there;only I ought
to tell you; that frequently in my dreamsalways in my peculiar
dreamsthe more material and solid and ordinary things are; the
more thin and ghostly they appear to me。 Then I went on and on;
turning left and right too many times for me to remember; till at
last I came to a little; old…fashioned court; with two or three
trees in it。 I had to go up a few steps to enter it。 I was not
afraid; because I knew I was dreaming; and that my body was not
there。 It is a great relief to feel that sometimes; for it is often
very much in the way。 I opened a door; upon which the moon shone
very bright; and walked up two flights of stairs into a back room。
And there I found him; doing something at a table by candlelight。
He had a sheet of paper before him; but what he was doing with it;
I could not see。 I tried hard; but it was of no use。 The dream
suddenly faded; and I awoke; and found Margaret。Then I knew I was
safe;〃 she added; with a loving glance at her maid。
Falconer rose。
〃I know the place you mean perfectly;〃 he said。 〃It is too peculiar
to be mistaken。 Last night; let me see; how did the moon
shine?Yes。 I shall be able to tell the very door; I think; or
almost。〃
〃How kind of you not to laugh at me!〃
〃I might make a fool of myself if I laughed at any one。 So I
generally avoid it。 We may as well get the good out of what we do
not understandor at least try if there be any in it。 Will you
come; Sutherland?〃
Hugh rose; and took his leave with Falconer。
〃How pleased she seemed with you; Falconer!〃 said he; as they left
the house。
〃Yes; she touched me。〃
〃Won't you go and see her again?〃
〃No; there is no need; except she sends for me。〃
〃It would please hercomfort her; I am sure。〃
〃She has got one of God's angels beside her; Sutherland。 She
doesn't want me。〃
〃What do you mean?〃
〃I mean that maid of hers。〃
A pangof jealousy; was it?shot through Hugh's heart。 How could
he seewhat right had he to see anything in Margaret?
Hugh might have kept himself at peace; even if he had loved Margaret
as much as she deserved; which would have been about ten times as
much as he did。 Is a man not to recognize an angel when he sees
her; and to call her by her name? Had Hugh seen into the core of
that grand heartwhat form sat there; and howhe would have been
at peacewould almost have fallen down to do the man homage。 He
was silent。
〃My dear fellow!〃 said Falconer; as if he divined his feelingfor
Falconer's power over men and women came all from sympathy with
their spirits; and not their nerves〃if you have any hold of that
woman; do not lose it; for as sure as there's a sun in heaven; she
is one of the winged ones。 Don't I know a woman when I see her!〃
He sighed with a kind of involuntary sigh; which yet did not seek to
hide itself from Hugh。
〃My dear boy;〃 he added; laying a stress on the word; 〃I am nearly
twice your agedon't be jealous of me。〃
〃Mr。 Falconer;〃 said Hugh humbly; 〃forgive me。 The feeling was
involuntary; and if you have detected in it more than I was aware
of; you are at least as likely to be right as I am。 But you cannot
think more highly of Margaret than I do。〃
And yet Hugh did not know half the good of her then; that the reader
does now。
〃Well; we had better part now; and meet again at night。〃
〃What time shall I come to you?〃
〃Oh! about nine I think will do。〃
So Hugh went home; and tried to turn his thoughts to his story; but
Euphra; Falconer; Funkelstein; and Margaret persisted in sitting to
him; the one after the other; instead of the heroes and heroines of
his tale。 He was compelled to lay it aside; and betake himself to a
stroll and a pipe。
As he went down stairs; he met