david elginbrod-第28章

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say；　and　she　died　when　I　was　born。〃

The　tears　came　in　the　poor　boy's　eyes。　　Hugh　thought　of　his　own
father；　and　put　his　hand　on　Harry's　shoulder。　　Harry　laid　his　head
on　Hugh's　shoulder。

〃But；〃　he　went　on；　〃Euphra　is　so　kind　to　me！　　And　she　is　so　clever
too！　　She　knows　everything。〃

〃Have　you　no　brothers　or　sisters？〃

〃No；　none。　　I　wish　I　had。〃

〃Well；　I'll　be　your　big　brother。　　Only　you　must　mind　what　I　say　to
you；　else　I　shall　stop　being　him。　　Is　it　a　bargain？〃

〃Yes；　to　be　sure！〃　cried　Harry　in　delight；　and；　springing　from　the
couch；　he　began　hopping　feebly　about　the　room　on　one　foot；　to
express　his　pleasure。

〃Well；　then；　that's　settled。　　Now；　you　must　come　and　show　me　the
horsesyour　ponies；　you　knowand　the　pigs〃

〃I　don't　like　the　pigsI　don't　know　where　they　are。〃

〃Well；　we　must　find　out。　　Perhaps　I　shall　make　some　discoveries　for
you。　　Have　you　any　rabbits？〃

〃No。〃

〃A　dog　though；　surely？〃

〃No。　I　had　a　canary；　but　the　cat　killed　it；　and　I　have　never　had　a
pet　since。〃

〃Well；　get　your　cap；　and　come　out　with　me。　　I　will　wait　for　you
here。〃

Harry　walked　awayhe　seldom　ran。　　He　soon　returned　with　his　cap；
and　they　sallied　out　together。

Happening　to　look　back　at　the　house；　when　a　few　paces　from　it；　Hugh
thought　he　saw　Euphra　standing　at　the　window　of　a　back　staircase。
They　made　the　round　of　the　stables；　and　the　cow…house；　and　the
poultry…yard；　and　even　the　pigs；　as　proposed；　came　in　for　a　share　of
their　attention。　　As　they　approached　the　stye；　Harry　turned　away　his
head　with　a　look　of　disgust。　　They　were　eating　out　of　the　trough。

〃They　make　such　a　nasty　noise！〃　he　said。

〃Yes；　but　just　look：　don't　they　enjoy　it？〃　said　Hugh。

Harry　looked　at　them。　　The　notion　of　their　enjoyment　seemed　to　dawn
upon　him　as　something　quite　new。　　He　went　nearer　and　nearer　to　the
stye。　　At　last　a　smile　broke　out　over　his　countenance。

〃How　tight　that　one　curls　his　tail！〃　said　he；　and　burst　out
laughing。

〃How　dreadfully　this　boy　must　have　been　mismanaged！〃　thought　Hugh　to
himself。　〃But　there　is　no　fear　of　him　now；　I　hope。〃

By　this　time　they　had　been　wandering　about　for　more　than　an　hour；
and　Hugh　saw；　by　Harry's　increased　paleness；　that　he　was　getting
tired。

〃Here；　Harry；　get　on　my　back；　my　boy；　and　have　a　ride。　　You're
tired。〃

And　Hugh　knelt　down。

Harry　shrunk　back。

〃I　shall　spoil　your　coat　with　my　shoes。〃

〃Nonsense！　　Rub　them　well　on　the　grass　there。　　And　then　get　on　my
back　directly。〃

Harry　did　as　he　was　bid；　and　found　his　tutor's　broad　back　and　strong
arms　a　very　comfortable　saddle。　　So　away　they　went；　wandering　about
for　a　long　time；　in　their　new　relation　of　horse　and　his　rider。　　At
length　they　got　into　the　middle　of　a　long　narrow　avenue；　quite
neglected；　overgrown　with　weeds；　and　obstructed　with　rubbish。　　But
the　trees　were　fine　beeches；　of　great　growth　and　considerable　age。
One　end　led　far　into　a　wood；　and　the　other　towards　the　house；　a
small　portion　of　which　could　be　seen　at　the　end；　the　avenue
appearing　to　reach　close　up　to　it。

〃Don't　go　down　this；〃　said　Harry。

〃Well；　it's　not　a　very　good　road　for　a　horse　certainly；　but　I　think
I　can　go　it。　　What　a　beautiful　avenue！　　Why　is　it　so　neglected？〃

〃Don't　go　down　there；　please；　dear　horse。〃

Harry　was　getting　wonderfully　at　home　with　Hugh　already。

〃Why？〃　asked　Hugh。

〃They　call　it　the　Ghost's　Walk；　and　I　don't　much　like　it。　　It　has　a
strange　distracted　look！〃

〃That's　a　long　word；　and　a　descriptive　one　too；〃　thought　Hugh；　but；
considering　that　there　would　come　many　a　better　opportunity　of
combating　the　boy's　fears　than　now；　he　simply　said：　〃Very　well；
Harry；〃and　proceeded　to　leave　the　avenue　by　the　other　side。　　But
Harry　was　not　yet　satisfied。

〃Please；　Mr。　Sutherland；　don't　go　on　that　side；　just　now。　　Ride　me
back；　please。　　It　is　not　safe；　they　say；　to　cross　her　path。　　She
always　follows　any　one　who　crosses　her　path。〃

Hugh　laughed；　but　again　said；　〃Very　well；　my　boy；〃　and；　returning；
left　the　avenue　by　the　side　by　which　he　had　entered　it。

〃Shall　we　go　home　to　luncheon　now？〃　said　Harry。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Hugh。　〃Could　we　not　go　by　the　front　of　the　house？　　I
should　like　very　much　to　see　it。〃

〃Oh；　certainly；〃　said　Harry；　and　proceeded　to　direct　Hugh　how　to　go；
but　evidently　did　not　know　quite　to　his　own　satisfaction。　　There
being；　however；　but　little　foliage　yet；　Hugh　could　discover　his　way
pretty　well。　　He　promised　himself　many　a　delightful　wander　in　the
woody　regions　in　the　evenings。

They　managed　to　get　round　to　the　front　of　the　house；　not　without
some　difficulty；　and　then　Hugh　saw　to　his　surprise　that；　although
not　imposing　in　appearance；　it　was　in　extent　more　like　a　baronial
residence　than　that　of　a　simple　gentleman。　　The　front　was　very　long；
apparently　of　all　ages；　and　of　all　possible　styles　of　architecture；
the　result　being　somewhat　mysterious　and　eminently　picturesque。　　All
kinds　of　windows；　all　kinds　of　projections　and　recesses；　a　house
here；　joined　to　a　hall　there；　here　a　pointed　gable；　the　very　bell　on
the　top　overgrown　and　apparently　choked　with　ivy；　there　a　wide　front
with　large　bay　windows；　and　next　a　turret　of　old　stone；　with　not　a
shred　of　ivy　upon　it；　but　crowded　over　with　grey…green　lichens；
which　looked　as　if　the　stone　itself　had　taken　to　growing；　multitudes
of　roofs；　of　all　shapes　and　materials；　so　that　one　might　very　easily
be　lost　amongst　the　chimneys　and　gutters　and　dormer　windows　and
pinnaclesmade　up　the　appearance　of　the　house　on　the　outside　to
Hugh's　first　inquiring　glance；　as　he　paused　at　a　little　distance
with　Harry　on　his　back；　and　scanned　the　wonderful　pile　before　him。
But　as　he　looked　at　the　house　of　Arnstead；　Euphra　was　looking　at
him　with　the　boy　on　his　back；　from　one　of　the　smaller　windows。　　Was
she　making　up　her　mind？

〃You　are　as　kind　to　me　as　Euphra；〃　said　Harry；　as　Hugh　set　him　down
in　the　hall。　〃I've　enjoyed　my　ride　very　much；　thank　you；　Mr。
Sutherland。　　I　am　sure　Euphra　will　like　you　very　muchshe　likes
everybody。〃




CHAPTER　III。

EUPHRASIA。

　　　　　then　purged　with　Euphrasy　and　Rue
The　visual　nerve；　for　he　had　much　to　see。

Paradise　Lost；　b。　xi。


Soft　music　came　to　mine　ear。　　It　was　like　the　rising　breeze；　that
whirls；　at　first；　the　thistle's　beard；　then　flies；　dark…shadowy；
over　the　grass。　　It　was　the　maid　of　Fu鋜fed　wild：　she　raised　the
nightly　song；　for　she　knew　that　my　soul　was　a　stream；　that　flowed　at
pleasant　sounds。

Ossian。Oina…Morul。

Harry　led　Hugh　by　the　hand　to　the　dining…room；　a　large　oak　hall　with
Gothic　windows；　and　an　open　roof　supported　by　richly　carved
woodwork；　in　the　squares　amidst　which　were　painted　many　escutcheons
parted　by　fanciful　devices。　　Over　the　high　stone　carving　above　the
chimney　hung　an　old　piece　of　tapestry；　occupying　the　whole　space
between　that　and　the　roof。　　It　represented　a　hunting…party　of　ladies
and　gentlemen；　just　setting　out。　　The　table　looked　very　small　in　the
centre　of　the　room；　though　it　would　have　seated　twelve　or　fourteen。
It　was　already　covered　for　luncheon；　and　in　a　minute　Euphra　entered
and　took　her　place　without　a　word。　　Hugh　sat　on　one　side　and　Harry
on　the　other。　　Euphra；　having　helped　both　to　soup；　turned　to　Harry
and　said；　〃Well；　Harry；　I　hope　you　have　enjoyed　your　first　lesson。〃

〃Very　much；〃　answered　Harry　with　a　smile。　〃I　have　learned　pigs　and
horseback。〃

〃The　boy　is　positively　clever；〃　thought　Hugh。

〃Mr。　Sutherland〃he　continued；　〃has　begun　to　teach　me　to　like
creatures。〃

〃But　I　thought　you　were　very　fond　of　your　wild…beast　book；　Harry。〃

〃Oh！　yes；　but　that　was　only　in　the　book；　you　know。　　I　like　the
stories　about　them；　of　course。　　But　to　like　pigs；　you　know；　is　quite
different。　　They　are　so　ugly　and　ill…bred。　　I　like　them　though。〃

〃You　seem　to　have　quite　gained　Harry　already；〃　said　Euphra；　glancing
at　Hugh；　and　looking　away　as　quickly。

〃We　are　very　good　friends；　and　shall　be；　I　think；〃　replied　he。

Harry　looked　at　him　affectionately；　and　said　to　him；　not　to　Euphra；
〃Oh！　yes；　that　we　shall；　I　am　sure。〃　　Then　turning　to　the　lady〃Do
you　know；　Euphra；　he　is　my　big　brother？〃

〃You　must　mind　how　you　make　new　relations；　though；　Harry；　for　you
know　that　would　make　him　my　cousin。〃

〃Well；