david elginbrod-第29章

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

〃Well；　you　will　be　a　kind　cousin　to　him；　won't　you？〃

〃I　will　try；〃　replied　Euphra；　looking　up　at　Hugh　with　a　na飗e
expression　of　shyness；　and　the　slightest　possible　blush。

Hugh　began　to　think　her　pretty；　almost　handsome。　　His　next　thought
was　to　wonder　how　old　she　was。　　But　about　this　he　could　not　at　once
make　up　his　mind。　　She　might　be　four…and…twenty；　she　might　be
two…and…thirty。　　She　had　black；　lustreless　hair；　and　eyes　to　match；
as　far　as　colour　was　concernedbut　they　could　sparkle；　and　probably
flash　upon　occasion；　a　low　forehead；　but　very　finely　developed　in
the　faculties　that　dwell　above　the　eyes；　slender　but　very　dark
eyebrowsjust　black　arched　lines　in　her　rather　sallow　complexion；
nose　straight；　and　nothing　remarkable〃an　excellent　thing　in
woman；〃　a　mouth　indifferent　when　at　rest；　but　capable　of　a　beautiful
laugh。　　She　was　rather　tall；　and　of　a　pretty　enough　figure；　hands
good；　feet　invisible。　　Hugh　came　to　these　conclusions　rapidly
enough；　now　that　his　attention　was　directed　to　her；　for；　though
naturally　unobservant；　his　perception　was　very　acute　as　soon　as　his
attention　was　roused。

〃Thank　you；〃　he　replied　to　her　pretty　speech。　〃I　shall　do　my　best　to
deserve　it。〃

〃I　hope　you　will；　Mr。　Sutherland；〃　rejoined　she；　with　another　arch
look。　〃Take　some　wine；　Harry。〃

She　poured　out　a　glass　of　sherry；　and　gave　it　to　the　boy；　who　drank
it　with　some　eagerness。　　Hugh　could　not　approve　of　this；　but　thought
it　too　early　to　interfere。　　Turning　to　Harry；　he　said：

〃Now；　Harry；　you　have　had　rather　a　tiring　morning。　　I　should　like
you　to　go　and　lie　down　a　while。〃

〃Very　well；　Mr。　Sutherland；〃　replied　Harry；　who　seemed　rather
deficient　in　combativeness；　as　well　as　other　boyish　virtues。　〃Shall
I　lie　down　in　the　library？〃

〃Nohave　a　change。〃

〃In　my　bed…room？〃

〃No；　I　think　not。　　Go　to　my　room；　and　lie　on　the　couch　till　I　come
to　you。〃

Harry　went；　and　Hugh；　partly　for　the　sake　of　saying　something；　and
partly　to　justify　his　treatment　of　Harry；　told　Euphra；　whose　surname
he　did　not　yet　know；　what　they　had　been　about　all　the　morning；
ending　with　some　remark　on　the　view　of　the　house　in　front。　　She
heard　the　account　of　their　proceedings　with　apparent　indifference；
replying　only　to　the　remark　with　which　he　closed　it：

〃It　is　rather　a　large　house；　is　it　not；　for　threeI　beg　your
pardon；　for　four　persons　to　live　in；　Mr。　Sutherland？〃

〃It　is；　indeed；　it　quite　bewilders　me。〃

〃To　tell　the　truth；　I　don't　quite　know　above　the　half　of　it　myself。〃

Hugh　thought　this　rather　a　strange　assertion；　large　as　the　house
was；　but　she　went　on：

〃I　lost　myself　between　the　housekeeper's　room　and　my　own；　no　later
than　last　week。〃

I　suppose　there　was　a　particle　of　truth　in　this；　and　that　she　had
taken　a　wrong　turning　in　an　abstracted　fit。　　Perhaps　she　did　not
mean　it　to　be　taken　as　absolutely　true。

〃You　have　not　lived　here　long；　then？〃

〃Not　long　for　such　a　great　place。　　A　few　years。　　I　am　only　a　poor
relation。〃

She　accompanied　this　statement　with　another　swift　uplifting　of　the
eyelids。　　But　this　time　her　eyes　rested　for　a　moment　on　Hugh's；　with
something　of　a　pleading　expression；　and　when　they　fell；　a　slight
sigh　followed。　　Hugh　felt　that　he　could　not　quite　understand　her。　　A
vague　suspicion　crossed　his　mind　that　she　was　bewitching　him；　but
vanished　instantly。　　He　replied　to　her　communication　by　a　smile；　and
the　remark：

〃You　have　the　more　freedom；　then。Did　you　know　Harry's　mother？〃　he
added；　after　a　pause。

〃No。　She　died　when　Harry　was　born。　　She　was　very　beautiful；　and；
they　say；　very　clever；　but　always　in　extremely　delicate　health。
Between　ourselves；　I　doubt　if　there　was　much　sympathythat　is；　if
my　uncle　and　she　quite　understood　each　other。　　But　that　is　an　old
story。〃

A　pause　followed。　　Euphra　resumed：

〃As　to　the　freedom　you　speak　of；　Mr。　Sutherland；　I　do　not　quite　know
what　to　do　with　it。　　I　live　here　as　if　the　place　were　my　own；　and
give　what　orders　I　please。　　But　Mr。　Arnold　shows　me　little
attentionhe　is　so　occupied　with　one　thing　and　another；　I　hardly
know　what；　and　if　he　did；　perhaps　I　should　get　tired　of　him。　　So；
except　when　we　have　visitors；　which　is　not　very　often；　the　time
hangs　rather　heavy　on　my　hands。〃

〃But　you　are　fond　of　readingand　writing；　too；　I　suspect；〃　Hugh
ventured　to　say。

She　gave　him　another　of　her　glances；　in　which　the　apparent　shyness
was　mingled　with　something　for　which　Hugh　could　not　find　a　name。
Nor　did　he　suspect；　till　long　after；　that　it　was　in　reality
slyness；　so　tempered　with　archness；　that；　if　discovered；　it　might
easily　pass　for　an　expression　playfully　assumed。

〃Oh！　yes；〃　she　said；　〃one　must　read　a　book　now　and　then；　and　if　a
verse〃again　a　glance　and　a　slight　blush〃should　come　up　from
nobody　knows　where；　one　may　as　well　write　it　down。　　But；　please；　do
not　take　me　for　a　literary　lady。　　Indeed；　I　make　not　the　slightest
pretensions。　　I　don't　know　what　I　should　do　without　Harry；　and
indeed；　indeed；　you　must　not　steal　him　from　me；　Mr。　Sutherland。〃

〃I　should　be　very　sorry；〃　replied　Hugh。　〃Let　me　beg　you；　as　far　as　I
have　a　right　to　do　so；　to　join　us　as　often　and　as　long　as　you
please。　　I　will　go　and　see　how　he　is。　　I　am　sure　the　boy　only　wants
thorough　rousing；　alternated　with　perfect　repose。〃

He　went　to　his　own　room；　where　he　found　Harry；　to　his　satisfaction；
fast　asleep　on　the　sofa。　　He　took　care　not　to　wake　him；　but　sat　down
beside　him　to　read　till　his　sleep　should　be　over。　　But；　a　moment
after；　the　boy　opened　his　eyes　with　a　start　and　a　shiver；　and　gave　a
slight　cry。　　When　he　saw　Hugh　he　jumped　up；　and　with　a　smile　which
was　pitiful　to　see　upon　a　scared　face；　said：

〃Oh！　　I　am　so　glad　you　are　there。〃

〃What　is　the　matter；　dear　Harry？〃

〃I　had　a　dreadful　dream。〃

〃What　was　it？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　It　always　comes。　　It　is　always　the　same。　　I　know
that。　　And　yet　I　can　never　remember　what　it　is。〃

Hugh　soothed　him　as　well　as　he　could；　and　he　needed　it；　for　the　cold
drops　were　standing　on　his　forehead。　　When　he　had　grown　calmer；　he
went　and　fetched　Gulliver；　and；　to　the　boy's　great　delight；　read　to
him　till　dinner…time。　　Before　the　first　bell　rang；　he　had　quite
recovered；　and　indeed　seemed　rather　interested　in　the　approach　of
dinner。

Dinner　was　an　affair　of　some　state　at　Arnstead。　　Almost　immediately
after　the　second　bell　had　rung；　Mr。　Arnold　made　his　appearance　in
the　drawing…room；　where　the　others　were　already　waiting　for　him。
This　room　had　nothing　of　the　distinctive　character　of　the　parts　of
the　house　which　Hugh　had　already　seen。　　It　was　merely　a　handsome
modern　room；　of　no　great　size。　　Mr。　Arnold　led　Euphra　to　dinner；　and
Hugh　followed　with　Harry。

Mr。　Arnold's　manner　to　Hugh　was　the　same　as　in　the
morningstudiously　polite；　without　the　smallest　approach　to
cordiality。　　He　addressed　him　as　an　equal；　it　is　true；　but　an　equal
who　could　never　be　in　the　smallest　danger　of　thinking　he　meant　it。
Hugh；　who；　without　having　seen　a　great　deal　of　the　world；　yet　felt
much　the　same　wherever　he　was；　took　care　to　give　him　all　that　he
seemed　to　look　for；　as　far　at　least　as　was　consistent　with　his　own
self…respect。　　He　soon　discovered　that　he　was　one　of　those　men；　who；
if　you　will　only　grant　their　position；　and　acknowledge　their
authority；　will　allow　you　to　have　much　your　own　way　in　everything。
His　servants　had　found　this　out　long　ago；　and　almost　everything
about　the　house　was　managed　as　they　pleased；　but　as　the　oldest　of
them　were　respectable　family　servants；　nothing　went　very　far　wrong。
They　all；　however；　waited　on　Euphra　with　an　assiduity　that　showed
she　was；　or　could　be；　quite　mistress　when　and　where　she　pleased。
Perhaps　they　had　found　out　that　she　had　great　influence　with　Mr。
Arnold；　and　certainly　he　seemed　very　fond　of　her　indeed；　after　a
stately　fashion。　　She　spoke　to　the　servants　with　peculiar
gentleness；　never　said；　if　you　please；　but　always；　thank　you。　　Harry
never　asked　for　anything；　but　always　looked　to　Euphra；　who　gave　the
necessary　order。　　Hugh　saw　that　the　boy　was　quite　dependent　upon
her；　seeming　of　himself　scarcely　capable　of　originating　the　simple