david elginbrod-第51章

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rather　large　room　with　a　shaky　floor　and　a　low　roof。　　A
chintz…curtained　bed　in　one　corner　had　the　skin　of　a　tiger　thrown
over　it；　and　a　table　in　another　had　a　pair　of　foils　lying　upon　it。
The　Germanfor　such　he　seemed　to　Hughoffered　him　a　chair　in　the
politest　manner；　and　Hugh　sat　down。

〃I　am　only　in　lodgings　here；〃　said　the　host；　〃so　you　will　forgive
the　poverty　of　my　establishment。〃

〃There　is　no　occasion　for　forgiveness；　I　assure　you；〃　answered　Hugh。

〃You　wished　to　know　something　of　the　subject　with　which　that
lecturer　was　befooling　himself　and　the　audience　at　the　same　time。〃

〃I　shall　be　grateful　for　any　enlightenment。〃

〃Ah！　it　is　a　subject　for　the　study　of　a　benevolent　scholar；　not　for
such　a　clown　as　that。　　He　jumps　at　no　conclusions；　yet　he　shares　the
fate　of　one　who　does：　he　flounders　in　the　mire　between。　　No　man　will
make　anything　of　it　who　has　not　the　benefit　of　the　human　race　at
heart。　　Humanity　is　the　only　safe　guide　in　matters　such　as　these。
This　is　a　dangerous　study　indeed　in　unskilful　hands。〃

Here　a　frightful　caterwauling　interrupted　Herr　von　Funkelstein。　　The
room　had　a　storm…window；　of　which　the　lattice　stood　open。　　In　front
of　it；　on　the　roof；　seen　against　a　white　house　opposite；　stood　a
demon　of　a　cat；　arched　to　half　its　length；　with　a　tail　expanded　to
double　its　natural　thickness。　　Its　antagonist　was　invisible　from
where　Hugh　sat。　　Von　Funkelstein　started　up　without　making　the
slightest　noise；　trod　as　softly　as　a　cat　to　the　table；　took　up　one
of　the　foils；　removed　the　button；　and；　creeping　close　to　the　window；
made　one　rapid　pass　at　the　enemy；　which　vanished　with　a　shriek　of
hatred　and　fear。　　He　then；　replacing　the　button；　laid　the　foil　down；
and　resumed　his　seat　and　his　discourse。　　This；　after　dealing　with
generalities　and　commonplaces　for　some　time；　gave　no　sign　of　coming
either　to　an　end　or　to　the　point。　　All　the　time　he　was　watching
Hughat　least　so　Hugh　thoughtas　if　speculating　on　him　in　general。
Then　appearing　to　have　come　to　some　conclusion；　he　gave　his　mind
more　to　his　talk；　and　encouraged　Hugh　to　speak　as　well。　　The
conversation　lasted　for　nearly　half　an　hour。　　At　its　close；　Hugh
felt　that　the　stranger　had　touched　upon　a　variety　of　interesting
subjects；　as　one　possessed　of　a　minute　knowledge　of　them。　　But　he
did　not　feel　that　he　had　gained　any　insight　from　his　conversation。
It　seemed　rather　as　if　he　had　been　giving　him　a　number　of
psychological；　social；　literary；　and　scientific　receipts。　　During
the　course　of　the　talk；　his　eye　had　appeared　to　rest　on　Hugh　by　a
kind　of　compulsion；　as　if　by　its　own　will　it　would　have　retired　from
the　scrutiny；　but　the　will　of　its　owner　was　too　strong　for　it。　　In
seemed；　in　relation　to　him；　to　be　only　a　kind　of　tool；　which　he　used
for　a　particular　purpose。

At　length　Funkelstein　rose；　and；　marching　across　the　room　to　a
cupboard；　brought　out　a　bottle　and　glasses；　saying；　in　the　most
by…the…bye　way；　as　he　went：

〃Have　you　the　second…sight；　Mr。　Sutherland？〃

〃Certainly　not；　as　far　as　I　am　aware。〃

〃Ah！　the　Welch　do　have　it；　do　they　not？〃

〃Oh！　yes；　of　course；〃　answered　Hugh　laughing。　〃I　should　like　to
know；　though；〃　he　added；　〃whether　they　inherit　the　gift　as　Celts　or
as　mountaineers。〃

〃Will　you　take　a　glass　of？〃

〃Of　nothing；　thank　you；〃　answered　and　interrupted　Hugh。　〃It　is　time
for　me　to　be　going。　　Indeed；　I　fear　I　have　stayed　too　long　already。
Good　night；　Herr　von　Funkelstein。〃

〃You　will　allow　me　the　honour　of　returning　your　visit？〃

Hugh　felt　he　could　do　no　less；　although　he　had　not　the　smallest
desire　to　keep　up　the　acquaintance。　　He　wrote　Arnstead　on　his　card。

As　he　left　the　house；　he　stumbled　over　something　in　the　court。
Looking　down；　he　saw　it　was　a　cat；　apparently　dead。

〃Can　it　be　the　cat　Herr　Funkelstein　made　the　pass　at？〃　thought　he。
But　presently　he　forgot　all　about　it；　in　the　visions　of　Euphra
which　filled　his　mind　during　his　moonlight　walk　home。　　It　just
occurred　to　him；　however；　before　those　visions　had　blotted
everything　else　from　his　view；　that　he　had　learned　simply　nothing
whatever　about　biology　from　his　late　host。

When　he　reached　home；　he　was　admitted　by　the　butler；　and　retired　to
bed　at　once；　where　he　slept　soundly；　for　the　first　time　for　many
nights。

But；　as　he　drew　near　his　own　room；　he　might　have　seen；　though　he　saw
not；　a　little　white　figure　gliding　away　in　the　far　distance　of　the
long　passage。　　It　was　only　Harry；　who　could　not　lie　still　in　his
bed；　till　he　knew　that　his　big　brother　was　safe　at　home。




CHAPTER　XV。

ANOTHER　EVENING　LECTURE。

This　Eneas　is　come　to　Paradise
Out　of　the　swolowe　of　Hell。

CHAUCER。Legend　of　Dido。

The　next　day；　Hugh　was　determined　to　find　or　make　an　opportunity　of
speaking　to　Euphra；　and　fortune　seemed　to　favour　him。Or　was　it
Euphra　herself；　in　one　or　other　of　her　inexplicable　moods？　　At　all
events；　she　had　that　morning　allowed　the　ladies　and　her　uncle　to　go
without　her；　and　Hugh　met　her　as　he　went　to　his　study。

〃May　I　speak　to　you　for　one　moment？〃　said　he；　hurriedly；　and　with
trembling　lips。

Yes；　certainly；〃　she　replied　with　a　smile；　and　a　glance　in　his　face
as　of　wonder　as　to　what　could　trouble　him　so　much。　　Then　turning；
and　leading　the　way；　she　said：

〃Come　into　my　room。〃

He　followed　her。　　She　turned　and　shut　the　door；　which　he　had　left
open　behind　him。　　He　almost　knelt　to　her；　but　something　held　him
back　from　that。

〃Euphra；〃　he　said；　〃what　have　I　done　to　offend　you？〃

〃Offend　me！　　Nothing。〃This　was　uttered　in　a　perfect　tone　of
surprise。

〃How　is　it　that　you　avoid　me　as　you　do；　and　will　not　allow　me　one
moment's　speech　with　you？　　You　are　driving　me　to　distraction。〃

〃Why；　you　foolish　man！〃　she　answered；　half　playfully；　pressing　the
palms　of　her　little　hands　together；　and　looking　up　in　his　face；　〃how
can　I？　　Don't　you　see　how　those　two　dear　old　ladies　swallow　me　up　in
their　faddles？　　Oh；　dear？　　Oh；　dear！　　I　wish　they　would　go。　　Then　it
would　be　all　right　againwouldn't　it？〃

But　Hugh　was　not　to　be　so　easily　satisfied。

〃Before　they　came；　ever　since　that　night〃

〃Hush…sh！〃　she　interrupted；　putting　her　finger　on　his　lips；　and
looking　hurriedly　round　her　with　an　air　of　fright；　of　which　he　could
hardly　judge　whether　it　was　real　or　assumed〃hush！〃

Comforted　wondrously　by　the　hushing　finger；　Hugh　would　yet
understand　more。

〃I　am　no　baby；　dear　Euphra；〃　he　said；　taking　hold　of　the　hand　to
which　the　finger　belonged；　and　laying　it　on　his　mouth；　〃do　not　make
one　of　me。　　There　is　some　mystery　in　all　thisat　least　something　I
do　not　understand。〃

〃I　will　tell　you　all　about　it　one　day。　　But；　seriously；　you　must　be
careful　how　you　behave　to　me；　for　if　my　uncle　should；　but　for　one
moment；　entertain　a　suspiciongood…bye　to　youperhaps　good…bye　to
Arnstead。　　All　my　influence　with　him　comes　from　his　thinking　that　I
like　him　better　than　anybody　else。　　So　you　must　not　make　the　poor
old　man　jealous。　　By　the　bye；〃　she　went　onrapidly；　as　if　she　would
turn　the　current　of　the　conversation　aside〃what　a　favourite　you
have　grown　with　him！　　You　should　have　heard　him　talk　of　you　to　the
old　ladies。　　I　might　well　be　jealous　of　you。　　There　never　was　a
tutor　like　his。〃

Hugh's　heart　smote　him　that　the　praise　of　even　this　common　man；
proud　of　his　own　vanity；　should　be　undeserved　by　him。　　He　was
troubled；　too；　at　the　flippancy　with　which　Euphra　spoke；　yet　not　the
less　did　he　feel　that　he　loved　her　passionately。

〃I　daresay；〃　he　replied；　〃he　praised　me　as　he　would　anything　else
that　happened　to　be　his。　　Isn't　that　old　bay　horse　of　his　the　best
hack　in　the　county？〃

〃You　naughty　man！　　Are　you　going　to　be　satirical？〃

〃You　claim　that　as　your　privilege；　do　you？〃

〃Worse　and　worse！　　I　will　not　talk　to　you。　　But；　seriously；　for　I
must　gobring　your　Italian　toto〃　She　hesitated。

〃To　the　librarywhy　not？〃　suggested　Hugh。

〃No…o；〃　she　answered；　shaking　her　head；　and　looking　quite　solemn。

〃Well；　will　you　come　to　my　study？　　Will　that　please　you　better？〃

〃Yes；　I　will；〃　she　answered；　with　a　definitive　tone。　〃Good…bye；
now。〃

She　opened　the　door；　and　having　looked　out　to　see　that　no　one　was
passing；　told　him　to　go。　　As　he　went；　he　felt　as　if　the　oaken　floor
were　elastic　be