david elginbrod-第68章
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Bohemian； laughing。
〃I will be responsible for that；〃 replied Mr。 Arnold。
Euphra dropped a little behind with Hugh。
〃Remember the secret passage；〃 said she。 〃You can get out when you
will； whether they lock the door； or not。 Don't carry it too far；
Hugh。〃
〃The ghost you mean； Euphra。I don't think I shall；〃 said Hugh；
laughing。 But as he laughed； an involuntary shudder passed through
him。
〃Have I stepped over my own grave？〃 thought he。
They reached the room； and entered。 Hugh would have begged them to
lock him in； had he not felt that his knowledge of the secret door；
would； although he intended no use of it； render such a proposal
dishonourable。 They gave him the key of the door； to lock it on the
inside； and bade him good night。 They were just leaving him； when
Hugh on whom a new light had broken at last； in the gradual
restoration of his faculties； said to the Bohemian：
〃One word with you； Herr von Funkelstein； if you please。〃
Funkelstein followed him into the room； when Hugh half…closing the
door； said：
〃I trust to your sympathy； as gentleman； not to misunderstand me。 I
wagered a hundred guineas with you in the heat of after…dinner talk。
I am not at present worth a hundred shillings。〃
〃Oh！〃 began Funkelstein； with a sneer； 〃if you wish to get off on
that ground〃
〃Herr von Funkelstein；〃 interrupted Hugh； in a very decided tone； 〃I
pointed to your sympathy as a gentleman； as the ground on which I
had hoped to meet you now。 If you have difficulty in finding that
ground； another may be found to…morrow without much seeking。〃
Hugh paused for a moment after making this grand speech； but
Funkelstein did not seem to understand him： he stood in a waiting
attitude。 Hugh therefore went on：
〃Meantime； what I wanted to say is this：I have just left a ring in
my room； which； though in value considerably below the sum mentioned
between us； may yet be a pledge of my good faith； in as far as it is
of infinitely more value to me than can be reckoned in money。 It
was the property of one who by birth； and perhaps by social position
as well； was Herr von Funkelstein's equal。 The ring is a diamond；
and belonged to my father。〃
Von Funkelstein merely replied：
〃I beg your pardon； Mr。 Sutherland； for misunderstanding you。 The
ring is quite an equivalent。〃 And making him a respectful bow； he
turned and left him。
CHAPTER XXIV。
THE LADY EUPHRASIA。
The black jades of swart night trot foggy rings
'Bout heaven's brow。 'Tis now stark dead night。
JOHN MARSTON。Second Part of Antonio and Mellida。
As soon as Hugh was alone； his first action was to lock the door by
which he had entered； his next to take the key from the lock； and
put it in his pocket。 He then looked if there were any other
fastenings； and finding an old tarnished brass bolt as well；
succeeded in making it do its duty for the first time that century；
which required some persuasion； as may be supposed。 He then turned
towards the other door。 As he crossed the room； he found four
candles； a decanter of port； and some biscuits； on a tableplaced
there； no doubt； by the kind hands of Euphra。 He vowed to himself
that he would not touch the wine。 〃I have had enough of that for one
night；〃 said he。 But he lighted the candles； and then saw that the
couch was provided with plenty of wraps for the night。 One of
themhe recognised to his delightwas a Cameron tartan； often worn
by Euphra。 He buried his face in it for a moment； and drew from it
fresh courage。 He then went into the furthest recess； lifted the
tapestry； and proceeded to fasten the concealed door。 But； to his
discomfiture； he could find no fastening upon it。 〃No doubt；〃
thought he； 〃it does fasten； in some secret way or other。〃 But he
could discover none。 There was no mark of bolt or socket to show
whence one had been removed； nor sign of friction to indicate that
the door had ever been made secure in such fashion。 It closed with
a spring。
〃Then；〃 said Hugh； apostrophising the door； 〃I must watch you。〃
As； however； it was not yet near the time when ghosts are to be
expected； and as he felt very tired； he drank one glass of the wine；
and throwing himself on the couch； drew Euphra's shawl over him；
opened his book； and began to read。 But the words soon vanished in
a bewildering dance； and he slept。
He started awake in that agony of fear in which I suppose most
people have awaked in the night； once or twice in their lives。 He
felt that he was not alone。 But the feeling seemed； when he
recalled it； to have been altogether different from that with which
we recognise the presence of the most unwelcome bodily visitor。 The
whole of his nervous skeleton seemed to shudder and contract。 Every
sense was intensified to the acme of its acuteness； while the powers
of volition were inoperative。 He could not move a finger。
The moment in which he first saw the object I am about to describe；
he could not recall。 The impression made seemed to have been too
strong for the object receiving it； destroying thus its own traces；
as an overheated brand…iron would in dry timber。 Or it may be that；
after such a pre…sensation； the cause of it could not surprise him。
He saw； a few paces off； bending as if looking down upon him； a face
which； if described as he described it； would be pronounced as far
past the most liberal boundary…line of art； as itself had passed
beyond that degree of change at which a human countenance is fit for
the upper world no longer； and must be hidden away out of sight。
The lips were dark； and drawn back from the closed teeth； which
were white as those of a skull。 There were spotsin fact； the face
corresponded exactly to the description given by Funkelstein of the
reported ghost of Lady Euphrasia。 The dress was point for point
correspondent to that in the picture。 Had the portrait of Lady
Euphrasia been hanging on the wall above； instead of the portrait of
the unknown nun； Hugh would have thought； as far as dress was
concerned； that it had come alive； and stepped from its
frameexcept for one thing： there was no ring on the thumb。
It was wonderful to himself afterwards； that he should have observed
all these particulars； but the fact was； that they rather burnt
themselves in upon his brain； than were taken notice of by him。
They returned upon him afterwards by degrees； as one becomes
sensible of the pain of a wound。
But there was one sign of life。 Though the eyes were closed； tears
flowed from them； and seemed to have worn channels for their
constant flow down this face of death； which ought to have been
lying still in the grave； returning to its dust； and was weeping
above ground instead。 The figure stood for a moment； as one who
would gaze； could she but open her heavy； death…rusted eyelids。
Then； as if in hopeless defeat； she turned away。 And then； to
crown the horror literally as well as figuratively； Hugh saw that
her hair sparkled and gleamed goldenly； as the hair of a saint
might； if the aureole were combed down into it。 She moved towards
the door with a fettered pace； such as one might attribute to the
dead if they walked；to the dead body； I say； not to the living
ghost； to that which has lain in the prison…hold； till the joints
are decayed with the grave…damps； and the muscles are stiff with
more than deathly cold。 She dragged one limb after the other slowly
and； to appearance； painfully； as she moved towards the door which
Hugh had locked。
When she had gone half…way to the door； Hugh； lying as he was on a
couch； could see her feet； for her dress did not reach the ground。
They were bare； as the feet of the dead ought to be； which are
about to tread softly in the realm of Hades； But how stained and
mouldy and iron…spotted； as if the rain had been soaking through the
spongy coffin； did the dress show beside the pure whiteness of those
exquisite feet！ Not a sign of the tomb was upon them。 Small；
living； delicately formed； Hugh； could he have forgot the face they
bore above； might have envied the floor which in their nakedness
they seemed to caress； so lingeringly did they move from it in their
noiseless progress。
She
