david elginbrod-第77章

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voice　from　the　grave；　saying：　〃Here　dwelleth　some　sadness；　but　no
despair。〃　　As　he　strolled　about　among　them；　the　whole　history　of　his
past　life　arose　before　him。　　This　often　happens　before　any　change　in
our　history；　and　is　surest　to　take　place　at　the　approach　of　the
greatest　change　of　all；　when　we　are　about　to　pass　into　the　unknown；
whence　we　came。

In　this　mood；　it　was　natural　that　his　sins　should　rise　before　him。
They　came　as　the　shadows　of　his　best　pleasures。　　For　now；　in
looking　back；　he　could　fix　on　no　period　of　his　history；　around　which
the　aureole；　which　glorifies　the　sacred　things　of　the　past；　had
gathered　in　so　golden　a　hue；　as　around　the　memory　of　the　holy
cottage；　the　temple　in　which　abode　David；　and　Janet；　and　Margaret。
All　the　story　glided　past；　as　the　necromantic　Will　called　up　the
sleeping　dead　in　the　mausoleum　of　the　brain。　　And　that　solemn；
kingly；　gracious　old　man；　who　had　been　to　him　a　father；　he　had
forgotten；　the　homely　tenderness　which；　from　fear　of　its　own　force；
concealed　itself　behind　a　humorous　roughness　of　manner；　he　hadno；
not　despisedbut　forgotten；　too；　and　if　the　dim　pearly　loveliness
of　the　trustful；　grateful　maiden　had　not　been　quite　forgotten；　yet
she　too　had　been　neglected；　had　died；　as　it　were；　and　been　buried　in
the　churchyard　of　the　past；　where　the　grass　grows　long　over　the
graves；　and　the　moss　soon　begins　to　fill　up　the　chiselled　records。
He　was　ungrateful。　　He　dared　not　allow　to　himself　that　he　was
unloving；　but　he　must　confess　himself　ungrateful。

Musing　sorrowfully　and　self…reproachfully；　he　came　to　the　Ghost's
Avenue。　　Up　and　down　its　aisle　he　walked；　a　fit　place　for
remembering　the　past；　and　the　sins　of　the　present。　　Yielding　himself
to　what　thoughts　might　arise；　the　strange　sight　he　had　seen　here　on
that　moonlit　night；　of　two　silent　wandering　figuresor　could　it　be
that　they　were　one　and　the　same；　suddenly　changed　in　hue？returned
upon　him。　　This　vision　had　been　so　speedily　followed　by　the　second
and　more　alarming　apparition　of　Lady　Euphrasia；　that　he　had　hardly
had　time　to　speculate　on　what　the　former　could　have　been。　　He　was
meditating　upon　all　these　strange　events；　and　remarking　to　himself
that；　since　his　midnight　encounter　with　Lady　Euphrasia；　the　house
had　been　as　quiet　as　a　church…yard　at　noon；　when　all　suddenly；　he
saw　before　him；　at　some　little　distance；　a　dark　figure　approaching
him。　　His　heart　seemed　to　bound　into　his　throat　and　choke　him；　as　he
said　to　himself：　〃It　is　the　nun　again！〃　　But　the　next　moment　he　saw
that　it　was　Euphra。　　I　do　not　know　which　he　would　have　preferred　not
meeting　alone；　and　in　the　deepening　twilight：　Euphra；　too；　had
become　like　a　ghost　to　him。　　His　first　impulse　was　to　turn　aside
into　the　wood；　but　she　had　seen　him；　and　was　evidently　going　to
address　him。　　He　therefore　advanced　to　meet　her。　　She　spoke　first；
approaching　him　with　painful　steps。

〃I　have　been　looking　for　you；　Mr。　Sutherland。　　I　wanted　very　much　to
have　a　little　conversation　with　you　before　you　go。　　Will　you　allow
me？〃

Hugh　felt　like　a　culprit　directly。　　Euphra's　manner　was　quite
collected　and　kind；　yet　through　it　all　a　consciousness　showed
itself；　that　the　relation　which　had　once　existed　between　them　had
passed　away　for　ever。　　In　her　voice　there　was　something　like　the
tone　of　wind　blowing　through　a　ruin。

〃I　shall　be　most　happy；〃　said　he。

She　smiled　sadly。　　A　great　change　had　passed　upon　her。

〃I　am　going　to　be　quite　open　with　you；〃　she　said。　〃I　am　perfectly
aware；　as　well　as　you　are；　that　the　boyish　fancy　you　had　for　me　is
gone。　　Do　not　be　offended。　　You　are　manly　enough；　but　your　love　for
me　was　boyish。　　Most　first　loves　are　childish；　quite　irrespective　of
age。　　I　do　not　blame　you　in　the　least。〃

This　seemed　to　Hugh　rather　a　strange　style　to　assume；　if　all　was
true　that　his　own　eyes　had　reported。　　She　went　on：

〃Nor　must　you　think　it　has　cost　me　much　to　lose　it。〃

Hugh　felt　hurt；　at　which　no　one　who　understands　will　be　surprised。

〃But　I　cannot　afford　to　lose　you；　the　only　friend　I　have；〃　she
added。

Hugh　turned　towards　her　with　a　face　full　of　manhood　and　truth。

〃You　shall　not　lose　me；　Euphra；　if　you　will　be　honest　to　yourself
and　to　me。〃

〃Thank　you。　　I　can　trust　you。　　I　will　be　honest。〃

At　that　moment；　without　the　revival　of　a　trace　of　his　former
feelings；　Hugh　felt　nearer　to　her　than　he　had　ever　felt　before。　　Now
there　seemed　to　be　truth　between　them；　the　only　medium　through　which
beings　can　unite。

〃I　fear　I　have　wronged　you　much；〃　she　went　on。　〃I　do　not　mean　some
time　ago。〃　　Here　she　hesitated。〃I　fear　I　am　the　cause　of　your
leaving　Arnstead。〃

〃You；　Euphra？　　No。　You　must　be　mistaken。〃

〃I　think　not。　　But　I　am　compelled　to　make　an　unwilling　disclosure　of
a　secreta　sad　secret　about　myself。　　Do　not　hate　me　quiteI　am　a
somnambulist。〃

She　hid　her　face　in　her　hands；　as　if　the　night　which　had　now　closed
around　them　did　not　hide　her　enough。　　Hugh　did　not　reply。　　Absorbed
in　the　interest　which　both　herself　and　her　confession　aroused　in
him；　he　could　only　listen　eagerly。　　She　went　on；　after　a　moment's
pause：

〃I　did　not　think　at　first　that　I　had　taken　the　ring。　　I　thought
another　had。　　But　last　night；　and　not　till　then；　I　discovered　that　I
was　the　culprit。〃

〃How？〃

〃That　requires　explanation。　　I　have　no　recollection　of　the　events　of
the　previous　night　when　I　have　been　walking　in　my　sleep。　　Indeed；
the　utter　absence　of　a　sense　of　dreaming　always　makes　me　suspect
that　I　have　been　wandering。　　But　sometimes　I　have　a　vivid　dream；
which　I　know；　though　I　can　give　no　proof　of　it；　to　be　a　reproduction
of　some　previous　somnambulic　experience。　　Do　not　ask　me　to　recall
the　horrors　I　dreamed　last　night。　　I　am　sure　I　took　the　ring。〃

〃Then　you　dreamed　what　you　did　with　it？〃

〃Yes；　I　gave　it　to〃

Here　her　voice　sank　and　ceased。　　Hugh　would　not　urge　her。

〃Have　you　mentioned　this　to　Mr。　Arnold？〃

〃No。　I　do　not　think　it　would　do　any　good。　　But　I　will；　if　you　wish
it；〃　she　added　submissively。

〃Not　at　all。　　Just　as　you　think　best。〃

〃I　could　not　tell　him　everything。　　I　cannot　tell　you　everything。　　If
I　did；　Mr。　Arnold　would　turn　me　out　of　the　house。　　I　am　a　very
unhappy　girl；　Mr。　Sutherland。〃

》From　the　tone　of　these　words；　Hugh　could　not　for　a　moment　suppose
that　Euphra　had　any　remaining　design　of　fascination　in　them。

〃Perhaps　he　might　want　to　keep　you；　if　I　told　him　all；　but　I　do　not
think；　after　the　way　he　has　behaved　to　you；　that　you　could　stay　with
him；　for　he　would　never　apologize。　　It　is　very　selfish　of　me；　but
indeed　I　have　not　the　courage　to　confess　to　him。〃

〃I　assure　you　nothing　could　make　me　remain　now。　　But　what　can　I　do
for　you？〃

〃Only　let　me　depend　upon　you；　in　case　I　should　need　your　help；　or〃

Here　Euphra　stopped　suddenly；　and　caught　hold　of　Hugh's　left　hand；
which　he　had　lifted　to　brush　an　insect　from　his　face。

〃Where　is　your　ring？〃　she　said；　in　a　tone　of　suppressed　anxiety。

〃Gone；　Euphra。　　My　father's　ring！　　It　was　lying　beside　Lady
Euphrasia's。〃

Euphra's　face　was　again　hidden　in　her　hands。　　She　sobbed　and　moaned
like　one　in　despair。　　When　she　grew　a　little　calmer；　she　said：

〃I　am　sure　I　did　not　take　your　ring；　dear　HughI　am　not　a　thief。　　I
had　a　kind　of　right　to　the　other；　and　he　said　it　ought　to　have　been
his；　for　his　real　name　was　Count　von　Halkarthe　same　name　as　Lady
Euphrasia's　before　she　was　married。　　He　took　it；　I　am　sure。〃

〃It　was　he　that　knocked　me　down　in　the　dark　that　night　then；
Euphra。〃

〃Did　he？　　Oh！　　I　shall　have　to　tell　you　all。That　wretch　has　a
terrible　power　over　me。　　I　loved　him　once。　　But　I　refused　to　take
the　ring　from　your　desk；　because　I　knew　it　would　get　you　into
trouble。　　He　threw　me　into　a　somnambulic　sleep；　and　sent　me　for　the
ring。　　But　I　should　have　remembered　if　I　had　taken　yours。　　Even　in
my　sleep；　I　don't　think　he　could　have　made　me　do　that。　　You　may　know
I　speak　the　truth；　when　I　am　telling　my　own　disgrace。　　He　promised
to　set　me　free　if　I　would　get　the　ring；　but　he　has　not　done　it；　and
he　will　not。〃

Sobs　again　interrupted　her。

〃I　was　afraid　your　ring　was　gone。　　I　don't　know　why　I　thought　so；
except　that　you　hadn't　it　on；　when　you　came　to　see　me。　　Or　perhaps
it　was　be