david elginbrod-第24部分

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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　simplest
action。　　Mr。　Arnold；　however；　dull　as　he　was；　could　not　help　seeing
that　Harry's　manner　was　livelier　than　usual；　and　seemed　pleased　at
the　slight　change　already　visible　for　the　better。　　Turning　to　Hugh
he　said：

〃Do　you　find　Harry　very　much　behind　with　his　studies；　Mr。
Sutherland？〃

〃I　have　not　yet　attempted　to　find　out；〃　replied　Hugh。

〃Not？〃　said　Mr。　Arnold；　with　surprise。

〃No。　If　he　be　behind；　I　feel　confident　it　will　not　be　for　long。〃

〃But；〃　began　Mr。　Arnold；　pompously；　and　then　he　paused。

〃You　were　kind　enough　to　say；　Mr。　Arnold；　that　I　might　try　my　own
plans　with　him　first。　　I　have　been　doing　so。〃

〃Yescertainly。　　But〃

Here　Harry　broke　in　with　some　animation：

〃Mr。　Sutherland　has　been　my　horse；　carrying　me　about　on　his　back　all
the　morningno；　not　all　the　morningbut　an　hour；　or　an　hour　and　a
halfor　was　it　two　hours；　Mr。　Sutherland？〃

〃I　really　don't　know；　Harry；〃　answered　Hugh；　〃I　don't　think　it
matters　much。〃

Harry　seemed　relieved；　and　went　on：

〃He　has　been　reading　Gulliver's　Travels　to　meoh；　such　fall！　　And
we　have　been　to　see　the　cows　and　the　pigs；　and　Mr。　Sutherland　has
been　teaching　me　to　jump。　　Do　you　know；　papa；　he　jumped　right　over
the　pony's　back　without　touching　it。〃

Mr。　Arnold　stared　at　the　boy　with　lustreless　eyes　and　hanging
checks。　　These　grew　red；　as　if　he　were　going　to　choke。　　Such
behaviour　was　quite　inconsistent　with　the　dignity　of　Arnstead　and
its　tutor；　who　had　been　recommended　to　him　as　a　thorough　gentleman。
But　for　the　present　he　said　nothing；　probably　because　he　could
think　of　nothing　to　say。

〃Certainly　Harry　seems　better　already；〃　interposed　Euphra。

〃I　cannot　help　thinking　Mr。　Sutherland　has　made　a　good　beginning。〃

Mr。　Arnold　did　not　reply；　but　the　cloud　wore　away　from　his　face　by
degrees；　and　at　length　he　asked　Hugh　to　take　a　glass　of　wine　with
him。

When　Euphra　rose　from　the　table；　and　Harry　followed　her　example；
Hugh　thought　it　better　to　rise　as　well。　　Mr。　Arnold　seemed　to
hesitate　whether　or　not　to　ask　him　to　resume　his　seat　and　have　a
glass　of　claret。　　Had　he　been　a　little　wizened　pedagogue；　no　doubt
he　would　have　insisted　on　his　company；　sure　of　acquiescence　from　him
in　every　sentiment　he　might　happen　to　utter。　　But　Hugh　really　looked
so　very　much　like　a　gentleman；　and　stated　his　own　views；　or　adopted
his　own　plans；　with　so　much　independence；　that　Mr。　Arnold　judged　it
safer　to　keep　him　at　arm's　length　for　a　season　at　least；　till　he
should　thoroughly　understand　his　positionnot　that　of　a　guest；　but
that　of　his　son's　tutor；　belonging　to　the　household　of　Arnstead　only
on　approval。

On　leaving　the　dining…room；　Hugh　hesitated；　in　his　turn；　whether　to
betake　himself　to　his　own　room；　or　to　accompany　Euphra　to　the
drawing…room；　the　door　of　which　stood　open　on　the　opposite　side　of
the　hall；　revealing　a　brightness　and　warmth；　which　the　chill　of　the
evening；　and　the　lowness　of　the　fire　in　the　dining…room；　rendered
quite　enticing。　　But　Euphra；　who　was　half…across　the　hall；　seeming
to　divine　his　thoughts；　turned；　and　said；　〃Are　you　not　going　to
favour　us　with　your　company；　Mr。　Sutherland？〃

〃With　pleasure；〃　replied　Hugh；　but；　to　cover　his　hesitation；　added；
〃I　will　be　with　you　presently；〃　and　ran　up　stairs　to　his　own　room。
〃The　old　gentleman　sits　on　his　dignitycan　hardly　be　said　to　stand
on　it；〃　thought　he；　as　he　went。　〃The　poor　relation；　as　she　calls
herself；　treats　me　like　a　guest。　　She　is　mistress　here；　however；
that　is　clear　enough。〃

As　he　descended　the　stairs　to　the　drawing…room；　a　voice　rose　through
the　house；　like　the　voice　of　an　angel。　　At　least　so　thought　Hugh；
hearing　it　for　the　first　time。　　It　seemed　to　take　his　breath　away；
as　he　stood　for　a　moment　on　the　stairs；　listening。　　It　was　only
Euphra　singing　The　Flowers　of　the　Forest。　　The　drawing…room　door　was
still　open；　and　her　voice　rang　through　the　wide　lofty　hall。　　He
entered　almost　on　tip…toe；　that　he　might　lose　no　thread　of　the　fine
tones。Had　she　chosen　the　song　of　Scotland　out　of　compliment　to
him？She　saw　him　enter；　but　went　on　without　hesitating　even。　　In
the　high　notes；　her　voice　had　that　peculiar　vibratory　richness　which
belongs　to　the　nightingale's；　but　he　could　not　help　thinking　that
the　low　tones　were　deficient　both　in　quality　and　volume。　　The
expression　and　execution；　however；　would　have　made　up　for　a　thousand
defects。　　Her　very　soul　seemed　brooding　over　the　dead　upon　Flodden
field；　as　she　sang　this　most　wailful　of　melodiesthis　embodiment　of
a　nation's　grief。　　The　song　died　away　as　if　the　last　breath　had　gone
with　it；　failing　as　it　failed；　and　ceasing　with　its　inspiration；　as
if　the　voice　that　sang　lived　only　for　and　in　the　song。　　A　moment　of
intense　silence　followed。　　Then；　before　Hugh　had　half　recovered　from
the　former；　with　an　almost　grand　dramatic　recoil；　as　if　the　second
sprang　out　of　the　first；　like　an　eagle　of　might　out　of　an　ocean　of
weeping；　she　burst　into　Scots　wha　hae。　　She　might　have　been　a　new
Deborah；　heralding　her　nation　to　battle。　　Hugh　was　transfixed；
turned　icy　cold；　with　the　excitement　of　his　favourite　song　so
sung。Was　that　a　glance　of　satisfied　triumph　with　which　Euphra
looked　at　him　for　a　single　moment？She　sang　the　rest　of　the　song　as
if　the　battle　were　already　gained；　but　looked　no　more　at　Hugh。

The　excellence　of　her　tones；　and　the　lambent　fluidity　of　her
transitions；　if　I　may　be　allowed　the　phrase；　were　made　by　her　art
quite　subservient　to　the　expression；　and　owed　their　chief　value　to
the　share　they　bore　in　producing　it。　　Possibly　there　was　a　little
too　much　of　the　dramatic　in　her　singing；　but　it　was　all　in　good
taste；　and；　in　a　word；　Hugh　had　never　heard　such　singing　before。　　As
soon　as　she　had　finished；　she　rose；　and　shut　the　piano。

〃Do　not；　do　not；〃　faltered　Hugh；　seeking　to　arrest　her　hand；　as　she
closed　the　instrument。

〃I　can　sing　nothing　after　that；〃　she　said　with　emotion；　or　perhaps
excitement；　for　the　trembling　of　her　voice　might　be　attributed　to
either　cause。　〃Do　not　ask　me。〃

Hugh　respectfully　desisted；　but　after　a　few　minutes'　pause　ventured
to　remark：

〃I　cannot　understand　how　you　should　be　able　to　sing　Scotch　songs　so
well。　　I　never　heard　any　but　Scotch　women　sing　them；　even　endurably；
before：　your　singing　of　them　is　perfect。〃

〃It　seems　to　me；〃　said　Euphra；　speaking　as　if　she　would　rather　have
remained　silent；　〃that　a　true　musical　penetration　is　independent　of
styles　and　nationalities。　　It　can　perceive；　or　rather　feel；　and
reproduce；　at　the　same　moment。　　If　the　music　speaks　Scotch；　the
musical　nature　hears　Scotch。　　It　can　take　any　shape；　indeed　cannot
help　taking　any　shape；　presented　to　it。〃

Hugh　was　yet　further　astonished　by　this　criticism　from　one　whom　he
had　been　criticising　with　so　much　carelessness　that　very　day。

〃You　think；　then；〃　said　he；　modestly；　not　as　if　he　would　bring　her
to　book；　but　as　really　seeking　to　learn　from　her；　〃that　a　true
musical　nature　can　pour　itself　into　the　mould　of　any　song；　in　entire
independence　of　association　and　education？〃

〃Yes；　in　independence　of　any　but　what　it　may　provide　for　itself。〃

Euphrasia；　however；　had　left　one　important　element　unrepresented　in
the　construction　of　her　theorynamely；　the　degree　of　capability
which　a　mind　may　possess　of　sympathy　with　any　given　class　of
feelings。　　The　blossom　of　the　mind；　whether　it　flower　in　poetry；
music；　or　any　other　art；　must　be　the　exponent　of　the　nature　and
condition　of　that　whose　blossom　it　is。　　No　mind；　therefore；
incapable　of　sympathising　with　the　feelings　whence　it　springs；　can
interpret　the　music　of　another。　　And　Euphra　herself　was　rather　a
remarkable　instance　of　this　forgotten　fact。

Further　conversation　on　the　subject　was　interrupted　by　the　entrance
of　Mr。　Arnold；　who　looked　rather　annoyed　at　finding　Hugh　in　the
drawing…room；　and　ordered　Harry　off　to　bed；　with　some　little
asperity　of　tone。　　The　boy　rose　at　once；　rang　the　bell；　bade　them
all　good　night；　and　went。　　A　servant　met　him　at　the　door　with　a
candle；　and　accompanied　him。

Thought　Hugh：　〃Here　are　several　things　to　be　righted　at　once。　　The
boy　must　not　have　wine；　and　he