david elginbrod-第31部分

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the　prayers　and　below　the　psalmsand　made　a　Sunday　of　all　the　week。

Ashamed　of　his　feeling　of　passing　dismay；　Hugh　said；　just　to　say
something：

〃What　a　strange　ornament　that　is！　　Is　it　a　brooch　or　a　pin？　　No；　I
declare　it　is　a　ringlarge　enough　for　three　cardinals；　and　worn　on
her　thumb。　　It　seems　almost　to　sparkle。　　Is　it　ruby；　or　carbuncle；
or　what？〃

〃I　don't　know：　some　clumsy　old　thing；〃　answered　Euphra；　carelessly。

〃Oh！　　I　see；〃　said　Hugh；　〃it　is　not　a　red　stone。　　The　glow　is　only　a
reflection　from　part　of　her　dress。　　It　is　as　clear　as　a　diamond。
But　that　is　impossiblesuch　a　size。　　There　seems　to　me　something
curious　about　it；　and　the　longer　I　look　at　it；　the　more　strange　it
appears。〃

Euphra　stole　another　of　her　piercing　glances　at　him；　but　said
nothing。

〃Surely；〃　Hugh　went　on；　〃a　ring　like　that　would　hardly　be　likely　to
be　lost　out　of　the　family？　　Your　uncle　must　have　it　somewhere。〃

Euphra　laughed；　but　this　laugh　was　very　different　from　the　last。　　It
rattled　rather　than　rang。

〃You　are　wonderfully　taken　with　a　baublefor　a　man　of　letters；　that
is；　Mr。　Sutherland。　　The　stone　may　have　been　carried　down　any　one　of
the　hundred　streams　into　which　a　family　river　is　always　dividing。〃

〃It　is　a　very　remarkable　ornament　for　a　lady's　finger；
notwithstanding；〃　said　Hugh；　smiling　in　his　turn。

〃But　we　shall　never　get　through　the　pictures　at　this　rate；〃　remarked
Euphra；　and　going　on；　she　directed　Hugh's　attention　now　to　this；　now
to　that　portrait；　saying　who　each　was；　and　mentioning　anything
remarkable　in　the　history　of　their　originals。　　She　manifested　a
thorough　acquaintance　with　the　family　story；　and　made；　in　fact；　an
excellent　show…woman。　　Having　gone　nearly　to　the　other　end　of　the
gallery；

〃This　door；〃　said　she；　stopping　at　one；　and　turning　over　the　keys；
〃leads　to　one　of　the　oldest　portions　of　the　house；　the　principal
room　in　which　is　said　to　have　belonged　especially　to　the　lady　over
there。〃

As　she　said　this；　she　fixed　her　eyes　once　more　on　the　maid。

〃Oh！　don't　ye　now；　Miss；〃　interrupted　Jane。　〃Hannah　du　say　as　how　a
whitey…blue　light　shines　in　the　window　of　a　dark　night；
sometimesthat　lady's　window；　you　know；　Miss。　Don't　ye　open　the
doorpray；　Miss。〃

Jane　seemed　on　the　point　of　falling　into　the　same　terror　as　before。

〃Really；　Jane；〃　said　her　mistress；　〃I　am　ashamed　of　you；　and　of
myself；　for　having　such　silly　servants　about　me。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Miss；　but〃

〃So　Mr。　Sutherland　and　I　must　give　up　our　plan　of　going　over　the
house；　because　my　maid's　nerves　are　too　delicate　to　permit　her　to
accompany　us。　　For　shame！〃

〃Oh；　du　ye　now　go　without　me！〃　cried　the　girl；　clasping　her　hands。

〃And　you　will　wait　here　till　we　come　back？〃

〃Oh！　don't　ye　leave　me　here。　　Just　show　me　the　way　out。〃

And　once　more　she　turned　pale　as　death。

〃Mr。　Sutherland；　I　am　very　sorry；　but　we　must　put　off　the　rest　of
our　ramble　till　another　time。　　I　am；　like　Hamlet；　very　vilely
attended；　as　you　see。　　Come；　then；　you　foolish　girl；〃　she　added；
more　mildly。

The　poor　maid；　what　with　terror　of　Lady　Euphrasia；　and　respect　for
her　mistress；　was　in　a　pitiable　condition　of　moral　helplessness。
She　seemed　almost　too　frightened　to　walk　behind　them。　　But　if　she
had　been　in　front　it　would　have　been　no　better；　for；　like　other
ghost…fearers；　she　seemed　to　feel　very　painfully　that　she　had　no
eyes　in　her　back。

They　returned　as　they　came；　and　Jane　receiving　the　keys　to　take　to
the　housekeeper；　darted　away。　　When　she　reached　Mrs。　Horton's　room；
she　sank　on　a　chair　in　hysterics。

〃I　must　get　rid　of　that　girl；　I　fear；〃　said　Miss　Cameron；　leading
the　way　to　the　library；　〃she　will　infect　the　whole　household　with
her　foolish　terrors。　　We　shall　not　hear　the　last　of　this　for　some
time　to　come。　　We　had　a　fit　of　it　the　same　year　I　came；　and　I
suppose　the　time　has　come　round　for　another　attack　of　the　same
epidemic。〃

〃What　is　there　about　the　room　to　terrify　the　poor　thing？〃

〃Oh！　they　say　it　is　haunted；　that　is　all。　　Was　there　ever　an　old
house　anywhere　over　Europe；　especially　an　old　family　house；　but　was
said　to　be　haunted？　　Here　the　story　centres　in　that　roomor　at
least　in　that　room　and　the　avenue　in　front　of　its　windows。〃

〃Is　that　the　avenue　called　the　Ghost's　Walk？〃

〃Yes。　Who　told　you？〃

〃Harry　would　not　let　me　cross　it。〃

〃Poor　boy！　　This　is　really　too　bad。　　He　cannot　stand　anything　of
that　kind；　I　am　sure。　　Those　servants！〃

〃Oh！　　I　hope　we　shall　soon　get　him　too　well　to　be　frightened　at
anything。　　Are　these　places　said　to　be　haunted　by　any　particular
ghost？〃

〃Yes。　By　Lady　EuphrasiaRubbish！〃

Had　Hugh　possessed　a　yet　keener　perception　of　resemblance；　he　would
have　seen　that　the　phantom…likeness　which　haunted　him　in　the
portrait　of　Euphrasia　Halkar；　was　that　of　Euphrasia　Cameronby　his
side　all　the　time。　　But　the　mere　difference　of　complexion　was
sufficient　to　throw　him　outinsignificant　difference　as　that　is；
beside　the　correspondence　of　features　and　their　relations。　　Euphra
herself　was　perfectly　aware　of　the　likeness；　but　had　no　wish　that
Hugh　should　discover　it。

As　if　the　likeness；　however；　had　been　dimly　identified　by　the
unconscious　part　of　his　being；　he　sat　in　one　corner　of　the　library
sofa；　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　face　of　Euphra；　as　she　sat　in　the
other。　　Presently　he　was　made　aware　of　his　unintentional　rudeness；
by　seeing　her　turn　pale　as　death；　and　sink　back　in　the　sofa。　　In　a
moment　she　started　up；　and　began　pacing　about　the　room；　rubbing　her
eyes　and　temples。　　He　was　bewildered　and　alarmed。

〃Miss　Cameron；　are　you　ill？〃　he　exclaimed。

She　gave　a　kind　of　half…hysterical　laugh；　and　said：

〃Nonothing　worth　speaking　of。　　I　felt　a　little　faint；　that　was
all。　　I　am　better　now。〃

She　turned　full　towards　him；　and　seemed　to　try　to　look　all　right；
but　there　was　a　kind　of　film　over　the　clearness　of　her　black　eyes。

〃I　fear　you　have　headache。〃

〃A　little；　but　it　is　nothing。　　I　will　go　and　lie　down。〃

〃Do；　pray；　else　you　will　not　be　well　enough　to　appear　at　dinner。〃

She　retired；　and　Hugh　joined　Hairy。

Euphra　had　another　glass　of　claret　with　her　uncle　that　evening；　in
order　to　give　her　report　of　the　morning's　ride。

〃Really；　there　is　not　much　to　be　afraid　of；　uncle。　　He　takes　very
good　care　of　Harry。　　To　be　sure；　I　had　occasion　several　times　to
check　him　a　little；　but　he　has　this　good　quality　in　addition　to　a
considerable　aptitude　for　teaching；　that　he　perceives　a　hint；　and
takes　it　at　once。〃

Knowing　her　uncle's　formality；　and　preference　for　precise　and
judicial　modes　of　expression；　Euphra　modelled　her　phrase　to　his
mind。

〃I　am　glad　he　has　your　good　opinion　so　far；　Euphra；　for　I　confess
there　is　something　about　the　youth　that　pleases　me。　　I　was　afraid　at
first　that　I　might　be　annoyed　by　his　overstepping　the　true
boundaries　of　his　position　in　my　family：　he　seems　to　have　been　in
good　society；　too。　　But　your　assurance　that　he　can　take　a　hint；
lessens　my　apprehension　considerably。　　To…morrow；　I　will　ask　him　to
resume　his　seat　after　dessert。〃

This　was　not　exactly　the　object　of　Euphra's　qualified　commendation
of　Hugh。　But　she　could　not　help　it　now。

〃I　think；　however；　if　you　approve；　uncle；　that　it　will　be　more
prudent　to　keep　a　little　watch　over　the　riding　for　a　while。　　I
confess；　too；　I　should　be　glad　of　a　little　more　of　that　exercise
than　I　have　had　for　some　time：　I　found　my　seat　not　very　secure
to…day。〃

〃Very　desirable　on　both　considerations；　my　love。〃

And　so　the　conference　ended。




CHAPTER　VIII。

NEST…BUILDING。

If　you　will　have　a　tree　bear　more　fruit　than　it　hath　used　to　do；　it
is　not　anything　you　can　do　to　the　boughs；　but　it　is　the　stirring　of
the　earth；　and　putting　new　mould　about　the　roots；　that　must　work　it。

LORD　BACON'S　Advancement　of　Learning；　b。　ii。


In　a　short　time　Harry's　health　was　so　much　improved；　and
consequently　the　strength　and　activity　of　his　mind　so　much
increased；　that　Hugh　began　to　give　him　more　exact　mental　operations
to　perform。　　But　as　if　he　had　been　a　reader　of　Lord　Bacon；　which　as
yet　he　was　not；　and　had　learned　from　him　that　〃wonder　is　the　seed　of
knowledge；〃　he　came；　by　a　kind　of　sympathetic　instinct；　to　the　same
conclusion　practically；　in　the　case　of　Harry。　　He　tried　to　wake　a
question　in　him；　by　showing　him　something　that　would　rouse　his
interest。　　The　reply　to　this　question　might　be　the　whole　rudiments
of　a　science。

Things　themselves　should　lead　to　the　science　of　them。　　If　things　are
not　interesting　in　themselves；　how　can　any　amount　of　knowledge　about
them　be？　　To　be　sure；　there　is　such　a　thing　as　a　purely　or
abstractly　intellectual　interestthe　pleasure　of　the　mere　operation
of　the　intellect　upon　the　signs　of　things；　but　this　must　spring　from
a　highly　exercised　intellectual　condition；　and　is　not　to　be　expected
before　the　pleasures　of　intellectual　motion　have　been　experienced
through　the　employment　of　its　means　for　other　ends。　　Whether　this　is
a　higher　condition　or　not；　is　open　to　much　disquisition。

One　day　Hugh　was　purposely　engaged　in　taking　the　altitude　of　the
highest　turret　of　the　house；　with　an　old　quadrant　he　had　found　in
the　library；　when　Harry　came　up。

〃What　are　you　doing；　big　brother？〃　said　he；　for　now　that　he　was
quite　at　home　with　Hugh；　there　was　a　wonderful　mixture　of
familiarity　and　respect　in　him；　that　was　quite　bewitching。

〃Finding　out　how　high　your　house　is；　little　brother；〃　answered　Hugh。

〃How　can　you　do　it　with　that　thing？　　Will　it　measure　the　height　of
other　things　besides　the　house？〃

〃Yes；　the　height　of　a　mountain；　or　anything　you　like。〃

〃Do　show　me　how。〃

Hugh　showed　him　as　much　of　it　as　he　could。

〃But　I　don't　understand　it。〃

〃Oh！　that　is　quite　another　thing。　　To　do　that；　you　must　learn　a
great　many　thingsEuclid　to　begin　with。〃

That　very　afternoon　Harry　began　Euclid；　and　soon　found　quite　enough
of　interest　on　the　road　to　the　quadrant；　to　prevent　him　from　feeling
any　tediousness　in　its　length。

Of　an　afternoon　Hugh　had　taken　to　reading　Shakspere　to　Harry。
Euphra　was　always　a　listener。　　On　one　occasion　Harry　said：

〃I　am　so　sorry；　Mr。　Sutherland；　but　I　don't　understand　the　half　of
it。　　Sometimes　when　Euphra　and　you　are　laughing；and　sometimes　when
Euphra　is　crying；〃　ad