david elginbrod-第51部分

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〃It　is　for　my　freedom。　　It　is　for　my　freedom。〃

Of　course　this　account　must　have　come　originally　from　Euphra
herself；　for　there　was　no　one　else　to　tell　it。　　She；　at　least；
believed　herself　compelled　to　do　what　the　man　pleased。　　Some　of　my
readers　will　put　her　down　as　insane。　　She　may　have　been；　but；　for　my
part；　I　believe　there　is　such　a　power　of　one　being　over　another；
though　perhaps　only　in　a　rare　contact　of　psychologically　peculiar
natures。　　I　have　testimony　enough　for　that。　　She　had　yielded　to　his
will　once。　　Had　she　not　done　so；　he　could　not　have　compelled　her；
but；　having　once　yielded；　she　had　not　strength　sufficient　to　free
herself　again。　　Whether　even　he　could　free　her；　further　than　by
merely　abstaining　from　the　exercise　of　the　power　he　had　gained；　I
doubt　much。

It　is　evident　that　he　had　come　to　the　neighbourhood　of　Arnstead　for
the　sake　of　finding　her；　and　exercising　his　power　over　her　for　his
own　ends；　that　he　had　made　her　come　to　him　once；　if　not　oftener；
before　he　met　Hugh；　and　by　means　of　his　acquaintance；　obtained
admission　into　Arnstead。　　Once　admitted；　he　had　easily　succeeded；　by
his　efforts　to　please；　in　so　far　ingratiating　himself　with　Mr。
Arnold；　that　now　the　house…door　stood　open　to　him；　and　he　had　even
his　recognised　seat　at　the　dinner…table。




CHAPTER　XXI。

SPIRIT　VERSUS　MATERIALISM。

Next　this　marble　venomed　seat；
Smeared　with　gums　of　glutinous　heat；
I　touch　with　chaste　palms　moist　and　cold
Now　the　spell　hath　lost　his　hold。

MILTON。Comas。


Next　morning　Lady　Emily　felt　better；　and　wanted　to　get　up：　but　her
eyes　were　still　too　bright；　and　her　hands　too　hot；　and　Margaret
would　not　hear　of　it。

Fond　as　Lady　Emily　was　in　general　of　Mrs。　Elton's　society；　she　did
not　care　to　have　her　with　her　now；　and　got　tired　of　her　when
Margaret　was　absent。

They　had　taken　care　not　to　allow　Miss　Cameron　to　enter　the　room；　but
to…day　there　was　not　much　likelihood　of　her　making　the　attempt；　for
she　did　not　appear　at　breakfast；　sending　a　message　to　her　uncle　that
she　had　a　bad　headache；　but　hoped　to　take　her　place　at　the
dinner…table。

During　the　day；　Lady　Emily　was　better；　but　restless　by　fits。

〃Were　you　not　out　of　the　room　for　a　little　while　last　night；
Margaret？〃　she　said；　rather　suddenly。

〃Yes；　my　lady。　　I　told　you　I　should　have　to　go；　perhaps。〃

〃I　remember　I　thought　you　had　gone；　but　I　was　not　in　the　least
afraid；　and　that　dreadful　man　never　came　near　me。　　I　do　not　know
when　you　returned。　　Perhaps　I　had　fallen　asleep；　but　when　I　thought
about　you　next；　there　you　were　by　my　bedside。〃

〃I　shall　not　have　to　leave　you　to…night；〃　was　all　Margaret's　answer。

As　for　Hugh；　when　first　he　woke；　the　extraordinary　experiences　of
the　previous　night　appeared　to　him　to　belong　only　to　the　night；　and
to　have　no　real　relation　to　the　daylight　world。　　But　a　little
reflection　soon　convinced　him　of　the　contrary；　and　then　he　went
through　the　duties　of　the　day　like　one　who　had　nothing　to　do　with
them。　　The　phantoms　he　had　seen　even　occupied　some　of　the　thinking
space　formerly　appropriated　by　the　image　of　Euphra；　though　he　knew
to　his　concern　that　she　was　ill；　and　confined　to　her　room。　　He　had
heard　the　message　sent　to　Mr。　Arnold；　however；　and　so　kept　hoping
for　the　dinner…hour。

With　it　came　Euphra；　very　pale。　　Her　eyes　had　an　unsettled　look；　and
there　were　dark　hollows　under　them。　　She　would　start　and　look
sideways　without　any　visible　cause；　and　was　thus　very　different　from
her　usual　selfordinarily　remarkable　for　self…possession；　almost　to
coolness；　of　manner　and　speech。　　Hugh　saw　it；　and　became　both
distressed　and　speculative　in　consequence。　　It　did　not　diminish　his
discomfort　that；　about　the　middle　of　dinner；　Funkelstein　was
announced。　　Was　it；　then；　that　Euphra　had　been　tremulously　expectant
of　him？

〃This　is　an　unforeseen　pleasure；　Herr　von　Funkelstein；〃　said　Mr。
Arnold。

〃It　is　very　good　of　you　to　call　it　a　pleasure；　Mr。　Arnold；〃　said　he。
〃Miss　Cameronbut；　good　heavens！　how　ill　you　look！〃

〃Don't　be　alarmed。　　I　have　only　caught　the　plague。〃

〃Only？〃　was　all　Funkelstein　said　in　reply；　yet　Hugh　thought　he　had
no　right　to　be　so　solicitous　about　Euphra's　health。

As　the　gentlemen　sat　at　their　wine；　Mr。　Arnold　said：

〃I　am　anxious　to　have　one　more　trial　of　those　strange　things　you
have　brought　to　our　knowledge。　　I　have　been　thinking　about　them　ever
since。〃

〃Of　course　I　am　at　your　service；　Mr。　Arnold；　but　don't　you　think；
for　the　ladies'　sakes；　we　have　had　enough　of　it？〃

〃You　are　very　considerate；　Herr　von　Funkelstein；　but　they　need　not
be　present　if　they　do　not　like　it。〃

〃Very　well；　Mr。　Arnold。〃

They　adjourned　once　more　to　the　library　instead　of　the　drawing…room。
Hugh　went　and　told　Euphra；　who　was　alone　in　the　drawing…room；　what
they　were　about。　　She　declined　going；　but　insisted　on　his　leaving
her；　and　joining　the　other　gentlemen。

Hugh　left　her　with　much　reluctance。

〃Margaret；〃　said　Lady　Emily；　〃I　am　certain　that　man　is　in　the
house。〃

〃He　is；　my　lady；〃　answered　Margaret。

〃They　are　about　some　more　of　those　horrid　experiments；　as　they　call
them。〃

〃I　do　not　know。〃

Mrs。　Elton　entering　the　room　at　the　moment；　Margaret　said：

〃Do　you　know；　ma'am；　whether　the　gentlemen　arein　the　library
again？〃

〃I　don't　know；　Margaret。　　I　hope　not。　　We　have　had　enough　of　that。
I　will　go　and　find　out；　though。〃

〃Will　you　take　my　place　for　a　few　minutes　first；　please；　ma'am？〃

Margaret　had　felt　a　growing　oppression　for　some　time。　　She　had
scarcely　left　the　sick…room　that　day。

〃Don't　leave　me；　dear　Margaret；〃　said　Lady　Emily；　imploringly。

〃Only　for　a　little　while；　my　lady。　　I　shall　be　back　in　less　than　a
quarter　of　an　hour。〃

〃Very　well；　Margaret；〃　she　answered　dolefully。

Margaret　went　out　into　the　moonlight；　and　walked　for　ten　minutes。
She　sought　the　more　open　parts；　where　the　winds　were。　　She　then
returned　to　the　sick…chamber；　refreshed　and　strong。

〃Now　I　will　go　and　see　what　the　gentlemen　are　about；〃　said　Mrs。
Elton。

The　good　lady　did　not　like　these　proceedings；　but　she　was
irresistibly　attracted　by　them　notwithstanding。　　Having　gone　to　see
for　Lady　Emily；　she　remained　to　see　for　herself。

After　she　had　left；　Lady　Emily　grew　more　uneasy。　　Not　even
Margaret's　presence　could　make　her　comfortable。　　Mrs。　Elton　did　not
return。　　Many　minutes　elapsed。　　Lady　Emily　said　at　last：

〃Margaret；　I　am　terrified　at　the　idea　of　being　left　alone；　I
confess；　but　not　so　terrified　as　at　the　idea　of　what　is　going　on　in
that　library。　　Mrs。　Elton　will　not　come　back。　　Would　you　mind　just
running　down　to　ask　her　to　come　to　me？〃

〃I　would　go　with　pleasure；〃　said　Margaret；　〃but　I　don't　want　to　be
seen。〃

Margaret　did　not　want　to　be　seen　by　Hugh。　Lady　Emily；　with　her
dislike　to　Funkelstein；　thought　Margaret　did　not　want　to　be　seen　by
him。

〃You　will　find　a　black　veil　of　mine；〃　she　said；　〃in　that
wardrobejust　throw　it　over　your　head；　and　hold　a　handkerchief　to
your　face。　　They　will　be　so　busy　that　they　will　never　see　you。〃

Margaret　yielded　to　the　request　of　Lady　Emily；　who　herself　arranged
her　head…dress　for　her。

Now　I　must　go　back　a　little。When　Mrs。　Elton　reached　the　room；　she
found　it　darkened；　and　the　gentlemen　seated　at　the　table。　　A　running
fire　of　knocks　was　going　on　all　around。

She　sat　down　in　a　corner。　　In　a　minute　or　two；　she　fancied　she　saw
strange　figures　moving　about；　generally　near　the　floor；　and　very
imperfectly　developed。　　Sometimes　only　a　hand；　sometimes　only　a
foot；　shadowed　itself　out　of　the　dim　obscurity。　　She　tried　to
persuade　herself　that　it　was　all　done；　somehow　or　other；　by
Funkelstein；　yet　she　could　not　help　watching　with　a　curious　dread。
She　was　not　a　very　excitable　woman；　and　her　nerves　were　safe
enough。

In　a　minute　or　two　more；　the　table　at　which　they　were　seated；　began
to　move　up　and　down　with　a　kind　of　vertical　oscillation；　and　several
things　in　the　room　began　to　slide　about；　by　short；　apparently
purposeless　jerks。　　Everything　threatened　to　assume　motion；　and　turn
the　library　into　a　domestic　chaos。　　Mrs。　Elton　declared　afterwards
that　several　books　were　thrown　about　the　room。But　suddenly
everything　was　as　still　as　the　moonlight。　　Every　chair　and　table　was
at　rest；　looking　perfectly　incapable　of　motion。　　Mrs。　Elton　felt
that　she　dared　not　say　they　had　moved　at　all；　so　utterly　ordinary
was　their　appearance。　　Not　a　sound　was　to　be　heard　from　corner　or
ceiling。　　After　a　moment's　silence；　Mrs。　Elton　was　quite　restored　to
her　sound　mind；　as　she　said；　and　left　the　room。

〃Some　adverse　influence　is　at　work；〃　said　Funkelstein；　with　some
vexation。　〃What　is　in　that　closet？〃

So　saying　he　approached　the　door　of　the　private　staircase；　and
opened　it。　　They　saw　him　start　aside；　and　a　veiled　dark　figure　pass
him；　cross　the　library；　and　go　out　by　another　door。

〃I　have　my　suspicions；〃　said　Funkelstein；　with　a　rather　tremulous
voice。

〃And　your　fears　too；　I　think。　　Grant　it　now；〃　said　Mr。　Arnold。

〃Granted；　Mr。　Arnold。　　Let　us　go　to　the　drawing…room。〃

Just　as　Margaret　had　reached　the　library　door　at　the　bottom　of　the
private　stair；　either　a　puff　of　wind　from　an　open　loophole　window；
or　some　other　cause；　destroyed　the　arrangement　of　the　veil；　and　made
it　fall　quite　over　her　face；　She　stopped　for　a　moment　to　readjust
it。　　She　had　not　quite　succeeded；　when　Funkelstein　opened　the　door。
Without　an　instant's　hesitation；　she　let　the　veil　fall；　and　walked
forward。

Mrs。　Elton　had　gone　to　her　own　room；　on　her　way　to　Lady　Emily's。
When　she　reached　the　latter；　she　found　Margaret　seated　as　she　had
left　her；　by　the　bedside。　　Lady　Emily　said：

〃I　did　not　miss　you；　Margaret；　half　so　much　as　I　expected。　　But；
indeed；　you　were　not　many　moments　gone。　　I　do　not　care　for　that　man
now。　　He　can't　hurt　me；　can　he？〃

〃Certainty　not。　　I　hope　he　will　give　you　no　more　trouble　either；
dear　Lady　Emily。　　But　if　I　might　presume　to　advise　you；　I　would
sayGet　well　as　soon　as　you　can；　and　leave　this　place。〃

〃Why　should　I？　　You　frighten　me。　　Mr。　Arnold　is　very　kind　to　me。〃

〃The　place　quite　suits　Lady　Emily；　I　am　sure；　Margaret。〃

〃But　Lady　Emily　is　not　so　well　as　when　she　came。〃

〃No；　but　that　is　not　the　fault　of　the　place；〃　said　Lady　Emily。　〃I　am
sure　it　is　a