david elginbrod-第23节

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of　the　office；　but　the　present　maid；　who　was　leaving　on　the　best　of
terms；　would　soon　initiate　her　into　its　mysteries。　　And　David　and
Janet　were　so　much　pleased　with　Margaret's　account　of　the　interview；
that　David　himself　went　to　see　the　lady。　　The　sight　of　him　only
increased　her　desire　to　have　Margaret；　whom　she　said　she　would　treat
like　a　daughter；　if　only　she　were　half　as　good　as　she　looked。
Before　David　left　her；　the　matter　was　arranged；　and　within　a　month；
Margaret　was　borne　in　her　mistress's　carriage；　away　from　father　and
mother　and　cottage…home。




END　OF　THE　FIRST　BOOK。




BOOK　II。


ARNSTEAD。

The　earth　hath　bubbles　as　the　water　has。

MACBETH。I。3




CHAPTER　I。

A　NEW　HOME。

A　wise　man's　home　is　whereso'er　he's　wise。

JOHN　MARSTON。Antonio's　Revenge。


Hugh　left　the　North　dead　in　the　arms　of　grey　winter；　and　found　his
new　abode　already　alive　in　the　breath　of　the　west　wind。　　As　he
walked　up　the　avenue　to　the　house；　he　felt　that　the　buds　were
breaking　all　about；　though；　the　night　being　dark　and　cloudy；　the
green　shadows　of　the　coming　spring　were　invisible。

He　was　received　at　the　hall…door；　and　shown　to　his　room；　by　an　old；
apparently　confidential；　and　certainly　important　butler；　whose
importance；　however；　was　inoffensive；　as　founded；　to　all　appearance；
on　a　sense　of　family　and　not　of　personal　dignity。　　Refreshment　was
then　brought　him；　with　the　message　that；　as　it　was　late；　Mr。　Arnold
would　defer　the　pleasure　of　meeting　him　till　the　morning　at
breakfast。

Left　to　himself；　Hugh　began　to　look　around　him。　　Everything
suggested　a　contrast　between　his　present　position　and　that　which　he
had　first　occupied　about　the　same　time　of　the　year　at　Turriepuffit。
He　was　in　an　old　handsome　room　of　dark　wainscot；　furnished　like　a
library；　with　book…cases　about　the　walls。　　One　of　them；　with　glass
doors；　had　an　ancient　escritoire　underneath；　which　was　open；　and
evidently　left　empty　for　his　use。　　A　fire　was　burning　cheerfully　in
an　old　high　grate；　but　its　light；　though　assisted　by　that　of　two　wax
candles　on　the　table；　failed　to　show　the　outlines　of　the　room；　it
was　so　large　and　dark。　　The　ceiling　was　rather　low　in　proportion；
and　a　huge　beam　crossed　it。　　At　one　end；　an　open　door　revealed　a
room　beyond；　likewise　lighted　with　fire　and　candles。　　Entering；　he
found　this　to　be　an　equally　old…fashioned　bedroom；　to　which　his
luggage　had　been　already　conveyed。

〃As　far　as　creature　comforts　go；〃　thought　Hugh；　〃I　have　fallen　on　my
feet。〃　　He　rang　the　bell；　had　the　tray　removed；　and　then　proceeded
to　examine　the　book…cases。　　He　found　them　to　contain　much　of　the
literature　with　which　he　was　most　desirous　of　making　an
acquaintance。　　A　few　books　of　the　day　were　interspersed。　　The　sense
of　having　good　companions　in　the　authors　around　him；　added　greatly
to　his　feeling　of　comfort；　and　he　retired　for　the　night　filled　with
pleasant　anticipations　of　his　sojourn　at　Arnstead。　　All　the　night；
however；　his　dreams　were　of　wind　and　snow；　and　Margaret　out　in　them
alone。　　Janet　was　waiting　in　the　cottage　for　him　to　bring　her　home。
He　had　found　her；　but　could　not　move　her；　for　the　spirit　of　the
storm　had　frozen　her　to　ice；　and　she　was　heavy　as　a　marble　statue。

When　he　awoke；　the　shadows　of　boughs　and　budding　twigs　were　waving
in　changeful　network…tracery；　across　the　bright　sunshine　on　his
window…curtains。　　Before　he　was　called　he　was　ready　to　go　down；　and
to　amuse　himself　till　breakfast…time；　he　proceeded　to　make　another
survey　of　the　books。　　He　concluded　that　these　must　be　a　colony　from
the　mother…library；　and　also　that　the　room　must；　notwithstanding；　be
intended　for　his　especial　occupation；　seeing　his　bedroom　opened　out
of　it。　　Next；　he　looked　from　all　the　windows；　to　discover　into　what
kind　of　a　furrow　on　the　face　of　the　old　earth　he　had　fallen。　　All　he
could　see　was　trees　and　trees。　　But　oh！　how　different　from　the
sombre；　dark；　changeless　fir…wood　at　Turriepuffit！　whose　trees
looked　small　and　shrunken　in　his　memory；　beside　this　glory　of
boughs；　breaking　out　into　their　prophecy　of　an　infinite　greenery　at
hand。　　His　rooms　seemed　to　occupy　the　end　of　a　small　wing　at　the
back　of　the　house；　as　well　as　he　could　judge。　　His　sitting…room
windows　looked　across　a　small　space　to　another　wing；　and　the　windows
of　his　bedroom；　which　were　at　right…angles　to　those　of　the　former；
looked　full　into　what　seemed　an　ordered　ancient　forest　of　gracious
trees　of　all　kinds；　coming　almost　close　to　the　very　windows。　　They
were　the　trees　which　had　been　throwing　their　shadows　on　these
windows　for　two　or　three　hours　of　the　silent　spring　sunlight；　at
once　so　liquid　and　so　dazzling。　　Then　he　resolved　to　test　his
faculty　for　discovery；　by　seeing　whether　he　could　find　his　way　to
the　breakfast…room　without　a　guide。　　In　this　he　would　have　succeeded
without　much　difficulty；　for　it　opened　from　the　main…entrance　hall；
to　which　the　huge　square…turned　oak　staircase；　by　which　he　had
ascended；　led；　had　it　not　been　for　the　somewhat　intricate　nature　of
the　passages　leading　from　the　wing　in　which　his　rooms　were
（evidently　an　older　and　more　retired　portion　of　the　house）　to　the
main　staircase　itself。　　After　opening　many　doors　and　finding　no
thoroughfare；　he　became　convinced　that；　in　place　of　finding　a　way
on；　he　had　lost　the　way　back。　　At　length　he　came　to　a　small　stair；
which　led　him　down　to　a　single　door。　　This　he　opened；　and
straightway　found　himself　in　the　library；　a　long；　low；
silent…looking　room；　every　foot　of　the　walls　of　which　was　occupied
with　books　in　varied　and　rich　bindings。　　The　lozenge…paned　windows；
with　thick　stone　mullions；　were　much　overgrown　with　ivy；　throwing　a
cool　green　shadowiness　into　the　room。　　One　of　them；　however；　had
been　altered　to　a　more　modern　taste；　and　opened　with　folding…doors
upon　a　few　steps；　descending　into　an　old…fashioned；　terraced　garden。
To　approach　this　window　he　had　to　pass　a　table；　lying　on　which　he
saw　a　paper　with　verses　on　it；　evidently　in　a　woman's　hand；　and
apparently　just　written；　for　the　ink　of　the　corrective　scores　still
glittered。　　Just　as　he　reached　the　window；　which　stood　open；　a　lady
had　almost　gained　it　from　the　other　side；　coming　up　the　steps　from
the　garden。　　She　gave　a　slight　start　when　she　saw　him；　looked　away；
and　as　instantly　glanced　towards　him　again。　　Then　approaching　him
through　the　window；　for　he　had　retreated　to　allow　her　to　enter；　she
bowed　with　a　kind　of　studied　ease；　and　a　slight　shade　of　something
French　in　her　manner。　　Her　voice　was　very　pleasing；　almost
bewitching；　yet　had；　at　the　same　time；　something　assumed；　if　not
affected；　in　the　tone。　　All　this　was　discoverable；　or　rather
spiritually　palpable；　in　the　two　words　she　saidmerely；　〃Mr。
Sutherland？〃　interrogatively。　　Hugh　bowed；　and　said：

〃I　am　very　glad　you　have　found　me；　for　I　had　quite　lost　myself。　　I
doubt　whether　I　should　ever　have　reached　the　breakfast…room。〃

〃Come　this　way；〃　she　rejoined。

As　they　passed　the　table　on　which　the　verses　lay；　she　stopped　and
slipped　them　into　a　writing…case。　　Leading　him　through　a　succession
of　handsome；　evidently　modern　passages；　she　brought　him　across　the
main　hall　to　the　breakfast…room；　which　looked　in　the　opposite
direction　to　the　library；　namely；　to　the　front　of　the　house。　　She
rang　the　bell；　the　urn　was　brought　in；　and　she　proceeded　at　once　to
make　the　tea；　which　she　did　well；　rising　in　Hugh's　estimation
thereby。　　Before　he　had　time；　however；　to　make　his　private　remarks
on　her　exterior；　or　his　conjectures　on　her　position　in　the　family；
Mr。　Arnold　entered　the　room；　with　a　slow；　somewhat　dignified　step；
and　a　dull　outlook　of　grey　eyes　from　a　grey　head　well…balanced　on　a
tall；　rather　slender　frame。　　The　lady　rose；　and；　addressing　him　as
uncle；　bade　him　good　morning；　a　greeting　which　he　returned
cordially；　with　a　kiss　on　her　forehead。　　Then　accosting　Hugh；　with　a
manner　which　seemed　the　more　polite　and　cold　after　the　tone　in　which
he　had　spoken　to　his　niece；　he　bade　him　welcome　to　Arnstead。

〃I　trust　you　were　properly　attended　to　last　night；　Mr。　Sutherland？
Your　pupil　wanted　very　much　to　sit　up　till　you　arrived；　but　he　is
altogether　too　delicate；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　for　late　hours；　though
he　has　an　unfortunate　preference　for　them　himself。　　Jacob；〃　（to　the
man　in　waiting）；　〃is　not　Master　Harry　up　yet？〃

Master　Harry's　entrance　at　that　moment　rendered　reply　unnecessary。

〃Good　morning；　Euphra；〃　he　said　to　the　lady；　and　kissed　her　on　the
cheek。

〃Good　morning；　dear；〃　was　the　reply；　accompanied　by　a　pretence　of
returning　the　kiss。　　But　she　smiled　with　a　kind　of　confectionary
sweetness　on　him；　and；　dropping　an　additional　lump　of　sugar　into　his
tea　at　the　same　moment；　placed　it　for　him　beside　herself；　while　he
went　and　shook　hands　with　his　father；　and　then　glancing　shyly　up　at
Hugh　from　a　pair　of　large　dark　eyes；　put　his　hand　in　his；　and
smiled；　revealing　teeth　of　a　pearly　whiteness。　　The　lips；　however；
did　not　contrast　them　sufficiently；　being　pale　and　thin；　with
indication　of　suffering　in　their　tremulous　lines。　　Taking　his　place
at　table；　he　trifled　with　his　breakfast；　and　after　making　pretence
of　eating　for　a　while；　asked　Euphra　if　he　might　go。　　She　giving　him
leave；　he　hastened　away。