david elginbrod-第34节

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〃The　place　is　close；〃　said　her　mistress。　〃Go　into　the　next　room
there；〃she　pointed　to　a　door〃and　open　the　window。　　You　will　soon
be　well。〃

〃If　you　please；　Miss；　I　would　rather　stay　with　you。　　This　place
makes　me　feel　that　strange。〃

She　had　come　but　lately；　and　had　never　been　over　the　house　before。

〃Nonsense！〃　said　Miss　Cameron；　looking　at　her　sharply。　〃What　do　you
mean？〃

〃Please；　don't　be　angry；　Miss；　but　the　first　night　e'er　I　slept
here；　I　saw　that　very　lady〃

〃Saw　that　lady！〃

〃Well；　Miss；　I　mean；　I　dreamed　that　I　saw　her；　and　I　remembered　her
the　minute　I　see　her　up　there；　and　she　give　me　a　turn　like。　　I'm　all
right　now；　Miss。〃

Euphra　fixed　her　eyes　on　her；　and　kept　them　fixed；　till　she　was　very
nearly　all　wrong　again。　　She　turned　as　pale　as　before；　and　began　to
draw　her　breath　hard。

〃You　silly　goose！〃　said　Euphra；　and　withdrew　her　eyes；　upon　which
the　girl　began　to　breathe　more　freely。

Hugh　was　making　some　wise　remarks　in　his　own　mind　on　the　unsteady
condition　of　a　nature　in　which　the　imagination　predominates　over　the
powers　of　reflection；　when　Euphra　turned　to　him；　and　began　to　tell
him　that　that　was　the　picture　of　her　three　or　four　times
great…grandmother；　painted　by　Sir　Peter　Lely；　just　after　she　was
married。

〃Isn't　she　fair？〃　said　she。〃She　turned　nun　at　last；　they　say。〃

〃She　is　more　fair　than　honest；〃　thought　Hugh。　〃It　would　take　a　great
deal　of　nun　to　make　her　into　a　saint。〃　　But　he　only　said；　〃She　is
more　beautiful　than　lovely。　　What　was　her　name？〃

〃If　you　mean　her　maiden　name；　it　was　HalkarLady　Euphrasia
Halkarnamed　after　me；　you　see。　　She　had　foreign　blood　in　her；　of
course；　and；　to　tell　the　truth；　there　were　strange　stories　told　of
her；　of　more　sorts　than　one。　　I　know　nothing　of　her　family。　　It　was
never　heard　of　in　England；　I　believe；　till　after　the　Restoration。〃

All　the　time　Euphra　was　speaking；　Hugh　was　being　perplexed　with　that
most　annoying　of　perplexitiesthe　flitting　phantom　of　a
resemblance；　which　he　could　not　catch。　　He　was　forced　to　dismiss　it
for　the　present；　utterly　baffled。

〃Were　you　really　named　after　her；　Miss　Cameron？〃

〃No；　no。　　It　is　a　family　name　with　us。　　But；　indeed；　I　may　be　said
to　be　named　after　her；　for　she　was　the　first　of　us　who　bore　it。　　You
don't　seem　to　like　the　portrait。〃

〃I　do　not；　but　I　cannot　help　looking　at　it；　for　all　that。〃

〃I　am　so　used　to　the　lady's　face；〃　said　Euphra；　〃that　it　makes　no
impression　on　me　of　any　sort。　　But　it　is　said；〃　she　added；　glancing
at　the　maid；　who　stood　at　some　distance；　looking　uneasily　about
herand　as　she　spoke　she　lowered　her　voice　to　a　whisper〃it　is
said；　she　cannot　lie　still。〃

〃Cannot　lie　still！　　What　do　you　mean？〃

〃I　mean　down　there　in　the　chapel；〃　she　answered；　pointing。

The　Celtic　nerves　of　Hugh　shuddered。　　Euphra　laughed；　and　her　voice
echoed　in　silvery　billows；　that　broke　on　the　faces　of　the　men　and
women　of　old　time；　that　had　owned　the　whole；　whose　lives　had　flowed
and　ebbed　in　varied　tides　through　the　ancient　house；　who　had　married
and　been　given　in　marriage；　and　gone　down　to　the　chapel　belowbelow
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　e