david elginbrod-第44节

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he　knew　of　the　laws　and　operations　of　electricity。　　But　Hugh　had
been　long　enough　a　pupil　of　David　to　feel　that　to　talk　at　such　a
time　of　anything　in　nature　but　God；　would　be　to　do　the　boy　a　serious
wrong。　　One　capable　of　so　doing　would；　in　the　presence　of　the
Saviour　himself；　speculate　on　the　nature　of　his　own　faith；　or　upon
the　death　of　his　child；　seize　the　opportunity　of　lecturing　on
anatomy。　　But　before　Hugh　could　make　any　reply；　a　flash；　almost
invisible　from　excess　of　light；　was　accompanied　rather　than　followed
by　a　roar　that　made　the　house　shake；　and　in　a　moment　more　the　room
was　filled　with　the　terrified　household；　which；　by　an　unreasoning
impulse；　rushed　to　the　neighbourhood　of　him　who　was　considered　the
strongest。Mr。　Arnold　was　not　at　home。

〃Come　from　the　window　instantly；　Mr。　Sutherland。　　How　can　you　be　so
imprudent！〃　cried　Mrs。　Elton；　her　usually　calm　voice　elevated　in
command；　but　tremulous　with　fear。

〃Why；　Mrs。　Elton；〃　answered　Hugh　on　whose　temper；　as　well　as
conduct；　recent　events　had　had　their　operation；　〃do　you　think　the
devil　makes　the　thunder？〃

Lady　Emily　gave　a　faint　shriek；　whether　out　of　reverence　for　the
devil；　or　fear　of　God；　I　hesitate　to　decide；　and　flitting　out　of　the
room；　dived　into　her　bed；　and　drew　the　clothes　over　her　headat
least　so　she　was　found　at　a　later　period　of　the　day。　　Euphra　walked
up　to　the　window　beside　Hugh；　as　if　to　show　her　approval　of　his
rudeness；　and　stood　looking　out　with　eyes　that　filled　their　own
night　with　home…born　flashes；　though　her　lip　was　pale；　and　quivered
a　little。　　Mrs。　Elton；　confounded　at　Hugh's　reply；　and　perhaps
fearing　the　house　might　in　consequence　share　the　fate　of　Sodom；
notwithstanding　the　presence　of　a　goodly　proportion　of　the
righteous；　fled；　accompanied　by　the　housekeeper；　to　the　wine…cellar。
The　rest　of　the　household　crept　into　corners；　except　the　coachman；
who；　retaining　his　composure；　in　virtue　of　a　greater　degree　of
insensibility　from　his　nearer　approximation　to　the　inanimate
creation；　emptied　the　jug　of　ale　intended　for　the　dinner　of　the
company；　and　went　out　to　look　after　his　horses。

But　there　was　one　in　the　house　who；　left　alone；　threw　the　window
wide　open；　and；　with　gently　clasped　hands　and　calm　countenance；
looked　up　into　the　heavens；　and　the　clearness　of　whose　eye　seemed
the　prophetic　symbol　of　the　clearness　that　rose　all　untroubled　above
the　turmoil　of　the　earthly　storm。　　Truly　God　was　in　the　storm；　but
there　was　more　of　God　in　the　clear　heaven　beyond；　and　yet　more　of
Him　in　the　eye　that　regarded　the　whole　with　a　still　joy；　in　which
was　mingled　no　dismay。

Euphra；　Hugh；　and　Harry　were　left　together；　looking　out　upon　the
storm。　　Hugh　could　not　speak　in　Harry's　presence。　　At　length　the　boy
sat　down　in　a　dark　corner　on　the　floor；　concealed　from　the　others　by
a　window…curtain。　　Hugh　thought　he　had　left　the　room。

〃Euphra；〃　he　began。

Euphra　looked　round　for　Harry；　and　not　seeing　him；　thought　likewise
that　he　had　left　the　room：　she　glided　away　without　making　any　answer
to　Hugh's　invocation。

He　stood　for　a　few　moments　in　motionless　despair；　then　glancing
round　the　room；　and　taking　in　all　its　desertedness；　caught　up　his
hat；　and　rushed　out　into　the　storm。　　It　was　the　best　relief　his
feelings　could　have　had；　for　the　sullen　gloom；　alternated　with
bursts　of　flame；　invasions　of　horrid　uproar；　and　long　wailing　blasts
of　tyrannous　wind；　gave　him　his　own　mood　to　walk　in；　met　his　spirit
with　its　own　element；　widened；　as　it　were；　his　microcosm　to　the
expanse　of　the　macrocosm　around　him。　　All　the　walls　of　separation
were　thrown　down；　and　he　lived；　not　in　his　own　frame；　but　in　the
universal　frame　of　nature。　　The　world　was　for　the　time；　to　the
reality　of　his　feeling；　what　Schleiermacher；　in　his　Monologen；
describes　it　as　being　to　man；　an　extension　of　the　body　in　which　he
dwells。　　His　spirit　flashed　in　the　lightning；　raved　in　the　thunder；
moaned　in　the　wind；　and　wept　in　the　rain。

But　this　could　not　last　long；　either　without　or　within　him。

He　came　to　himself　in　the　woods。　　How　far　he　had　wandered；　or
whereabout　he　was；　he　did　not　know。　　The　storm　had　died　away；　and
all　that　remained　was　the　wind　and　the　rain。　　The　tree…tops　swayed
wildly　in　the　irregular　blasts；　and　shook　new；　fitful；　distracted；
and　momentary　showers　upon　him。　　It　was　evening；　but　what　hour　of
the　evening　he　could　not　tell。　　He　was　wet　to　the　skin；　but　that　to
a　young　Scotchman　is　a　matter　of　little　moment。

Although　he　had　no　intention　of　returning　home　for　some　time；　and
meant　especially　to　avoid　the　dinner…tablefor；　in　the　mood　he　was
in；　it　seemed　more　than　he　could　endurehe　yet　felt　the　weakness　to
which　we　are　subject　as　embodied　beings；　in　a　common　enough　form；
that；　namely；　of　the　necessity　of　knowing　the　precise　portion　of
space　which　at　the　moment　we　fill；　a　conviction　of　our　identity　not
being　sufficient　to　make　us　comfortable；　without　a　knowledge　of　our
locality。　　So；　looking　all　about　him；　and　finding　where　the　wood
seemed　thinnest；　he　went　in　that　direction；　and　soon；　by　forcing　his
way　through　obstacles　of　all　salvage　kinds；　found　himself　in　the
high　road；　within　a　quarter　of　a　mile　of　the　country　town　next　to
Arnstead；　removed　from　it　about　three　miles。　　This　little　town　he
knew　pretty　well；　and；　beginning　to　feel　exhausted；　resolved　to　go
to　an　inn　there；　dry　his　clothes；　and　then　walk　back　in　the
moonlight；　for　he　felt　sure　the　storm　would　be　quite　over　in　an　hour
or　so。　　The　fatigue　he　now　felt　was　proof　enough　in　itself；　that　the
inward　storm　had；　for　the　time；　raved　itself　off；　and　nowmust　it
be　confessed？he　wished　very　much　for　something　to　eat　and　drink。

He　was　soon　seated　by　a　blazing　fire；　with　a　chop　and　a　jug　of　ale
before　him。




CHAPTER　XIV。

AN　EVENING　LECTURE。

　　　　　The　Nightmare
Shall　call　thee　when　it　walks。

MIDDLETON。The　Witch。


The　inn　to　which　Hugh　had　betaken　himself；　though　not　the　first　in
the　town；　was　yet　what　is　called　a　respectable　house；　and　was
possessed　of　a　room　of　considerable　size；　in　which　the　farmers　of
the　neighbourhood　were　accustomed　to　hold　their　gatherings。　　While
eating　his　dinner；　Hugh　learned　from　the　conversation　around
himfor　he　sat　in　the　kitchen　for　the　sake　of　the　firethat　this
room　was　being　got　ready　for　a　lecture　on　Bilology；　as　the　landlady
called　it。　　Bills　in　red　and　blue　had　been　posted　all　over　the　town；
and　before　he　had　finished　his　dinner；　the　audience　had　begun　to
arrive。　　Partly　from　curiosity　about　a　subject　of　which　he　knew
nothing；　and　partly　because　it　still　rained；　and；　having　got　nearly
dry；　he　did　not　care　about　a　second　wetting　if　he　could　help　it；
Hugh　resolved　to　make　one　of　them。　　So　he　stood　by　the　fire　till　he
was　informed　that　the　lecturer　had　made　his　appearance；　when　he　went
up…stairs；　paid　his　shilling；　and　was　admitted　to　one　of　the　front
seats。　　The　room　was　tolerably　lighted　with　gas；　and　a　platform　had
been　constructed　for　the　lecturer　and　his　subjects。　　When　the　place
was　about　half…filled；　he　came　from　another　room　alonea　little；
thick…set；　bull…necked　man；　with　vulgar　face　and　rusty　black
clothes；　and；　mounting　the　platform；　commenced　his　lecture；　if
lecture　it　could　be　called；　in　which　there　seemed　to　be　no　order；
and　scarcely　any　sequence。　　No　attempt　even　at　a　theory；　showed
itself　in　the　mass　of　what　he　called　facts　and　scientific　truths；
and　he　perpeturated　the　most　awful　blunders　in　his　English。　　It　will
not　be　desired　that　I　should　give　any　further　account　of　such　a
lecture。　　The　lecturer　himself　seemed　to　depend　chiefly　for　his
success；　upon　the　manifestations　of　his　art　which　he　proceeded　to
bring　forward。　　He　called　his　familiar　by　the　name　of　Willi…am；　and
a　stunted；　pale…faced；　dull…looking　youth　started　up　from　somewhere；
and　scrambled　upon　the　platform　beside　his　master。　　Upon　this
tutored　slave　a　number　of　experiments　was　performed。　　He　was　first
cast　into　whatever　abnormal　condition　is　necessary　for　the
operations　of　biology；　and　then　compelled　to　make　a　fool　of　himself
by　exhibiting　actions　the　most　inconsistent　with　his　real
circumstances　and　necessities。　　But；　aware　that　all　this　was　open　to
the　most　palpable　objection　of　collusion；　the　operator　next　invited
any　of　the　company　that　pleased；　to　submit　themselves　to　his
influences。　　After　a　pause　of　a　few　moments；　a　stout　country　fellow；
florid　and　healthy；　got　up　and　slouched　to　the　platform。　　Certainly；
whatever　might　be　the　nature　of　the　influence　that　was　brought　to
bear；　its　operative　power　could　not；　with　the　least　probability；　be
attributed　to　an　over…activity　of　imagination　in　either　of　the
subjects　submitted　to　its　exercise。　　In　the　latter；　as　well　as　in
the　former　case；　the　operator　was　eminently　successful；　and　the
clown　returned　to　his　seat；　looking　remarkably　foolish　and　conscious
of　disgracea　sufficient　voucher　to　most　present；　that　in　this　case
at　least　there　had　been　no　collusion。　　Several　others　volunteered
their　negative　services；　but　with　no　one　of　them　did　he　succeed　so
well；　and　in　one　case　the　failure　was　evident。　　The　lecturer
pretended　to　account　for　this；　in　making　some　confused　and
unintelligible　remarks　about　the　state　of　the　weather；　the