david elginbrod-第45节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


pretended　to　account　for　this；　in　making　some　confused　and
unintelligible　remarks　about　the　state　of　the　weather；　the
thunder…storm；　electricity；　&c。；　of　which　things　he　evidently　did
not　understand　the　best　known　laws。

〃The　blundering　idiot！〃　growled；　close　to　Hugh's　ear；　a　voice　with　a
foreign　accent。

He　looked　round　sharply。

A　tall；　powerful；　eminently　handsome　man；　with　a　face　as　foreign　as
his　tone　and　accent；　sat　beside　him。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　he　said　to　Hugh；　〃I　thought　aloud。〃

〃I　should　like　to　know；　if　you　wouldn't　mind　telling　me；　what　you
detect　of　the　blunderer　in　him。　　I　am　quite　ignorant　of　these
matters。〃

〃I　have　had　many　opportunities　of　observing　them；　and　I　see　at　once
that　this　man；　though　he　has　the　natural　power；　is　excessively
ignorant　of　the　whole　subject。〃

This　was　all　the　answer　he　vouchsafed　to　Hugh's　modest　inquiry。
Hugh　had　not　yet　learned　that　one　will　always　fare　better　by
concealing　than　by　acknowledging　ignorance。　　The　man；　whatever　his
capacity；　who　honestly　confesses　even　a　partial　ignorance；　will
instantly　be　treated　as　more　or　less　incapable；　by　the　ordinary　man
who　has　already　gained　a　partial　knowledge；　or　is　capable　of
assuming　a　knowledge　which　he　does　not　possess。　　But；　for　God's
sake！　let　the　honest　and　modest　man　stick　to　his　honesty　and
modesty；　cost　what　they　may。

Hugh　was　silent；　and　fixed　his　attention　once　more　on　what　was　going
on。　　But　presently　he　became　aware　that　the　foreigner　was
scrutinizing　him　with　the　closest　attention。　　He　knew　this；　somehow；
without　having　looked　round；　and　the　knowledge　was　accompanied　with
a　feeling　of　discomfort　that　caused　him　to　make　a　restless　movement
on　his　seat。　　Presently　he　felt　that　the　annoyance　had　ceased；　but
not　many　minutes　had　passed；　before　it　again　commenced。　　In　order　to
relieve　himself　from　a　feeling　which　he　could　only　compare　to　that
which　might　be　produced　by　the　presence　of　the　dead；　he　turned
towards　his　neighbour　so　suddenly；　that　it　seemed　for　a　moment　to
embarrass　him；　his　eyes　being　caught　in　the　very　act　of　devouring
the　stolen　indulgence。　　But　the　stranger　recovered　himself　instantly
with　the　question：

〃Will　you　permit　me　to　ask　of　what　country　you　are？〃

Hugh　thought　he　made　the　request　only　for　the　sake　of　covering　his
rudeness；　and　so　merely　answered：

〃Why；　an　Englishman；　of　course。〃

〃Ah！　yes；　it　is　not　necessary　to　be　told　that。　　But　it　seems　to　me；
from　your　accent；　that　you　are　a　Scotchman。〃

〃So　I　am。〃

〃A　Highlander？〃

〃I　was　born　in　the　Highlands。　　But　if　you　are　very　anxious　to　know
my　pedigree；　I　have　no　reason　for　concealing　the　fact　that　I　am；　by
birth；　half　a　Scotchman　and　half　a　Welchman。〃

The　foreigner　riveted　his　gaze；　though　but　for　the　briefest　moment
sufficient　to　justify　its　being　called　a　gaze；　once　more　upon　Hugh；
and　then；　with　a　slight　bow；　as　of　acquiescence；　turned　towards　the
lecturer。

When　the　lecture　was　over；　and　Hugh　was　walking　away　in　the　midst　of
the　withdrawing　audience；　the　stranger　touched　him　on　the　shoulder。

〃You　said　that　you　would　like　to　know　more　of　this　science：　will　you
come　to　my　lodging？〃　said　he。

〃With　pleasure；〃　Hugh　answered；　though　the　look　with　which　he
accompanied　the　words；　must　have　been　one　rather　of　surprise。

〃You　are　astonished　that　a　stranger　should　invite　you　so。　　Ah！　you
English　always　demand　an　introduction。　　There　is　mine。〃

He　handed　Hugh　a　card：　Herr　von　Funkelstein。　　Hugh　happened　to　be
provided　with　one　in　exchange。

The　two　walked　out　of　the　inn；　along　the　old　High　Street；　full　of
gables　and　all　the　delightful　irregularities　of　an　old　country…town；
till　they　came　to　a　court；　down　which　Herr　von　Funkelstein　led　the
way。

He　let　himself　in　with　a　pass…key　at　a　low　door；　and　then　conducted
Hugh；　by　a　stair　whose　narrowness　was　equalled　by　its　steepness；　to
a　room；　which；　though　not　many　yards　above　the　level　of　the　court；
was　yet　next　to　the　roof　of　the　low　house。　　Hugh　could　see　nothing
till　his　conductor　lighted　a　candle。　　Then　he　found　himself　in　a
rather　large　room　with　a　shaky　floor　and　a　low　roof。　　A
chintz…curtained　bed　in　one　corner　had　the　skin　of　a　tiger　thrown
over　it；　and　a　table　in　another　had　a　pair　of　foils　lying　upon　it。
The　Germanfor　such　he　seemed　to　Hughoffered　him　a　chair　in　the
politest　manner；　and　Hugh　sat　down。

〃I　am　only　in　lodgings　here；〃　said　the　host；　〃so　you　will　forgive
the　poverty　of　my　establishment。〃

〃There　is　no　occasion　for　forgiveness；　I　assure　you；〃　answered　Hugh。

〃You　wished　to　know　something　of　the　subject　with　which　that
lecturer　was　befooling　himself　and　the　audience　at　the　same　time。〃

〃I　shall　be　grateful　for　any　enlightenment。〃

〃Ah！　it　is　a　subject　for　the　study　of　a　benevolent　scholar；　not　for
such　a　clown　as　that。　　He　jumps　at　no　conclusions；　yet　he　shares　the
fate　of　one　who　does：　he　flounders　in　the　mire　between。　　No　man　will
make　anything　of　it　who　has　not　the　benefit　of　the　human　race　at
heart。　　Humanity　is　the　only　safe　guide　in　matters　such　as　these。
This　is　a　dangerous　study　indeed　in　unskilful　hands。〃

Here　a　frightful　caterwauling　interrupted　Herr　von　Funkelstein。　　The
room　had　a　storm…window；　of　which　the　lattice　stood　open。　　In　front
of　it；　on　the　roof；　seen　against　a　white　house　opposite；　stood　a
demon　of　a　cat；　arched　to　half　its　length；　with　a　tail　expanded　to
double　its　natural　thickness。　　Its　antagonist　was　invisible　from
where　Hugh　sat。　　Von　Funkelstein　started　up　without　making　the
slightest　noise；　trod　as　softly　as　a　cat　to　the　table；　took　up　one
of　the　foils；　removed　the　button；　and；　creeping　close　to　the　window；
made　one　rapid　pass　at　the　enemy；　which　vanished　with　a　shriek　of
hatred　and　fear。　　He　then；　replacing　the　button；　laid　the　foil　down；
and　resumed　his　seat　and　his　discourse。　　This；　after　dealing　with
generalities　and　commonplaces　for　some　time；　gave　no　sign　of　coming
either　to　an　end　or　to　the　point。　　All　the　time　he　was　watching
Hughat　least　so　Hugh　thoughtas　if　speculating　on　him　in　general。
Then　appearing　to　have　come　to　some　conclusion；　he　gave　his　mind
more　to　his　talk；　and　encouraged　Hugh　to　speak　as　well。　　The
conversation　lasted　for　nearly　half　an　hour。　　At　its　close；　Hugh
felt　that　the　stranger　had　touched　upon　a　variety　of　interesting
subjects；　as　one　possessed　of　a　minute　knowledge　of　them。　　But　he
did　not　feel　that　he　had　gained　any　insight　from　his　conversation。
It　seemed　rather　as　if　he　had　been　giving　him　a　number　of
psychological；　social；　literary；　and　scientific　receipts。　　During
the　course　of　the　talk；　his　eye　had　appeared　to　rest　on　Hugh　by　a
kind　of　compulsion；　as　if　by　its　own　will　it　would　have　retired　from
the　scrutiny；　but　the　will　of　its　owner　was　too　strong　for　it。　　In
seemed；　in　relation　to　him；　to　be　only　a　kind　of　tool；　which　he　used
for　a　particular　purpose。

At　length　Funkelstein　rose；　and；　marching　across　the　room　to　a
cupboard；　brought　out　a　bottle　and　glasses；　saying；　in　the　most
by…the…bye　way；　as　he　went：

〃Have　you　the　second…sight；　Mr。　Sutherland？〃

〃Certainly　not；　as　far　as　I　am　aware。〃

〃Ah！　the　Welch　do　have　it；　do　they　not？〃

〃Oh！　yes；　of　course；〃　answered　Hugh　laughing。　〃I　should　like　to
know；　though；〃　he　added；　〃whether　they　inherit　the　gift　as　Celts　or
as　mountaineers。〃

〃Will　you　take　a　glass　of？〃

〃Of　nothing；　thank　you；〃　answered　and　interrupted　Hugh。　〃It　is　time
for　me　to　be　going。　　Indeed；　I　fear　I　have　stayed　too　long　already。
Good　night；　Herr　von　Funkelstein。〃

〃You　will　allow　me　the　honour　of　returning　your　visit？〃

Hugh　felt　he　could　do　no　less；　although　he　had　not　the　smallest
desire　to　keep　up　the　acquaintance。　　He　wrote　Arnstead　on　his　card。

As　he　left　the　house；　he　stumbled　over　something　in　the　court。
Looking　down；　he　saw　it　was　a　cat；　apparently　dead。

〃Can　it　be　the　cat　Herr　Funkelstein　made　the　pass　at？〃　thought　he。
But　presently　he　forgot　all　about　it；　in　the　visions　of　Euphra
which　filled　his　mind　during　his　moonlight　walk　home。　　It　just
occurred　to　him；　however；　before　those　visions　had　blotted
everything　else　from　his　view；　that　he　had　learned　simply　nothing
whatever　about　biology　from　his　late　host。

When　he　reached　home；　he　was　admitted　by　the　butler；　and　retired　to
bed　at　once；　where　he　slept　soundly；　for　the　first　time　for　many
nights。

But；　as　he　drew　near　his　own　room；　he　might　have　seen；　though　he　saw
not；　a　little　white　figure　gliding　away　in　the　far　distance　of　the
long　passage。　　It　was　only　Harry；　who　could　not　lie　still　in　his
bed；　till　he　knew　that　his　big　brother　was　safe　at　home。




CHAPTER　XV。

ANOTHER　EVENING　LECTURE。

This　Eneas　is　come　to　Paradise
Out　of　the　swolowe　of　Hell。

CHAUCER。Legend　of　Dido。

The　next　day；　Hugh　was　determined　to　find　or　make　an　opportunity　of
speaking　to　Euphra；　and　fortune　seemed　to　favour　him。Or　was　it
Euphra　herself；　in　one　or　other　of　her　inexplicable　moods？　　At　all
events；　she　had　that　morning　allowed　the　ladies　and　her　uncle　to　go
without　her；　and　Hugh　met　her　as　he　went　to　his　study。

〃May　I　speak　to　you　for　one　moment？〃　said　he；　hurriedly；　and　with
trembling　lips。

Yes；　certainly；〃　she　replied　with　a　smile；　and　a　glance　in　his　face
as　of　wonder　a