david elginbrod-第52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！


perturbationmanifest　on　the　part　of　the　ladies；　and　concealed　on
the　part　of　the　men。　　The　place　was　quite　dark。　　They　entered；　and
Hugh　was　greatly　struck　with　its　strange　antiquity。　　Lady
Euphrasia's　ghost　had　driven　the　last　occupant　out　of　it　nearly　a
hundred　years　ago；　but　most　of　the　furniture　was　much　older　than
that；　having　probably　belonged　to　Lady　Euphrasia　herself。　　The　room
remained　just　as　the　said　last　occupant　had　left　it。　　Even　the
bed…clothes　remained；　folded　down；　as　if　expecting　their　occupant
for　the　last　hundred　years。　　The　fine　linen　had　grown　yellow；　and
the　rich　counterpane　lay　like　a　churchyard　after　the　resurrection；
full　of　the　open　graves　of　the　liberated　moths。　　On　the　wall　hung
the　portrait　of　a　nun　in　convent…attire。

〃Some　have　taken　that　for　a　second　portrait　of　Lady　Euphrasia；〃　said
Mr。　Arnold；　〃but　it　cannot　be。Euphra；　we　will　go　back　through　the
picture　gallery。I　suspect　it　of　originating　the　tradition　that
Lady　Euphrasia　became　a　nun　at　last。　　I　do　not　believe　it　myself。
The　picture　is　certainly　old　enough　to　stand　for　her；　but　it　does
not　seem　to　me　in　the　least　like　the　other。〃

It　was　a　great　room；　with　large　recesses；　and　therefore　irregular　in
form。　　Old　chairs；　with　remnants　of　enamel　and　gilding；　and　seats　of
faded　damask；　stood　all　about。　　But　the　beauty　of　the　chamber　was
its　tapestry。　　The　walls　were　entirely　covered　with　it；　and　the　rich
colours　had　not　yet　receded　into　the　dull　grey　of　the　past；　though
their　gorgeousness　had　become　sombre　with　age。　　The　subject　was　the
story　of　Samson。

〃Come　and　see　this　strange　piece　of　furniture；〃　said　Euphra　to　Hugh；
who　had　kept　by　her　side　since　they　entered　this　room。

She　led　him　into　one　of　the　recesses；　almost　concealed　by　the
bed…hangings。　　In　it　stood　a　cabinet　of　ebony；　reaching　nearly　to
the　ceiling；　curiously　carved　in　high　relief。

〃I　wish　I　could　show　you　the　inside　of　it；〃　she　went　on；　〃but　I
cannot　now。〃

This　was　said　almost　in　a　whisper。　　Hugh　replied　with　only　a　look　of
thanks。　　He　gazed　at　the　carving；　on　whose　black　surface　his　candle
made　little　light；　and　threw　no　shadows。

〃You　have　looked　at　this　before；　Euphra；〃　said　he。　〃Explain　it　to
me。〃

〃I　have　often　tried　to　find　out　what　it　is；〃　she　answered；　〃but　I
never　could　quite　satisfy　myself　about　it。〃

She　proceeded；　however；　to　tell　him　what　she　fancied　it　might　mean；
speaking　still　in　the　low　tone　which　seemed　suitable　to　the　awe　of
the　place。　　She　got　interested　in　showing　him　the　relations　of　the
different　figures；　and　he　made　several　suggestions　as　to　the
possible　intention　of　the　artist。　　More　than　one　well…known　subject
was　proposed　and　rejected。

Suddenly　becoming　aware　of　the　sensation　of　silence；　they　looked　up；
and　saw　that　theirs　was　the　only　light　in　the　room。　　They　were　left
alone　in　the　haunted　chamber。They　looked　at　each　other　for　one
moment；　then　said；　with　half…stifled　voices：

〃Euphra！〃

〃Hugh！〃

Euphra　seemed　half　amused　and　half　perplexed。　　Hugh　looked　half
perplexed　and　wholly　pleased。

〃Come；　come；〃　said　Euphra；　recovering　herself；　and　leading　the　way
to　the　door。

When　they　reached　it；　they　found　it　closed　and　locked。　　Euphra
raised　her　hand　to　beat　on　it。　　Hugh　caught　it。

〃You　will　drive　Lady　Emily　into　fits。　　Did　you　not　see　how　awfully
pale　she　was？〃

Euphra　instantly　lifted　her　hand　again；　as　if　she　would　just　like　to
try　that　result。　　But　Hugh；　who　was　in　no　haste　for　any　result；　held
her　back。

She　struggled　for　a　moment　or　two；　but　not　very　strenuously；　and；
desisting　all　at　once；　let　her　arms　drop　by　her　sides。

〃I　fear　it　is　too　late。　　This　is　a　double　door；　and　Mr。　Arnold　will
have　locked　all　the　doors　between　this　and　the　picture…gallery。
They　are　there　now。　　What　shall　we　do？〃

She　said　this　with　an　expression　of　comical　despair；　which　would
have　made　Hugh　burst　into　laughter；　had　he　not　been　too　much　pleased
to　laugh。

〃Never　mind；〃　he　said；　〃we　will　go　on　with　our　study　of　the　cabinet。
They　will　soon　find　out　that　we　are　left　behind；　and　come　back　to
look　for　us。〃

〃Yes；　but　only　fancy　being　found　here！〃

She　laughed；　but　the　laugh　did　not　succeed。　　It　could　not　hide　a
real　embarrassment。　　She　pondered；　and　seemed　irresolute。　　Then　with
the　words〃They　will　say　we　stayed　behind　on　purpose；〃　she　moved
her　hand　to　the　door；　but　again　withdrew　it；　and　stood　irresolute。

〃Let　us　put　out　the　light。〃　said　Hugh　laughing；　〃and　make　no
answer。〃

〃Can　you　starve　well？〃

〃With　you。〃

She　murmured　something　to　herself；　then　said　aloud　and　hastily；　as
if　she　had　made　up　her　mind　by　the　compulsion　of　circumstances：

〃But　this　won't　do。　　They　are　still　looking　at　the　portrait；　I
daresay。　　Come。〃

So　saying；　she　went　into　another　recess；　and；　lifting　a　curtain　of
tapestry；　opened　a　door。

〃Come　quick；〃　she　said。

Hugh　followed　her　down　a　short　stair　into　a　narrow　passage；　nowhere
lighted　from　the　outside。　　The　door　went　to　behind　them；　as　if　some
one　had　banged　it　in　anger　at　their　intrusion。　　The　passage　smelt
very　musty；　and　was　as　quiet　as　death。

〃Not　a　word　of　this；　Hugh；　as　you　love　me。　　It　may　be　useful　yet。〃

〃Not　a　word。〃

They　came　through　a　sliding　panel　into　an　empty　room。　　Euphra　closed
it　behind　them。

〃Now　shade　your　light。〃

He　did　so。　　She　took　him　by　the　hand。　　A　few　more　turns　brought　them
in　sight　of　the　lights　of　the　rest　of　the　party。　　As　Euphra　had
conjectured；　they　were　looking　at　the　picture　of　Lady　Euphrasia；　Mr。
Arnold　prosing　away　to　them；　in　proof　that　the　nun　could　not　be　she。
They　entered　the　gallery　without　being　heard；　and　parting　a　little
way；　one　pretending　to　look　at　one　picture；　the　other　at　another；
crept　gradually　round　till　they　joined　the　group。　　It　was　a　piece　of
most　successful　generalship。　　Euphra　was；　doubtless；　quite　prepared
with　her　story　in　case　it　should　fail。

〃Dear　Lady　Emily；〃　said　she；　〃how　tired　you　look！　　Do　let　us　go；
uncle。〃

〃By　all　means。　　Take　my　arm；　Lady　Emily。　　Euphra；　will　you　take　the
keys　again；　and　lock　the　doors？〃

Mrs。　Elton　had　already　taken　Hugh's　arm；　and　was　leading　him　away
after　Mr。　Arnold　and　Lady　Emily。

〃I　will　not　leave　you　behind　with　the　spectres；　Miss　Cameron；〃　said
Funkelstein。

〃Thank　you；　they　will　not　detain　me　long。　　They　don't　mind　being
locked　up。〃

It　was　some　little　time；　however；　before　they　presented　themselves
in　the　drawing…room；　to　which；　and　not　to　the　library；　the　party　had
gone：　they　had　had　enough　of　horrors　for　that　night。

Lest　my　readers　should　think　they　have　had　too　many　wonders　at
least；　I　will　explain　one　of　them。　　It　was　really　Margaret　Elginbrod
whom　Hugh　had　seen。　　Mrs。　Elton　was　the　lady　in　whose　service　she
had　left　her　home。　　It　was　nothing　strange　that　they　had　not　met；
for　Margaret　knew　he　was　in　the　same　house；　and　had　several　times
seen　him；　but　had　avoided　meeting　him。　　Neither　was　it　a　wonderful
coincidence　that　they　should　be　in　such　close　proximity；　for　the
college　friend　from　whom　Hugh　had　first　heard　of　Mr。　Arnold；　was　the
son　of　the　gentleman　whom　Mrs。　Elton　was　visiting；　when　she　first
saw　Margaret。

Margaret　had　obeyed　her　mistress's　summons　to　the　drawing…room；　and
had　entered　while　Hugh　was　stooping　over　the　plate。　　As　the　room　was
nearly　dark；　and　she　was　dressed　in　black；　her　pale　face　alone
caught　the　light　and　his　eye　as　he　looked　up；　and　the　giddiness
which　followed　had　prevented　him　from　seeing　more。　　She　left　the
room　the　next　moment；　while　they　were　all　looking　out　of　the　window。
Nor　was　it　any　exercise　of　his　excited　imagination　that　had
presented　her　face　as　glorified。　　She　was　now　a　woman；　and；　there
being　no　divine　law　against　saying　so；　I　say　that　she　had　grown　a
lady　as　well；　as　indeed　any　one　might　have　foreseen　who　was　capable
of　foreseeing　it。　　Her　whole　nature　had　blossomed　into　a　still；
stately；　lily…like　beauty；　and　the　face　that　Hugh　saw　was　indeed　the
realised　idea　of　the　former　face　of　Margaret。

But　how　did　the　plate　move？　and　whence　came　the　writing　of　old
David's　name？　　I　must；　for　the　present；　leave　the　whole　matter　to
the　speculative　power　of　each　of　my　readers。

But　Margaret　was　in　mourning：　was　David　indeed　dead？

He　was　dead。Yet　his　name　will　stand　as　the　name　of　my　story　for
pages　to　come；　because；　if　he　had　not　been　in　it；　the　story　would
never　have　been　worth　writing；　because　the　influence　of　that
ploughman　is　the　salt　of　the　whole；　because　a　man's　life　in　the
earth　is　not　to　be　measured　by　the　time　he　is　visible　upon　it；　and
because；　when　the　story　is　wound　up；　it　will　be　in　the　presence　of
his　spirit。

Do　I　then　believe　that　David　himself　did　write　that　name　of　his？

Heaven　forbid　that　any　friend　of　mine　should　be　able　to　believe　it！

Long　before　she　saw　him；　Margaret　had　known；　from　what　she　heard
among　the　servants；　that　Master　Harry's　tutor　could　be　no　other　than
her　own　tutor　of　the　old　time。　　By　and　by　she　learned　a　great　deal
about　him　from　Harry's　talk　with　Mrs。　Elton　and　Lady　Emily。　　But　she
did　not　give　the　least　hint　that　she　knew　him；　or　betray　the　least
desire　to　see　him。

Mrs。　Elton　was　amusingly　bewildered　by　the　occurrences　of　the
evening。　　Her　theories　were　something　asto