david elginbrod-第55节

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to　do　with　the　questionable　occupations　in　the　library。　　She　watched
by　her　bedside　all　the　night；　slumbering　at　times；　but　roused　in　a
moment　by　any　restlessness　of　the　patient；　when　she　found　that；
simply　by　laying　her　hand　on　hers；　or　kissing　her　forehead；　she
could　restore　her　at　once　to　quiet　sleep。




CHAPTER　XIX。

THE　GHOST'S　WALK。

Thierry。'Tis　full　of　fearful　shadows。
Ordella。　　　　　So　is　sleep；　sir；
　　　Or　anything　that's　merely　ours；　and　mortal；
　　　We　were　begotten　gods　else。　　But　those　fears
　　　Feeling　but　once　the　fires　of　nobler　thoughts；
　　　Fly；　like　the　shapes　of　clouds　we　form；　to　nothing。

BEAUMONT　AND　FLETCHER。Thierry　and　Theodoret。


Margaret　sat　watching　the　waking　of　Lady　Emily。　　Knowing　how　much
the　first　thought　colours　the　feeling　of　the　whole　day；　she　wished
that　Lady　Emily　should　at　once　be　aware　that　she　was　by　her　side。

She　opened　her　eyes；　and　a　smile　broke　over　her　face　when　she
perceived　her　nurse。　　But　Margaret　did　not　yet　speak　to　her。

Every　nurse　should　remember　that　waking　ought　always　to　be　a　gradual
operation；　and；　except　in　the　most　triumphant　health；　is　never
complete　on　the　opening　of　the　eyes。

〃Margaret；　I　am　better；〃　said　Lady　Emily；　at　last。

〃I　am　very　glad；　my　lady。〃

〃I　have　been　lying　awake　for　some　time；　and　I　am　sure　I　am　better。
I　don't　see　strange…coloured　figures　floating　about　the　room　as　I
did　yesterday。　　Were　you　not　out　of　the　room　a　few　minutes　ago？〃

〃Just　for　one　moment；　my　lady。〃

〃I　knew　it。　　But　I　did　not　mind　it。　　Yesterday；　when　you　left　me；
those　figures　grew　ten　times　as　many；　the　moment　you　were　gone。　　But
you　will　stay　with　me　to…day；　too；　Margaret？〃　she　added；　with　some
anxiety。

〃I　will；　if　you　find　you　need　me。　　But　I　may　be　forced　to　leave　you
a　little　while　this　eveningyou　must　try　to　allow　me　this；　dear
Lady　Emily。〃

〃Of　course　I　will。　　I　will　be　quite　patient；　I　promise　you；　whatever
comes　to　me。〃

When　Harry　woke；　after　a　very　troubled　sleep；　from　which　he　had
often　started　with　sudden　cries　of　terror；　Hugh　made　him　promise　not
to　increase　the　confusion　of　the　household；　by　speaking　of　what　he
had　seen。　　Harry　promised　at　once；　but　begged　in　his　turn　that　Hugh
would　not　leave　him　all　day。　　It　did　not　need　the　pale　scared　face
of　his　pupil　to　enforce　the　request；　for　Hugh　was　already　anxious
lest　the　fright　the　boy　had　had；　should　exercise　a　permanently
deleterious　effect　on　his　constitution。　　Therefore　he　hardly　let　him
out　of　his　sight。

But　although　Harry　kept　his　word；　the　cloud　of　perturbation　gathered
thicker　in　the　kitchen　and　the　servants'　hall。　　Nothing　came　to　the
ears　of　their　master　and　mistress；　but　gloomy　looks；　sudden　starts；
and　sidelong　glances　of　fear；　indicated　the　prevailing　character　of
the　feelings　of　the　household。

And　although　Lady　Emily　was　not　so　ill；　she　had　not　yet　taken　a
decided　turn　for　the　better；　but　appeared　to　suffer　from　some　kind
of　low　fever。　　The　medical　man　who　was　called　in；　confessed　to　Mrs。
Elton；　that　as　yet　he　could　say　nothing　very　decided　about　her
condition；　but　recommended　great　quiet　and　careful　nursing。
Margaret　scarcely　left　her　room；　and　the　invalid　showed　far　more
than　the　ordinary　degree　of　dependence　upon　her　nurse。　　In　her
relation　to　her；　she　was　more　like　a　child　than　an　invalid。

About　noon　she　was　better。　　She　called　Margaret　and　said　to　her：

〃Margaret；　dear；　I　should　like　to　tell　you　one　thing　that　annoys　me
very　much。〃

〃What　is　it；　dear　Lady　Emily？〃

〃That　man　haunts　me。　　I　cannot　bear　the　thought　of　him；　and　yet　I
cannot　get　rid　of　him。　　I　am　sure　he　is　a　bad　man。　　Are　you　certain
he　is　not　here？〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　my　lady。　　He　has　not　been　here　since　the　day　before
yesterday。〃

〃And　yet　when　you　leave　me　for　an　instant；　I　always　feel　as　if　he
were　sitting　in　the　very　seat　where　you　were　the　moment　before；　or
just　coming　to　the　door　and　about　to　open　it。　　That　is　why　I　cannot
bear　you　to　leave　me。〃

Margaret　might　have　confessed　to　some　slighter　sensations　of　the
same　kind；　but　they　did　not　oppress　her　as　they　did　Lady　Emily。

〃God　is　nearer　to　you　than　any　thought　or　feeling　of　yours；　Lady
Emily。　　Do　not　be　afraid。　　If　all　the　evil　things　in　the　universe
were　around　us；　they　could　not　come　inside　the　ring　that　he　makes
about　us。　　He　always　keeps　a　place　for　himself　and　his　child；　into
which　no　other　being　can　enter。〃

〃Oh！　how　you　must　love　God；　Margaret！〃

〃Indeed　I　do　love　him；　my　lady。　　If　ever　anything　looks　beautiful　or
lovely　to　me；　then　I　know　at　once　that　God　is　that。〃

〃But；　then；　what　right　have　we　to　take　the　good　of　that；　however
true　it　is；　when　we　are　not　beautiful　ourselves？〃

〃That　only　makes　God　the　more　beautifulin　that　he　will　pour　out
the　more　of　his　beauty　upon　us　to　make　us　beautiful。　　If　we　care　for
his　glory；　we　shall　be　glad　to　believe　all　this　about　him。　　But　we
are　too　anxious　about　feeling　good　ourselves；　to　rejoice　in　his
perfect　goodness。　　I　think　we　should　find　that　enough；　my　lady。
For；　if　he　be　good；　are　not　we　his　children；　and　sure　of　having　it；
not　merely　feeling　it；　some　day？〃

Here　Margaret　repeated　a　little　poem　of　George　Herbert's。　　She　had
found　his　poems　amongst　Mrs。　Elton's　books；　who；　coming　upon　her
absorbed　in　it　one　day；　had　made　her　a　present　of　the　volume。　　Then
indeed　Margaret　had　found　a　friend。

The　poem　is　called　Dialogue：

　　　　　〃Sweetest　Saviour；　if　my　soul
　　　　　　Were　but　worth　the　having〃

〃Oh；　what　a　comfort　you　are　to　me；　Margaret！〃　　Lady　Emily　said；
after　a　short　silence。　　Where　did　you　learn　such　things？〃

〃From　my　father；　and　from　Jesus　Christ；　and　from　God　himself；
showing　them　to　me　in　my　heart。〃

〃Ah！　that　is　why；　as　often　as　you　come　into　my　room；　even　if　I　am
very　troubled；　I　feel　as　if　the　sun　shone；　and　the　wind　blew；　and
the　birds　sang；　and　the　tree…tops　went　waving　in　the　wind；　as　they
used　to　do　before　I　was　taken　illI　mean　before　they　thought　I　must
go　abroad。　　You　seem　to　make　everything　clear；　and　right；　and　plain。
I　wish　I　were　you；　Margaret。〃

〃If　I　were　you；　my　lady；　I　would　rather　be　what　God　chose　to　make
me；　than　the　most　glorious　creature　that　I　could　think　of。　　For　to
have　been　thought　aboutborn　in　God's　thoughtsand　then　made　by
God；　is　the　dearest；　grandest；　most　precious　thing　in　all　thinking。
Is　it　not；　my　lady？〃

〃It　is；〃　said　Lady　Emily；　and　was　silent。

The　shadows　of　evening　came　on。　　As　soon　as　it　was　dark；　Margaret
took　her　place　at　one　of　the　windows　hidden　from　Lady　Emily　by　a
bed…curtain。　　She　raised　the　blind；　and　pulled　aside　one　curtain；　to
let　her　have　a　view　of　the　trees　outside。　　She　had　placed　the　one
candle　so　as　not　to　shine　either　on　the　window　or　on　her　own　eyes。
Lady　Emily　was　asleep。　　One　hour　and　another　passed；　and　still　she
sat　theremotionless；　watching。

Margaret　did　not　know；　that　at　another　windowthe　one；　indeed；　next
to　her　ownstood　a　second　watcher。　　It　was　Hugh；　in　Harry's　room：
Harry　was　asleep　in　Hugh's。　　He　had　no　light。　　He　stood　with　his
face　close　against　the　windowpane；　on　which　the　moon　shone　brightly。
All　below　him　the　woods　were　half　dissolved　away　in　the　moonlight。
The　Ghost's　Walk　lay　full　before　him；　like　a　tunnel　through　the
trees。　　He　could　see　a　great　way　down；　by　the　light　that　fell　into
it；　at　various　intervals；　from　between　the　boughs　overhead。　　He
stood　thus　for　a　long　time；　gazing　somewhat　listlessly。　　Suddenly　he
became　all　eyes；　as　he　caught　the　white　glimmer　of　something　passing
up　the　avenue。　　He　stole　out　of　the　room；　down　to　the　library　by　the
back…stair；　and　so　through　the　library　window　into　the　wood。　　He
reached　the　avenue　sideways；　at　some　distance　from　the　house；　and
peeped　from　behind　a　tree；　up　and　down。　　At　first　he　saw　nothing。
But；　a　moment　after；　while　he　was　looking　down　the　avenue；　that　is；
away　from　the　house；　a　veiled　figure　in　white　passed　him　noiselessly
from　the　other　direction。　　From　the　way　in　which　he　was　looking　at
the　moment；　it　had　passed　him　before　he　saw　it。　　It　made　no　sound。
Only　some　early…fallen　leaves　rustled　as　they　hurried　away　in
uncertain　eddies；　startled　by　the　sweep　of　its　trailing　garments；
which　yet　were　held　up　by　hands　hidden　within　them。　　On　it　went。
Hugh's　eyes　were　fixed　on　its　course。　　He　could　not　move；　and　his
heart　laboured　so　frightfully　that　he　could　hardly　breathe。　　The
figure　had　not　advanced　far；　however；　before　he　heard　a　repressed
cry　of　agony；　and　it　sank　to　the　earth；　and　vanished；　while　from
where　it　disappeared；　down　the　path；　came；　silently　too；　turning
neither　to　the　right　nor　the　left；　a　second　figure；　veiled　in　black
from　head　to　foot。

〃It　is　the　nun　in　Lady　Euphrasia's　room；〃　said　Hugh　to　himself。

This　passed　him　too；　and；　walking　slowly　towards　the　house；
disappeared　somewhere；　near　the　end　of　the　avenue。　　Turning　once
more；　with　reviving　couragefor　his　blood　had　begun　to　flow　more
equablyHugh　ventured　to　approach　the　spot　where　the　white　figure
had　vanished。　　He　found　nothing　there　but　the　shadow　of　a　huge　tree。
He　walked　through　the　avenue　to　the　end；　and　then　back　to　the
house；　but　saw　nothing；　though　he　often　started　at　fancied
appearances。　　Sorely　bewildered；　he　returned　to　his　own　room。　　Af