david elginbrod-第60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！


thought；　for　he　had　not　the　smallest　desire　to　recede。　　The　ambition
of　proving　his　courage　to　Euphra；　and；　far　more；　the　strength　just
afforded　him　by　the　sight　of　her　tears；　were　quite　sufficient　to
carry　him　on　to　the　ordeal。　　Whether　they　would　carry　him　through　it
with　dignity；　he　did　not　ask　himself。

And；　after　all；　would　the　ghost　appear？　　At　the　best；　she　might　not
come；　at　the　very　worst；　she　would　be　but　a　ghost；　and　he　could　say
with　Hamlet

　　　　　　　〃for　my　soul；　what　can　it　do　to　that；
　　　　　Being　a　thing　as　immortal　as　itself？〃

But　then；　his　jealousy　having　for　the　moment　intermitted；　Hugh　was
not　able　to　say　with　Hamlet

　　　　　〃I　do　not　set　my　life　at　a　pin's　fee；〃

and　that　had　much　to　do　with　Hamlet's　courage　in　the　affair　of　the
ghost。

He　walked　up　and　down　the　avenue；　till；　beginning　to　feel　the　night
chilly；　he　began　to　feel　the　avenue　eerie；　for　cold　is　very
antagonistic　to　physical　courage。　　But　what　refuge　would　he　find　in
the　ghost's　room？

He　returned　to　the　drawing…room。　　Von　Funkelstein　and　Euphra　were
there　alone；　but　in　no　proximity。　　Mr。　Arnold　soon　entered。

〃Shall　I　have　the　bed　prepared　for　you；　Mr。　Sutherland？〃　said
Euphra。

〃Which　of　your　maids　will　you　persuade　to　that　office？〃　said　Mr。
Arnold；　with　a　facetious　expression。

〃I　must　do　it　myself；〃　answered　Euphra；　〃if　Mr。　Sutherland
persists。〃

Hugh　saw；　or　thought　he　saw；　the　Bohemian　dart　an　angry　glance　at
Euphra；　who　shrank　under　it。　　But　before　he　could　speak；　Mr。　Arnold
rejoined：

〃You　can　make　a　bed；　then？　　That　is　the　housemaid's　phrase；　is　it
not？〃

〃I　can　do　anything　another　can；　uncle。〃

〃Bravo！　　Can　you　see　the　ghost？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　answered；　with　a　low　lingering　on　the　sibilant；　looking
round；　at　the　same　time；　with　an　expression　that　implied　a　hope　that
Hugh　had　heard　it；　as　indeed　he　had。

〃What！　　Euphra　too？〃　said　Mr。　Arnold；　in　a　tone　of　gentle　contempt。

〃Do　not　disturb　the　ghost's　bed　for　me；〃　said　Hugh。　〃It　would　be　a
pity　to　disarrange　it；　after　it　has　lain　so　for　an　age。　　Besides；　I
need　not　rouse　the　wrath　of　the　poor　spectre　more　than　can't　be
helped。　　If　I　must　sleep　in　her　room；　I　need　not　sleep　in　her　bed。
I　will　lie　on　the　old　couch。　　Herr　von　Funkelstein；　what　proof
shall　I　give　you？〃

〃Your　word；　Mr。　Sutherland；〃　replied　Funkelstein；　with　a　bow。

〃Thank　you。　　At　what　hour　must　I　be　there。〃

〃Oh！　　I　don't　know。　　By　eleven　I　should　think。　　Oh！　any　time　before
midnight。　　That's　the　ghost's　own；　is　it　not？　　It　is　nowlet　me
seealmost　ten。〃

〃Then　I　will　go　at　once；〃　said　Hugh；　thinking　it　better　to　meet　the
gradual　approach　of　the　phantom…hour　in　the　room　itself；　than　to
walk　there　through　the　desolate　house；　and　enter　the　room　just　as
the　fear　would　be　gathering　thickest　within　it。　　Besides；　he　was
afraid　that　his　courage　might　have　broken　down　a　little　by　that
time；　and　that　he　would　not　be　able　to　conceal　entirely　the
anticipative　dread；　whose　inroad　he　had　reason　to　apprehend。

〃I　have　one　good　cup　of　tea　yet；　Mr。　Sutherland；〃　said　Euphra。　〃Will
you　not　strengthen　your　nerves　with　that；　before　we　lead　you　to　the
tomb？〃

〃Then　she　will　go　with　me；〃　thought　Hugh。　〃I　will；　thank　you；　Miss
Cameron。〃

He　approached　the　table　at　which　she　stood　pouring　out　the　cup　of
tea。　　She　said；　low　and　hurriedly；　without　raising　her　head：

〃Don't　go；　dear　Hugh。　You　don't　know　what　may　happen。〃

〃I　will　go；　Euphra。　　Not　even　you　shall　prevent　me。〃

〃I　will　pay　the　wager　for　youlend　you　the　money。〃

〃Euphra！〃The　tone　implied　many　things。

Mr。　Arnold　approached。　　Other　conversation　followed。　　As　half…past
ten　chimed　from　the　clock　on　the　chimney…piece；　Hugh　rose　to　go。

〃I　will　just　get　a　book　from　my　room；〃　he　said；　〃and　then　perhaps
Herr　von　Funkelstein　will　be　kind　enough　to　see　me　make　a　beginning
at　least。〃

〃Certainly　I　will。　　And　I　advise　you　to　let　the　book　be　Edgar　Poe's
Tales。〃

〃No。　I　shall　need　all　the　courage　I　have；　I　assure　you。　　I　shall
find　you　here？〃

〃Yes。〃

Hugh　went　to　his　room；　and　washed　his　face　and　hands。　　Before　doing
so；　he　pulled　off　his　finger　a　ring　of　considerable　value；　which　had
belonged　to　his　father。　　As　he　was　leaving　the　room　to　return　to　the
company；　he　remembered　that　he　had　left　the　ring　on　the
washhand…stand。　　He　generally　left　it　there　at　night；　but　now　he
bethought　himself　that；　as　he　was　not　going　to　sleep　in　the　room；　it
might　be　as　well　to　place　it　in　the　escritoire。　　He　opened　the
secret　place；　and　laid　the　diamond　beside　his　poems　and　the　crystal
ring　belonging　to　Mr。　Arnold。　　This　done；　he　took　up　his　book　again；
and；　returning　to　the　drawing…room；　found　the　whole　party　prepared
to　accompany　him。　　Mr。　Arnold　had　the　keys。　　Von　Funkelstein　and　he
went　first；　and　Hugh　followed　with　Euphra。

〃We　will　not　contribute　to　your　discomfiture　by　locking　the　doors　on
the　way；　Mr。　Sutherland；〃　said　Mr。　Arnold。

〃That　is；　you　will　not　compel　me　to　win　the　wager　in　spite　of　my
fears；〃　said　Hugh。

〃But　you　will　let　the　ghost　loose　on　the　household；〃　said　the
Bohemian；　laughing。

〃I　will　be　responsible　for　that；〃　replied　Mr。　Arnold。

Euphra　dropped　a　little　behind　with　Hugh。

〃Remember　the　secret　passage；〃　said　she。　〃You　can　get　out　when　you
will；　whether　they　lock　the　door；　or　not。　　Don't　carry　it　too　far；
Hugh。〃

〃The　ghost　you　mean；　Euphra。I　don't　think　I　shall；〃　said　Hugh；
laughing。　　But　as　he　laughed；　an　involuntary　shudder　passed　through
him。

〃Have　I　stepped　over　my　own　grave？〃　thought　he。

They　reached　the　room；　and　entered。　　Hugh　would　have　begged　them　to
lock　him　in；　had　he　not　felt　that　his　knowledge　of　the　secret　door；
would；　although　he　intended　no　use　of　it；　render　such　a　proposal
dishonourable。　　They　gave　him　the　key　of　the　door；　to　lock　it　on　the
inside；　and　bade　him　good　night。　　They　were　just　leaving　him；　when
Hugh　on　whom　a　new　light　had　broken　at　last；　in　the　gradual
restoration　of　his　faculties；　said　to　the　Bohemian：

〃One　word　with　you；　Herr　von　Funkelstein；　if　you　please。〃

Funkelstein　followed　him　into　the　room；　when　Hugh　half…closing　the
door；　said：

〃I　trust　to　your　sympathy；　as　gentleman；　not　to　misunderstand　me。　　I
wagered　a　hundred　guineas　with　you　in　the　heat　of　after…dinner　talk。
I　am　not　at　present　worth　a　hundred　shillings。〃

〃Oh！〃　began　Funkelstein；　with　a　sneer；　〃if　you　wish　to　get　off　on
that　ground〃

〃Herr　von　Funkelstein；〃　interrupted　Hugh；　in　a　very　decided　tone；　〃I
pointed　to　your　sympathy　as　a　gentleman；　as　the　ground　on　which　I
had　hoped　to　meet　you　now。　　If　you　have　difficulty　in　finding　that
ground；　another　may　be　found　to…morrow　without　much　seeking。〃

Hugh　paused　for　a　moment　after　making　this　grand　speech；　but
Funkelstein　did　not　seem　to　understand　him：　he　stood　in　a　waiting
attitude。　　Hugh　therefore　went　on：

〃Meantime；　what　I　wanted　to　say　is　this：I　have　just　left　a　ring　in
my　room；　which；　though　in　value　considerably　below　the　sum　mentioned
between　us；　may　yet　be　a　pledge　of　my　good　faith；　in　as　far　as　it　is
of　infinitely　more　value　to　me　than　can　be　reckoned　in　money。　　It
was　the　property　of　one　who　by　birth；　and　perhaps　by　social　position
as　well；　was　Herr　von　Funkelstein's　equal。　　The　ring　is　a　diamond；
and　belonged　to　my　father。〃

Von　Funkelstein　merely　replied：

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Mr。　Sutherland；　for　misunderstanding　you。　　The
ring　is　quite　an　equivalent。〃　　And　making　him　a　respectful　bow；　he
turned　and　left　him。




CHAPTER　XXIV。

THE　LADY　EUPHRASIA。

The　black　jades　of　swart　night　trot　foggy　rings
'Bout　heaven's　brow。　'Tis　now　stark　dead　night。

JOHN　MARSTON。Second　Part　of　Antonio　and　Mellida。


As　soon　as　Hugh　was　alone；　his　first　action　was　to　lock　the　door　by
which　he　had　entered；　his　next　to　take　the　key　from　the　lock；　and
put　it　in　his　pocket。　　He　then　looked　if　there　were　any　other
fastenings；　and　finding　an　old　tarnished　brass　bolt　as　well；
succeeded　in　making　it　do　its　duty　for　the　first　time　that　century；
which　required　some　persuasion；　as　may　be　supposed。　　He　then　turned
towards　the　other　door。　　As　he　crossed　the　room；　he　found　four
candles；　a　decanter　of　port；　and　some　biscuits；　on　a　tableplaced
there；　no　doubt；　by　the　kind　hands　of　Euphra。　　He　vowed　to　himself
that　he　would　not　touch　the　wine。　〃I　have　had　enough　of　that　for　one
night；〃　said　he。　　But　he　lighted　the　candles；　and　then　saw　that　the
couch　was　provided　with　plenty　of　wraps　for　the　night。　　One　of
themhe　recognised　to　his　delightwas　a　Cameron　tartan；　often　worn
by　Euphra。　　He　buried　his　face　in　it　for　a　moment；　and　drew　from　it
fresh　courage。　　He　then　went　into　the　furthest　recess；　lifted　the
tapestry；　and　proceeded　to　fasten　the　concealed　door。　　But；　to　his
discomfiture；　he　could　find　no　fastening　upon　it。　〃No　doubt；〃
thought　he；　〃it　does　fasten；　in　some　secret　way　or　other。〃　　But　he
could　discover　none。　　There　was　no　mark　of　bolt　or　socket　to　show
whence　one　had　been　removed；　nor　sign　of　friction　to　indicate　that
the　door　had　ever　been　made　secure　in　such　fashion。　　It　closed　with
a　spring。

〃Then；〃　said　Hugh；　apostrophising　the　door；　〃I　must　watch　you。〃

As；　however；　it　was　not　yet　near　the　time　when　ghosts　are　to　be
expected；　and　as　he　felt　very　tired；　he　drank