david elginbrod-第63节

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answer　them。

At　one　o'clock；　the　carriage　came　round　to　the　door；　and　Hugh；　in
the　hope　of　seeing　Euphra　alone；　was　the　first　in　the　hall。　　Mrs。
Elton　and　Lady　Emily　presently　came；　and　proceeded　to　take　their
places；　without　seeming　to　expect　Miss　Cameron。　　Hugh　helped　them
into　the　carriage；　but；　instead　of　getting　in；　lingered；　hoping　that
Euphra　was　yet　going　to　make　her　appearance。

〃I　fear　Miss　Cameron　is　unable　to　join　us；〃　said　Mrs。　Elton；
divining　his　delay。

〃Shall　I　run　up…stairs；　and　knock　at　her　door？〃　said　Hugh。

〃Do；〃　said　Mrs。　Elton；　who；　after　the　unsatisfactory　conversation
she　had　held　with　her　maid；　had　felt　both　uneasy　and　curious；　all
the　morning。

Hugh　bounded　up…stairs；　but；　just　as　he　was　going　to　knock；　the　door
opened；　and　Euphra；　appeared。

〃Dear　Euphra！　how　ill　you　look！〃　exclaimed　Hugh。

She　was　pale　as　death；　and　dark　under　the　eyes；　and　had　evidently
been　weeping。

〃Hush！　hush！〃　she　answered。　〃Never　mind。　　It　is　only　a　bad　headache。
Don't　take　any　notice　of　it。〃

〃The　carriage　is　at　the　door。　　Will　you　not　come　with　us？〃

〃With　whom？〃

〃Lady　Emily　and　Mrs。　Elton。〃

〃I　am　sick　of　them。〃

〃I　am　going；　Euphra。〃

〃Stay　with　me。〃

〃I　must　go。　　I　promised　to　take　care　of　them。〃

〃Oh；　nonsense！　　What　should　happen　to　them？　　Stay　with　me。〃

〃No。　I　am　very　sorry。　　I　wish　I　could。〃

〃Then　I　must　go　with　you；　I　suppose。〃　　Yet　her　tone　expressed
annoyance。

〃Oh！　thank　you；〃　cried　Hugh　in　delight。　〃Make　haste。　　I　will　run
down；　and　tell　them　to　wait。〃

He　bounded　away；　and　told　the　ladies　that　Euphra　would　join　them　in
a　few　minutes。

But　Euphra　was　cool　enough　to　inflict　on　them　quite　twenty　minutes
of　waiting；　by　which　time　she　was　able　to　behave　with　tolerable
propriety。　　When　she　did　appear　at　last；　she　was　closely　veiled；　and
stepped　into　the　carriage　without　once　showing　her　face。　　But　she
made　a　very　pretty　apology　for　the　delay　she　had　occasioned；　which
was　certainly　due；　seeing　it　had　been　perfectly　intentional。　　She
made　room　for　Hugh；　he　took　his　place　beside　her；　and　away　they
drove。

Euphra　scarcely　spoke；　but　begged　indulgence；　on　the　ground　of　her
headache。　　Lady　Emily　enjoyed　the　drive　very　much；　and　said　a　great
many　pleasant　little　nothings。

〃Would　you　like　a　glass　of　milk？〃　said　Mrs。　Elton　to　her；　as　they
passed　a　farm…house　on　the　estate。

〃I　shouldvery　much；〃　answered　Lady　Emily。

The　carriage　was　stopped；　and　the　servant　sent　to　beg　a　glass　of
milk。　　Euphra；　who；　from　riding　backward　with　a　headache；　had　been
feeling　very　uncomfortable　for　some　time；　wished　to　get　out　while
the　carriage　was　waiting。　　Hugh　jumped　out；　and　assisted　her。　　She
walked　a　little　way；　leaning　on　his　arm；　up　to　the　house；　where　she
had　a　glass　of　water；　after　which　she　said　she　felt　better；　and
returned　with　him　to　the　carriage。　　In　getting　in　again；　either　from
the　carelessness　or　the　weakness　occasioned　by　suffering；　her　foot
slipped　from　the　step；　and　she　fell　with　a　cry　of　alarm。　　Hugh
caught　her　as　she　fell；　and　she　would　not　have　been　much　injured；
had　not　the　horses　started　and　sprung　forward　at　the　moment；　so　that
the　hind　wheel　of　the　carriage　passed　over　her　ankle。　　Hugh；　raising
her　in　his　arms；　found　she　was　insensible。

He　laid　her　down　upon　the　grass　by　the　roadside。　　Water　was
procured；　but　she　showed　no　sign　of　recovering。What　was　to　be
done？　　Mrs。　Elton　thought　she　had　better　be　carried　to　the
farm…house。　　Hugh　judged　it　better　to　take　her　home　at　once。　　To
this；　after　a　little　argument；　Mrs。　Elton　agreed。

They　lifted　her　into　the　carriage；　and　made　what　arrangements　they
best　could　to　allow　her　to　recline。　　Blood　was　flowing　from　her
foot；　and　it　was　so　much　swollen　that　it　was　impossible　to　guess　at
the　amount　of　the　injury。　　The　foot　was　already　twice　the　size　of
the　other；　in　which　Hugh　for　the　first　time　recognised　such　a
delicacy　of　form；　as；　to　his　fastidious　eye　and　already　ensnared
heart；　would　have　been　perfectly　enchanting；　but　for　the　agony　he
suffered　from　the　injury　to　the　other。　　Yet　he　could　not　help　the
thought　crossing　his　mind；　that　her　habit　of　never　lifting　her　dress
was　a　very　strange　one；　and　that　it　must　have　had　something　to　do
with　the　present　accident。　　I　cannot　account　for　this　habit；　but　on
one　of　two　suppositions；　that　of　an　affected　delicacy；　or　that　of
the　desire　that　the　beauty　of　her　feet　should　have　its　full　power；
from　being　rarely　seen。　　But　it　was　dreadful　to　think　how　far　the
effects　of　this　accident　might　permanently　injure　the　beauty　of　one
of　them。

Hugh　would　have　walked　home　that　she　might　have　more　room；　but　he
knew　he　could　be　useful　when　they　arrived。　　He　seated　himself　so　as
to　support　the　injured　foot；　and　prevent；　in　some　measure；　the
torturing　effects　of　the　motion　of　the　carriage。　　When　they　had　gone
about　half…way；　she　opened　her　eyes　feebly；　glanced　at　him；　and
closed　them　again　with　a　moan　of　pain。

He　carried　her　in　his　arms　up　to　her　own　room；　and　laid　her　on　a
couch。　　She　thanked　him　by　a　pitiful　attempt　at　a　smile。　　He　mounted
his　horse；　and　galloped　for　a　surgeon。

The　injury　was　a　serious　one；　but　until　the　swelling　could　be　a
little　reduced；　it　was　impossible　to　tell　how　serious。　　The　surgeon；
however；　feared　that　some　of　the　bones　of　the　ankle　might　be
crushed。　　The　ankle　seemed　to　be　dislocated；　and　the　suffering　was
frightful。　　She　endured　it　well；　howeverso　far　as　absolute　silence
constitutes　endurance。

Hugh's　misery　was　extreme。　　The　surgeon　had　required　his　assistance；
but　a　suitable　nurse　soon　arrived；　and　there　was　no　pretext　for　his
further　presence　in　the　sick　chamber。　　He　wandered　about　the
grounds。　　Harry　haunted　his　steps　like　a　spaniel。　　The　poor　boy　felt
it　much；　and　the　suffering　abstraction　of　Hugh　sealed　up　his　chief
well　of　comfort。　　At　length　he　went　to　Mrs。　Elton；　who　did　her　best
to　console　him。

By　the　surgeon's　express　orders；　every　one　but　the　nurse　was
excluded　from　Euphra's　room。




CHAPTER　XXVII。

MORE　TROUBLES。

　　　　　Come　on　and　do　your　best
To　fright　me　with　your　sprites：　you're　powerful　at　it。

You　smell　this　business　with　a　sense　as　cold
As　is　a　dead　man's　nose。

A　Winter's　Tale。


When　Mr。　Arnold　came　home　to　dinner；　and　heard　of　the　accident；　his
first　feeling；　as　is　the　case　with　weak　men；　was　one　of　mingled
annoyance　and　anger。　　Hugh　was　the　chief　object　of　it；　for　had　he
not　committed　the　ladies　to　his　care？　　And　the　economy　of　his　house
being　partially　disarranged　by　it；　had　he　not　a　good　right　to　be
angry？　　His　second　feeling　was　one　of　concern　for　his　niece；　which
was　greatly　increased　when　he　found　that　she　was　not　in　a　state　to
see　him。　　Still；　nothing　must　interfere　with　the　order　of　things；
and　when　Hugh　went　into　the　drawing…room　at　the　usual　hour；　he　found
Mr。　Arnold　standing　there　in　tail　coat　and　white　neck…cloth；　looking
as　if　he　had　just　arrived　at　a　friend's　house；　to　make　one　of　a
stupid　party。　　And　the　party　which　sat　down　to　dinner　was　certainly
dreary　enough；　consisting　only；　besides　the　host　himself；　of　Mrs。
Elton；　Hugh；　and　Harry。　　Lady　Emily　had　had　exertion　enough　for　the
day；　and　had　besides　shared　in　the　shock　of　Euphra's　misfortune。

Mr。　Arnold　was　considerably　out　of　humour；　and　ready　to　pounce　upon
any　object　of　complaint。　　He　would　have　attacked　Hugh　with　a　pompous
speech　on　the　subject　of　his　carelessness；　but　he　was　rather　afraid
of　his　tutor　now；so　certainly　will　the　stronger　get　the　upper　hand
in　time。　　He　did　not　even　refer　to　the　subject　of　the　accident。
Therefore；　although　it　filled　the　minds　of　all　at　table；　it　was
scarcely　more　than　alluded　to。　　But　having　nothing　at　hand　to　find
fault　with　more　suitable；　he　laid　hold　of　the　first　wise　remark
volunteered　by　good　Mrs。　Elton；　whereupon　an　amusing　pas　de　deux
immediately　followed；　for　it　could　not　be　called　a　duel；　inasmuch　as
each　antagonist　kept　skipping　harmlessly　about　the　other；　exploding
theological　crackers；　firmly　believed　by　the　discharger　to　be　no
less　than　bomb…shells。　　At　length　Mrs。　Elton　withdrew。

〃By　the　way；　Mr。　Sutherland；〃　said　Mr。　Arnold；　〃have　you　succeeded
in　deciphering　that　curious　inscription　yet？　　I　don't　like　the　ring
to　remain　long　out　of　my　own　keeping。　　It　is　quite　an　heirloom；　I
assure　you。〃

Hugh　was　forced　to　confess　that　he　had　never　thought　of　it　again。

〃Shall　I　fetch　it　at　once？〃　added　he。

〃Oh！　no；〃　replied　Mr。　Arnold。　〃I　should　really　like　to　understand
the　inscription。　　To…morrow　will　do　perfectly　well。〃

They　went　to　the　drawing…room。　　Everything　was　wretched。　　However
many　ghosts　might　be　in　the　house；　it　seemed　to　Hugh　that　there　was
no　soul　in　it　except　in　one　room。　　The　wind　sighed　fitfully；　and　the
rain　fell　in　slow；　soundless　showers。　　Mr。　Arnold　felt　the　vacant
oppression　as　well　as　Hugh。　Mrs　Elton　having　gone　to　Lady　Emily's
room；　he　proposed　back　gammon；　and　on　that　surpassing　game；　the
gentlemen　expended　the　best　part　of　two　dreary　hours。　　When　Hugh
reached　his　room　he　was　too　tired　and　spiritless　for　any
intellectual　effort；　and；　instead　of　trying　to　decipher　the　ring；
went　to　bed；　and　slept　as　if　there　were　never　a　ghost　or　a　woman　in
the　universe。

His　first　proc