david elginbrod-第64节

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went　to　bed；　and　slept　as　if　there　were　never　a　ghost　or　a　woman　in
the　universe。

His　first　proceeding；　after　breakfast　next　day；　was　to　get　together
his　German　books；　and　his　next　to　take　out　the　ring；　which　was　to　be
subjected　to　their　analytical　influences。　　He　went　to　his　desk；　and
opened　the　secret　place。　　There　he　stood　fixed。The　ring　was　gone。
His　packet　of　papers　was　there；　rather　crumpled：　the　ring　was
nowhere。　　What　had　become　of　it？　　It　was　not　long　before　a
conclusion　suggested　itself。　　It　flashed　upon　him　all　at　once。

〃The　ghost　has　got　it；〃　he　said；　half　aloud。　〃It　is　shining　now　on
her　dead　finger。　　It　was　Lady　Euphrasia。　　She　was　going　for　it　then。
It　wasn't　on　her　thumb　when　she　went。　　She　came　back　with　it；
shining　through　the　darkstepped　over　me；　perhaps；　as　I　lay　on　the
floor　in　her　way。〃

He　shivered；　like　one　in　an　ague…fit。

Again　and　again；　with　that　frenzied；　mechanical　motion；　which；　like
the　eyes　of　a　ghost；　has　〃no　speculation〃　in　it；　he　searched　the
receptacle；　although　it　freely　confessed　its　emptiness　to　any　asking
eye。　　Then　he　stood　gazing；　and　his　heart　seemed　to　stand　still
likewise。

But　a　new　thought　stung　him；　turning　him　almost　sick　with　a　sense　of
loss。　　Suddenly　and　frantically　he　dived　his　hand　into　the　place　yet
again；　useless　as　he　knew　the　search　to　be。　　He　took　up　his　papers；
and　scattered　them　loose。　　It　was　all　unavailing：　his　father's　ring
was　gone　as　well。

He　sank　on　a　chair　for　a　moment；　but；　instantly　recovering；　found
himself；　before　he　was　quite　aware　of　his　own　resolution；　halfway
down　stairs；　on　his　way　to　Mr。　Arnold's　room。　　It　was　empty。　　He
rang　for　his　servant。　　Mr。　Arnold　had　gone　away　on　horseback；　and
would　not　be　home　till　dinner…time。　　Counsel　from　Mrs。　Elton　was
hopeless。　　Help　from　Euphra　he　could　not　ask。　　He　returned　to　his
own　room。　　There　he　found　Harry　waiting　for　him。　　His　neglected
pupil　was　now　his　only　comforter。　　Such　are　the　revenges　of　divine
goodness。

〃Harry！〃　he　said；　〃I　have　been　robbed。〃

〃Robbed！〃　cried　Harry；　starting　up。　〃Never　mind；　Mr。　Sutherland；　my
papa's　a　justice　of　the　peace。　　He'll　catch　the　thief　for　you。〃

〃But　it's　your　papa's　ring　that　they've　stolen。　　He　lent　it　to　me；
and　what　if　he　should　not　believe　me？〃

〃Not　believe　you；　Mr。　Sutherland？　　But　he　must　believe　you。　　I　will
tell　him　all　about　it；　and　he　knows　I　never　told　him　a　lie　in　my
life。〃

〃But　you　don't　know　anything　about　it；　Harry。〃

〃But　you　will　tell　me；　won't　you？〃

Hugh　could　not　help　smiling　with　pleasure　at　the　confidence　his
pupil　placed　in　him。　　He　had　not　much　fear　about　being　believed；
but；　at　the　best；　it　was　an　unpleasant　occurrence。

The　loss　of　his　own　ring　not　only　added　to　his　vexation；　but　to　his
perplexity　as　well。　　What　could　she　want　with　his　ring？　　Could　she
have　carried　with　her　such　a　passion　for　jewels；　as　to　come　from　the
grave　to　appropriate　those　of　others　as　well　as　to　reclaim　her　own？
Was　this　her　comfort　in　Hades；　'poor　ghost'？

Would　it　be　better　to　tell　Mr。　Arnold　of　the　loss　of　both　rings；　or
should　he　mention　the　crystal　only？　　He　came　to　the　conclusion　that
it　would　only　exasperate　him　the　more；　and　perhaps　turn　suspicion
upon　himself；　if　he　communicated　the　fact　that　he　too　was　a　loser；
and　to　such　an　extent；　for　Hugh's　ring　was　worth　twenty　of　the
other；　and　was　certainly　as　sacred　as　Mr。　Arnold's；　if　not　so
ancient。　　He　would　bear　it　in　silence。　　If　the　one　could　not　be
found；　there　could　certainly　be　no　hope　of　the　other。

Punctual　as　the　clock；　Mr。　Arnold　returned。　　It　did　not　prejudice
him　in　favour　of　the　reporter　of　bad　tidings；　that　he　begged　a　word
with　him　before　dinner；　when　that　was　on　the　point　of　being　served。
It　was；　indeed；　exceeding　impolitic；　but　Hugh　would　have　felt　like
an　impostor；　had　he　sat　down　to　the　table　before　making　his
confession。

〃Mr。　Arnold；　I　am　sorry　to　say　I　have　been　robbed；　and　in　your
house；　too。〃

〃In　my　house？　　Of　what；　pray；　Mr。　Sutherland？〃

Mr。　Arnold　had　taken　the　information　as　some　weak　men　take　any　kind
of　information　referring　to　themselves　or　their　belongingsnamely；
as　an　insult。　　He　drew　himself　up；　and　lowered　portentously。

〃Of　your　ring；　Mr。　Arnold。〃

〃Ofmyring？〃

And　he　looked　at　his　ring…finger；　as　if　he　could　not　understand　the
import　of　Hugh's　words。

〃Of　the　ring　you　lent　me　to　decipher；〃　explained　Hugh。

〃Do　you　suppose　I　do　not　understand　you；　Mr。　Sutherland？　　A　ring
which　has　been　in　the　family　for　two　hundred　years　at　least！　　Robbed
of　it？　　In　my　house？　　You　must　have　been　disgracefully　careless；　Mr。
Sutherland。　　You　have　lost　it。〃

〃Mr。　Arnold；〃　said　Hugh；　with　dignity；　〃I　am　above　using　such　a
subterfuge；　even　if　it　were　not　certain　to　throw　suspicion　where　it
was　undeserved。〃

Mr。　Arnold　was　a　gentleman；　as　far　as　his　self…importance　allowed。
He　did　not　apologize　for　what　he　had　said；　but　he　changed　his
manner　at　once。

〃I　am　quite　bewildered；　Mr。　Sutherland。　　It　is　a　very　annoying　piece
of　newsfor　many　reasons。〃

〃I　can　show　you　where　I　laid　itin　the　safest　corner　in　my　room；　I
assure　you。〃

〃Of　course；　of　course。　　It　is　enough　you　say　so。　　We　must　not　keep
the　dinner　waiting　now。　　But　after　dinner　I　shall　have　all　the
servants　up；　and　investigate　the　matter　thoroughly。〃

〃So；〃　thought　Hugh　with　himself；　〃some　one　will　be　made　a　felon　of；
because　the　cursed　dead　go　stalking　about　this　infernal　house　at
midnight；　gathering　their　own　old　baubles。　　No；　that　will　not　do。　　I
must　at　least　tell　Mr。　Arnold　what　I　know　of　the　doings　of　the
night。〃

So　Mr。　Arnold　must　still　wait　for　his　dinner；　or　rather；　which　was
really　of　more　consequence　in　the　eyes　of　Mr。　Arnold；　the　dinner
must　be　kept　waiting　for　him。　　For　order　and　custom　were　two　of　Mr。
Arnold's　divinities；　and　the　economy　of　his　whole　nature　was　apt　to
be　disturbed　by　any　interruption　of　their　laws；　such　as　the
postponement　of　dinner　for　ten　minutes。　　He　was　walking　towards　the
door；　and　turned　with　some　additional　annoyance　when　Hugh　addressed
him　again：

〃One　moment；　Mr。　Arnold；　if　you　please。〃

Mr。　Arnold　merely　turned　and　waited。

〃I　fear　I　shall　in　some　degree　forfeit　your　good　opinion　by　what　I
am　about　to　say；　but　I　must　run　the　risk。〃

Mr。　Arnold　still　waited。

〃There　is　more　about　the　disappearance　of　the　ring　than　I　can
understand。〃

〃Or　I　either；　Mr。　Sutherland。〃

〃But　I　must　tell　you　what　happened　to　myself；　the　night　that　I　kept
watch　in　Lady　Euphrasia's　room。〃

〃You　said　you　slept　soundly。〃

〃So　I　did；　part　of　the　time。〃

〃Then　you　kept　back　part　of　the　truth？〃

〃I　did。〃

〃Was　that　worthy　of　you？〃

〃I　thought　it　best：　I　doubted　myself。〃

〃What　has　caused　you　to　change　your　mind　now？〃

〃This　event　about　the　ring。〃

〃What　has　that　to　do　with　it？　　How　do　you　even　know　that　it　was
taken　on　that　night？〃

〃I　do　not　know；　for　till　this　morning　I　had　not　opened　the　place
where　it　lay：　I　only　suspect。〃

〃I　am　a　magistrate；　Mr。　Sutherland：　I　would　rather　not　be　prejudiced
by　suspicions。〃

〃The　person　to　whom　my　suspicions　refer；　is　beyond　your
jurisdiction；　Mr。　Arnold。〃

〃I　do　not　understand　you。〃

〃I　will　explain　myself。〃

Hugh　gave　Mr。　Arnold　a　hurried　yet　circumstantial　sketch　of　the
apparition　he　believed　he　had　seen。

〃What　am　I　to　judge　from　all　this？〃　asked　he；　coldly；　almost
contemptuously。

〃I　have　told　you　the　facts；　of　course　I　must　leave　the　conclusions
to　yourself；　Mr。　Arnold；　but　I　confess；　for　my　part；　that　any
disbelief　I　had　in　apparitions　is　almost　entirely　removed　since〃

〃Since　you　dreamed　you　saw　one？〃

〃Since　the　disappearance　of　the　ring；〃　said　Hugh。

〃Bah！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Arnold；　with　indignation。　〃Can　a　ghost　fetch
and　carry　like　a　spaniel？　　Mr。　Sutherland；　I　am　ashamed　to　have　such
a　reasoner　for　tutor　to　my　son。　　Come　to　dinner；　and　do　not　let　me
hear　another　word　of　this　folly。　　I　beg　you　will　not　mention　it　to
any　one。〃

〃I　have　been　silent　hitherto；　Mr。　Arnold；　but　circumstances；　such　as
the　commitment　of　any　one　on　the　charge　of　stealing　the　ring；　might
compel　me　to　mention　the　matter。　　It　would　be　for　the　jury　to
determine　whether　it　was　relevant　or　not。〃

It　was　evident　that　Mr。　Arnold　was　more　annoyed　at　the　imputation
against　the　nocturnal　habits　of　his　house；　than　at　the　loss　of　the
ring；　or　even　its　possible　theft　by　one　of　his　servants。　　He　looked
at　Hugh　for　a　moment　as　if　he　would　break　into　a　furious　rage；　then
his　look　gradually　changed　into　one　of　suspicion；　and；　turning
without　another　word；　he　led　the　way　to　the　dining…room；　followed　by
Hugh。　To　have　a　ghost　held　in　his　face　in　this　fashion；　one　bred　in
his　own　house；　too；　when　he　had　positively　declared　his　absolute
contempt　for　every　legend　of　the　sort；　was　more　than　man　could　bear。
He　sat　down　to　dinner　in　gloomy　silence；　breaking　it　only　as　often
as　he　was　compelled　to　do　the　duties　of　a　host；　which　he　performed
with　a　greater　loftiness　of　ceremony　than　usual。

There　was　no　summoning　of　the　servants　after　dinner；　however。
Hugh's　warning　had　been　effectual。　　Nor　was　the　subject　once　more
alluded　to　in　Hugh's　hearing。　　No　doubt　Mr。　Arnold　felt　that
something　ought　to　be　done；　but　I　presume　he　could　nev