david elginbrod-第69节

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added。

Hugh　turned　towards　her　with　a　face　full　of　manhood　and　truth。

〃You　shall　not　lose　me；　Euphra；　if　you　will　be　honest　to　yourself
and　to　me。〃

〃Thank　you。　　I　can　trust　you。　　I　will　be　honest。〃

At　that　moment；　without　the　revival　of　a　trace　of　his　former
feelings；　Hugh　felt　nearer　to　her　than　he　had　ever　felt　before。　　Now
there　seemed　to　be　truth　between　them；　the　only　medium　through　which
beings　can　unite。

〃I　fear　I　have　wronged　you　much；〃　she　went　on。　〃I　do　not　mean　some
time　ago。〃　　Here　she　hesitated。〃I　fear　I　am　the　cause　of　your
leaving　Arnstead。〃

〃You；　Euphra？　　No。　You　must　be　mistaken。〃

〃I　think　not。　　But　I　am　compelled　to　make　an　unwilling　disclosure　of
a　secreta　sad　secret　about　myself。　　Do　not　hate　me　quiteI　am　a
somnambulist。〃

She　hid　her　face　in　her　hands；　as　if　the　night　which　had　now　closed
around　them　did　not　hide　her　enough。　　Hugh　did　not　reply。　　Absorbed
in　the　interest　which　both　herself　and　her　confession　aroused　in
him；　he　could　only　listen　eagerly。　　She　went　on；　after　a　moment's
pause：

〃I　did　not　think　at　first　that　I　had　taken　the　ring。　　I　thought
another　had。　　But　last　night；　and　not　till　then；　I　discovered　that　I
was　the　culprit。〃

〃How？〃

〃That　requires　explanation。　　I　have　no　recollection　of　the　events　of
the　previous　night　when　I　have　been　walking　in　my　sleep。　　Indeed；
the　utter　absence　of　a　sense　of　dreaming　always　makes　me　suspect
that　I　have　been　wandering。　　But　sometimes　I　have　a　vivid　dream；
which　I　know；　though　I　can　give　no　proof　of　it；　to　be　a　reproduction
of　some　previous　somnambulic　experience。　　Do　not　ask　me　to　recall
the　horrors　I　dreamed　last　night。　　I　am　sure　I　took　the　ring。〃

〃Then　you　dreamed　what　you　did　with　it？〃

〃Yes；　I　gave　it　to〃

Here　her　voice　sank　and　ceased。　　Hugh　would　not　urge　her。

〃Have　you　mentioned　this　to　Mr。　Arnold？〃

〃No。　I　do　not　think　it　would　do　any　good。　　But　I　will；　if　you　wish
it；〃　she　added　submissively。

〃Not　at　all。　　Just　as　you　think　best。〃

〃I　could　not　tell　him　everything。　　I　cannot　tell　you　everything。　　If
I　did；　Mr。　Arnold　would　turn　me　out　of　the　house。　　I　am　a　very
unhappy　girl；　Mr。　Sutherland。〃

》From　the　tone　of　these　words；　Hugh　could　not　for　a　moment　suppose
that　Euphra　had　any　remaining　design　of　fascination　in　them。

〃Perhaps　he　might　want　to　keep　you；　if　I　told　him　all；　but　I　do　not
think；　after　the　way　he　has　behaved　to　you；　that　you　could　stay　with
him；　for　he　would　never　apologize。　　It　is　very　selfish　of　me；　but
indeed　I　have　not　the　courage　to　confess　to　him。〃

〃I　assure　you　nothing　could　make　me　remain　now。　　But　what　can　I　do
for　you？〃

〃Only　let　me　depend　upon　you；　in　case　I　should　need　your　help；　or〃

Here　Euphra　stopped　suddenly；　and　caught　hold　of　Hugh's　left　hand；
which　he　had　lifted　to　brush　an　insect　from　his　face。

〃Where　is　your　ring？〃　she　said；　in　a　tone　of　suppressed　anxiety。

〃Gone；　Euphra。　　My　father's　ring！　　It　was　lying　beside　Lady
Euphrasia's。〃

Euphra's　face　was　again　hidden　in　her　hands。　　She　sobbed　and　moaned
like　one　in　despair。　　When　she　grew　a　little　calmer；　she　said：

〃I　am　sure　I　did　not　take　your　ring；　dear　HughI　am　not　a　thief。　　I
had　a　kind　of　right　to　the　other；　and　he　said　it　ought　to　have　been
his；　for　his　real　name　was　Count　von　Halkarthe　same　name　as　Lady
Euphrasia's　before　she　was　married。　　He　took　it；　I　am　sure。〃

〃It　was　he　that　knocked　me　down　in　the　dark　that　night　then；
Euphra。〃

〃Did　he？　　Oh！　　I　shall　have　to　tell　you　all。That　wretch　has　a
terrible　power　over　me。　　I　loved　him　once。　　But　I　refused　to　take
the　ring　from　your　desk；　because　I　knew　it　would　get　you　into
trouble。　　He　threw　me　into　a　somnambulic　sleep；　and　sent　me　for　the
ring。　　But　I　should　have　remembered　if　I　had　taken　yours。　　Even　in
my　sleep；　I　don't　think　he　could　have　made　me　do　that。　　You　may　know
I　speak　the　truth；　when　I　am　telling　my　own　disgrace。　　He　promised
to　set　me　free　if　I　would　get　the　ring；　but　he　has　not　done　it；　and
he　will　not。〃

Sobs　again　interrupted　her。

〃I　was　afraid　your　ring　was　gone。　　I　don't　know　why　I　thought　so；
except　that　you　hadn't　it　on；　when　you　came　to　see　me。　　Or　perhaps
it　was　because　I　am　sometimes　forced　to　think　what　that　wretch　is
thinking。　　He　made　me　go　to　him　that　night　you　saw　me；　Hugh。　But　I
was　so　ill；　I　don't　think　I　should　have　been　able；　but　that　I　could
not　rest　till　I　had　asked　him　about　your　ring。　　He　said　he　knew
nothing　about　it。〃

〃I　am　sure　be　has　it；〃　said　Hugh。　And　he　related　to　Euphra　the
struggle　he　had　had　with　Funkelstein　and　its　result。　　She　shuddered。

〃I　have　been　a　devil　to　you；　Hugh；　I　have　betrayed　you　to　him。　　You
will　never　see　your　ring　again。　　Here；　take　mine。　　It　is　not　so　good
as　yours；　but　for　the　sake　of　the　old　way　you　thought　of　me；　take
it。〃

〃No；　no；　Euphra；　Mr。　Arnold　would　miss　it。　　Besides；　you　know　it
would　not　be　my　father's　ring；　and　it　was　not　for　the　value　of　the
diamond　I　cared　most　about　it。　　And　I　am　not　sure　that　I　shall　not
find　it　again。　　I　am　going　up　to　London；　where　I　shall　fall　in　with
him；　I　hope。〃

〃But　do　take　care　of　yourself。　　He　has　no　conscience。　　God　knows；　I
have　had　little；　but　he　has　none。〃

〃I　know　he　has　none；　but　a　conscience　is　not　a　bad　auxiliary；　and
there　I　shall　have　some　advantage　of　him。　　But　what　could　he　want
that　ring　of　Lady　Euphrasia's　for？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　He　never　told　me。〃

〃It　was　not　worth　much。〃

〃Next　to　nothing。〃

〃I　shall　be　surer　to　find　that　than　my　own。　　And　I　will　find　it；　if
I　can；　that　Mr。　Arnold　may　believe　I　was　not　to　blame。〃

〃Do。　But　be　careful。〃

〃Don't　fear。　　I　will　be　careful。〃

She　held　out　her　hand；　as　if　to　take　leave　of　him；　but　withdrew　it
again　with　the　sudden　cry：

〃What　shall　I　do？　　I　thought　he　had　left　me　to　myself；　till　that
night　in　the　library。〃

She　held　down　her　head　in　silence。　　Then　she　said；　slowly；　in　a　tone
of　agony：

〃I　am　a　slave；　body　and　soul。Hugh！〃　she　added；　passionately；　and
looking　up　in　his　face；　〃do　you　think　there　is　a　God？〃

Her　eyes　glimmered　with　the　faint　reflex　from　gathered　tears；　that
silently　overflowed。

And　now　Hugh's　own　poverty　struck　him　with　grief　and　humiliation。
Here　was　a　soul　seeking　God；　and　he　had　no　right　to　say　that　there
was　a　God；　for　he　knew　nothing　about　him。　　He　had　been　told　so；　but
what　could　that　far…off　witness　do　for　the　need　of　a　desolate　heart？
She　had　been　told　so　a　million　of　times。　　He　could　not　say　that　he
knew　it。　　That　was　what　she　wanted　and　needed。

He　was　honest；　and　so　replied：

〃I　do　not　know。　　I　hope　so。〃

He　felt　that　she　was　already　beyond　him；　for　she　had　begun　to　cry
into　the　vague；　seemingly　heartless　void；　and　say：

〃Is　there　a　God　somewhere　to　hear　me　when　I　cry？〃

And　with　all　the　teaching　he　had　had；　he　had　no　word　of　comfort　to
give。　　Yes；　he　had：　he　had　known　David　Elginbrod。

Before　he　had　shaped　his　thought；　she　said：

〃I　think；　if　there　were　a　God；　he　would　help　me；　for　I　am　nothing
but　a　poor　slave　now。　　I　have　hardly　a　will　of　my　own。〃

The　sigh　she　heaved　told　of　a　hopeless　oppression。

〃The　best　man；　and　the　wisest；　and　the　noblest　I　ever　knew；〃　said
Hugh；　〃believed　in　God　with　his　whole　heart　and　soul　and　strength
and　mind。　　In　fact；　he　cared　for　nothing　but　God；　or　rather；　he
cared　for　everything　because　it　belonged　to　God。　He　was　never　afraid
of　anything；　never　vexed　at　anything；　never　troubled　about　anything。
He　was　a　good　man。〃

Hugh　was　surprised　at　the　light　which　broke　upon　the　character　of
David；　as　he　held　it　before　his　mind's　eye；　in　order　to　describe　it
to　Euphra。　　He　seemed　never　to　have　understood　him　before。

〃Ah！　　I　wish　I　knew　him。　　I　would　go　to　that　man；　and　ask　him　to
save　me。　　Where　does　he　live？〃

〃Alas！　　I　do　not　know　whether　he　is　alive　or　deadthe　more　to　my
shame。　　But　he　lives；　if　he　lives；　far　away　in　the　north　of
Scotland。〃

She　paused。

〃No。　I　could　not　go　there。　　I　will　write　to　him。〃

Hugh　could　not　discourage　her；　though　he　doubted　whether　a　real
communication　could　be　established　between　them。

〃I　will　write　down　his　address　for　you；　when　I　go　in；〃　said　he。　〃But
what　can　he　save　you　from？〃

〃From　no　God；〃　she　answered；　solemnly。　〃If　there　is　no　God；　then　I
am　sure　that　there　is　a　devil；　and　that　he　has　got　me　in　his　power。〃

Hugh。　felt　her　shudder；　for　she　was　leaning　on　his　arm；　she　was
still　so　lame。　　She　continued：

〃Oh！　if　I　had　a　God；　he　would　right　me；　I　know。〃

Hugh　could　not　reply。　　A　pause　followed。

〃Good…bye。　　I　feel　pretty　sure　we　shall　meet　again。　　My
presentiments　are　generally　true；〃　said　Euphra；　at　length。

Hugh　kissed　her　hand　with　far　more　real　devotion　than　he　had　ever
kissed　it　with　before。

She　left　him；　and　hastened　to　the　house　'with　feeble　speed。'　　He　was
sorry　she　was　gone。　　He　walked　up　and　down　for　some　time；　meditating
on　the　strange　girl　and　her　strange　words；　till；　hearing　the　dinner
bell；　he　too　must　hasten　in　to　dress。

Euphra　met　him　at　the　dinner…table　without　any　change　of　her　late
manner。　　Mr。　Arnold　wished　him　good　night　more　kindly　than　usual。
When　he　went　up　to　his　room；　he　found　that　Harry　had　already　cried
himself　to　sleep。




CHAPTER　XXXII。

DEPARTURE。

　　I　fancy　deemed　fit　g