david elginbrod-第93节

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her　way　to　repeat　a　visit　she　had　already　paid　the　same　morning；　and
to　make　several　other　calls；　with　the　express　object　of　finding
pupils　for　Hugh。　But　in　this　she　was　not　so　successful　as　she　had
expected。　　In　fact；　no　one　whom　she　could　think　of；　wanted　such
services　at　present。　　She　returned　home　quite　down…hearted；　and　all
but　convinced　that　nothing　could　be　done　before　the　approach　of　the
London　season。




CHAPTER　XVII。

STRIFE。

They'll　turn　me　in　your　arms；　Janet；
　　An　adder　and　a　snake；
But　haud　me　fast；　let　me　not　pass；
　　Gin　ye　would　be　my　maik。

They'll　turn　me　in　your　arms；　Janet；
　　An　adder　and　an　aske；
They'll　turn　me　in　your　arms；　Janet；
　　A　bale　that　burns　fast。

They'll　shape　me　in　your　arms；　Janet；
　　A　dove；　but　and　a　swan；
And　last；　they'll　shape　me　in　your　arms
　　A　mother…naked　man：
Cast　your　green　mantle　over　me
　　And　sae　shall　I　be　wan。

Scotch　Ballad：　Tamlane。


As　soon　as　Hugh　had　left　the　house；　Margaret　hastened　to　Euphra。
She　found　her　in　her　own　room；　a　little　more　cheerful；　but　still
strangely　depressed。　　This　appearance　increased　towards　the　evening；
till　her　looks　became　quite　haggard；　revealing　an　inward　conflict　of
growing　agony。　　Margaret　remained　with　her。

Just　before　dinner；　the　upstairs　bell；　whose　summons　Margaret　was
accustomed　to　obey；　rang；　and　she　went　down。　　Mrs。　Elton　detained
her　for　a　few　minutes。　　The　moment　she　was　at　liberty；　she　flew　to
Euphra's　room　by　the　back　staircase。　　But；　as　she　ascended；　she　was
horrified　to　meet　Euphra；　in　a　cloak　and　thick　veil；　creeping　down
the　stairs　like　a　thief。　　Without　saying　a　word；　the　strong　girl
lifted　her　in　her　arms　as　if　she　had　been　a　child；　and　carried　her
back　to　her　room。　　Euphra　neither　struggled　nor　spoke。　　Margaret
laid　her　on　her　couch；　and　sat　down　beside　her。　　She　lay　without
moving；　and；　although　wide　awake；　gave　no　other　sign　of　existence
than　an　occasional　low　moan；　that　seemed　to　come　from　a　heart
pressed　almost　to　death。

Having　lain　thus　for　an　hour；　she　broke　the　silence。

〃Margaret；　do　you　despise　me　dreadfully？〃

〃No；　not　in　the　least。〃

〃Yet　you　found　me　going　to　do　what　I　knew　was　wrong。〃

〃You　had　not　made　yourself　strong　by　thinking　about　the　will　of　God。
Had　you；　dear？〃

〃No。　I　will　tell　you　how　it　was。　　I　had　been　tormented　with　the
inclination　to　go　to　him；　and　had　been　resisting　it　till　I　was　worn
out；　and　could　hardly　bear　it　more。　　Suddenly　all　grew　calm　within
me；　and　I　seemed　to　hate　Count　Halkar　no　longer。　　I　thought　with
myself　how　easy　it　would　be　to　put　a　stop　to　this　dreadful　torment；
just　by　yielding　to　itonly　this　once。　　I　thought　I　should　then　be
stronger　to　resist　the　next　time；　for　this　was　wearing　me　out　so；
that　I　must　yield　the　next　time；　if　I　persisted　now。　　But　what
seemed　to　justify　me；　was　the　thought　that　so　I　should　find　out
where　he　was；　and　be　able　to　tell　Hugh；　and　then　he　would　get　the
ring　for　me；　and；　perhaps　that　would　deliver　me。　　But　it　was　very
wrong　of　me。　　I　forgot　all　about　the　will　of　God。　I　will　not　go
again；　Margaret。　　Do　you　think　I　may　try　again　to　fight　him？〃

〃That　is　just　what　you　must　do。　　All　that　God　requires　of　you　is；　to
try　again。　　God's　child　must　be　free。　　Do　try；　dear　Miss　Cameron。〃

〃I　think　I　could；　if　you　would　call　me　Euphra。　　You　are　so　strong；
and　pure；　and　good；　Margaret！　　I　wish　I　had　never　had　any　thoughts
but　such　as　you　have；　you　beautiful　creature！　　Oh；　how　glad　I　am
that　you　found　me！　　Do　watch　me　always。〃

〃I　will　call　you　Euphra。　　I　will　be　your　sister…servantanything
you　like；　if　you　will　only　try　again。〃

〃Thank　you；　with　all　my　troubled　heart；　dear　Margaret。　　I　will
indeed　try　again。〃

She　sprang　from　the　couch　in　a　sudden　agony；　and　grasping　Margaret
by　the　arm；　looked　at　her　with　such　a　terror…stricken　face；　that　she
began　to　fear　she　was　losing　her　reason。

〃Margaret；〃　she　said；　as　if　with　the　voice　as　of　one　just　raised
from　the　dead；　speaking　with　all　the　charnel　damps　in　her　throat；
〃could　it　be　that　I　am　in　love　with　him　still？〃

Margaret　shuddered；　but　did　not　lose　her　self…possession。

〃No；　no；　Euphra；　darling。　　You　were　haunted　with　him；　and　so　tired
that　you　were　not　able　to　hate　him　any　longer。　　Then　you　began　to
give　way　to　him。　　That　was　all。　　There　was　no　love　in　that。〃

Euphra's　grasp　relaxed。

〃Do　you　think　so？〃

〃Yes。〃

A　pause　followed。

〃Do　you　think　God　cares　to　have　me　do　his　will？　　Is　it　anything　to
him？〃

〃I　am　sure　of　it。　　Why　did　he　make　you　else？　　But　it　is　not　for　the
sake　of　being　obeyed　that　he　cares　for　it；　but　for　the　sake　of
serving　you　and　making　you　blessed　with　his　blessedness。　　He　does
not　think　about　himself；　but　about　you。〃

〃Oh；　dear！　oh；　dear！　　I　must　not　go。〃

〃Let　me　read　to　you　again；　Eupra。〃

〃Yes；　please　do；　Margaret。〃

She　read　the　fortieth　chapter　of　Isaiah；　one　of　her　father's
favourite　chapters；　where　all　the　strength　and　knowledge　of　God　are
urged　to　a　height；　that　they　may　fall　in　overwhelming　profusion　upon
the　wants　and　fears　and　unbelief　of　his　children。　　How　should　he
that　calleth　the　stars　by　their　names　forget　his　people？

While　she　read；　the　cloud　melted　away　from　Euphra's　face；　a　sweet
sleep　followed；　and　the　paroxysm　was　over　for　the　time。

Was　Euphra　insane？　and　were　these　the　first　accesses　of　daily　fits
of　madness；　which　had　been　growing　and　approaching　for　who　could
tell　how　long？

Even　if　she　were　mad；　or　going　mad；　was　not　this　the　right　way　to
treat　her？　　I　wonder　how　often　the　spiritual　cure　of　faith　in　the
Son　of　Man；　the　Great　Healer；　has　been　tried　on　those　possessed　with
our　modern　demons。　　Is　it　proved　that　insanity　has　its　origin　in　the
physical　disorder　which；　it　is　now　said；　can　be　shown　to　accompany
it　invariably？　　Let　it　be　so：　it　yet　appears　to　me　that　if　the
physician　would；　like　the　Son　of　Man　himself；　descend　as　it　were
into　the　disorganized　world　in　which　the　consciousness　of　his
patient　exists；　and　receiving　as　fact　all　that　he　reveals　to　him　of
its　conditionfor　fact　it　is；　of　a　very　real　sortintroduce；　by
all　the　means　that　sympathy　can　suggest；　the　one　central　cure　for
evil；　spiritual　and　material；　namely；　the　truth　of　the　Son　of　Man；
the　vision　of　the　perfect　friend　and　helper；　with　the　revelation　of
the　promised　liberty　of　obedienceif　he　did　this；　it　seems　to　me
that　cures　might　still　be　wrought　as　marvellous　as　those　of　the
ancient　time。

It　seems　to　me；　too；　that　that　can　be　but　an　imperfect　religion；　as
it　would　be　a　poor　salvation；　from　which　one　corner　of　darkness　may
hide　us；　from　whose　blessed　health　and　freedom　a　disordered　brain
may　snatch　us；　making　us　hopeless　outcasts；　till　first　the
physician；　the　student　of　physical　laws；　shall　interfere　and　restore
us　to　a　sound　mind；　or　the　great　God's…angel　Death　crumble　the
soul…oppressing　brain；　with　its　thousand　phantoms　of　pain　and　fear
and　horror；　into　a　film　of　dust　in　the　hollow　of　the　deserted　skull。

Hugh　repaired　immediately　to　Falconer's　chambers；　where　he　was　more
likely　to　find　him　during　the　day　than　in　the　evening。　　He　was　at
home。　　He　told　him　of　his　interview　with　Euphra；　and　her　feeling
that　the　count　was　not　far　off。

〃Do　you　think　there　can　be　anything　in　it？〃　asked　he；　when　he　had
finished　his　relation。

〃I　think　very　likely；〃　answered　his　friend。　〃I　will　be　more　on　the
outlook　than　ever。　　It　may；　after　all；　be　through　the　lady　herself
that　we　shall　find　the　villain。　　If　she　were　to　fall　into　one　of　her
trances；　now；　I　think　it　almost　certain　she　would　go　to　him。　　She
ought　to　be　carefully　watched　and　followed；　if　that　should　take
place。　　Let　me　know　all　that　you　learn　about　her。　　Go　and　see　her
again　to…morrow；　that　we　may　be　kept　informed　of　her　experiences；　so
far　as　she　thinks　proper　to　tell　them。〃

〃I　will；〃　said　Hugh；　and　took　his　leave。

But　Margaret；　who　knew　Euphra's　condition；　both　spiritual　and
physical；　better　than　any　other；　had　far　different　objects　for　her；
through　means　of　the　unholy　attraction　which　the　count　exercised
over　her；　than　the　discovery　of　the　stolen　ring。　　She　was　determined
that　neither　sleeping　nor　waking　should　she　follow　his　call；　or
dance　to　his　piping。　　She　should　resist　to　the　last；　in　the　name　of
God；　and　so　redeem　her　lost　will　from　the　power　of　this　devil；　to
whom　she　had　foolishly　sold　it。

The　next　day；　the　struggle　evidently　continued；　and　it　had　such　an
effect　on　Euphra；　that　Margaret　could　not　help　feeling　very　anxious
about　the　result　as　regarded　her　health；　even　if　she　should　be
victorious　in　the　contest。　　But　not　for　one　moment　did　Margaret
quail；　for　she　felt　convinced；　come　of　it　what　might；　that　the　only
hope　for　Euphra　lay　in　resistance。　　Death；　to　her　mind；　was　simply
nothing　in　the　balance　with　slavery　of　such　a　sort。

Oncebut　evidently　in　a　fit　of　absenceEuphra　rose；　went　to　the
door；　and　opened　it。　　But　she　instantly　dashed　it　to　again；　and
walking　slowly　back；　resumed　her　seat　on　the　couch。　　Margaret　came
to　her　from　the　other　side　of　the　bed；　where　she　had　been　working　by
the　window；　for　the　last　quarter　of　an　hour；　for　the　sake　of　the
waning　light。

〃What　is　it；　dear？〃　she　said。

〃Oh；　Margaret！　are　you　there？　　I　did　not　know