david elginbrod- 第52部分

〃No；　but　that　is　not　the　fault　of　the　place；〃　said　Lady　Emily。　〃I　am
sure　it　is　all　that　horrid　man's　doing。〃

〃How　else　will　you　get　rid　of　him；　then？　　What　if　he　wants　to　get
rid　of　you？〃

〃What　harm　can　I　be　doing　hima　poor　girl　like　me？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　But　I　fear　there　is　something　not　right　going　on。〃

〃We　will　tell　Mr。　Arnold　at　once；〃　said　Mrs。　Elton。

〃But　what　could　you　tell　him；　ma'am？　　Mr。　Arnold　is　hardly　one　to
listen　to　your　maid's　suspicions。　　Dear　Lady　Emily；　you　must　get
well　and　go。〃

〃I　will　try；〃　said　Lady　Emily；　submissive　as　a　child。

〃I　think　you　will　be　able　to　get　up　for　a　little　while　tomorrow。〃

A　tap　came　to　the　door。　　It　was　Euphrasia；　inquiring　after　Lady
Emily。

〃Ask　Miss　Cameron　to　come　in；〃　said　the　invalid。

She　entered。　　Her　manner　was　much　changedwas　subdued　and
suffering。

〃Dear　Miss　Cameron；　you　and　I　ought　to　change　places。　　I　am　sorry　to
see　you　looking　so　ill；〃　said　Lady　Emily。

〃I　have　had　a　headache　all　day。　　I　shall　be　quite　well　to…morrow；
thank　you。〃

〃I　intend　to　be　so　too；〃　said　Lady　Emily；　cheerfully。

After　some　little　talk；　Euphra　went；　holding　her　hand　to　her
forehead。　　Margaret　did　not　look　up；　all　the　time　she　was　in　the
room；　but　went　on　busily　with　her　needle。

That　night　was　a　peaceful　one。




CHAPTER　XXII。

THE　RING。

　　　　　shining　crystal；　which
Out　of　her　womb　a　thousand　rayons　threw。

BELLAY：　translated　by　Spenser。


The　next　day；　Lady　Emily　was　very　nearly　as　well　as　she　had　proposed
being。　　She　did　not；　however；　make　her　appearance　below。　　Mr。
Arnold；　hearing　at　luncheon　that　she　was　out　of　bed；　immediately
sent　up　his　compliments；　with　the　request　that　he　might　be　permitted
to　see　her　on　his　return　from　the　neighbouring　village；　where　he　had
some　business。　　To　this　Lady　Emily　gladly　consented。

He　sat　with　her　a　long　time；　talking　about　various　things；　for　the
presence　of　the　girl；　reminding　him　of　his　young　wife；　brought　out
the　best　of　the　man；　lying　yet　alive　under　the　incrustation　of
self…importance；　and　its　inevitable　stupidity。　　At　length；　subject
of　further　conversation　failing；

〃I　wonder　what　we　can　do　to　amuse　you；　Lady　Emily；〃　said　he。

〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Arnold；　I　am　not　at　all　dull。　　With　my　kind　friend；
Mrs。　Elton；　and〃

She　would　have　said　Margaret；　but　became　instinctively　aware　that
the　mention　of　her　would　make　Mr。　Arnold　open　his　eyes；　for　he　did
not　even　know　her　name；　and　that　he　would　stare　yet　wider　when　he
learned　that　the　valued　companion　referred　to　was　Mrs。　Elton's　maid。

Mr。　Arnold　left　the　room；　and　presently　returned　with　his　arms
filled　with　all　the　drawing…room　books　he　could　find；　with　grand
bindings　outside；　and　equally　grand　plates　inside。　　These　he　heaped
on　the　table　beside　Lady　Emily；　who　tried　to　look　interested；　but
scarcely　succeeded　to　Mr。　Arnold's　satisfaction；　for　he　presently
said：

〃You　don't　seem　to　care　much　about　these；　dear　Lady　Emily。　　I
daresay　you　have　looked　at　them　all　already；　in　this　dull　house　of
ours。〃

This　was　a　wonderful　admission　from　Mr。　Arnold。　　He　ponderedthen
exclaimed；　as　if　he　had　just　made　a　grand　discovery：

〃I　have　it！　　I　know　something　that　will　interest　you。〃

〃Do　not　trouble　yourself；　pray；　Mr。　Arnold；〃　said　Lady　Emily。　　But
he　was　already　half　way　to　the　door。

He　went　to　his　own　room；　and　his　own　strong　closet　therein。

Returning　towards　the　invalid's　quarters　with　an　ebony　box　of
considerable　size；　he　found　it　rather　heavy；　and　meeting　Euphra　by
the　way；　requested　her　to　take　one　of　the　silver　handles；　and　help
him　to　carry　it　to　Lady　Emily's　room。　　She　started　when　she　saw　it；
but　merely　said：

〃With　pleasure；　uncle。〃

〃Now；　Lady　Emily；〃　said　he；　as；　setting　down　the　box；　he　took　out　a
curious　antique　enamelled　key；　〃we　shall　be　able　to　amuse　you　for　a
little　while。〃

He　opened　the　box；　and　displayed　such　a　glitter　and　show　as　would
have　delighted　the　eyes　of　any　lady。　　All　kinds　of　strange
ornaments；　ancient　watchesone　of　them　a　death's　head　in　gold；
cameo　necklaces；　pearls　abundant；　diamonds；　rubies；　and　all　the
colours　of　precious　stonesevery　one　of　them　having　some　history；
whether　known　to　the　owner　or　not；　gems　that　had　flashed　on　many　a
fair　finger　and　many　a　shining　necklay　before　Lady　Emily's
delighted　eyes。　　But　Euphrasia's　eyes　shone；　as　she　gazed　on　them；
with　a　very　different　expression　from　that　which　sparkled　in　Lady
Emily's。　　They　seemed　to　search　them　with　fingers　of　lightning。　　Mr。
Arnold　chose　two　or　three；　and　gave　Lady　Emily　her　choice　of　them。

〃I　could　not　think　of　depriving　you。〃

〃They　are　of　no　use　to　me；〃　said　Mr。　Arnold；　making　light　of　the
handsome　offer。

〃You　are　too　kind。I　should　like　this　ring。〃

〃Take　it　then；　dear　Lady　Emily。〃

Euphrasia's　eyes　were　not　on　the　speakers；　nor　was　any　envy　to　be
seen　in　her　face。　　She　still　gazed　at　the　jewels　in　the　box。

The　chosen　gem　was　put　aside；　and　then；　one　after　another；　the
various　articles　were　taken　out　and　examined。　　At　length；　a　large
gold　chain；　set　with　emeralds；　was　lifted　from　where　it　lay　coiled
up　in　a　corner。　　A　low　cry；　like　a　muffled　moan；　escaped　from
Euphrasia's　lips；　and　she　turned　her　head　away　from　the　box。

〃What　is　the　matter；　Euphra？〃　said　Mr。　Arnold。

〃A　sudden　shoot　of　painI　beg　your　pardon；　dear　uncle。　　I　fear　I　am
not　quite　so　well　yet　as　I　thought　I　was。　　How　stupid　of　me！〃

〃Do　sit　down。　　I　fear　the　weight　of　the　box　was　too　much　for　you。〃

〃Not　in　the　least。　　I　want　to　see　the　pretty　things。〃

〃But　you　have　seen　them　before。〃

〃No；　uncle。　　You　promised　to　show　them　to　me；　but　you　never　did。〃

〃You　see　what　I　get　by　being　ill；〃　said　Lady　Emily。

The　chain　was　examined；　admired；　and　laid　aside。

Where　it　had　lain；　they　now　observed；　in　the　corner；　a　huge　stone
like　a　diamond。

〃What　is　this？〃　said　Lady　Emily；　taking　it　up。　〃Oh！　　I　see。　　It　is　a
ring。　　But　such　a　ring　for　size；　I　never　saw。　　Do　look；　Miss
Cameron。〃

For　Miss　Cameron　was　not　looking。　　She　was　leaning　her　head　on　her
hand；　and　her　face　was　ashy　pale。　　Lady　Emily　tried　the　ring　on。
Any　two　of　her　fingers　would　go　into　the　broad　gold　circlet；　beyond
which　the　stone　projected　far　in　every　direction。　　Indeed；　the　ring
was　attached　to　the　stone；　rather　than　the　stone　set　in　the　ring。

〃That　is　a　curious　thing；　is　it　not？〃　said　Mr。　Arnold。　〃It　is　of　no
value　in　itself；　I　believe；　it　is　nothing　but　a　crystal。　　But　it
seems　to　have　been　always　thought　something　of　in　the　family；I
presume　from　its　being　evidently　the　very　ring　painted　by　Sir　Peter
Lely　in　that　portrait　of　Lady　Euphrasia　which　I　showed　you　the　other
day。　　It　is　a　clumsy　affair；　is　it　not？〃

It　might　have　occurred　to　Mr。　Arnold；　that　such　a　thing　must　have
been　thought　something　of；　before　its　owner　would　have　chosen　to
wear　it　when　sitting　for　her　portrait。

Lady　Emily　was　just　going　to　lay　it　down；　when　she　spied　something
that　made　her　look　at　it　more　closely。

〃What　curious　engraving　is　this　upon　the　gold？〃　she　asked。

〃I　do　not　know；　indeed；〃　answered　Mr。　Arnold。　〃I　have　never　observed
it。〃

〃Look　at　it；　thenall　over　the　gold。　　What　at　first　looks　only　like
chasing；　is；　I　do　believe；　words。　　The　character　looks　to　me　like
German。　　I　wish　I　could　read　it。　　I　am　but　a　poor　German　scholar。
Do　look　at　it；　please；　dear　Miss　Cameron。〃

Euphra　glanced　slightly　at　it　without　touching　it；　and　said：

〃I　am　sure　I　could　make　nothing　of　it。But；〃　she　added；　as　if
struck　by　a　sudden　thought；　〃as　Lady　Emily　seems　interested　in
itsuppose　we　send　for　Mr。　Sutherland。　　I　have　no　doubt　he　will　be
able　to　decipher　it。〃

She　rose　as　if　she　would　go　for　him　herself；　but；　apparently　on
second　thoughts；　went　to　the　bell　and　rang　it。

〃Oh！　do　not　trouble　yourself；〃　interposed　Lady　Emily；　in　a　tone　that
showed　she　would　like　it　notwithstanding。

〃No　trouble　at　all；〃　answered　Euphra　and　her　uncle　in　a　breath。

〃Jacob；〃　said　Mr。　Arnold；　〃take　my　compliments　to　Mr。　Sutherland；
and　ask　him　to　step　this　way。〃

The　man　went；　and　Hugh　came。

〃There's　a　puzzle　for　you；　Mr。　Sutherland；〃　said　Mr。　Arnold；　as　he
entered。　〃Decipher　that　inscription；　and　gain　the　favour　of　Lady
Emily　for　ever。〃

As　he　spoke　he　put　the　ring　in　Hugh's　hand。　　Hugh　recognized　it　at
once。

〃Ah！　this　is　Lady　Euphrasia's　wonderful　ring；〃　said　he。

Euphra　cast　on　him　one　of　her　sudden　glances。

〃What　do　you　know　about　it？〃　said　Mr。　Arnold；　hastily。

Euphra　flashed　at　him　once　more；　covertly。

〃I　only　know　that　this　is　the　ring　in　her　portrait。　　Any　one　may　see
that　it　is　a　very　wonderful　ring　indeed；　by　only　looking　at　it；〃
answered　Hugh；　smiling。

〃I　hope　it　is　not　too　wonderful　for　you　to　get　at　the　mystery　of　it；
though；　Mr。　Sutherland？〃　said　Lady　Emily。

〃Lady　Emily　is　dying　to　understand　the　inscription；〃　said　Euphrasia。

By　this　time　Hugh　was　turning　it　round　and　round；　trying　to　get　a
beginning　to　the　legend。　　But　in　this　he　met　with　a　difficulty。　　The
fact　was；　that　the　initial　letter　of　the　inscription　could　only　be
found　by　looking　into　the　crystal　held　close　to　the　eye。　　The　words
seemed　not　altogether　unknown　to　him；　though　the　characters　were　a
little　strange；　and　the　words　themselves　were　undivided。　　The　dinner
bell　rang。

〃Dear　me！　how　the　time　goes　in　your　room；　Lady　Emily！〃　said　Mr。
Arnold；　who　was　never　known　to　keep　dinner　waiting　a　moment。　〃Will
you　venture　to　go　down　with　us　to…day？〃

〃I　fear　I　must　not　to…day。　　To…morrow；　I　hope。　　But　do　put　up　these
beauties　before　you　go。　　I　dare　not　touch　them　without　you；　and　it
is　so　much　more　pleasure　seeing　them；　when　I　have　you　to　tell　me
about　them。〃

〃Well；　throw　them　in；〃　said　Mr。　Arnold；　pretending　an　indifference
he　did　not　feel。　〃The　reality　of　dinner　must　not　be　postponed　to　the
fancy　of　jewels。〃

All　this　time　Hugh　had　stood　poring　over　the　ring　at　the　window；
whither　he　had　taken　it　for　better　light；　as　the　shadows　were
falling。　　Euphra　busied　herself　replacing　everything　in　the　box。
When　all　were　in；　she　hastily　shut　the　lid。

〃Well；　Mr。　Sutherland？〃　said　Mr。　Arnold。

〃I　seem　on　the　point　of　making　it　out；　Mr。　Arnold；　but　I　certainly
have　not　succeeded　yet。〃

〃Confess　yourself　vanquished；　then；　and　come