david elginbrod- 第56部分

〃I　am　glad　to　hear　it。　　But　it　is　nearly　time　for　breakfast；　for
which　ceremony　I　am　myself　hardly　in　trim　yet。〃

So　saying；　Funkelstein　turned；　and　walked　away　with　some
precipitation。　　What　occasioned　Hugh　a　little　surprise；　was；　that　he
did　not　ask　him　one　question　more　as　to　how　he　had　passed　the　night。
He　had；　of　course；　slept　in　the　house；　seeing　he　presented　himself
in　deshabille。

Hugh　hastened　to　his　own　room；　where；　under　the　anti…ghostial
influences　of　the　bath；　he　made　up　his　mind　not　to　say　a　word　about
the　apparition　to　any　one。

〃Well；　Mr。　Sutherland；　how　have　you　spent　the　night？〃　said　Mr。
Arnold；　greeting　him。

〃I　slept　with　profound　stupidity；〃　answered　Hugh；　〃a　stupidity；　in
fact；　quite　worthy　of　the　folly　of　the　preceding　wager。〃

This　was　true；　as　relating　to　the　time　during　which　he　had　slept；
but　was；　of　course；　false　in　the　impression　it　gave。

〃Bravo！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Arnold；　with　an　unwonted　impulsiveness。　〃The
best　mood；　I　consider；　in　which　to　meet　such　creations　of　other
people's　brains！　　And　you　positively　passed　a　pleasant　night　in　the
awful　chamber？　　That　is　something　to　tell　Euphra。　　But　she　is　not
down　yet。　　You　have　restored　the　character　of　my　house；　Mr。
Sutherland；　and　next　to　his　own　character；　a　man　ought　to　care　for
that　of　his　house。　　I　am　greatly　in　your　debt；　sir。〃

At　this　moment；　Euphra's　maid　brought　the　message；　that　her　mistress
was　sorry　she　was　unable　to　appear　at　breakfast。

Mrs。　Elton　took　her　place。

〃The　day　is　so　warm　and　still；　Mr。　Arnold；　that　I　think　Lady　Emily
might　have　a　drive　to…day。　　Perhaps　Miss　Cameron　may　be　able　to　join
us　by　that　time。〃

〃I　cannot　think　what　is　the　matter　with　Euphra；〃　said　Mr。　Arnold。
〃She　never　used　to　be　affected　in　this　way。〃

〃Should　you　not　seek　some　medical　opinion？〃　said　Mrs。　Elton。　〃These
constant　headaches　must　indicate　something　wrong。〃

The　constant　headache　had　occurred　just　once　before；　since　Mrs。
Elton　had　formed　one　of　the　family。　　After　a　pause；　Mr。　Arnold
reverted　to　the　former　subject。

〃You　are　most　welcome　to　the　carriage；　Mrs。　Elton。　　I　am　sorry　I
cannot　accompany　you　myself；　but　I　must　go　to　town　to…day。　　You　can
take　Mr。　Sutherland　with　you；　if　you　like。　　He　will　take　care　of
you。〃

〃I　shall　be　most　happy；〃　said　Hugh。

〃So　shall　we　all；〃　responded　Mrs。　Elton　kindly。　〃Thank　you；　Mr。
Arnold；　though　I　am　sorry　you　can't　go　with　us。〃

〃What　hour　shall　I　order　the　carriage？〃

〃About　one；　I　think。　　Will　Herr　von　Funkelstein　favour　us　with　his
company？〃

〃I　am　sorry；〃　replied　Funkelstein；　〃but　I　too　must　leave　for　London
to…day。　　Shall　I　have　the　pleasure　of　accompanying　you；　Mr。　Arnold？〃

〃With　all　my　heart；　if　you　can　leave　so　early。　　I　must　go　at　once　to
catch　the　express　train。〃

〃I　shall　be　ready　in　ten　minutes。〃

〃Very　well。〃

〃Pray；　Mrs。　Elton；　make　my　adieus　to　Miss　Cameron。　　I　am　concerned
to　hear　of　her　indisposition。〃

〃With　pleasure。　　I　am　going　to　her　now。　　Good…bye。〃

As　soon　as　Mrs。　Elton　left　the　breakfast…room；　Mr。　Arnold　rose；
saying：

〃I　will　walk　round　to　the　stable；　and　order　the　carriage　myself。　　I
shall　then　be　able；　through　your　means；　Mr。　Sutherland；　to　put　a
stop　to　these　absurd　rumours　in　person。　　Not　that　I　mean　to　say
anything　direct；　as　if　I　placed　any　importance　upon　it；　but；　the
coachman　being　an　old　servant；　I　shall　be　able　through　him；　to　send
the　report　of　your　courage　and　its　result；　all　over　the　house。〃

This　was　a　very　gracious　explanation　of　his　measures。　　As　he
concluded　it；　he　left　the　room；　without　allowing　time　for　a　reply。

Hugh　had　not　expected　such　an　immediate　consequence　of　his　policy；
and　felt　rather　uncomfortable；　but　he　soon　consoled　himself　by
thinking；　〃At　least　it　will　do　no　harm。〃

While　Mr。　Arnold　was　speaking；　Funkelstein　had　been　writing　at　a
side…table。　　He　now　handed　Hugh　a　cheque　on　a　London　banking…house
for　a　hundred　guineas。　　Hugh；　in　his　innocence；　could　not　help
feeling　ashamed　of　gaining　such　a　sum　by　such　means；　for　betting；
like　tobacco…smoking；　needs　a　special　training　before　it　can　be
carried　out　quite　comfortably；　especially　by　the　winner；　if　he　be　at
all　of　a　generous　nature。　　But　he　felt　that　to　show　the　least
reluctance　would　place　him　at　great　disadvantage　with　a　man　of　the
world　like　the　count。　　He　therefore　thanked　him　slightly；　and　thrust
the　cheque　into　his　trowsers…pocket；　as　if　a　greater　sum　of　money
than　he　had　ever　handled　before　were　nothing　more　for　him　to　win；
than　the　count　would　choose　it　to　be　considered　for　him　to　lose。　　He
thought　with　himself：　〃Ah！　well；　I　need　not　make　use　of　it；〃　and
repaired　to　the　school…room。

Here　he　found　Harry　waiting　for　him；　looking　tolerably　well；　and
tolerably　happy。　　This　was　a　great　relief　to　Hugh；　for　he　had　not
seen　him　at　the　breakfast…tableHarry　having　risen　early　and
breakfasted　before；　and　he　had　felt　very　uneasy　lest　the　boy　should
have　missed　him　in　the　night　（for　they　were　still　bed…fellows）；　and
should　in　consequence　have　had　one　of　his　dreadful　attacks　of
fear。It　was　evident　that　this　had　not　taken　place。




CHAPTER　XXVI。

AN　ACCIDENT。

There's　a　special　providence　in　the　fall　of　a　sparrow。

Hamlet。


When　Mrs。　Elton　left　the　breakfast　table；　she　went　straight　to　Miss
Cameron's　room　to　inquire　after　her；　expecting　to　find　her　maid　with
her。　　But　when　she　knocked　at　the　door；　there　was　no　reply。

She　went　therefore　to　her　own　room；　and　sent　her　maid　to　find
Euphra's　maid。

She　came。

〃Is　your　mistress　going　to　get　up　to…day；　Jane？〃　asked　Mrs。　Elton。

〃I　don't　know；　ma'am。　　She　has　not　rung　yet。〃

〃Have　you　not　been　to　see　how　she　is？〃

〃No；　ma'am。〃

〃How　was　it　you　brought　that　message　at　breakfast；　then？〃

Jane　looked　confused；　and　did　not　reply。

〃Jane！〃　said　Mrs。　Elton；　in　a　tone　of　objurgation。

〃Well；　ma'am；　she　told　me　to　say　so；〃　answered　Jane。

〃How　did　she　tell　you？〃

Jane　paused　again。

〃Through　the　door；　ma'am；〃　she　answered　at　length；　and　then
muttered；　that　they　would　make　her　tell　lies　by　asking　her　questions
she　couldn't　answer；　and　she　wished　she　was　out　of　the　house；　that
she　did。

Mrs。　Elton　heard　this；　and；　of　course；　felt　considerably　puzzled。

〃Will　you　go　now；　please；　and　inquire　after　your　mistress；　with　my
compliments？〃

〃I　daren't；　ma'am。〃

〃Daren't！　　What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Well；　ma'am；　there　is　something　about　my　mistress〃　Here　she
stopped　abruptly；　but　as　Mrs。　Elton　stood　expectant；　she　tried　to　go
on。　　All　she　could　add；　however；　was〃No；　ma'am；　I　daren't。〃

〃But　there　is　no　harm　in　going　to　her　room。〃

〃Oh；　no；　ma'am。　　I　go　to　her　room；　summer　and　winter；　at　seven
o'clock　every　morning；〃　answered　Jane；　apparently　glad　to　be　able　to
say　something。

〃Why　won't　you　go　now；　then？〃

〃Whywhybecause　she　told　me〃　Here　the　girl　stammered　and　turned
pale。　　At　length　she　forced　out　the　words〃She　won't　let　me　tell
you　why；〃　and　burst　into　tears。

〃Won't　let　you　tell　me？〃　repeated　Mrs。　Elton；　beginning　to　think　the
girl　must　be　out　of　her　mind。　　Jane　looked　hurriedly　over　her
shoulder；　as　if　she　expected　to　see　her　mistress　standing　behind
her；　and　then　said；　almost　defiantly：

〃No；　she　won't；　and　I　can't。〃

With　these　words；　she　hurried　out　of　the　room；　while　Mrs。　Elton
turned　with　baffled　bewilderment　to　seek　counsel　from　the　face　of
Margaret。　　As　to　what　all　this　meant；　I　am　in　doubt。　　I　have
recorded　it　as　Margaret　told　it　to　Hugh　afterwardsbecause　it　seems
to　indicate　something。　　It　shows　evidently　enough；　that　if　Euphra
had　more　than　a　usual　influence　over　servants　in　general；　she　had　a
great　deal　more　over　this　maid　in　particular。　　Was　this　in　virtue　of
a　power　similar　to　that　of　Count　Halkar　over　herself？　　And　was　this；
or　something　very　different；　or　both　combined；　the　art　which　he　had
accused　her　of　first　exercising　upon　him？　　Might　the　fact　that　her
defeat　had　resulted　in　such　absolute　subjection；　be　connected　with
her　possession　of　a　power　similar　to　his；　which　she　had　matched　with
his　in　vain？　　Of　course　I　only　suggest　these　questions。　　I　cannot
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　groun