david elginbrod-第40章

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beyond　listening　as　well　as　he　could；　to　prevent　himself　from　gazing
too　much　at　Euphra。

〃Had　Mr。　Sutherland　and　you　been　old　acquaintances　then；　Herr　von
Funkelstein？〃　asked　Mr。　Arnold；　reverting　to　the　conversation　which
had　been　interrupted　by　the　announcement　of　dinner。

〃Not　at　all。　　We　met　quite　accidentally；　and　introduced　ourselves。
I　believe　a　thunderstorm　and　a　lecture　on　biology　were　the
mediating　parties　between　us。　　Was　it　not　so；　Mr。　Sutherland？〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　stammered　Hugh。　But　Mr。　Arnold　interposed：

〃A　lecture　on　what；　did　you　say？〃

〃On　biology。〃

Mr。　Arnold　looked　posed。　　He　did　not　like　to　say　he　did　not　know
what　the　word　meant；　for；　like　many　more　ignorant　men；　he　thought
such　a　confession　humiliating。　　Von　Funkelstein　hastened　to　his
relief。

〃It　would　be　rather　surprising　if　you　were　acquainted　with　the
subject；　Mr。　Arnold。　　I　fear　to　explain　it　to　you；　lest　both　Mr。
Sutherland　and　myself　should　sink　irrecoverably　in　your　estimation。
But　young　men　want　to　know　all　that　is　going　on。〃

Herr　Funkelstein　was　not　exactly　what　one　would　call　a　young　man；
but；　as　he　chose　to　do　so　himself；　there　was　no　one　to　dispute　the
classification。

〃Oh！　of　course；〃　replied　Mr。　Arnold；　〃quite　right。　　What；　then；
pray；　is　biology？〃

〃A　science；　falsely　so　called；〃　said　Hugh；　who；　waking　up　a　little；
wanted　to　join　in　the　conversation。

〃What　does　the　word　mean？〃　said　Mr。　Arnold。

Von　Funkelstein　answered　at　once：

〃The　science　of　life。　　But　I　must　say；　the　name；　as　now　applied；　is
no　indication　of　the　thing　signified。〃

〃How；　then；　is　a　gentleman　to　know　what　it　is？〃　said　Mr。　Arnold；
half　pettishly；　and　forgetting　that　his　knowledge　had　not　extended
even　to　the　interpretation　of　the　name。

〃It　is　one　of　the　sciences；　true　or　false；　connected　with　animal
magnetism。〃

〃Bah！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Arnold；　rather　rudely。

〃You　would　have　said　so；　if　you　had　heard　the　lecture；〃　said
Funkelstein。

The　conversation　had　not　taken　this　turn　till　quite　late　in　the
dining　ceremony。　　Euphra　rose　to　go；　and　Hugh　remarked　that　her　face
was　dreadfully　pale。　　But　she　walked　steadily　out　of　the　room。

This　interrupted　the　course　of　the　talk；　and　the　subject　was　not
resumed。　　Immediately　after　tea；　which　was　served　very　soon；
Funkelstein　took　his　leave　of　the　ladies。

〃We　shall　be　glad　to　see　you　often　while　in　this　neighbourhood；〃
said　Mr。　Arnold；　as　he　bade　him　good　night。

〃I　shall；　without　fail；　do　myself　the　honour　of　calling　again　soon；〃
replied　he；　and　bowed　himself　out。

Lady　Emily；　evidently　relieved　by　his　departure；　rose；　and；
approaching　Euphra；　said；　in　a　sweet　coaxing　tone；　which　even　she
could　hardly　have　resisted：

〃Dear　Miss　Cameron；　you　promised　to　sing；　for　me　in　particular；　some
evening。　　May　I　claim　the　fulfilment　of　your　promise？〃

Euphra　had　recovered　her　complexion；　and　she　too　seemed　to　Hugh　to
be　relieved　by　the　departure　of　Funkelstein。

〃Certainly；〃　she　answered；　rising　at　once。　〃What　shall　I　sing？〃

Hugh　was　all　ear　now。

〃Something　sacred；　if　you　please。〃

Euphra　hesitated；　but　not　long。

〃Shall　I　sing　Mozart's　Agnus　Dei；　then？〃

Lady　Emily　hesitated　in　her　turn。

〃I　should　prefer　something　else。　　I　don't　approve　of　singing　popish
music；　however　beautiful　it　may　be。〃

〃Well；　what　shall　it　be？〃

〃Something　of　Handel　or　Mendelssohn；　please。　　Do　you　sing；　'I　know
that　my　Redeemer　liveth？'〃

〃I　daresay　I　can　sing　it；〃　replied　Euphra；　with　some　petulance；　and
went　to　the　piano。

This　was　a　favourite　air　with　Hugh；　and　he　placed　himself　so　as　to
see　the　singer　without　being　seen　himself；　and　to　lose　no　slightest
modulation　of　her　voice。　　But　what　was　his　disappointment　to　find
that　oratorio…music　was　just　what　Euphra　was　incapable　of！　　No　doubt
she　sang　it　quite　correctly；　but　there　was　no　religion　in　it。　　Not　a
single　tone　worshipped　or　rejoiced。　　The　quality　of　sound　necessary
to　express　the　feeling　and　thought　of　the　composer　was　lacking：　the
palace　of　sound　was　all　right　constructed；　but　of　wrong　material。
Euphra；　however；　was　quite　unconscious　of　failure。　　She　did　not
care　for　the　music；　but　she　attributed　her　lack　of　interest　in　it　to
the　music　itself；　never　dreaming　that；　in　fact；　she　had　never　really
heard　it；　having　no　inner　ear　for　its　deeper　harmonies。　　As　soon　as
she　had　finished；　Lady　Emily　thanked　her；　but　did　not　praise　her
more　than　by　saying：

〃I　wish　I　had　a　voice　like　yours；　Miss　Cameron。〃

〃I　daresay　you　have　a　better　of　your　own；〃　said　Euphra；　falsely。

Lady　Emily　laughed。

〃It　is　the　poorest　little　voice　you　ever　heard；　yet　I　confess　I　am
glad；　for　my　own　sake；　that　I　have　even　that。　　What　should　I　do　if　I
never　heard　Handel！〃

Every　simple　mind　has　a　little　well　of　beauty　somewhere　in　its
precincts；　which　flows　and　warbles；　even　when　the　owner　is
unheedful。　　The　religion　of　Lady　Emily　had　led　her　into　a　region　far
beyond　the　reach　of　her　intellect；　in　which　there　sprang　a　constant
fountain　of　sacred　song。　　To　it　she　owed　her　highest　moods。

〃Then　Handel　is　your　musician？〃　said　Euphra。　〃You　should　not　have
put　me　to　such　a　test。　　It　was　very　unfair　of　you；　Lady　Emily。〃

Lady　Emily　laughed；　as　if　quite　amused　at　the　idea　of　having　done
Euphra　any　wrong。　　Euphra　added：

〃You　must　sing　now；　Lady　Emily。　　You　cannot　refuse；　after　the
admission　you　have　just　made。〃

〃I　confess　it　is　only　fair；　but　I　warn　you　to　expect　nothing。〃

She　took　her　place　at　the　piano；　and　sangHe　shall　feed　his　flock。
Her　health　had　improved　so　much　during　her　sojourn　at　Arnstead；
that；　when　she　began　to　sing；　the　quantity　of　her　voice　surprised
herself；　but　after　all；　it　was　a　poor　voice；　and　the　execution；　if
clear　of　any　great　faults；　made　no　other　pretence　to　merit。　　Yet　she
effected　the　end　of　the　music；　the　very　result　which　every　musician
would　most　desire；　wherein　Euphra　had　failed　utterly。　　This　was
worthy　of　note；　and　Hugh　was　not　even　yet　too　blind　to　perceive　it。
Lady　Emily；　with　very　ordinary　intellect；　and　paltry　religious
opinions；　yet　because　she　was　good　herself；　and　religiouscould；　in
the　reproduction　of　the　highest　kind　of　music；　greatly　surpass　the
spirited；　intellectual　musician；　whose　voice　was　as　superior　to　hers
as　a　nightingale's　to　a　sparrow's；　and　whose　knowledge　of　music　and
musical　power　generally；　surpassed　hers　beyond　all　comparison。

It　must　be　allowed　for　Euphra；　that　she　seemed　to　have　gained　some
perception　of　the　fact。　　Perhaps　she　had　seen　signs　of　emotion　in
Hugh's　face；　which　he　had　shaded　with　his　hand　as　Lady　Emily　sang；
or　perhaps　the　singing　produced　in　her　a　feeling　which　she　had　not
had　when　singing　herself。　　All　I　know　is；　that　the　same　nightwhile
Hugh　was　walking　up　and　down　his　room；　meditating　on　this　defect　of
Euphra's；　and　yet　feeling　that　if　she　could　sing　only　devil's　music；
he　must　love　hera　tap　came　to　the　door　which　made　him　start　with
the　suggestion　of　the　former　mysterious　noises　of　a　similar　kind；
that　he　sprang　to　the　door；　and　that；　instead　of　looking　out　on　a
vacant　corridor；　as　he　all　but　anticipated；　he　saw　Euphra　standing
there　in　the　darkwho　said　in　a　whisper：

〃Ah！　you　do　not　love　me　any　longer；　because　Lady　Emily　can　sing
psalms　better　than　I　can！〃

There　was　both　pathos　and　spite　in　the　speech。

〃Come　in；　Euphra。〃

〃No。　I　am　afraid　I　have　been　very　naughty　in　coming　here　at　all。〃

〃Do　come　in。　　I　want　you　to　tell　me　something　about　Funkelstein。〃

〃What　do　you　want　to　know　about　him？　　I　suppose　you　are　jealous　of
him。　　Ah！　you　men　can　both　be　jealous　and　make　jealous　at　the　same
moment。〃　　A　little　broken　sigh　followed。　　Hugh　answered：

〃I　only　want　to　know　what　he　is。〃

〃Oh！　some　twentieth　cousin　of　mine。〃

〃Mr。　Arnold　does　not　know　that？〃

〃Oh　dear！　no。　　It　is　so　far　off　I　can't　count　it；　In　fact　I　doubt　it
altogether。　　It　must　date　centuries　back。〃

〃His　intimacy；　then；　is　not　to　be　accounted　for　by　his
relationship？〃

〃Ah！　ah！　　I　thought　so。　　Jealous　of　the　poor　count！〃

〃Count？〃

〃Oh　dear！　what　does　it　matter？　　He　doesn't　like　to　be　called　Count；
because　all　foreigners　are　counts　or　barons；　or　something　equally
distinguished。　　I　oughtn't　to　have　let　it　out。〃

〃Never　mind。　　Tell　me　something　about　him。〃

〃He　is　a　Bohemian。　　I　met　him　first；　some　years　ago；　on　the
continent。〃

〃Then　that　was　not　your　first　meetingat　Sir　Edward　Laston's？〃

〃No。〃

〃How　candid　she　is！〃　thought　Hugh。

〃He　calls　me　his　cousin；　but　if　he　be　mine；　he　is　yet　more　Mr。
Arnold's。　　But　he　does　not　want　it　mentioned　yet。　　I　am　sure　I　don't
know　why。〃

〃Is　he　in　love　with　you？〃

〃How　can　I　tell？〃　she　answered　archly。　〃By　his　being　very　jealous？
Is　that　the　way　to　know　whether　a　man　is　in　love　with　one？　　But　if
he　is　in　love　with　me；　it　does　not　follow　that　I　am　in　love　with
himdoes　it？　　Confess。　　Am　I　not　very　good　to　answer　all　your
impertinent　downright　questions？　　They　are　as　point　blank　as　the
church…catechism；mind；　I　don't　say　as　rude。How　can　I　be　in　love
with　two　ata？〃

She　seemed　to　cheek　herself。　　But　Hugh　had　heard　enoughas　she　had
intended　he　should。　　She　turned　instantly；　and　spedsurrounded　by
the　〃low　melodious　thunder〃　of　her　silken　garmentsto　her　own　door；
where　she　vanished　noiselessly。

〃What　care　I　for　oratorios？〃　said　Hugh　to　himself；　as　he　put　the
light　out；　towards　morning。

Where　was　all　this　to　end？　　What　goal　had　Hugh　set　himself？　　Could
he　not　go　away；　and　achieve　renown　in　one　of　many　ways；　and　return
fit；　in　the　eyes　of　the　world；　to　claim　the　hand　of　Miss　Cameron？
But　would　he　marry　her　if　he　could？　　He　would　not　answer　the
question。　　He　closed　the　ears　of　his　heart　to　it；　and　tried　to　go　to
sleep。　　He　slept；　and　dreamed　of　Margaret　in　the　storm。

A　few　days　passed　without　anything　occurring　sufficiently　marked　for
relation。　　Euphra　and　he　seemed　satisfied　without　meeting　in
private。　　Perhaps　both　were　afraid　of　carrying　it　too　far；　at　least；
too　far　to　keep　clear　of　the　risk　of　discovery；　seeing　that　danger
was　at　present　greater　than　usual。　　Mr。　Arnold　continued　to　be
thoroughly　attentive　to　his　guests；　and　became　more　and　more　devoted
to　Lady　Emily。　　There　was　no　saying　where　it　might　end；　for　he　was
not　an　old　man　yet；　and　Lady　Emily　appeared　to　have　no　special
admirers。　　Arnstead　was　such　an　abode；　and　surrounded　with　such　an
estate；　as　few　even　of　the　nobility　could　call　their　own。　　And　a
reminiscence　of　his　first　wife　seemed　to　haunt　all　Mr。　Arnold's
contemplations　of　Lady　Emily；　and　all　his　attentions　to　her。　　These
were　delicate　in　the　extreme；　evidently　bringing　out　the　best　life
that　yet　remained　in　a　heart　that　was　almost　a　fossil。　　Hugh　made
some　fresh　efforts　to　do　his　duty　by　Harry；　and　so　far　succeeded；
that　at　least　the　boy　made　some　progressevident　enough　to　the
moderate　expectations　of　his　father。　　But　what　helped　Harry　as　much
as　anything；　was　the　motherly　kindness；　even　tenderness；　of　good
Mrs。　Elton；　who　often　had　him　to　sit　with　her　in　her　own　room。　　To
her　he　generally　fled　for　refuge；　when　he　felt　deserted　and　lonely。




CHAPTER　XVII。

MATERIALISM　alias　GHOST…HUNTING。

Wie　der　Mond　sich　leuchtend　dr鋘get
Durch　den　dunkeln　Wolkenflor；
Also　taucht　aus　dunkeln　Zeiten
Mir　ein　lichtes