david elginbrod-第42章

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Von　Funkelstein　withdrew　his　hand；　and　requested　that　the　other
candle　should　be　lighted。　　The　paper　was　taken　up　and　examined。
Nothing　could　be　discovered　upon　it；　but　a　labyrinth　of　wavy　and
sweepy　lines。　　Funkelstein　pored　over　it　for　some　minutes；　and　then
confessed　his　inability　to　make　a　single　letter　out　of　it；　still
less　words　and　sentences；　as　he　had　expected。

〃But；〃　said　he；　〃we　are　at　least　so　far　successful：　it　moves。　　Let
us　try　again。　　Who　will　try　next？〃

〃I　will；〃　said　Hugh；　who　had　refrained　at　first；　partly　from　dislike
to　the　whole　affair；　partly　because　he　shrank　from　putting　himself
forward。

A　new　sheet　of　paper　was　fixed。　　The　candle　was　extinguished。　　Hugh
put　his　fingers　on　the　plate。　　In　a　second　or　two；　it　began　to　move。

〃A　medium！〃　murmured　Funkelstein。　　He　then　spoke　aloud　some　words
unintelligible　to　the　rest。

Whether　from　the　peculiarity　of　his　position　and　the　consequent
excitement　of　his　imagination；　or　from　some　other　cause；　Hugh　grew
quite　cold；　and　began　to　tremble。　　The　plate；　which　had　been
careering　violently　for　a　few　moments；　now　went　more　slowly；　making
regular　short　motions　and　returns；　at　right　angles　to　its　chief
direction；　as　if　letters　were　being　formed　by　the　pencil。　　Hugh
shuddered；　thinking　he　recognised　the　letters　as　they　grew。　　The
writing　ceased。　　The　candles　were　brought。　　Yes；　there　it　was！not
plain；　but　easily　decipherableDavid　Elginbrod。　　Hugh　felt　sick。

Euphra；　looking　on　beside　him；　whispered：

〃What　an　odd　name！　　Who　can　it　mean？〃

He　made　no　reply

Neither　of　the　other　ladies　saw　it；　for　Mrs。　Elton　had　discovered；
the　moment　the　second　candle　was　lighted；　that　Lady　Emily　was　either
asleep　or　in　a　faint。　　She　was　soon　all　but　satisfied　that　she　was
asleep。

Hugh's　opinion；　gathered　from　what　followed；　was；　that　the　Bohemian
had　not　been　so　intent　on　the　operations　with　the　plate；　as　he　had
appeared　to　be；　and　that　he　had　been　employing　part　of　his　energy　in
mesmerising　Lady　Emily。　　Mrs。　Elton；　remembering　that　she　had　had
quite　a　long　walk　that　morning；　was　not　much　alarmed。　　Unwilling　to
make　a　disturbance；　she　rang　the　bell　very　quietly；　and；　going　to
the　door；　asked　the　servant　who　answered　it；　to　send　her　maid　with
some　eau…de…cologne。　　Meantime；　the　gentlemen　had　been　too　much
absorbed　to　take　any　notice　of　her　proceedings；　and；　after　removing
the　one　and　extinguishing　the　other　candle；　had　reverted　to　the
plate。Hugh　was　still　the　operator。

Von　Funkelstein　spoke　again　in　an　unknown　tongue。　　The　plate　began
to　move　as　before。　　After　only　a　second　or　two　of　preparatory
gyration；　Hugh　felt　that　it　was　writing　Turriepuffit；　and　shook　from
head　to　foot。

Suddenly；　in　the　middle　of　the　word；　the　plate　ceased　its　motion；
and　lay　perfectly　still。　　Hugh　felt　a　kind　of　surprise　come　upon
him；　as　if　he　waked　from　an　unpleasant　dream；　and　saw　the　sun
shining。　　The　morbid　excitement　of　his　nervous　system　had　suddenly
ceased；　and　a　healthful　sense　of　strength　and　every…day　life　took
its　place。

Simultaneously　with　the　stopping　of　the　plate；　and　this　new　feeling
which　I　have　tried　to　describe；　Hugh　involuntarily　raised　his　eyes
towards　the　door　of　the　room。　　In　the　all…but…darkness　between　him
and　the　door；　he　saw　a　pale　beautiful　facea　face　only。　　It　was　the
face　of　Margaret　Elginbrod；　not；　however；　such　as　he　had　used　to　see
itbut　glorified。　　That　was　the　only　word　by　which　he　could
describe　its　new　aspect。　　A　mist　of　darkness　fell　upon　his　brain；
and　the　room　swam　round　with　him。　　But　he　was　saved　from　falling；　or
attracting　attention　to　a　weakness　for　which　he　could　have　made　no
excuse；　by　a　sudden　cry　from　Lady　Emily。

〃See！　see！〃　she　cried　wildly；　pointing　towards　one　of　the　windows。

These　looked　across　to　another　part　of　the　house；　one　of　the　oldest；
at　some　distance。One　of　its　windows；　apparently　on　the　first
floor；　shone　with　a　faint　bluish　light。

All　the　company　had　hurried　to　the　window　at　Lady　Emily's
exclamation。

〃Who　can　be　in　that　part　of　the　house？〃　said　Mr。　Arnold；　angrily。

〃It　is　Lady　Euphrasia's　window；〃　said　Euphra；　in　a　low　voice；　the
tone　of　which　suggested；　somehow；　that　the　speaker　was　very　cold。

〃What　do　you　mean　by　speaking　like　that？〃　said　Mr。　Arnold；
forgetting　his　dignity。　〃Surely　you　are　above　being　superstitious。
Is　it　possible　the　servants　could　be　about　any　mischief？　　I　will
discharge　any　one　at　once；　that　dares　go　there　without　permission。〃

The　light　disappeared；　fading　slowly　out。

〃Indeed；　the　servants　are　all　too　much　alarmed；　after　what　took
place　last　year；　to　go　near　that　wingmuch　less　that　room；〃　said
Euphra。　〃Besides；　Mrs。　Horton　has　all　the　keys　in　her　own　charge。〃

〃Go　yourself　and　get　me　them；　Euphra。　　I　will　see　at　once　what　this
means。　　Don't　say　why　you　want　them。〃

〃Certainly　not；　uncle。〃

Hugh　had　recovered　almost　instantaneously。　　Though　full　of
amazement；　he　had　yet　his　perceptive　faculties　sufficiently
unimpaired　to　recognise　the　real　source　of　the　light　in　the　window。
It　seemed　to　him　more　like　moonlight　than　anything　else；　and　he
thought　the　others　would　have　seen　it　to　be　such；　but　for　the　effect
of　Lady　Emily's　sudden　exclamation。　　Perhaps　she　was　under　the
influence　of　the　Bohemian　at　the　moment。　　Certainly　they　were　all　in
a　tolerable　condition　for　seeing　whatever　might　be　required　of　them。
True；　there　was　no　moon　to　be　seen；　and　if　it　was　the　moon；　why　did
the　light　go　out？　　But　he　found　afterwards　that　he　had　been　right。
The　house　stood　upon　a　rising　ground；　and；　every　recurring　cycle；
the　moon　would　shine；　through　a　certain　vista　of　trees　and　branches；
upon　Lady　Euphrasia's　window；　provided　there　had　been　no　growth　of
twigs　to　stop　up　the　channel　of　the　light；　which　was　so　narrow　that
in　a　few　moments　the　moon　had　crossed　it。　　A　gap　in　a　hedge　made　by
a　bull　that　morning；　had　removed　the　last　screen。Lady　Euphrasia's
window　was　so　neglected　and　dusty；　that　it　could　reflect　nothing
more　than　a　dim　bluish　shimmer。

〃Will　you　all　accompany　me；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　that　you　may　see
with　your　own　eyes　that　there　is　nothing　dangerous　in　the　house？〃
said　Mr。　Arnold。

Of　course　Funkelstein　was　quite　ready；　and　Hugh　as　well；　although　he
felt　at　this　moment　ill…fitted　for　ghost…hunting。　　The　ladies
hesitated；　but　at　last；　more　afraid　of　being　left　behind　alone；　than
of　going　with　the　gentlemen；　they　consented。　　Euphra　brought　the
keys；　and　they　commenced　their　march　of　investigation。　　Up　the　grand
staircase　they　went；　Mr。　Arnold　first　with　the　keys；　Hugh　next　with
Mrs。　Elton　and　Lady　Emily；　and　the　Bohemian；　considerably　to　Hugh's
dissatisfaction；　bringing　up　the　rear　with　Euphra。This
misarrangement　did　more　than　anything　else　could　have　done；　to
deaden　for　the　time　the　distraction　of　feeling　produced　in　Hugh's
mind　by　the　events　of　the　last　few　minutes。　　Yet　even　now　he　seemed
to　be　wandering　through　the　old　house　in　a　dream；　instead　of
following　Mr。　Arnold；　whose　presence　might　well　have　been　sufficient
to　destroy　any　illusion；　except　such　as　a　Chinese　screen　might
superinduce；　for；　possessed　of　far　less　imagination　than　a　horse；　he
was　incapable　of　any　terrors；　but　such　as　had　to　do　with　robbers；　or
fire；　or　chartistswhich　latter　fear　included　both　the　former。　　He
strode　on　securely；　carrying　a　candle　in　one　hand；　and　the　keys　in
the　other。　　Each　of　the　other　gentlemen　likewise　bore　a　light。　　They
had　to　go　through　doors；　some　locked；　some　open；　following　a
different　route　from　that　taken　by　Euphra　on　a　former　occasion。

But　Mr。　Arnold　found　the　keys　troublesome。　　He　could　not　easily
distinguish　those　he　wanted；　and　was　compelled　to　apply　to　Euphra。
She　left　Funkelstein　in　consequence；　and　walked　in　front　with　her
uncle。　　Her　former　companion　got　beside　Lady　Emily；　and　as　they
could　not　well　walk　four　abreast；　she　fell　behind　with　him。　　So　Hugh
got　next　to　Euphra；　behind　her；　and　was　comforted。

At　length；　by　tortuous　ways；　across　old　rooms；　and　up　and　down
abrupt　little　stairs；　they　reached　the　door　of　Lady　Euphrasia's
room。　　The　key　was　found；　and　the　door　opened　with　some
perturbationmanifest　on　the　part　of　the　ladies；　and　concealed　on
the　part　of　the　men。　　The　place　was　quite　dark。　　They　entered；　and
Hugh　was　greatly　struck　with　its　strange　antiquity。　　Lady
Euphrasia's　ghost　had　driven　the　last　occupant　out　of　it　nearly　a
hundred　years　ago；　but　most　of　the　furniture　was　much　older　than
that；　having　probably　belonged　to　Lady　Euphrasia　herself。　　The　room
remained　just　as　the　said　last　occupant　had　left　it。　　Even　the
bed…clothes　remained；　folded　down；　as　if　expecting　their　occupant
for　the　last　hundred　years。　　The　fine　linen　had　grown　yellow；　and
the　rich　counterpane　lay　like　a　churchyard　after　the　resurrection；
full　of　the　open　graves　of　the　liberated　moths。　　On　the　wall　hung
the　portrait　of　a　nun　in　convent…attire。

〃Some　have　taken　that　for　a　second　portrait　of　Lady　Euphrasia；〃　said
Mr。　Arnold；　〃but　it　cannot　be。Euphra；　we　will　go　back　through　the
picture　gallery。I　suspect　it　of　originating　the　tradition　that
Lady　Euphrasia　became　a　nun　at　last。　　I　do　not　believe　it　myself。
The　picture　is　certainly　old　enough　to　stand　for　her；　but　it　does
not　seem　to　me　in　the　least　like　the　other。〃

It　was　a　great　room；　with　large　recesses；　and　therefore　irregular　in
form。　　Old　chairs；　with　remnants　of　enamel　and　gilding；　and　seats　of
faded　damask；　stood　all　about。　　But　the　beauty　of　the　chamber　was
its　tapestry。　　The　walls　were　entirely　covered　with　it；　and　the　rich
colours　had　not　yet　receded　into　the　dull　grey　of　the　past；　though
their　gorgeousness　had　become　sombre　with　age。　　The　subject　was　the
story　of　Samson。

〃Come　and　see　this　strange　piece　of　furniture；〃　said　Euphra　to　Hugh；
who　had　kept　by　her　side　since　they　entered　this　room。

She　led　him　into　one　of　the　recesses；　almost　concealed　by　the
bed…hangings。　　In　it　stood　a　cabinet　of　ebony；　reaching　nearly　to
the　ceiling；　curiously　carved　in　high　relief。

〃I　wish　I　could　show　you　the　inside　of　it；〃　she　went　on；　〃but　I
cannot　now。〃

This　was　said　almost　in　a　whisper。　　Hugh　replied　with　only　a　look　of
thanks。　　He　gazed　at　the　carving；　on　whose　black　surface　his　candle
made　little　light；　and　threw　no　shadows。

〃You　have　looked　at　this　before；　Euphra；〃　said　he。　〃Explain　it　to
me。〃

〃I　have　often　tried　to　find　out　what　it　is；〃　she　answered；　〃but　I
never　could　quite　satisfy　myself　about　it。〃

She　proceeded；　however；　to　tell　him　what　she　fancied　it　might　mean；
speaking　still　in　the　low　tone　which　seemed　suitable　to　the　awe　of
the　place。　　She　got　interested　in　showing　him　the　relations　of　the
different　figures；　and　he　made　several　suggestions　as　to　the
possible　intention　of　the　artist。　　More　than　one　well…known　subject
was　proposed　and　rejected。

Suddenly　becoming　aware　of　the　sensation　of　silence；　they　looked　up；
and　saw　that　theirs　was　the　only　light　in　the　room。　　They　were　left
alone　in　the　haunted　chamber。They　looked　at　each　other　for　one
moment；　then　said；　with　half…stifled　voices：

〃Euphra！〃

〃Hugh！〃

Euphra　seemed　half　amused　and　half　perplexed。　　Hugh　looked　half
perplexed　and　wholly　pleased。

〃Come；　come；〃　said　Euphra；　recovering　herself；　and　leading　the　way
to　t