david elginbrod-第71章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


overlooked。　　When　a　man　is　acting　with　his　inclination；　his　will　is
in　abeyance。　　In　our　present　imperfect　condition；　it　seems　to　me
that　the　absolute　will　has　no　opportunity　of　pure　action；　of
operating　entirely　as　itself；　except　when　working　in　opposition　to
inclination。　　But　to　return：　the　power　of　the　biologist　appears　to
me　to　lie　in　thishe　is　able；　by　some　mysterious　sympathy；　to
produce　in　the　mind　of　the　patient　such　forceful　impulses　to　do
whatever　he　wills；　that　they　are　in　fact　irresistible　to　almost　all
who　are　obnoxious　to　his　influence。　　The　will　requires　an　especial
training　and　a　distinct　development；　before　it　is　capable　of　acting
with　any　degree　of　freedom。　　The　men　who　have　undergone　this　are
very　few　indeed；　and　no　one　whose　will　is　not　educated　as　will；　can；
if　subjected　to　the　influences　of　biology；　resist　the　impulses
roused　in　his　passive　brain　by　the　active　brain　of　the　operator。
This　at　least　is　my　impression。

〃Other　things　no　doubt　combined　to　increase　the　influence　in　the
present　case。　　She　liked　him；　perhaps　more　than　liked　him　once。　　She
was　partially　committed　to　his　schemes；　and　she　was　easily
mesmerised。　　It　would　seem；　besides；　that　she　was　naturally　disposed
to　somnambulism。　　This　is　a　remarkable　co…existence　of　distinct
developments　of　the　same　peculiarity。　　In　this　latter　condition；
even　if　in　others　she　were　able　to　resist　him；　she　would　be　quite
helpless；　for　all　the　thoughts　that　passed　through　her　brain　would
owe　their　origin　to　his。Imagine　being　forced　to　think　another
man's　thoughts！　　That　would　be　possession　indeed！　　And　this　is　not
far　removed　from　the　old　stories　about　the　demons　entering　into　a
man。He　would　be　ruler　over　the　whole　intellectual　life　that　passed
in　her　during　the　time；　and　which　to　her；　as　far　as　the　ideas
suggested　belonged　to　the　outward　world；　would　appear　an　outer　life；
passing　all　round　her；　not　in　her。　　She　would；　in　fact；　be　a
creature　of　his　imagination　for　the　time；　as　much　as　any　character
invented；　and　sent　through　varied　circumstances；　feelings；　and
actions；　by　the　mind　of　the　poet　or　novelist。　　Look　at　the　facts。
She　warned　you　to　beware　of　the　count　that　night　before　you　went
into　the　haunted　bed…chamber。　　Even　when　she　entered　it；　by　your　own
account〃

〃Entered　it？　　Then　you　do　think　it　was　Euphra　who　personated　the
ghost？〃

〃I　am　sure　of　it。　　She　was　sleep…walking。〃

〃But　so　differentsuch　a　death…like　look！〃

〃All　that　was　easy　enough　to　manage。　　She　refused　to　obey　him　at
first。　　He　mesmerized　her。　　It　very　likely　went　farther　than　he
expected；　and　he　succeeded　too　well。　　Experienced；　no　doubt；　in
disguises；　he　dressed　her　as　like　the　dead　Lady　Euphrasia　as　he
could；　following　her　picture。　　Perhaps　she　possessed　such　a
disguise；　and　had　used　it　before。　　He　thus　protected　her　from
suspicion；　and　himself　from　implication。What　was　the　colour　of　the
hair　in　the　picture？〃

〃Golden。〃

〃Hence　the　sparkle　of　gold…dust　in　her　hair。　　The　count　managed　it
all。　　He　willed　that　she　should　go；　and　she　went。　　Her　disguise　was
certain　safety；　should　she　be　seen。　　You　would　suspect　the　ghost　and
no　one　else　if　she　appeared　to　you；　and　you　lost　the　ring　after。
But　even　in　this　state　she　yielded　against　her　better　inclination；
for　she　was　weeping　when　you　saw　her。　　But　she　could　not　help　it。
While　you　lay　on　the　couch　in　the　haunted　chamber；　where　he　carried
you；　the　awful　death…ghost　was　busy　in　your　room；　was　opening　your
desk；　fingering　your　papers；　and　stealing　your　ring。　　It　is　rather　a
frightful　idea。〃

〃She　did　not　take　my　ring；　I　am　sure。　　He　followed　her；　and　took
it。But　she　could　not　have　come　in　at　either　door〃

〃Could　not？　　Did　she　not　go　out　at　one　of　them？　　Besides；　I　do　not
doubt　that　such　a　room　as　that　had　private　communication　with　the
open　air　as　well。　　I　should　much　like　to　examine　the　place。〃

〃But　how　could　she　have　gone　through　the　bolted　door　then？〃

〃That　door　may　have　been　set　in　another；　larger　by　half　the　frame　or
so；　and　opening　with　a　spring　and　concealed　hinges。　　There　is　no
difficulty　about　that。　　There　are　such　places　to　be　found　now　and
then　in　old　houses。　　But；　indeed；　if　you　will　excuse　me；　I　do　not
consider　your　testimony；　on　every　minute　particular；　quite
satisfactory。〃

〃Why？〃　asked　Hugh；　rather　offended。

〃First；　because　of　the　state　of　excitement　you　must　have　been　in；
and　next；　because　I　doubt　the　wine　that　was　left　in　your　room。　　The
count　no　doubt　knew　enough　of　drugs　to　put　a　few　ghostly　horrors
into　the　decanter。　　But　poor　Miss　Cameron！　　The　horrors　he　has　put
into　her　mind　and　life！　　It　is　a　sad　fateall　but　a　sentence　of
insanity。〃

Hugh　sprang　to　his　feet。

〃By　heaven！〃　he　cried；　〃I　will　strangle　the　knave。〃

〃Stop；　stop！〃　said　Falconer。　〃No　revenge！　　Leave　him　to　the　sleeping
divinity　within　him；　which　will　awake　one　day；　and　complete　the　hell
that　he　is　now　building　for　himselffor　the　very　fire　of　hell　is
the　divine　in　it。　　Your　work　is　to　set　Euphra　free。　　If　you　did
strangle　him；　how　do　you　know　if　that　would　free　her　from　him？〃

〃Horrible！Have　you　no　news　of　him？〃

〃None　whatever。〃

〃What；　then；　can　I　do　for　her？〃

〃You　must　teach　her　to　foil　him。〃

〃How　am　I　to　do　that？　　Even　if　I　knew　how；　I　cannot　see　her；　I
cannot　speak　to　her。〃

〃I　have　a　great　faith　in　opportunity。〃

〃But　how　should　she　foil　him？〃

〃She　must　pray　to　God　to　redeem　her　fettered　willto　strengthen　her
will　to　redeem　herself。　　She　must　resist　the　count；　should　he　again
claim　her　submission　（as；　for　her　sake；　I　hope　he　will）；　as　she
would　the　devil　himself。　　She　must　overcome。　　Then　she　will　be
freenot　before。　　This　will　be　very　hard　to　do。　　His　power　has　been
excessive　and　peculiar；　and　her　submission　long　and　complete。　　Even
if　he　left　her　alone；　she　would　not　therefore　be　free。　　She　must
defy　him；　break　his　bonds；　oppose　his　will；　assert　her　freedom；　and
defeat　him　utterly。〃

〃Oh！　who　will　help　her？　　I　have　no　power。　　Even　if　I　were　with　her；
I　could　not　help　her　in　such　a　struggle。　　I　wish　David　were　not
dead。　　He　was　the　man。You　could　now；　Mr。　Falconer。〃

〃No。　Except　I　knew　her；　had　known　her　for　some　time；　and　had　a
strong　hold　of　all　her　nature；　I　could　not；　would　not　try　to　help
her。　　If　Providence　brought　this　about；　I　would　do　my　best；　but
otherwise　I　would　not　interfere。　　But　if　she　pray　to　God；　he　will
give　her　whatever　help　she　needs；　and　in　the　best　way；　too。〃

〃I　think　it　would　be　some　comfort　to　her　if　we　could　find　the
ringthe　crystal；　I　mean。〃

〃It　would　be　more；　I　think；　if　we　could　find　the　diamond。〃

〃How　can　we　find　either？〃

〃We　must　find　the　count　first。　　I　have　not　given　that　up；　of　course。
I　will　tell　you　what　I　should　like　to　do；　if　I　knew　the　lady。〃

〃What？〃

〃Get　her　to　come　to　London；　and　make　herself　as　public　as　possible：
go　to　operas　and　balls；　and　theatres；　be　presented　at　court；　take　a
stall　at　every　bazaar；　and　sell　charity　puff…ballsget　as　much　into
the　papers　as　possible。　'The　lovely；　accomplished；　fascinating　Miss
Cameron；　&c。；　&c。'〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃I　will　tell　you　what　I　mean。　　The　count　has　forsaken　her　now；　but
as　soon　as　he　heard　that　she　was　somebody；　that　she　was　followed　and
admired；　his　vanity　would　be　roused；　his　old　sense　of　property　in
her　would　revive；　and　he　would　begin　once　more　to　draw　her　into　his
toils。　　What　the　result　would　be；　it　is　impossible　to　foretell；　but
it　would　at　least　give　us　a　chance　of　catching　him；　and　her　a　chance
of　resisting　him。〃

〃I　don't　think；　however；　that　she　would　venture　on　that　course
herself。　　I　should　not　dare　to　propose　it　to　her。〃

〃No；　no。　　It　was　only　an　invention；　to　deceive　myself　with　the　fancy
that　I　was　doing　something。　　There　would　be　many　objections　to　such
a　plan；　even　if　it　were　practicable。　　I　must　still　try　to　find　him；
and　if　fresh　endeavours　should　fail；　devise　fresher　still。〃

〃Thank　you　a　thousand　times；〃　said　Hugh。　〃It　is　too　good　of　you　to
take　so　much　trouble。〃

〃It　is　my　business；〃　answered　Falconer。　〃Is　there　not　a　soul　in
trouble？〃

Hugh　went　home；　full　of　his　new　friend。　　With　the　clue　he　had　given
him；　he　was　able　to　follow　all　the　windings　of　Euphra's　behaviour；
and　to　account　for　almost　everything　that　had　taken　place。　　It　was
quite　painful　to　him　to　feel　that　he　could　be　of　no　immediate
service　to　her；　but　he　could　hardly　doubt　that；　before　long；
Falconer　would；　in　his　wisdom　and　experience；　excogitate　some　mode
of　procedure　in　which　he　might　be　able　to　take　a　part。

He　sat　down　to　his　novel；　which　had　been　making　but　little　progress
for　some　time；　for　it　is　hard　to　write　a　novel　when　one　is　living　in
the　midst　of　a　romance。　　But　the　romance；　at　this　time；　was　not　very
close　to　him。　　It　had　a　past　and　a　possible　future；　but　no　present。
That　same　future；　however；　might　at　any　moment　dawn　into　the
present。

In　the　meantime；　teaching　the　Latin　grammar　and　the　English　alphabet
to　young　aspirants　after　the　honours　of　the　ministry；　was　not　work
inimical　to　invention；　from　either　the　exhaustion　of　its　excitement
or　the　absorption　of　its　interest。




CHAPTER　XIII。

THE　LADY'S…MAID。

Her　yellow　hair；　beyond　compare；
　　Comes　trinkling　down　her　swan…white　neck；
And　her　two　eyes；　like　stars　in　skies；
　　Would　keep　a　sinking　ship　frae　wreck。
Oh！　　Mally's　meek；　Mally's　sweet；
　　Mally's　modest　and　discreet；
Mally's　rare；　Mally's　fair；
　　Mally's　every　way　complete。

BURNS。


What　arms　for　innocence　but　innocence。

GILES　FLETCHER。


Margaret　had　sought　Euphra's　room；　with　the　intention　of　restoring
to　her　the　letter　which　she　had　written　to　David　Elginbrod。　　Janet
had　let　it　lie　for　some　time　before　she　sent　it　to　Margaret；　and
Euphra　had　given　up　all　expectation　of　an　answer。

Hopes　of　ministration　filled　Margaret's　heart；　but　she　expected；
from　what　she　knew　of　her；　that　anger　would　be　Miss　Cameron's　first
feeling。　　Therefore；　when　she　heard　no　answer　to　her　application　for
admission；　and　had　concluded；　in　consequence；　that　Euphra　was　not　in
the　room；　she　resolved　to　leave　the　letter　where　it　would　meet　her
eye；　and　thus　prepare　the　way　for　a　future　conversation。　　When　she
saw　Euphra　and　Harry；　she　would　have　retired　immediately；　but
Euphra；　annoyed　by　her　entrance；　was　now　quite　able　to　speak。

〃What　do　you　want？〃　she　said　angrily。

〃This　is　your　letter；　Miss　Cameron；　is　it　not？〃　said　Margaret；
advancing　with　it　in　her　hand。

Euphra　took　it；　glanced　at　the　direction；　pushed　Harry　away　from
her；　started　up　in　a　passion；　and　let　loose　the　whole　gathered
irritability　of　contempt；　weariness；　disappointment；　and　suffering；
upon　Margaret。　　Her　dark　eyes　flashed　with　rage；　and　her　sallow
cheek　glowed　like　a　peach。

〃What　right　have　you；　pray；　to　handle　my　letters？　　How　did　you　get
this？　　It　has　never　been　posted！　　And　open；　too。　　I　declare！　　I
suppose　you　have　read　it？〃

Margaret　was　afraid　of　exciting　more　wrath　before　she　had　an
opportunity　of　explaining；　but　Euphra　gave　her　no　time　to　think　of　a
reply。

〃You　have　read　it；　you　shameless　woman！　　Why　don't　you　lie；　like　the
rest　of　your　tribe；　and　keep　me　from　dying　with　indignation？
Impudent　prying！　　My　maid　never　posted　it；　and　you　have　found　it
and　read　it！　　Pr