第 26 节
作者:散发弄舟      更新:2021-02-21 16:19      字数:9321
  good; feet invisible。  Hugh came to these conclusions rapidly
  enough; now that his attention was directed to her; for; though
  naturally unobservant; his perception was very acute as soon as his
  attention was roused。
  〃Thank you;〃 he replied to her pretty speech。 〃I shall do my best to
  deserve it。〃
  〃I hope you will; Mr。 Sutherland;〃 rejoined she; with another arch
  look。 〃Take some wine; Harry。〃
  She poured out a glass of sherry; and gave it to the boy; who drank
  it with some eagerness。  Hugh could not approve of this; but thought
  it too early to interfere。  Turning to Harry; he said:
  〃Now; Harry; you have had rather a tiring morning。  I should like
  you to go and lie down a while。〃
  〃Very well; Mr。 Sutherland;〃 replied Harry; who seemed rather
  deficient in combativeness; as well as other boyish virtues。 〃Shall
  I lie down in the library?〃
  〃Nohave a change。〃
  〃In my bed…room?〃
  〃No; I think not。  Go to my room; and lie on the couch till I come
  to you。〃
  Harry went; and Hugh; partly for the sake of saying something; and
  partly to justify his treatment of Harry; told Euphra; whose surname
  he did not yet know; what they had been about all the morning;
  ending with some remark on the view of the house in front。  She
  heard the account of their proceedings with apparent indifference;
  replying only to the remark with which he closed it:
  〃It is rather a large house; is it not; for threeI beg your
  pardon; for four persons to live in; Mr。 Sutherland?〃
  〃It is; indeed; it quite bewilders me。〃
  〃To tell the truth; I don't quite know above the half of it myself。〃
  Hugh thought this rather a strange assertion; large as the house
  was; but she went on:
  〃I lost myself between the housekeeper's room and my own; no later
  than last week。〃
  I suppose there was a particle of truth in this; and that she had
  taken a wrong turning in an abstracted fit。  Perhaps she did not
  mean it to be taken as absolutely true。
  〃You have not lived here long; then?〃
  〃Not long for such a great place。  A few years。  I am only a poor
  relation。〃
  She accompanied this statement with another swift uplifting of the
  eyelids。  But this time her eyes rested for a moment on Hugh's; with
  something of a pleading expression; and when they fell; a slight
  sigh followed。  Hugh felt that he could not quite understand her。  A
  vague suspicion crossed his mind that she was bewitching him; but
  vanished instantly。  He replied to her communication by a smile; and
  the remark:
  〃You have the more freedom; then。Did you know Harry's mother?〃 he
  added; after a pause。
  〃No。 She died when Harry was born。  She was very beautiful; and;
  they say; very clever; but always in extremely delicate health。
  Between ourselves; I doubt if there was much sympathythat is; if
  my uncle and she quite understood each other。  But that is an old
  story。〃
  A pause followed。  Euphra resumed:
  〃As to the freedom you speak of; Mr。 Sutherland; I do not quite know
  what to do with it。  I live here as if the place were my own; and
  give what orders I please。  But Mr。 Arnold shows me little
  attentionhe is so occupied with one thing and another; I hardly
  know what; and if he did; perhaps I should get tired of him。  So;
  except when we have visitors; which is not very often; the time
  hangs rather heavy on my hands。〃
  〃But you are fond of readingand writing; too; I suspect;〃 Hugh
  ventured to say。
  She gave him another of her glances; in which the apparent shyness
  was mingled with something for which Hugh could not find a name。
  Nor did he suspect; till long after; that it was in reality
  slyness; so tempered with archness; that; if discovered; it might
  easily pass for an expression playfully assumed。
  〃Oh! yes;〃 she said; 〃one must read a book now and then; and if a
  verse〃again a glance and a slight blush〃should come up from
  nobody knows where; one may as well write it down。  But; please; do
  not take me for a literary lady。  Indeed; I make not the slightest
  pretensions。  I don't know what I should do without Harry; and
  indeed; indeed; you must not steal him from me; Mr。 Sutherland。〃
  〃I should be very sorry;〃 replied Hugh。 〃Let me beg you; as far as I
  have a right to do so; to join us as often and as long as you
  please。  I will go and see how he is。  I am sure the boy only wants
  thorough rousing; alternated with perfect repose。〃
  He went to his own room; where he found Harry; to his satisfaction;
  fast asleep on the sofa。  He took care not to wake him; but sat down
  beside him to read till his sleep should be over。  But; a moment
  after; the boy opened his eyes with a start and a shiver; and gave a
  slight cry。  When he saw Hugh he jumped up; and with a smile which
  was pitiful to see upon a scared face; said:
  〃Oh!  I am so glad you are there。〃
  〃What is the matter; dear Harry?〃
  〃I had a dreadful dream。〃
  〃What was it?〃
  〃I don't know。  It always comes。  It is always the same。  I know
  that。  And yet I can never remember what it is。〃
  Hugh soothed him as well as he could; and he needed it; for the cold
  drops were standing on his forehead。  When he had grown calmer; he
  went and fetched Gulliver; and; to the boy's great delight; read to
  him till dinner…time。  Before the first bell rang; he had quite
  recovered; and indeed seemed rather interested in the approach of
  dinner。
  Dinner was an affair of some state at Arnstead。  Almost immediately
  after the second bell had rung; Mr。 Arnold made his appearance in
  the drawing…room; where the others were already waiting for him。
  This room had nothing of the distinctive character of the parts of
  the house which Hugh had already seen。  It was merely a handsome
  modern room; of no great size。  Mr。 Arnold led Euphra to dinner; and
  Hugh followed with Harry。
  Mr。 Arnold's manner to Hugh was the same as in the
  morningstudiously polite; without the smallest approach to
  cordiality。  He addressed him as an equal; it is true; but an equal
  who could never be in the smallest danger of thinking he meant it。
  Hugh; who; without having seen a great deal of the world; yet felt
  much the same wherever he was; took care to give him all that he
  seemed to look for; as far at least as was consistent with his own
  self…respect。  He soon discovered that he was one of those men; who;
  if you will only grant their position; and acknowledge their
  authority; will allow you to have much your own way in everything。
  His servants had found this out long ago; and almost everything
  about the house was managed as they pleased; but as the oldest of
  them were respectable family servants; nothing went very far wrong。
  They all; however; waited on Euphra with an assiduity that showed
  she was; or could be; quite mistress when and where she pleased。
  Perhaps they had found out that she had great influence with Mr。
  Arnold; and certainly he seemed very fond of her indeed; after a
  stately fashion。  She spoke to the servants with peculiar
  gentleness; never said; if you please; but always; thank you。  Harry
  never asked for anything; but always looked to Euphra; who gave the
  necessary order。  Hugh saw that the boy was quite dependent upon
  her; seeming of himself scarcely capable of originating the simplest
  action。  Mr。 Arnold; however; dull as he was; could not help seeing
  that Harry's manner was livelier than usual; and seemed pleased at
  the slight change already visible for the better。  Turning to Hugh
  he said:
  〃Do you find Harry very much behind with his studies; Mr。
  Sutherland?〃
  〃I have not yet attempted to find out;〃 replied Hugh。
  〃Not?〃 said Mr。 Arnold; with surprise。
  〃No。 If he be behind; I feel confident it will not be for long。〃
  〃But;〃 began Mr。 Arnold; pompously; and then he paused。
  〃You were kind enough to say; Mr。 Arnold; that I might try my own
  plans with him first。  I have been doing so。〃
  〃Yescertainly。  But〃
  Here Harry broke in with some animation:
  〃Mr。 Sutherland has been my horse; carrying me about on his back all
  the morningno; not all the morningbut an hour; or an hour and a
  halfor was it two hours; Mr。 Sutherland?〃
  〃I really don't know; Harry;〃 answered Hugh; 〃I don't think it
  matters much。〃
  Harry seemed relieved; and went on:
  〃He has been reading Gulliver's Travels to meoh; such fall!  And
  we have been to see the cows and the pigs; and Mr。 Sutherland has
  been teaching me to jump。  Do you know; papa; he jumped right over
  the pony's back without touching it。〃
  Mr。 Arnold stared at the boy with lustreless eyes and hanging
  checks。  These grew red; as if he were going to choke。  Such
  behaviour was quite inconsistent with the dignity of Arnstead and
  its tutor; who had been recommended to him as a thorough gentleman。
  But for the present he said nothing; probably because he could
  think of nothing to say。
  〃Certainly Harry seems better already;〃 interposed Euphra。
  〃I cannot help thinking Mr。 Sutherland has made a good beginning。〃
  Mr。 Arnold did not reply; but the cloud wore away from his face by
  degrees; and at length he asked Hugh to take a glass of wine with
  him。
  When Euphra rose from the table; and Harry followed her example;
  Hugh thought it better to rise as well。  Mr。 Arnold seemed to
  hesitate whether or not to ask him to