第 48 节
作者:散发弄舟      更新:2021-02-21 16:20      字数:9322
  〃Well; I should say so; but beauty is not; that is not beauty for
  us。〃
  Whether or not there was poison in the fork of this remark; Hugh
  could only conjecture。  He made no reply。
  As they walked about the precincts of the house; Funkelstein asked
  many questions of Hugh; which his entire ignorance of domestic
  architecture made it impossible for him to answer。  This seemed only
  to excite the questioner's desire for information to a higher pitch;
  and as if the very stones could reply to his demands; he examined
  the whole range of the various buildings constituting the house of
  Arnstead 〃as he would draw it。〃
  〃Certainly;〃 said he; 〃there is at least variety enough in the style
  of this mass of material。  There is enough for one pyramid。〃
  〃That would be rather at the expense of the variety; would it not?〃
  said Hugh; in spiteful response to the inconsequence of the second
  member of Funkelstein's remark。  But the latter was apparently too
  much absorbed in his continued inspection of the house; from every
  attainable point of near view; to heed the comment。
  〃This they call the Ghost's Walk;〃 said Hugh。
  〃Ah! about these old houses there are always such tales。〃
  〃What sort of tales do you mean?〃
  〃I mean of particular spots and their ghosts。  You must have heard
  many such?〃
  〃No; not I。〃
  〃I think Germany is more prolific of such stories。  I could tell you
  plenty。〃
  〃But you don't mean you believe such things?〃
  〃To me it is equal。  I look at them entirely as objects of art。〃
  〃That is a new view of a ghost to me。  An object of art?  I should
  have thought them considerably more suitable objects previous to
  their disembodiment。〃
  〃Ah! you do not understand。  You call art painting; don't youor
  sculpture at most?  I give up sculpture certainlyand painting too。
  But don't you think a ghost a very effective object in literature
  now?  Confess: do you not like a ghost…story very much?〃
  〃Yes; if it is a very good one。〃
  〃Hamlet now?〃
  〃Ah! we don't speak of Shakspere's plays as stories。  His characters
  are so real to us; that; in thinking of their development; we go
  back even to their fathers and mothersand sometimes even speculate
  about their future。〃
  〃You islanders are always in earliest somehow。  So are we Germans。
  We are all one。〃
  〃I hope you can be in earnest about dinner; then; for I hear the
  bell。〃
  〃We must render ourselves in the drawing…room; then?  Yes。〃
  When they entered the drawing…room; they found Miss Cameron alone。
  Funkelstein advanced; and addressed a few words to her in German;
  which Hugh's limited acquaintance with the language prevented him
  from catching。  At the same moment; Mr。 Arnold entered; and
  Funkelstein; turning to him immediately; proceeded; as if by way of
  apology for speaking in an unknown tongue; to interpret for Mr。
  Arnold's benefit:
  〃I have just been telling Miss Cameron in the language of my
  country; how much better she looks than when I saw her at Sir Edward
  Lastons。〃
  〃I know I was quite a scare…crow then;〃 said Euphra; attempting to
  laugh。
  〃And now you are quite a decoy…duck; eh; Euphra?〃 said Mr。 Arnold;
  laughing in reality at his own joke; which put him in great
  good…humour for the whole time of dinner and dessert。
  〃Thank you; uncle;〃 said Euphra; with a prettily pretended
  affectation of humility。  Then she added gaily:
  〃When did you rise on our Sussex horizon; Herr von Funkelstein?〃
  〃Oh!  I have been in the neighbourhood for a few days; but I owe my
  meeting with you to one of those coincidences which; were they not
  so pleasantto me in this case; at leastone would think could
  only result from the blundering of old Dame Nature over her
  knitting。  If I had not had the good fortune to meet Mr。 Sutherland
  the other evening; I should have remained in utter ignorance of your
  neighbourhood and my own felicity; Miss Cameron。  Indeed; I called
  now to see him; not you。〃
  Hugh saw Mr。 Arnold looking rather doubtful of the foreigner's fine
  speeches。
  Dinner was announced。  Funkelstein took Miss Cameron; Hugh Mrs。
  Elton; and Mr。 Arnold followed with Lady Emily; who would never
  precede her older friend。  Hugh tried to talk to Mrs。 Elton; but
  with meagre success。  He was suddenly a nobody; and felt more than
  he had felt for a long time what; in his present deteriorated moral
  state; he considered the degradation of his position。  A gulf seemed
  to have suddenly yawned between himself and Euphra; and the loudest
  voice of his despairing agony could not reach across that gulf。  An
  awful conviction awoke within him; that the woman he worshipped
  would scarcely receive his worship at the worth of incense now; and
  yet in spirit he fell down grovelling before his idol。  The words
  〃euphrasy and rue〃 kept ringing in his brain; coming over and over
  with an awful mingling of chime and toll。  When he thought about it
  afterwards; he seemed to have been a year in crossing the hall with
  Mrs。 Elton on his arm。  But as if divining his thoughtsjust as
  they passed through the dining…room door; Euphra looked round at
  him; almost over Funkelstein's shoulder; and; without putting into
  her face the least expression discernible by either of the others
  following; contrived to banish for the time all Hugh's despair; and
  to convince him that he had nothing to fear from Funkelstein。  How
  it was done Hugh himself could not tell。  He could not even recall
  the look。  He only knew that he had been as miserable as one waking
  in his coffin; and that now he was out in the sunny air。
  During dinner; Funkelstein paid no very particular attention to
  Euphrasia; but was remarkably polite to Lady Emily。  She seemed
  hardly to know how to receive his attentions; but to regard him as a
  strange animal; which she did not know how to treat; and of which
  she was a little afraid。  Mrs。 Elton; on the contrary; appeared to
  be delighted with his behaviour and conversation; for; without
  showing the least originality; he yet had seen so much; and knew so
  well how to bring out what he had seen; that he was a most
  interesting companion。  Hugh took little share in the conversation
  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 hes