第 69 节
作者:散发弄舟      更新:2021-02-21 16:20      字数:9322
  added。
  Hugh turned towards her with a face full of manhood and truth。
  〃You shall not lose me; Euphra; if you will be honest to yourself
  and to me。〃
  〃Thank you。  I can trust you。  I will be honest。〃
  At that moment; without the revival of a trace of his former
  feelings; Hugh felt nearer to her than he had ever felt before。  Now
  there seemed to be truth between them; the only medium through which
  beings can unite。
  〃I fear I have wronged you much;〃 she went on。 〃I do not mean some
  time ago。〃  Here she hesitated。〃I fear I am the cause of your
  leaving Arnstead。〃
  〃You; Euphra?  No。 You must be mistaken。〃
  〃I think not。  But I am compelled to make an unwilling disclosure of
  a secreta sad secret about myself。  Do not hate me quiteI am a
  somnambulist。〃
  She hid her face in her hands; as if the night which had now closed
  around them did not hide her enough。  Hugh did not reply。  Absorbed
  in the interest which both herself and her confession aroused in
  him; he could only listen eagerly。  She went on; after a moment's
  pause:
  〃I did not think at first that I had taken the ring。  I thought
  another had。  But last night; and not till then; I discovered that I
  was the culprit。〃
  〃How?〃
  〃That requires explanation。  I have no recollection of the events of
  the previous night when I have been walking in my sleep。  Indeed;
  the utter absence of a sense of dreaming always makes me suspect
  that I have been wandering。  But sometimes I have a vivid dream;
  which I know; though I can give no proof of it; to be a reproduction
  of some previous somnambulic experience。  Do not ask me to recall
  the horrors I dreamed last night。  I am sure I took the ring。〃
  〃Then you dreamed what you did with it?〃
  〃Yes; I gave it to〃
  Here her voice sank and ceased。  Hugh would not urge her。
  〃Have you mentioned this to Mr。 Arnold?〃
  〃No。 I do not think it would do any good。  But I will; if you wish
  it;〃 she added submissively。
  〃Not at all。  Just as you think best。〃
  〃I could not tell him everything。  I cannot tell you everything。  If
  I did; Mr。 Arnold would turn me out of the house。  I am a very
  unhappy girl; Mr。 Sutherland。〃
  》From the tone of these words; Hugh could not for a moment suppose
  that Euphra had any remaining design of fascination in them。
  〃Perhaps he might want to keep you; if I told him all; but I do not
  think; after the way he has behaved to you; that you could stay with
  him; for he would never apologize。  It is very selfish of me; but
  indeed I have not the courage to confess to him。〃
  〃I assure you nothing could make me remain now。  But what can I do
  for you?〃
  〃Only let me depend upon you; in case I should need your help; or〃
  Here Euphra stopped suddenly; and caught hold of Hugh's left hand;
  which he had lifted to brush an insect from his face。
  〃Where is your ring?〃 she said; in a tone of suppressed anxiety。
  〃Gone; Euphra。  My father's ring!  It was lying beside Lady
  Euphrasia's。〃
  Euphra's face was again hidden in her hands。  She sobbed and moaned
  like one in despair。  When she grew a little calmer; she said:
  〃I am sure I did not take your ring; dear HughI am not a thief。  I
  had a kind of right to the other; and he said it ought to have been
  his; for his real name was Count von Halkarthe same name as Lady
  Euphrasia's before she was married。  He took it; I am sure。〃
  〃It was he that knocked me down in the dark that night then;
  Euphra。〃
  〃Did he?  Oh!  I shall have to tell you all。That wretch has a
  terrible power over me。  I loved him once。  But I refused to take
  the ring from your desk; because I knew it would get you into
  trouble。  He threw me into a somnambulic sleep; and sent me for the
  ring。  But I should have remembered if I had taken yours。  Even in
  my sleep; I don't think he could have made me do that。  You may know
  I speak the truth; when I am telling my own disgrace。  He promised
  to set me free if I would get the ring; but he has not done it; and
  he will not。〃
  Sobs again interrupted her。
  〃I was afraid your ring was gone。  I don't know why I thought so;
  except that you hadn't it on; when you came to see me。  Or perhaps
  it was because I am sometimes forced to think what that wretch is
  thinking。  He made me go to him that night you saw me; Hugh。 But I
  was so ill; I don't think I should have been able; but that I could
  not rest till I had asked him about your ring。  He said he knew
  nothing about it。〃
  〃I am sure be has it;〃 said Hugh。 And he related to Euphra the
  struggle he had had with Funkelstein and its result。  She shuddered。
  〃I have been a devil to you; Hugh; I have betrayed you to him。  You
  will never see your ring again。  Here; take mine。  It is not so good
  as yours; but for the sake of the old way you thought of me; take
  it。〃
  〃No; no; Euphra; Mr。 Arnold would miss it。  Besides; you know it
  would not be my father's ring; and it was not for the value of the
  diamond I cared most about it。  And I am not sure that I shall not
  find it again。  I am going up to London; where I shall fall in with
  him; I hope。〃
  〃But do take care of yourself。  He has no conscience。  God knows; I
  have had little; but he has none。〃
  〃I know he has none; but a conscience is not a bad auxiliary; and
  there I shall have some advantage of him。  But what could he want
  that ring of Lady Euphrasia's for?〃
  〃I don't know。  He never told me。〃
  〃It was not worth much。〃
  〃Next to nothing。〃
  〃I shall be surer to find that than my own。  And I will find it; if
  I can; that Mr。 Arnold may believe I was not to blame。〃
  〃Do。 But be careful。〃
  〃Don't fear。  I will be careful。〃
  She held out her hand; as if to take leave of him; but withdrew it
  again with the sudden cry:
  〃What shall I do?  I thought he had left me to myself; till that
  night in the library。〃
  She held down her head in silence。  Then she said; slowly; in a tone
  of agony:
  〃I am a slave; body and soul。Hugh!〃 she added; passionately; and
  looking up in his face; 〃do you think there is a God?〃
  Her eyes glimmered with the faint reflex from gathered tears; that
  silently overflowed。
  And now Hugh's own poverty struck him with grief and humiliation。
  Here was a soul seeking God; and he had no right to say that there
  was a God; for he knew nothing about him。  He had been told so; but
  what could that far…off witness do for the need of a desolate heart?
  She had been told so a million of times。  He could not say that he
  knew it。  That was what she wanted and needed。
  He was honest; and so replied:
  〃I do not know。  I hope so。〃
  He felt that she was already beyond him; for she had begun to cry
  into the vague; seemingly heartless void; and say:
  〃Is there a God somewhere to hear me when I cry?〃
  And with all the teaching he had had; he had no word of comfort to
  give。  Yes; he had: he had known David Elginbrod。
  Before he had shaped his thought; she said:
  〃I think; if there were a God; he would help me; for I am nothing
  but a poor slave now。  I have hardly a will of my own。〃
  The sigh she heaved told of a hopeless oppression。
  〃The best man; and the wisest; and the noblest I ever knew;〃 said
  Hugh; 〃believed in God with his whole heart and soul and strength
  and mind。  In fact; he cared for nothing but God; or rather; he
  cared for everything because it belonged to God。 He was never afraid
  of anything; never vexed at anything; never troubled about anything。
  He was a good man。〃
  Hugh was surprised at the light which broke upon the character of
  David; as he held it before his mind's eye; in order to describe it
  to Euphra。  He seemed never to have understood him before。
  〃Ah!  I wish I knew him。  I would go to that man; and ask him to
  save me。  Where does he live?〃
  〃Alas!  I do not know whether he is alive or deadthe more to my
  shame。  But he lives; if he lives; far away in the north of
  Scotland。〃
  She paused。
  〃No。 I could not go there。  I will write to him。〃
  Hugh could not discourage her; though he doubted whether a real
  communication could be established between them。
  〃I will write down his address for you; when I go in;〃 said he。 〃But
  what can he save you from?〃
  〃From no God;〃 she answered; solemnly。 〃If there is no God; then I
  am sure that there is a devil; and that he has got me in his power。〃
  Hugh。 felt her shudder; for she was leaning on his arm; she was
  still so lame。  She continued:
  〃Oh! if I had a God; he would right me; I know。〃
  Hugh could not reply。  A pause followed。
  〃Good…bye。  I feel pretty sure we shall meet again。  My
  presentiments are generally true;〃 said Euphra; at length。
  Hugh kissed her hand with far more real devotion than he had ever
  kissed it with before。
  She left him; and hastened to the house 'with feeble speed。'  He was
  sorry she was gone。  He walked up and down for some time; meditating
  on the strange girl and her strange words; till; hearing the dinner
  bell; he too must hasten in to dress。
  Euphra met him at the dinner…table without any change of her late
  manner。  Mr。 Arnold wished him good night more kindly than usual。
  When he went up to his room; he found that Harry had already cried
  himself to sleep。
  CHAPTER XXXII。
  DEPARTURE。
  I fancy deemed fit g