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〃I am in perfect health。〃
〃Then I need not mind asking you to wait for me till I come out of
this house。 There is typhus in it。〃
〃I will wait with pleasure。 I will go with you if I can be of any
use。〃
〃There is no occasion。 It is not your business this time。〃
So saying； Falconer opened the door； and walked in。
Said Hugh to himself： 〃I must tell this man the whole story； and
with it all my own。〃
In a few minutes Falconer rejoined him； looking solemn； but with a
kind of relieved expression on his face。
〃The poor fellow is gone；〃 said he。
〃Ah！〃
〃What a thing it must be； Mr。 Sutherland； for a man to break out of
the choke…damp of a typhus fever into the clear air of the life
beyond！〃
〃Yes；〃 said Hugh； adding； after a slight hesitation； 〃if he be at
all prepared for the change。〃
〃Where a change belongs to the natural order of things；〃 said
Falconer； 〃and arrives inevitably at some hour； there must always be
more or less preparedness for it。 Besides； I think a man is
generally prepared for a breath of fresh air。〃
Hugh did not reply； for he felt that he did not fully comprehend his
new acquaintance。 But he had a strong suspicion that it was because
he moved in a higher region than himself。
〃If you will still accompany me；〃 resumed Falconer； who had not yet
adverted to Hugh's object in seeking his acquaintance； 〃you will； I
think； be soon compelled to believe that； at whatever time death may
arrive； or in whatever condition the man may be at the time； it
comes as the best and only good that can at that moment reach him。
We are； perhaps； too much in the habit of thinking of death as the
culmination of disease； which； regarded only in itself； is an evil；
and a terrible evil。 But I think rather of death as the first pulse
of the new strength； shaking itself free from the old mouldy
remnants of earth…garments； that it may begin in freedom the new
life that grows out of the old。 The caterpillar dies into the
butterfly。 Who knows but disease may be the coming； the keener
life； breaking into this； and beginning to destroy like fire the
inferior modes or garments of the present？ And then disease would
be but the sign of the salvation of fire； of the agony of the
greater life to lift us to itself； out of that wherein we are
failing and sinning。 And so we praise the consuming fire of life。〃
〃But surely all cannot fare alike in the new life。〃
〃Far from it。 According to the condition。 But what would be hell
to one； will be quietness； and hope； and progress to another；
because he has left worse behind him； and in this the life asserts
itself； and is。But perhaps you are not interested in such
subjects； Mr。 Sutherland； and I weary you。〃
〃If I have not been interested in them hitherto； I am ready to
become so now。 Let me go with you。〃
〃With pleasure。〃
As I have attempted to tell a great deal about Robert Falconer and
his pursuits elsewhere； I will not here relate the particulars of
their walk through some of the most wretched parts of London。
Suffice it to say that； if Hugh； as he walked home； was not yet
prepared to receive and understand the half of what Falconer had
said about death； and had not yet that faith in God that gives as
perfect a peace for the future of our brothers and sisters； who；
alas！ have as yet been fed with husks； as for that of ourselves； who
have eaten bread of the finest of the wheat； and have been but a
little thankful；he yet felt at least that it was a blessed thing
that these men and women would all diemust all die。 That spectre
from which men shrink； as if it would take from them the last
shivering remnant of existence； he turned to for some consolation
even for them。 He was prepared to believe that they could not be
going to worse in the end； though some of the rich and respectable
and educated might have to receive their evil things first in the
other world； and he was ready to understand that great saying of
Schillerfull of a faith evident enough to him who can look far
enough into the saying：
〃Death cannot be an evil； for it is universal。〃
CHAPTER VIII。
EUPHRA。
Samson。 O that torment should not be confined
To the body's wounds and sores；
But must secret passage find
To the inmost mind。
Dire inflammation； which no cooling herb
Or medicinal liquor can asswage；
Nor breath of vernal air from snowy Alp。
Sleep hath forsook and given me o'er
To death's benumming opium as my only cure；
Thence faintings； swoonings of despair；
And sense of heaven's desertion。
MILTON。Samson Agonistes。
Hitherto I have chiefly followed the history of my hero； if hero in
any sense he can yet be called。 Now I must leave him for a while；
and take up the story of the rest of the few persons concerned in my
tale。
Lady Emily had gone to Madeira； and Mr。 Arnold had followed。 Mrs。
Elton and Harry； and Margaret； of course； had gone to London。
Euphra was left alone at Arnstead。
A great alteration had taken place in this strange girl。 The
servants were positively afraid of her now； from the butler down to
the kitchen…maid。 She used to go into violent fits of passion； in
which the mere flash of her eyes was overpowering。 These outbreaks
would be followed almost instantaneously by seasons of the deepest
dejection； in which she would confine herself to her room for hours；
or； lame as she was； wander about the house and the Ghost's Walk；
herself pale as a ghost； and looking meagre and wretched。
Also； she became subject to frequent fainting fits； the first of
which took place the night before Hugh's departure； after she had
returned to the house from her interview with him in the Ghost's
Walk。 She was evidently miserable。
For this misery we know that there were very sufficient reasons；
without taking into account the fact that she had no one to
fascinate now。 Her continued lameness； which her restlessness
aggravated； likewise gave her great cause for anxiety。 But I
presume that； even during the early part of her confinement； her
mind had been thrown back upon itself； in that consciousness which
often arises in loneliness and suffering； and that even then she had
begun to feel that her own self was a worse tyrant than the count；
and made her a more wretched slave than any exercise of his unlawful
power could make her。
Some natures will endure an immense amount of misery before they
feel compelled to look there for help； whence all help and healing
comes。 They cannot believe that there is verily an unseen
mysterious power； till the world and all that is in it has vanished
in the smoke of despair； till cause and effect is nothing to the
intellect； and possible glories have faded from the imagination；
then； deprived of all that made life pleasant or hopeful； the
immortal essence； lonely and wretched and unable to cease； looks up
with its now unfettered and wakened instinct； to the source of its
own lifeto the possible God who； notwithstanding all the
improbabilities of his existence； may yet perhaps be； and may yet
perhaps hear his wretched creature that calls。 In this lonel