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Psalms。
She ended with:
〃I do not even desire thee to come; yet come thou。〃
She seemed to pray entirely as Lady Emily; not as Margaret。 When
she had ceased; Lady Emily said; sobbing:
〃You will not leave me; Margaret? I will tell you why another
time。〃
〃I will not leave you; my dear lady。〃
Margaret stooped and kissed her forehead。 Lady Emily threw her arms
round her neck; and offered her mouth to be kissed by the maid。 In
another minute she was fast asleep; with Margaret seated by her
side; every now and then glancing up at her from her work; with a
calm face; over which brooded the mist of tears。
That night; as Hugh paced up and down the floor of his study about
midnight; he was awfully startled by the sudden opening of the door
and the apparition of Harry in his nightshirt; pale as death; and
scarcely able to articulate the words:
〃The ghost! the ghost!〃
He took the poor boy in his arms; held him fast; and comforted him。
When he was a little soothed;
〃Oh; Harry!〃 he said; lightly; 〃you've been dreaming。 Where's the
ghost?〃
〃In the Ghost's Walk;〃 cried Harry; almost shrieking anew with
terror。
〃How do you know it is there?〃
〃I saw it from my window。I couldn't sleep。 I got up and looked
outI don't know whyand I saw it! I saw it!〃
The words were followed by a long cry of terror。
〃Come and show it to me;〃 said Hugh; wanting to make light of it。
〃No; no; Mr。 Sutherlandplease not。 I couldn't go back into that
room。〃
〃Very well; dear Harry; you shan't go back。 You shall sleep with
me; to…night。〃
〃Oh! thank you; thank you; dear Mr。 Sutherland。 You will love me
again; won't you?〃
This touched Hugh's heart。 He could hardly refrain from tears。 His
old love; buried before it was dead; revived。 He clasped the boy to
his heart; and carried him to his own bed; then; to comfort him;
undressed and lay down beside him; without even going to look if he
too might not see the ghost。 She had brought about one good thing
at least that night; though; I fear; she had no merit in it。
Lady Emily's room likewise looked out upon the Ghost's Walk。
Margaret heard the cry as she sat by the sleeping Emily; and; not
knowing whence it came; went; naturally enough; in her perplexity;
to the window。 From it she could see distinctly; for it was clear
moonlight: a white figure went gliding away along the deserted
avenue。 She immediately guessed what the cry had meant; but as she
had heard a door bang directly after (as Harry shut his behind him
with a terrified instinct; to keep the awful window in); she was not
very uneasy about him。 She felt besides that she must remain where
she was; according to her promise to Lady Emily。 But she resolved
to be prepared for the possible recurrence of the same event; and
accordingly revolved it in her mind。 She was sure that any report
of it coming to Lady Emily's ears; would greatly impede her
recovery; for she instinctively felt that her illness had something
to do with the questionable occupations in the library。 She watched
by her bedside all the night; slumbering at times; but roused in a
moment by any restlessness of the patient; when she found that;
simply by laying her hand on hers; or kissing her forehead; she
could restore her at once to quiet sleep。
CHAPTER XIX。
THE GHOST'S WALK。
Thierry。'Tis full of fearful shadows。
Ordella。 So is sleep; sir;
Or anything that's merely ours; and mortal;
We were begotten gods else。 But those fears
Feeling but once the fires of nobler thoughts;
Fly; like the shapes of clouds we form; to nothing。
BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER。Thierry and Theodoret。
Margaret sat watching the waking of Lady Emily。 Knowing how much
the first thought colours the feeling of the whole day; she wished
that Lady Emily should at once be aware that she was by her side。
She opened her eyes; and a smile broke over her face when she
perceived her nurse。 But Margaret did not yet speak to her。
Every nurse should remember that waking ought always to be a gradual
operation; and; except in the most triumphant health; is never
complete on the opening of the eyes。
〃Margaret; I am better;〃 said Lady Emily; at last。
〃I am very glad; my lady。〃
〃I have been lying awake for some time; and I am sure I am better。
I don't see strange…coloured figures floating about the room as I
did yesterday。 Were you not out of the room a few minutes ago?〃
〃Just for one moment; my lady。〃
〃I knew it。 But I did not mind it。 Yesterday; when you left me;
those figures grew ten times as many; the moment you were gone。 But
you will stay with me to…day; too; Margaret?〃 she added; with some
anxiety。
〃I will; if you find you need me。 But I may be forced to leave you
a little while this eveningyou must try to allow me this; dear
Lady Emily。〃
〃Of course I will。 I will be quite patient; I promise you; whatever
comes to me。〃
When Harry woke; after a very troubled sleep; from which he had
often started with sudden cries of terror; Hugh made him promise not
to increase the confusion of the household; by speaking of what he
had seen。 Harry promised at once; but begged in his turn that Hugh
would not leave him all day。 It did not need the pale scared face
of his pupil to enforce the request; for Hugh was already anxious
lest the fright the boy had had; should exercise a permanently
deleterious effect on his constitution。 Therefore he hardly let him
out of his sight。
But although Harry kept his word; the cloud of perturbation gathered
thicker in the kitchen and the servants' hall。 Nothing came to the
ears of their master and mistress; but gloomy looks; sudden starts;
and sidelong glances of fear; indicated the prevailing character of
the feelings of the household。
And although Lady Emily was not so ill; she had not yet taken a
decided turn for the better; but appeared to suffer from some kind
of low fever。 The medical man who was called in; confessed to Mrs。
Elton; that as yet he could say nothing very decided about her
condition; but recommended great quiet and careful nursing。
Margaret scarcely left her room; and the invalid showed far more
than the ordinary degree of dependence upon her nurse。 In her
relation to her; she was more like a child than an invalid。
About noon she was better。 She called Margaret and said to her:
〃Margaret; dear; I should like to tell you one thing that annoys me
very much。〃
〃What is it; dear Lady Emily?〃
〃That man haunts me。 I cannot bear the thought of him; and yet I
cannot get rid of him。 I am sure he is a bad man。 Are you certain
he is not here?〃
〃Yes; indeed; my lady。 He has not been here since the day before
yesterday。〃
〃And yet when you leave me for an instant; I always feel as if he
were sitting in the very seat where you were the moment before; or
just coming to the door and about to open it。 That is why I cannot
bear you to leave me。〃
Margaret might have confessed to some slighter sensations of the
same kind; but they did not oppress her as they did Lady Emily。
〃God is nearer to you than any thought or feeling of yours; Lady
Emily。 Do not be afraid。 If al