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david elginbrod-第70章

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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
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