第101章
Next this marble venomed seat, Smeared with gums of glutinous heat, I touch with chaste palms moist and cold--Now the spell hath lost his hold.
MILTON.--Comas.
Next morning Lady Emily felt better, and wanted to get up: but her eyes were still too bright, and her hands too hot; and Margaret would not hear of it.
Fond as Lady Emily was in general of Mrs. Elton's society, she did not care to have her with her now, and got tired of her when Margaret was absent.
They had taken care not to allow Miss Cameron to enter the room; but to-day there was not much likelihood of her making the attempt, for she did not appear at breakfast, sending a message to her uncle that she had a bad headache, but hoped to take her place at the dinner-table.
During the day, Lady Emily was better, but restless by fits.
"Were you not out of the room for a little while last night, Margaret?" she said, rather suddenly.
"Yes, my lady. I told you I should have to go, perhaps.""I remember I thought you had gone, but I was not in the least afraid, and that dreadful man never came near me. I do not know when you returned. Perhaps I had fallen asleep; but when I thought about you next, there you were by my bedside.""I shall not have to leave you to-night," was all Margaret's answer.
As for Hugh, when first he woke, the extraordinary experiences of the previous night appeared to him to belong only to the night, and to have no real relation to the daylight world. But a little reflection soon convinced him of the contrary; and then he went through the duties of the day like one who had nothing to do with them. The phantoms he had seen even occupied some of the thinking space formerly appropriated by the image of Euphra, though he knew to his concern that she was ill, and confined to her room. He had heard the message sent to Mr. Arnold, however, and so kept hoping for the dinner-hour.
With it came Euphra, very pale. Her eyes had an unsettled look, and there were dark hollows under them. She would start and look sideways without any visible cause; and was thus very different from her usual self--ordinarily remarkable for self-possession, almost to coolness, of manner and speech. Hugh saw it, and became both distressed and speculative in consequence. It did not diminish his discomfort that, about the middle of dinner, Funkelstein was announced. Was it, then, that Euphra had been tremulously expectant of him?
"This is an unforeseen pleasure, Herr von Funkelstein," said Mr. Arnold.
"It is very good of you to call it a pleasure, Mr. Arnold," said he.
"Miss Cameron--but, good heavens! how ill you look!""Don't be alarmed. I have only caught the plague.""Only?" was all Funkelstein said in reply; yet Hugh thought he had no right to be so solicitous about Euphra's health.
As the gentlemen sat at their wine, Mr. Arnold said:
"I am anxious to have one more trial of those strange things you have brought to our knowledge. I have been thinking about them ever since.""Of course I am at your service, Mr. Arnold; but don't you think, for the ladies' sakes, we have had enough of it?""You are very considerate, Herr von Funkelstein; but they need not be present if they do not like it.""Very well, Mr. Arnold."
They adjourned once more to the library instead of the drawing-room.
Hugh went and told Euphra, who was alone in the drawing-room, what they were about. She declined going, but insisted on his leaving her, and joining the other gentlemen.
Hugh left her with much reluctance.
"Margaret," said Lady Emily, "I am certain that man is in the house.""He is, my lady," answered Margaret.
"They are about some more of those horrid experiments, as they call them.""I do not know."
Mrs. Elton entering the room at the moment, Margaret said:
"Do you know, ma'am, whether the gentlemen are--in the library again?""I don't know, Margaret. I hope not. We have had enough of that.
I will go and find out, though."
"Will you take my place for a few minutes first, please, ma'am?"Margaret had felt a growing oppression for some time. She had scarcely left the sick-room that day.
"Don't leave me, dear Margaret," said Lady Emily, imploringly.
"Only for a little while, my lady. I shall be back in less than a quarter of an hour.""Very well, Margaret," she answered dolefully.
Margaret went out into the moonlight, and walked for ten minutes.
She sought the more open parts, where the winds were. She then returned to the sick-chamber, refreshed and strong.
"Now I will go and see what the gentlemen are about," said Mrs.
Elton.
The good lady did not like these proceedings, but she was irresistibly attracted by them notwithstanding. Having gone to see for Lady Emily, she remained to see for herself.
After she had left, Lady Emily grew more uneasy. Not even Margaret's presence could make her comfortable. Mrs. Elton did not return. Many minutes elapsed. Lady Emily said at last: