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david elginbrod-第44章

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he knew of the laws and operations of electricity。  But Hugh had
been long enough a pupil of David to feel that to talk at such a
time of anything in nature but God; would be to do the boy a serious
wrong。  One capable of so doing would; in the presence of the
Saviour himself; speculate on the nature of his own faith; or upon
the death of his child; seize the opportunity of lecturing on
anatomy。  But before Hugh could make any reply; a flash; almost
invisible from excess of light; was accompanied rather than followed
by a roar that made the house shake; and in a moment more the room
was filled with the terrified household; which; by an unreasoning
impulse; rushed to the neighbourhood of him who was considered the
strongest。Mr。 Arnold was not at home。

〃Come from the window instantly; Mr。 Sutherland。  How can you be so
imprudent!〃 cried Mrs。 Elton; her usually calm voice elevated in
command; but tremulous with fear。

〃Why; Mrs。 Elton;〃 answered Hugh on whose temper; as well as
conduct; recent events had had their operation; 〃do you think the
devil makes the thunder?〃

Lady Emily gave a faint shriek; whether out of reverence for the
devil; or fear of God; I hesitate to decide; and flitting out of the
room; dived into her bed; and drew the clothes over her headat
least so she was found at a later period of the day。  Euphra walked
up to the window beside Hugh; as if to show her approval of his
rudeness; and stood looking out with eyes that filled their own
night with home…born flashes; though her lip was pale; and quivered
a little。  Mrs。 Elton; confounded at Hugh's reply; and perhaps
fearing the house might in consequence share the fate of Sodom;
notwithstanding the presence of a goodly proportion of the
righteous; fled; accompanied by the housekeeper; to the wine…cellar。
The rest of the household crept into corners; except the coachman;
who; retaining his composure; in virtue of a greater degree of
insensibility from his nearer approximation to the inanimate
creation; emptied the jug of ale intended for the dinner of the
company; and went out to look after his horses。

But there was one in the house who; left alone; threw the window
wide open; and; with gently clasped hands and calm countenance;
looked up into the heavens; and the clearness of whose eye seemed
the prophetic symbol of the clearness that rose all untroubled above
the turmoil of the earthly storm。  Truly God was in the storm; but
there was more of God in the clear heaven beyond; and yet more of
Him in the eye that regarded the whole with a still joy; in which
was mingled no dismay。

Euphra; Hugh; and Harry were left together; looking out upon the
storm。  Hugh could not speak in Harry's presence。  At length the boy
sat down in a dark corner on the floor; concealed from the others by
a window…curtain。  Hugh thought he had left the room。

〃Euphra;〃 he began。

Euphra looked round for Harry; and not seeing him; thought likewise
that he had left the room: she glided away without making any answer
to Hugh's invocation。

He stood for a few moments in motionless despair; then glancing
round the room; and taking in all its desertedness; caught up his
hat; and rushed out into the storm。  It was the best relief his
feelings could have had; for the sullen gloom; alternated with
bursts of flame; invasions of horrid uproar; and long wailing blasts
of tyrannous wind; gave him his own mood to walk in; met his spirit
with its own element; widened; as it were; his microcosm to the
expanse of the macrocosm around him。  All the walls of separation
were thrown down; and he lived; not in his own frame; but in the
universal frame of nature。  The world was for the time; to the
reality of his feeling; what Schleiermacher; in his Monologen;
describes it as being to man; an extension of the body in which he
dwells。  His spirit flashed in the lightning; raved in the thunder;
moaned in the wind; and wept in the rain。

But this could not last long; either without or within him。

He came to himself in the woods。  How far he had wandered; or
whereabout he was; he did not know。  The storm had died away; and
all that remained was the wind and the rain。  The tree…tops swayed
wildly in the irregular blasts; and shook new; fitful; distracted;
and momentary showers upon him。  It was evening; but what hour of
the evening he could not tell。  He was wet to the skin; but that to
a young Scotchman is a matter of little moment。

Although he had no intention of returning home for some time; and
meant especially to avoid the dinner…tablefor; in the mood he was
in; it seemed more than he could endurehe yet felt the weakness to
which we are subject as embodied beings; in a common enough form;
that; namely; of the necessity of knowing the precise portion of
space which at the moment we fill; a conviction of our identity not
being sufficient to make us comfortable; without a knowledge of our
locality。  So; looking all about him; and finding where the wood
seemed thinnest; he went in that direction; and soon; by forcing his
way through obstacles of all salvage kinds; found himself in the
high road; within a quarter of a mile of the country town next to
Arnstead; removed from it about three miles。  This little town he
knew pretty well; and; beginning to feel exhausted; resolved to go
to an inn there; dry his clothes; and then walk back in the
moonlight; for he felt sure the storm would be quite over in an hour
or so。  The fatigue he now felt was proof enough in itself; that the
inward storm had; for the time; raved itself off; and nowmust it
be confessed?he wished very much for something to eat and drink。

He was soon seated by a blazing fire; with a chop and a jug of ale
before him。




CHAPTER XIV。

AN EVENING LECTURE。

     The Nightmare
Shall call thee when it walks。

MIDDLETON。The Witch。


The inn to which Hugh had betaken himself; though not the first in
the town; was yet what is called a respectable house; and was
possessed of a room of considerable size; in which the farmers of
the neighbourhood were accustomed to hold their gatherings。  While
eating his dinner; Hugh learned from the conversation around
himfor he sat in the kitchen for the sake of the firethat this
room was being got ready for a lecture on Bilology; as the landlady
called it。  Bills in red and blue had been posted all over the town;
and before he had finished his dinner; the audience had begun to
arrive。  Partly from curiosity about a subject of which he knew
nothing; and partly because it still rained; and; having got nearly
dry; he did not care about a second wetting if he could help it;
Hugh resolved to make one of them。  So he stood by the fire till he
was informed that the lecturer had made his appearance; when he went
up…stairs; paid his shilling; and was admitted to one of the front
seats。  The room was tolerably lighted with gas; and a platform had
been constructed for the lecturer and his subjects。  When the place
was about half…filled; he came from another room alonea little;
thick…set; bull…necked man; with vulgar face and rusty black
clothes; and; mounting the platform; commenced his lecture; if
lecture it could be called; in which there seemed to be no order;
and scarcely any sequence。  No attempt even at a theory; showed
itself in the mass of what he called facts and scientific truths;
and he perpeturated the most awful blunders in his English。  It will
not be desired that I should give any further account of such a
lecture。  The lecturer himself seemed to depend chiefly for his
success; upon the manifestations of his art which he proceeded to
bring forward。  He called his familiar by the name of Willi…am; and
a stunted; pale…faced; dull…looking youth started up from somewhere;
and scrambled upon the platform beside his master。  Upon this
tutored slave a number of experiments was performed。  He was first
cast into whatever abnormal condition is necessary for the
operations of biology; and then compelled to make a fool of himself
by exhibiting actions the most inconsistent with his real
circumstances and necessities。  But; aware that all this was open to
the most palpable objection of collusion; the operator next invited
any of the company that pleased; to submit themselves to his
influences。  After a pause of a few moments; a stout country fellow;
florid and healthy; got up and slouched to the platform。  Certainly;
whatever might be the nature of the influence that was brought to
bear; its operative power could not; with the least probability; be
attributed to an over…activity of imagination in either of the
subjects submitted to its exercise。  In the latter; as well as in
the former case; the operator was eminently successful; and the
clown returned to his seat; looking remarkably foolish and conscious
of disgracea sufficient voucher to most present; that in this case
at least there had been no collusion。  Several others volunteered
their negative services; but with no one of them did he succeed so
well; and in one case the failure was evident。  The lecturer
pretended to account for this; in making some confused and
unintelligible remarks about the state of the weather; the
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