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association　of　ideas　is！　　There　is　not　a　very　obvious　connexion
here；　is　there？〃

〃No。　One　cannot　account　for　such　things。　　The　links　in　the　chain　of
ideas　are　sometimes　slender　enough。　　Yet　the　slenderest　is
sufficient　to　enable　the　electric　flash　of　thought　to　pass　along　the
line。〃

She　seemed　pondering　for　a　moment。

〃That　strikes　me　as　a　fine　simile；〃　she　said。　〃You　ought　to　be　a
poet　yourself。〃

Hugh　made　no　reply。

〃I　daresay　you　have　hundreds　of　poems　in　that　old　desk；　now？〃

〃I　think　they　might　be　counted　by　tens。〃

〃Do　let　me　see　them。〃

〃You　would　not　care　for　them。〃

〃Wouldn't　I；　Hugh？〃

〃I　will；　on　one　conditiontwo　conditions；　I　mean。〃

〃What　are　they？〃

〃One　is；　that　you　show　me　yours。〃

〃Mine？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Who　told　you　I　wrote　verses？　　That　silly　boy？〃

〃NoI　saw　your　verses　before　I　saw　you。　　You　remember？〃

〃It　was　very　dishonourable　in　you　to　read　them。〃

〃I　only　saw　they　were　verses。　　I　did　not　read　a　word。〃

〃I　forgive　you；　then。　　You　must　show　me　yours　first；　till　I　see
whether　I　could　venture　to　let　you　see　mine。　　If　yours　were　very　bad
indeed；　then　I　might　risk　showing　mine。〃

And　much　more　of　this　sort；　with　which　I　will　not　weary　my　readers。
It　ended　in　Hugh's　taking　from　the　old　escritoire　a　bundle　of
papers；　and　handing　them　to　Euphra。　　But　the　reader　need　not　fear
that　I　am　going　to　print　any　of　these　verses。　　I　have　more　respect
for　my　honest　prose　page　than　to　break　it　up　so。　　Indeed；　the　whole
of　this　interview　might　have　been　omitted；　but　for　two
circumstances。　　One　of　them　was；　that　in　getting　these　papers；　Hugh
had　to　open　a　concealed　portion　of　the　escritoire；　which　his
mathematical　knowledge　had　enabled　him　to　discover。　　It　had
evidently　not　been　opened　for　many　years　before　he　found　it。　　He　had
made　use　of　it　to　hold　the　only　treasures　he　hadpoor　enough
treasures；　certainly！　　Not　a　loving　note；　not　a　lock　of　hair　even
had　henothing　but　the　few　cobwebs　spun　from　his　own　brain。　　It　is
true；　we　are　rich　or　poor　according　to　what　we　are；　not　what　we
have。　　But　what　a　man　has　produced；　is　not　what　he　is。　　He　may　even
impoverish　his　true　self　by　production。

When　Euphra　saw　him　open　this　place；　she　uttered　a　suppressed　cry　of
astonishment。

〃Ah！〃　said　Hugh；　〃you　did　not　know　of　this　hidie…hole；　did　you？〃

〃Indeed；　I　did　not。　　I　had　used　the　desk　myself；　for　this　was　a
favourite　room　of　mine　before　you　came；　but　I　never　found　that。
Dear　me！　　Let　me　look。〃

She　put　her　hand　on　his　shoulder　and　leaned　over　him；　as　he　pointed
out　the　way　of　opening　it。

〃Did　you　find　nothing　in　it？〃　she　said；　with　a　slight　tremour　in　her
voice。

〃Nothing　whatever。〃

〃There　may　be　more　places。〃

〃No。　I　have　accounted　for　the　whole　bulk；　I　believe。〃

〃How　strange！〃

〃But　now　you　must　give　me　my　guerdon；〃　said　Hugh　timidly。

The　fact　was；　the　poor　youth　had　bargained；　in　a　playful　manner；　and
yet　with　an　earnest；　covetous　heart；　for　one；　the　first　kiss；　in
return　for　the　poems　she　begged　to　see。

She　turned　her　face　towards　him。

The　second　circumstance　which　makes　the　interview　worth　recording
is；　that；　at　this　moment；　three　distinct　knocks　were　heard　on　the
window。　　They　sprang　asunder；　and　saw　each　other's　face　pale　as
death。　　In　Euphra's；　the　expression　of　fright　was　mingled　with　one
of　annoyance。　　Hugh；　though　his　heart　trembled　like　a　bird；　leaped
to　the　window。　　Nothing　was　to　be　seen　but　the　trees　that　〃stretched
their　dark　arms〃　within　a　few　feet　of　the　oriel。　　Turning　again
towards　Euphra；　he　found；　to　his　mortification；　that　she　had
vanishedand　had　left　the　packet　of　poems　behind　her。

He　replaced　them　in　their　old　quarters　in　the　escritoire；　and　his
vague　dismay　at　the　unaccountable　noises；　was　drowned　in　the　bitter
waters　of　miserable　humiliation。　　He　slept　at　last；　from　the
exhaustion　of　disappointment。

When　he　awoke；　however；　he　tried　to　persuade　himself　that　he　had
made　far　too　much　of　the　trifling　circumstance　of　her　leaving　the
verses　behind。　　For　was　she　not　terrified？Why；　then；　did　she　leave
him　and　go　alone　to　her　own　room？She　must　have　felt　that　she　ought
not　to　be　in　his；　at　that　hour；　and　therefore　dared　not　stay。Why
dared　not？　　Did　she　think　the　house　was　haunted　by　a　ghost　of
propriety？　　What　rational　theory　could　he　invent　to　account　for　the
strange　and　repeated　sounds？He　puzzled　himself　over　it　to　the
verge　of　absolute　intellectual　prostration。

He　was　generally　the　first　in　the　breakfast…room；　that　is；　after
Euphra；　who　was　always　the　first。　　She　went　up　to　him　as　he　entered；
and　said；　almost　in　a　whisper：

〃Have　you　got　the　poems　for　me？　　Quick！〃

Hugh　hesitated。　　She　looked　at　him。

〃No；〃　he　said　at　last。〃You　never　wanted　them。〃

〃That　is　very　unkind；　when　you　know　I　was　frightened　out　of　my　wits。
Do　give　me　them。〃

〃They　are　not　worth　giving　you。　　Besides；　I　have　not　got　them。　　I
don't　carry　them　in　my　pocket。　　They　are　in　the　escritoire。　　I
couldn't　leave　them　lying　about。　　Never　mind　them。〃

〃I　have　a　right　to　them；〃　she　said；　looking　up　at　him　slyly　and
shyly。

〃Well；　I　gave　you　them；　and　you　did　not　think　them　worth　keeping。　　I
kept　my　part　of　the　bargain。〃

She　looked　annoyed。

〃Never　mind；　dear　Euphra；　you　shall　have　them；　or　anything　else　I
have；the　brain　that　made　them；　if　you　like。〃

〃Was　it　only　the　brain　that　had　to　do　with　the　making　of　them？〃

〃Perhaps　the　heart　too；　but　you　have　that　already。〃

Her　face　flushed　like　a　damask　rose。

At　that　moment　Mrs。　Elton　entered；　and　looked　a　little　surprised。
Euphra　instantly　said：

〃I　think　it　is　rather　too　bad　of　you；　Mr。　Sutherland；　to　keep　the
poor　boy　so　hard　to　his　work；　when　you　know　he　is　not　strong。　　Mrs。
Elton；　I　have　been　begging　a　holiday　for　poor　Harry；　to　let　him　go
with　us　to　Wotton　House；　but　he　has　such　a　hard　task…master！　　He
will　not　hear　of　it。〃

The　flush；　which　she　could　not　get　rid　of　all　at　once；　was　thus　made
to　do　duty　as　one　of　displeasure。　　Mrs。　Elton　was　thoroughly
deceived；　and　united　her　entreaties　to　those　of　Miss　Cameron。　　Hugh
was　compelled　to　join　in　the　deception；　and　pretend　to　yield　a　slow
consent。　　Thus　a　holiday　was　extemporised　for　Harry；　subject　to　the
approbation　of　his　father。　　This　was　readily　granted；　and　Mr。
Arnold；　turning　to　Hugh；　said：

〃You　will　have　nothing　to　do；　Mr。　Sutherland：　had　you　not　better
join　us？〃

〃With　pleasure；〃　replied　he；　〃but　the　carriage　will　be　full。〃

〃You　can　take　your　horse。〃

〃Thank　you　very　much。　　I　will。〃

The　day　was　delightful；　one　of　those　grey　summer…days；　that　are　far
better　for　an　excursion　than　bright　ones。　　In　the　best　of　spirits；
mounted　on　a　good　horse；　riding　alongside　of　the　carriage　in　which
was　the　lady　who　was　all　womankind　to　him；　and　who；　without　taking
much　notice　of　him；　yet　contrived　to　throw　him　a　glance　now　and
then；　Hugh　would　have　been　overflowingly　happy；　but　for　an　unquiet；
distressed　feeling；　which　all　the　time　made　him　aware　of　the
presence　of　a　sick　conscience　somewhere　within。　　Mr。　Arnold　was
exceedingly　pleasant；　for　he　was　much　taken　with　the　sweetness　and
modesty　of　Lady　Emily；　who；　having　no　strong　opinions　upon　anything；
received　those　of　Mr。　Arnold　with　attentive　submission。　　He　saw；　or
fancied　he　saw　in　her；　a　great　resemblance　to　his　deceased　wife；　to
whom　he　had　been　as　sincerely　attached　as　his　nature　would　allow。
In　fact；　Lady　Emily　advanced　so　rapidly　in　his　good　graces；　that
either　Euphra　was；　or　thought　fit　to　appear；　rather　jealous　of　her。
She　paid　her　every　attention；　however；　and　seemed　to　gratify　Mr。
Arnold　by　her　care　of　the　invalid。　　She　even　joined　in　the
entreaties　which；　on　their　way　home；　he　made　with　evident
earnestness；　for　an　extension　of　their　visit　to　a　month。　　Lady　Emily
was　already　so　much　better　for　the　change；　that　Mrs。　Elton　made　no
objection　to　the　proposal。　　Euphra　gave　Hugh　one　look　of　misery；
and；　turning　again；　insisted　with　increased　warmth　on　their
immediate　consent。　　It　was　gained　without　much　difficulty　before
they　reached　home。

Harry；　too；　was　captivated　by　the　gentle　kindness　of　Lady　Emily；　and
hardly　took　his　eyes　off　her　all　the　way；　while；　on　the　other　hand；
his　delicate　little　attentions　had　already　gained　the　heart　of　good
Mrs。　Elton；　who　from　the　first　had　remarked　and　pitied　the　sad　looks
of　the　boy。




CHAPTER　XVI。

A　NEW　VISITOR　AND　AN　OLD　ACQUAINTANCE。

　　　　　He's　enough
To　bring　a　woman　to　confusion；
More　than　a　wiser　man；　or　a　far　greater。

MIDDLETON。The　Witch。


When　they　reached　the　lodge；　Lady　Emily　expressed　a　wish　to　walk　up
the　avenue　to　the　house。　　To　this　Mr。　Arnold　gladly　consented。　　The
carriage　was　sent　round　the　back　way；　and　Hugh；　dismounting；　gave
his　horse　to　the　footman　in　attendance。　　As　they　drew　near　the
house；　the　rest　of　the　party　having　stopped　to　look　at　an　old　tree
which　was　a　favourite　with　its　owner；　Hugh　and　Harry　were　some　yards
in　advance；　when　the　former　spied；　approaching　them　from　the　house；
the　distinguished　figure　of　Herr　von　Funkelstein。　　Saluting　as　they
met；　the　visitor　informed　Hugh　that　he　had　just　been　leaving　his
card　for　him；　and　would　call　some　other　morning　soon；　for；　as　he　was
rusticating；　he　had　little　to　occupy　him。　　Hugh　turned　with　him
towards　the　rest　of　the　party；　who　were　now　close　at　hand；　when
Funkelstein　exclaimed；　in　a　tone　of　surprise；

〃What！　　Miss　Cameron　here！〃　and　advanced　with　a　profound　obeisance；
holding　his　hat　in　his　hand。

Hugh　thought　he　saw　her　look　annoyed；　but　she　held　out　her　hand　to
him；　and；　in　a　voice　indicatingstill　as　it　appeared　to　Hughsome
reluctance；　introduced　him　to　her　uncle；　with　the　words：

〃We　met　at　Sir　Edward　Laston's；　when　I　was　visiting　Mrs。　Elkingham；
two　years　ago；　uncle。〃

Mr。　Arnold　lifted　his　hat　and　bowed　politely　to　the　stranger。　　Had
Euphra　informed　him　that；　although　a　person　of　considerable
influence　in　Sir　Edward's　household；　Herr　von　Funkelstein　had　his
standing　there　only　as　Sir　Edward's　private　secretary；　Mr。　Arnold's
aversion　to　foreigners　generally　would　not　have　been　so　scrupulously
banished　into　the　background　of　his　behaviour。　　Ordinary　civilities
passed　between　them；　marked　by　an　air　of　flattering　deference　on
Funkelstein's　part；　which