the prayers and below the psalmsand made a Sunday of all the week。
Ashamed of his feeling of passing dismay； Hugh said； just to say
something：
〃What a strange ornament that is！ Is it a brooch or a pin？ No； I
declare it is a ringlarge enough for three cardinals； and worn on
her thumb。 It seems almost to sparkle。 Is it ruby； or carbuncle；
or what？〃
〃I don't know： some clumsy old thing；〃 answered Euphra； carelessly。
〃Oh！ I see；〃 said Hugh； 〃it is not a red stone。 The glow is only a
reflection from part of her dress。 It is as clear as a diamond。
But that is impossiblesuch a size。 There seems to me something
curious about it； and the longer I look at it； the more strange it
appears。〃
Euphra stole another of her piercing glances at him； but said
nothing。
〃Surely；〃 Hugh went on； 〃a ring like that would hardly be likely to
be lost out of the family？ Your uncle must have it somewhere。〃
Euphra laughed； but this laugh was very different from the last。 It
rattled rather than rang。
〃You are wonderfully taken with a baublefor a man of letters； that
is； Mr。 Sutherland。 The stone may have been carried down any one of
the hundred streams into which a family river is always dividing。〃
〃It is a very remarkable ornament for a lady's finger；
notwithstanding；〃 said Hugh； smiling in his turn。
〃But we shall never get through the pictures at this rate；〃 remarked
Euphra； and going on； she directed Hugh's attention now to this； now
to that portrait； saying who each was； and mentioning anything
remarkable in the history of their originals。 She manifested a
thorough acquaintance with the family story； and made； in fact； an
excellent show…woman。 Having gone nearly to the other end of the
gallery；
〃This door；〃 said she； stopping at one； and turning over the keys；
〃leads to one of the oldest portions of the house； the principal
room in which is said to have belonged especially to the lady over
there。〃
As she said this； she fixed her eyes once more on the maid。
〃Oh！ don't ye now； Miss；〃 interrupted Jane。 〃Hannah du say as how a
whitey…blue light shines in the window of a dark night；
sometimesthat lady's window； you know； Miss。 Don't ye open the
doorpray； Miss。〃
Jane seemed on the point of falling into the same terror as before。
〃Really； Jane；〃 said her mistress； 〃I am ashamed of you； and of
myself； for having such silly servants about me。〃
〃I beg your pardon； Miss； but〃
〃So Mr。 Sutherland and I must give up our plan of going over the
house； because my maid's nerves are too delicate to permit her to
accompany us。 For shame！〃
〃Oh； du ye now go without me！〃 cried the girl； clasping her hands。
〃And you will wait here till we come back？〃
〃Oh！ don't ye leave me here。 Just show me the way out。〃
And once more she turned pale as death。
〃Mr。 Sutherland； I am very sorry； but we must put off the rest of
our ramble till another time。 I am； like Hamlet； very vilely
attended； as you see。 Come； then； you foolish girl；〃 she added；
more mildly。
The poor maid； what with terror of Lady Euphrasia； and respect for
her mistress； was in a pitiable condition of moral helplessness。
She seemed almost too frightened to walk behind them。 But if she
had been in front it would have been no better； for； like other
ghost…fearers； she seemed to feel very painfully that she had no
eyes in her back。
They returned as they came； and Jane receiving the keys to take to
the housekeeper； darted away。 When she reached Mrs。 Horton's room；
she sank on a chair in hysterics。
〃I must get rid of that girl； I fear；〃 said Miss Cameron； leading
the way to the library； 〃she will infect the whole household with
her foolish terrors。 We shall not hear the last of this for some
time to come。 We had a fit of it the same year I came； and I
suppose the time has come round for another attack of the same
epidemic。〃
〃What is there about the room to terrify the poor thing？〃
〃Oh！ they say it is haunted； that is all。 Was there ever an old
house anywhere over Europe； especially an old family house； but was
said to be haunted？ Here the story centres in that roomor at
least in that room and the avenue in front of its windows。〃
〃Is that the avenue called the Ghost's Walk？〃
〃Yes。 Who told you？〃
〃Harry would not let me cross it。〃
〃Poor boy！ This is really too bad。 He cannot stand anything of
that kind； I am sure。 Those servants！〃
〃Oh！ I hope we shall soon get him too well to be frightened at
anything。 Are these places said to be haunted by any particular
ghost？〃
〃Yes。 By Lady EuphrasiaRubbish！〃
Had Hugh possessed a yet keener perception of resemblance； he would
have seen that the phantom…likeness which haunted him in the
portrait of Euphrasia Halkar； was that of Euphrasia Cameronby his
side all the time。 But the mere difference of complexion was
sufficient to throw him outinsignificant difference as that is；
beside the correspondence of features and their relations。 Euphra
herself was perfectly aware of the likeness； but had no wish that
Hugh should discover it。
As if the likeness； however； had been dimly identified by the
unconscious part of his being； he sat in one corner of the library
sofa； with his eyes fixed on the face of Euphra； as she sat in the
other。 Presently he was made aware of his unintentional rudeness；
by seeing her turn pale as death； and sink back in the sofa。 In a
moment she started up； and began pacing about the room； rubbing her
eyes and temples。 He was bewildered and alarmed。
〃Miss Cameron； are you ill？〃 he exclaimed。
She gave a kind of half…hysterical laugh； and said：
〃Nonothing worth speaking of。 I felt a little faint； that was
all。 I am better now。〃
She turned full towards him； and seemed to try to look all right；
but there was a kind of film over the clearness of her black eyes。
〃I fear you have headache。〃
〃A little； but it is nothing。 I will go and lie down。〃
〃Do； pray； else you will not be well enough to appear at dinner。〃
She retired； and Hugh joined Hairy。
Euphra had another glass of claret with her uncle that evening； in
order to give her report of the morning's ride。
〃Really； there is not much to be afraid of； uncle。 He takes very
good care of Harry。 To be sure； I had occasion several times to
check him a little； but he has this good quality in addition to a
considerable aptitude for teaching； that he perceives a hint； and
takes it at once。〃
Knowing her uncle's formality； and preference for precise and
judicial modes of expression； Euphra modelled her phrase to his
mind。
〃I am glad he has your good opinion so far； Euphra； for I confess
there is something about the youth that pleases me。 I was afraid at
first that I might be annoyed by his overstepping the true
boundaries of his position in my family： he seems to have been in
good society； too。 But your assurance that he can take a hint；
lessens my apprehension considerably。 To…morrow； I will ask him to
resume his seat after dessert。〃
This was not exactly the object of Euphra's qualified commendation
of Hugh。 But she could not help it now。
〃I think； however； if you approve； uncle； that it will be more
prudent to keep a little watch over the riding for a while。 I
confess； too； I should be glad of a little more of that exercise
than I have had for some time： I found my seat not very secure
to…day。〃
〃Very desirable on both considerations； my love。〃
And so the conference ended。
CHAPTER VIII。
NEST…BUILDING。
If you will have a tree bear more fruit than it hath used to do； it
is not anything you can do to the boughs； but it is the stirring of
the earth； and putting new mould about the roots； that must work it。
LORD BACON'S Advancement of Learning； b。 ii。
In a short time Harry's health was so much improved； and
consequently the strength and activity of his mind so much
increased； that Hugh began to give him more exact mental operations
to perform。 But as if he had been a reader of Lord Bacon； which as
yet he was not； and had learned from him that 〃wonder is the seed of
knowledge；〃 he came； by a kind of sympathetic instinct； to the same
conclusion practically； in the case of Harry。 He tried to wake a
question in him； by showing him something that would rouse his
interest。 The reply to this question might be the whole rudiments
of a science。
Things themselves should lead to the science of them。 If things are
not interesting in themselves； how can any amount of knowledge about
them be？ To be sure； there is such a thing as a purely or
abstractly intellectual interestthe pleasure of the mere operation
of the intellect upon the signs of things； but this must spring from
a highly exercised intellectual condition； and is not to be expected
before the pleasures of intellectual motion have been experienced
through the employment of its means for other ends。 Whether this is
a higher condition or not； is open to much disquisition。
One day Hugh was purposely engaged in taking the altitude of the
highest turret of the house； with an old quadrant he had found in
the library； when Harry came up。
〃What are you doing； big brother？〃 said he； for now that he was
quite at home with Hugh； there was a wonderful mixture of
familiarity and respect in him； that was quite bewitching。
〃Finding out how high your house is； little brother；〃 answered Hugh。
〃How can you do it with that thing？ Will it measure the height of
other things besides the house？〃
〃Yes； the height of a mountain； or anything you like。〃
〃Do show me how。〃
Hugh showed him as much of it as he could。
〃But I don't understand it。〃
〃Oh！ that is quite another thing。 To do that； you must learn a
great many thingsEuclid to begin with。〃
That very afternoon Harry began Euclid； and soon found quite enough
of interest on the road to the quadrant； to prevent him from feeling
any tediousness in its length。
Of an afternoon Hugh had taken to reading Shakspere to Harry。
Euphra was always a listener。 On one occasion Harry said：
〃I am so sorry； Mr。 Sutherland； but I don't understand the half of
it。 Sometimes when Euphra and you are laughing；and sometimes when
Euphra is crying；〃 ad