The picture is certainly old enough to stand for her； but it does
not seem to me in the least like the other。〃
It was a great room； with large recesses； and therefore irregular in
form。 Old chairs； with remnants of enamel and gilding； and seats of
faded damask； stood all about。 But the beauty of the chamber was
its tapestry。 The walls were entirely covered with it； and the rich
colours had not yet receded into the dull grey of the past； though
their gorgeousness had become sombre with age。 The subject was the
story of Samson。
〃Come and see this strange piece of furniture；〃 said Euphra to Hugh；
who had kept by her side since they entered this room。
She led him into one of the recesses； almost concealed by the
bed…hangings。 In it stood a cabinet of ebony； reaching nearly to
the ceiling； curiously carved in high relief。
〃I wish I could show you the inside of it；〃 she went on； 〃but I
cannot now。〃
This was said almost in a whisper。 Hugh replied with only a look of
thanks。 He gazed at the carving； on whose black surface his candle
made little light； and threw no shadows。
〃You have looked at this before； Euphra；〃 said he。 〃Explain it to
me。〃
〃I have often tried to find out what it is；〃 she answered； 〃but I
never could quite satisfy myself about it。〃
She proceeded； however； to tell him what she fancied it might mean；
speaking still in the low tone which seemed suitable to the awe of
the place。 She got interested in showing him the relations of the
different figures； and he made several suggestions as to the
possible intention of the artist。 More than one well…known subject
was proposed and rejected。
Suddenly becoming aware of the sensation of silence； they looked up；
and saw that theirs was the only light in the room。 They were left
alone in the haunted chamber。They looked at each other for one
moment； then said； with half…stifled voices：
〃Euphra！〃
〃Hugh！〃
Euphra seemed half amused and half perplexed。 Hugh looked half
perplexed and wholly pleased。
〃Come； come；〃 said Euphra； recovering herself； and leading the way
to the door。
When they reached it； they found it closed and locked。 Euphra
raised her hand to beat on it。 Hugh caught it。
〃You will drive Lady Emily into fits。 Did you not see how awfully
pale she was？〃
Euphra instantly lifted her hand again； as if she would just like to
try that result。 But Hugh； who was in no haste for any result； held
her back。
She struggled for a moment or two； but not very strenuously； and；
desisting all at once； let her arms drop by her sides。
〃I fear it is too late。 This is a double door； and Mr。 Arnold will
have locked all the doors between this and the picture…gallery。
They are there now。 What shall we do？〃
She said this with an expression of comical despair； which would
have made Hugh burst into laughter； had he not been too much pleased
to laugh。
〃Never mind；〃 he said； 〃we will go on with our study of the cabinet。
They will soon find out that we are left behind； and come back to
look for us。〃
〃Yes； but only fancy being found here！〃
She laughed； but the laugh did not succeed。 It could not hide a
real embarrassment。 She pondered； and seemed irresolute。 Then with
the words〃They will say we stayed behind on purpose；〃 she moved
her hand to the door； but again withdrew it； and stood irresolute。
〃Let us put out the light。〃 said Hugh laughing； 〃and make no
answer。〃
〃Can you starve well？〃
〃With you。〃
She murmured something to herself； then said aloud and hastily； as
if she had made up her mind by the compulsion of circumstances：
〃But this won't do。 They are still looking at the portrait； I
daresay。 Come。〃
So saying； she went into another recess； and； lifting a curtain of
tapestry； opened a door。
〃Come quick；〃 she said。
Hugh followed her down a short stair into a narrow passage； nowhere
lighted from the outside。 The door went to behind them； as if some
one had banged it in anger at their intrusion。 The passage smelt
very musty； and was as quiet as death。
〃Not a word of this； Hugh； as you love me。 It may be useful yet。〃
〃Not a word。〃
They came through a sliding panel into an empty room。 Euphra closed
it behind them。
〃Now shade your light。〃
He did so。 She took him by the hand。 A few more turns brought them
in sight of the lights of the rest of the party。 As Euphra had
conjectured； they were looking at the picture of Lady Euphrasia； Mr。
Arnold prosing away to them； in proof that the nun could not be she。
They entered the gallery without being heard； and parting a little
way； one pretending to look at one picture； the other at another；
crept gradually round till they joined the group。 It was a piece of
most successful generalship。 Euphra was； doubtless； quite prepared
with her story in case it should fail。
〃Dear Lady Emily；〃 said she； 〃how tired you look！ Do let us go；
uncle。〃
〃By all means。 Take my arm； Lady Emily。 Euphra； will you take the
keys again； and lock the doors？〃
Mrs。 Elton had already taken Hugh's arm； and was leading him away
after Mr。 Arnold and Lady Emily。
〃I will not leave you behind with the spectres； Miss Cameron；〃 said
Funkelstein。
〃Thank you； they will not detain me long。 They don't mind being
locked up。〃
It was some little time； however； before they presented themselves
in the drawing…room； to which； and not to the library； the party had
gone： they had had enough of horrors for that night。
Lest my readers should think they have had too many wonders at
least； I will explain one of them。 It was really Margaret Elginbrod
whom Hugh had seen。 Mrs。 Elton was the lady in whose service she
had left her home。 It was nothing strange that they had not met；
for Margaret knew he was in the same house； and had several times
seen him； but had avoided meeting him。 Neither was it a wonderful
coincidence that they should be in such close proximity； for the
college friend from whom Hugh had first heard of Mr。 Arnold； was the
son of the gentleman whom Mrs。 Elton was visiting； when she first
saw Margaret。
Margaret had obeyed her mistress's summons to the drawing…room； and
had entered while Hugh was stooping over the plate。 As the room was
nearly dark； and she was dressed in black； her pale face alone
caught the light and his eye as he looked up； and the giddiness
which followed had prevented him from seeing more。 She left the
room the next moment； while they were all looking out of the window。
Nor was it any exercise of his excited imagination that had
presented her face as glorified。 She was now a woman； and； there
being no divine law against saying so； I say that she had grown a
lady as well； as indeed any one might have foreseen who was capable
of foreseeing it。 Her whole nature had blossomed into a still；
stately； lily…like beauty； and the face that Hugh saw was indeed the
realised idea of the former face of Margaret。
But how did the plate move？ and whence came the writing of old
David's name？ I must； for the present； leave the whole matter to
the speculative power of each of my readers。
But Margaret was in mourning： was David indeed dead？
He was dead。Yet his name will stand as the name of my story for
pages to come； because； if he had not been in it； the story would
never have been worth writing； because the influence of that
ploughman is the salt of the whole； because a man's life in the
earth is not to be measured by the time he is visible upon it； and
because； when the story is wound up； it will be in the presence of
his spirit。
Do I then believe that David himself did write that name of his？
Heaven forbid that any friend of mine should be able to believe it！
Long before she saw him； Margaret had known； from what she heard
among the servants； that Master Harry's tutor could be no other than
her own tutor of the old time。 By and by she learned a great deal
about him from Harry's talk with Mrs。 Elton and Lady Emily。 But she
did not give the least hint that she knew him； or betray the least
desire to see him。
Mrs。 Elton was amusingly bewildered by the occurrences of the
evening。 Her theories were something astounding； and followed one
another with such alarming rapidity； that had they been in
themselves such as to imply the smallest exercise of the thinking
faculty； she might well have been considered in danger of an attack
of brain…fever。 As it was； none such supervened。 Lady Emily said
nothing； but seemed unhappy。 As for Hugh； he simply could not tell
what to make of the writing。 But he did not for a moment doubt that
the vision he had seen was only a visiona home…made ghost； sent
out from his own creative brain。 Still he felt that Margaret's
face； come whence it might； was a living reproof to him； for he was
losing his life in passion； sinking deeper in it day by day。 His
powers were deserting him。 Poetry； usually supposed to be the
attendant of love； had deserted him。 Only by fits could he see
anything beautiful； and then it was but in closest association of
thought with the one image which was burning itself deeper and
deeper into his mental sensorium。 Come what might； he could not
tear it away。 It had become a part of himselfof his inner
lifeeven while it seemed to be working the death of life。 Deeper
and deeper it would burn； till it reached the innermost chamber of
life。 Let it burn。
Yet he felt that he could not trust her。 Vague hopes he had； that；
by trusting； she might be made trustworthy； but he feared they were
vain as well as vague。 And yet he would not cast them away； for he
could not cast her away。
CHAPTER XVIII。
MORE MATERIALISM AND SOME SPIRITUALISM。
God wisheth none should wreck on a strange shelf：
To Him man's dearer than to himself。
BEN Jonson。The Forest： To Sir Robert Wroth。
At breakfast the following morning； the influences of the past day
on the family were evident。 There was a good deal of excitement；
alternated with listlessness。 The moral atmosphere seemed
unhealthy； and Harry； although he had； fortunately for him； had
nothing to do with the manifestations of the previous evening； was
affected by the condition of those around him。 Hugh