watching； or rather scrutinizing； Hugh's countenance； with a far
keener and more frequent glance than； I presume； he was at all aware
of。 Whether or not she was satisfied with her conclusions； she
allowed no sign to disclose； but； breakfast being over； rose and
withdrew； turning； however； at the door； and saying：
〃When you please； Mr。 Sutherland； I shall be glad to show you what
Harry has been doing with me； for till now I have been his only
tutor。〃
〃Thank you；〃 replied Hugh； 〃but for some time we shall be quite
independent of school…books。 Perhaps we may require none at all。
He can read； I presume； fairly well？〃
〃Reading is not only his forte but his fault；〃 replied Mr。 Arnold；
while Euphra； fixing one more piercing look upon him； withdrew。
〃Yes；〃 responded Hugh； 〃but a boy may shuffle through a book very
quickly； and have no such accurate perceptions of even the mere
words； as to be able to read aloud intelligibly。〃
How little this applied to Harry； Hugh was soon to learn。
〃Well； you know best about these things； I daresay。 I leave it to
you。 With such testimonials as you have； Mr。 Sutherland； I can
hardly be wrong in letting you try your own plans with him。 Now； I
must bid you good morning。 You will； in all probability； find Harry
in the library。〃
CHAPTER II。
HARRY'S NEW HORSE。
Spielender Unterricht heisst nicht； dem Kinde Anstrengungen ersparen
und abnehmen； sondern eine Leidenschaft in ihm erwecken； welche ihm
die st鋜ksten aufn鰐higt und erleichtert。
JEAN PAUL。Die Unsichtbare Loge。
It is not the intention of sportive instruction that the child
should be spared effort； or delivered from it； but that thereby a
passion should be wakened in him； which shall both necessitate and
facilitate the strongest exertion。
Hugh made no haste to find his pupil in the library； thinking it
better； with such a boy； not to pounce upon him as if he were going
to educate him directly。 He went to his own rooms instead； got his
books out and arranged them；supplying thus； in a very small
degree； the scarcity of modern ones in the book…cases； then arranged
his small wardrobe； looked about him a little； and finally went to
seek his pupil。
He found him in the library； as he had been given to expect； coiled
up on the floor in a corner； with his back against the book…shelves；
and an old folio on his knees； which he was reading in silence。
〃Well； Harry；〃 said Hugh； in a half…indifferent tone； as he threw
himself on a couch； 〃what are you reading？〃
Harry had not heard him come in。 He started； and almost shuddered；
then looked up； hesitated； rose； and； as if ashamed to utter the
name of the book； brought it to Hugh； opening it at the title…page
as he held it out to him。 It was the old romance of Polexander。
Hugh knew nothing about it； but； glancing over some of the pages；
could not help wondering that the boy should find it interesting。
〃Do you like this very much？〃 said he。
〃Wellno。 Yes； rather。〃
〃I think I could find you something more interesting in the
book…shelves。〃
〃Oh！ please； sir； mayn't I read this？〃 pleaded Harry； with signs of
distress in his pale face。
〃Oh； yes； certainly； if you wish。 But tell me why you want to read
it so very much。〃
〃Because I have set myself to read it through。〃
Hugh saw that the child was in a diseased state of mind； as well as
of body。
〃You should not set yourself to read anything； before you know
whether it is worth reading。〃
〃I could not help it。 I was forced to say I would。〃
〃To whom？〃
〃To myself。 Mayn't I read it？〃
〃Certainly；〃 was all Hugh's answer； for he saw that he must not
pursue the subject at present： the boy was quite hypochondriacal。
His face was keen； with that clear definition of feature which
suggests superior intellect。 He was； though very small for his age；
well proportioned； except that his head and face were too large。
His forehead indicated thought； and Hugh could not doubt that；
however uninteresting the books which he read might be； they must
have afforded him subjects of mental activity。 But he could not
help seeing as well； that this activity； if not altered in its
direction and modified in its degree； would soon destroy itself；
either by ruining his feeble constitution altogether； or； which was
more to be feared； by irremediably injuring the action of the brain。
He resolved； however； to let him satisfy his conscience by reading
the book； hoping； by the introduction of other objects of thought
and feeling； to render it so distasteful； that he would be in little
danger of yielding a similar pledge again； even should the
temptation return； which Hugh hoped to prevent。
〃But you have read enough for the present； have you not？〃 said he；
rising； and approaching the book…shelves。
〃Yes； I have been reading since breakfast。〃
〃Ah！ there's a capital book。 Have you ever read itGulliver's
Travels？〃
〃No。 The outside looked always so uninteresting。〃
〃So does Polexander's outside。〃
〃Yes。 But I couldn't help that one。〃
〃Well； come along。 I will read to you。〃
〃Oh！ thank you。 That will be delightful。 But must we not go to our
lessons？〃
〃I'm going to make a lesson of this。 I have been talking to your
papa； and we're going to begin with a holiday； instead of ending
with one。 I must get better acquainted with you first； Harry；
before I can teach you right。 We must be friends； you know。〃
The boy crept close up to him； laid one thin hand on his knee；
looked in his face for a moment； and then； without a word； sat down
on the couch close beside him。 Before an hour had passed； Harry was
laughing heartily at Gulliver's adventures amongst the Lilliputians。
Having arrived at this point of success； Hugh ceased reading； and
began to talk to him。
〃Is that lady your cousin？〃
〃Yes。 Isn't she beautiful？〃
〃I hardly know yet。 I have not got used to her enough yet。 What is
her name？〃
〃Oh！ such a pretty nameEuphrasia。〃
〃Is she the only lady in the house？〃
〃Yes； my mamma is dead； you know。 She was ill for a long time； they
say； and she died when I was born。〃
The tears came in the poor boy's eyes。 Hugh thought of his own
father； and put his hand on Harry's shoulder。 Harry laid his head
on Hugh's shoulder。
〃But；〃 he went on； 〃Euphra is so kind to me！ And she is so clever
too！ She knows everything。〃
〃Have you no brothers or sisters？〃
〃No； none。 I wish I had。〃
〃Well； I'll be your big brother。 Only you must mind what I say to
you； else I shall stop being him。 Is it a bargain？〃
〃Yes； to be sure！〃 cried Harry in delight； and； springing from the
couch； he began hopping feebly about the room on one foot； to
express his pleasure。
〃Well； then； that's settled。 Now； you must come and show me the
horsesyour ponies； you knowand the pigs〃
〃I don't like the pigsI don't know where they are。〃
〃Well； we must find out。 Perhaps I shall make some discoveries for
you。 Have you any rabbits？〃
〃No。〃
〃A dog though； surely？〃
〃No。 I had a canary； but the cat killed it； and I have never had a
pet since。〃
〃Well； get your cap； and come out with me。 I will wait for you
here。〃
Harry walked awayhe seldom ran。 He soon returned with his cap；
and they sallied out together。
Happening to look back at the house； when a few paces from it； Hugh
thought he saw Euphra standing at the window of a back staircase。
They made the round of the stables； and the cow…house； and the
poultry…yard； and even the pigs； as proposed； came in for a share of
their attention。 As they approached the stye； Harry turned away his
head with a look of disgust。 They were eating out of the trough。
〃They make such a nasty noise！〃 he said。
〃Yes； but just look： don't they enjoy it？〃 said Hugh。
Harry looked at them。 The notion of their enjoyment seemed to dawn
upon him as something quite new。 He went nearer and nearer to the
stye。 At last a smile broke out over his countenance。
〃How tight that one curls his tail！〃 said he； and burst out
laughing。
〃How dreadfully this boy must have been mismanaged！〃 thought Hugh to
himself。 〃But there is no fear of him now； I hope。〃
By this time they had been wandering about for more than an hour；
and Hugh saw； by Harry's increased paleness； that he was getting
tired。
〃Here； Harry； get on my back； my boy； and have a ride。 You're
tired。〃
And Hugh knelt down。
Harry shrunk back。
〃I shall spoil your coat with my shoes。〃
〃Nonsense！ Rub them well on the grass there。 And then get on my
back directly。〃
Harry did as he was bid； and found his tutor's broad back and strong
arms a very comfortable saddle。 So away they went； wandering about
for a long time； in their new relation of horse and his rider。 At
length they got into the middle of a long narrow avenue； quite
neglected； overgrown with weeds； and obstructed with rubbish。 But
the trees were fine beeches； of great growth and considerable age。
One end led far into a wood； and the other towards the house； a
small portion of which could be seen at the end； the avenue
appearing to reach close up to it。
〃Don't go down this；〃 said Harry。
〃Well； it's not a very good road for a horse certainly； but I think
I can go it。 What a beautiful avenue！ Why is it so neglected？〃
〃Don't go down there； please； dear horse。〃
Harry was getting wonderfully at home with Hugh already。
〃Why？〃 asked Hugh。
〃They call it the Ghost's Walk； and I don't much like it。 It has a
strange distracted look！〃
〃That's a long word； and a descriptive one too；〃 thought Hugh； but；
considering that there would come many a better opportunity of
combating the boy's fears than now； he simply said： 〃Very well；
Harry；〃and proceeded to leave the avenue by the other side。 But
Harry was not yet satisfied。
〃Please； Mr。 Sutherland； don't go on that side； just now。 Ride me
back； please。 It is not safe； they say； to cross her path。 She
always follows any one who crosses her path。〃
Hugh laughed； but again said； 〃Very well； my boy；〃 and； returning；
left the avenue by the side by which he had entered it。
〃Shall we go home to luncheon now？〃 said Harry。
〃Yes；〃 replied Hugh。 〃Could we not go by the front o