an occasional loneliness。
He crept to Hugh's room； and received an invitation to enter； in
answer to his gentle knock； but Hugh was so absorbed in his new
study； that he hardly took any notice of him； and Harry found it
almost as dreary here as in the study。 He would have gone out； but
a drizzling rain was falling； and he shrank into himself at the
thought of the Ghost's Walk。 The dinner…bell was a welcome summons。
Hugh； inspirited by the reaction from close attention； by the
presence of Euphra； and by the desire to make himself generally
agreeable； which sprung from the consciousness of having done wrong；
talked almost brilliantly； delighting Euphra； overcoming Harry with
reverent astonishment； and even interesting slow Mr。 Arnold。 With
the latter Hugh had been gradually becoming a favourite； partly
because he had discovered in him what he considered high…minded
sentiments； for； however stupid and conventional Mr。 Arnold might
be； he had a foundation of sterling worthiness of character。
Euphra； instead of showing any jealousy of this growing
friendliness； favoured it in every way in her power； and now and
then alluded to it in her conversations with Hugh； as affording her
great satisfaction。
〃I am so glad he likes you！〃 she would say。
〃Why should she be glad？〃 thought Hugh。
This gentle claim of a kind of property in him； added considerably
to the strength of the attraction that drew him towards her； as
towards the centre of his spiritual gravitation； if indeed that
could be called spiritual which had so little of the element of
moral or spiritual admiration； or even approval； mingled with it。
He never felt that Euphra was good。 He only felt that she drew him
with a vague force of feminine sovereigntya charm which he could
no more resist or explain； than the iron could the attraction of the
loadstone。 Neither could he have said； had he really considered the
matter； that she was beautifulonly that she often； very often；
looked beautiful。 I suspect if she had been rather ugly； it would
have been all the same for Hugh。
He pursued his Italian studies with a singleness of aim and effort
that carried him on rapidly。 He asked no assistance from Euphra；
and said nothing to her about his progress。 But he was so absorbed
in it； that it drew him still further from his pupil。 Of course he
went out with him； walking or riding every day that the weather
would permit； and he had regular school hours with him within doors。
But during the latter； while Harry was doing something on his
slate； or writing； or learning some lesson （which kind of work
happened oftener now than he could have approved of）； he would take
up his Italian； and； notwithstanding Harry's quiet hints that he had
finished what had been set him； remain buried in it for a long time。
When he woke at last to the necessity of taking some notice of the
boy； he would only appoint him something else to occupy him again；
so as to leave himself free to follow his new bent。 Now and then he
would become aware of his blameable neglect； and make a feeble
struggle to rectify what seemed to be growing into a habitand one
of the worst for a tutor； but he gradually sank back into the mire；
for mire it was； comforting himself with the resolution that as soon
as he was able to read Italian without absolutely spelling his way；
he would let Euphra see what progress he had made； and then return
with renewed energy to Harry's education； keeping up his own new
accomplishment by more moderate exercise therein。 It must not be
supposed； however； that a long course of time passed in this way。
At the end of a fortnight； he thought he might venture to request
Euphra to show him the passage which had perplexed her。 This time
he knew where she wasin her own room； for his mind had begun to
haunt her whereabouts。 He knocked at her door； heard the silvery；
thrilling； happy sound； 〃Come in；〃 and entered trembling。
〃Would you show me the passage in Dante that perplexed you the other
day？〃
Euphra looked a little surprised； but got the book and pointed it
out at once。
Hugh glanced at it。 His superior acquaintance with the general
forms of language enabled him； after finding two words in Euphra's
larger dictionary； to explain it； to her immediate satisfaction。
〃You astonish me；〃 said Euphra。
〃Latin gives me an advantage； you see；〃 said Hugh modestly。
〃It seems to be very wonderful； nevertheless。〃
These were sweet sounds to Hugh's ear。 He had gained his end。 And
she hers。
〃Well；〃 she said； 〃I have just come upon another passage that
perplexes me not a little。 Will you try your powers upon that for
me？〃
So saying； she proceeded to find it。
〃It is school…time；〃 said Hugh 〃I fear I must not wait now。〃
〃Pooh！ pooh！ Don't make a pedagogue of yourself。 You know you are
here more as a guardianbig brother； you knowto the dear child。
By the way； I am rather afraid you are working him a little more
than his constitution will stand。〃
〃Do you think so？〃 returned Hugh quite willing to be convinced。 〃I
should be very sorry。〃
〃This is the passage；〃 said Euphra。
Hugh sat down once more at the table beside her。 He found this
morsel considerably tougher than the last。 But at length he
succeeded in pulling it to pieces and reconstructing it in a simpler
form for the lady。 She was full of thanks and admiration。
Naturally enough； they went on to the next line； and the next
stanza； and the next and the next； tillshall I be believed？they
had read a whole canto of the poem。 Euphra knew more words by a
great many than Hugh； so that； what with her knowledge of the words；
and his insight into the construction； they made rare progress。
〃What a beautiful passage it is！〃 said Euphra。
〃It is indeed；〃 responded Hugh； 〃I never read anything more
beautiful。〃
〃I wonder if it would be possible to turn that into English。 I
should like to try。〃
〃You mean verse； of course？〃
〃To be sure。〃
〃Let us try； then。 I will bring you mine when I have finished it。
I fear it will take some time； though； to do it well。 Shall it be
in blank verse； or what？〃
〃Oh！ don't you think we had better keep the Terza Rima of the
original？〃
〃As you please。 It will add much to the difficulty。〃
〃Recreant knight！ will you shrink from following where your lady
leads？〃
〃Never！ so help me； my good pen！〃 answered Hugh； and took his
departure； with burning cheeks and a trembling at the heart。 Alas！
the morning was gone。 Harry was not in his study： he sought and
found him in the library； apparently buried in Polexander。
〃I am so glad you are come；〃 said Harry； 〃I am so tired。〃
〃Why do you read that stupid book； then？〃
〃Oh！ you know； I told you。〃
〃Tut！ tut！ nonsense！ Put it away；〃 said Hugh； his dissatisfaction
with himself making him cross with Harry； who felt； in consequence；
ten times more desolate than before。 He could not understand the
change。
If it went ill before with the hours devoted to common labour； it
went worse now。 Hugh seized every gap of time； and widened its
margins shamefully； in order to work at his translation。 He found
it very difficult to render the Italian in classical and poetic
English。 The three rhyming words； and the mode in which the stanzas
are looped together； added greatly to the difficulty。 Blank verse
he would have found quite easy compared to this。 But he would not
blench。 The thought of her praise； and of the yet better favour he
might gain； spurred him on； and Harry was the sacrifice。 But he
would make it all up to him； when this was once over。 Indeed； he
would。
Thus he baked cakes of clay to choke the barking of Cerberian
conscience。 But it would growl notwithstanding。
The boy's spirit was sinking； but Hugh did not or would not see it。
His step grew less elastic。 He became more listless； more like his
former selfsauntering about with his hands in his pockets。 And
Hugh； of course； found himself caring less about him； for the
thought of him； rousing as it did the sense of his own neglect； had
become troublesome。 Sometimes he even passed poor Harry without
speaking to him。
Gradually； however； he grew still further into the favour of Mr。
Arnold； until he seemed to have even acquired some influence with
him。 Mr。 Arnold would go out riding with them himself sometimes；
and express great satisfaction； not only with the way Harry sat his
pony； for which he accorded Hugh the credit due to him； but with the
way in which Hugh managed his own horse as well。 Mr。 Arnold was a
good horseman； and his praise was especially grateful to Hugh；
because Euphra was always near； and always heard it。 I fear；
however； that his progress in the good graces of Mr。 Arnold； was； in
a considerable degree； the result of the greater anxiety to please；
which sprung from the consciousness of not deserving approbation。
Pleasing was an easy substitute for well…doing。 Not acceptable to
himself； he had the greater desire to be acceptable to others； and
so reflect the side…beams of a false approbation on himselfwho
needed true light and would be ill…provided for with any substitute。
For a man who is received as a millionaire can hardly help feeling
like one at times； even if he knows he has overdrawn his banker's
account。 The necessity to Hugh's nature of feeling right； drove him
to this false mode of producing the false impression。 If one only
wants to feel virtuous； there are several royal roads to that end。
But； fortunately； the end itself would be unsatisfactory if gained；
while not one of these roads does more than pretend to lead even to
that land of delusion。
The reaction in Hugh's mind was sometimes torturing enough。 But he
had not strength to resist Euphra； and so reform。
Well or ill done； at length his translation was finished。 So was
Euphra's。 They exchanged papers for a private reading first； and
arranged to meet afterwards； in order to compare criticisms。
CHAPTER XI。
THE FIRST MIDNIGHT。
Well； if anything be damned；
It will be twelve o'clock at night； that twelve
Will never scape。
CYRIL TOURNEUR。The Revenger's Tragedy。
Letters arrived at Arnstead generally while the family was