〃She has taken it into her head to like no one but you； and you must
just stay with her。〃
〃Very well； ma'am。 I shall be most happy。〃
Mrs。 Elton left the room。 Lady Emily said：
〃Read something to me； Margaret。〃
〃What shall I read？〃
〃Anything you like。〃
Margaret got a Bible； and read to her one of her father's favourite
chapters； the fortieth of Isaiah。
〃I have no right to trust in God； Margaret。〃
〃Why； my lady？〃
〃Because I do not feel any faith in him； and you know we cannot be
accepted without faith。〃
〃That is to make God as changeable as we are； my lady。〃
〃But the Bible says so。〃
〃I don't think it does； but if an angel from heaven said so； I would
not believe it。〃
〃Margaret！〃
〃My lady； I love God with all my heart； and I cannot bear you should
think so of him。 You might as well say that a mother would go away
from her little child； lying moaning in the dark； because it could
not see her； and was afraid to put its hand out into the dark to
feel for her。〃
〃Then you think he does care for us； even when we are very wicked。
But he cannot bear wicked people。〃
〃Who dares to say that？〃 cried Margaret。 〃Has he not been making the
world go on and on； with all the wickedness that is in it； yes；
making new babies to be born of thieves and murderers and sad women
and all； for hundreds of years？ God help us； Lady Emily！ If he
cannot bear wicked people； then this world is hell itself； and the
Bible is all a lie； and the Saviour did never die for sinners。 It
is only the holy Pharisees that can't bear wicked people。〃
〃Oh！ how happy I should be； if that were true！ I should not be
afraid now。〃
〃You are not wicked； dear Lady Emily； but if you were； God would
bend over you； trying to get you back； like a father over his sick
child。 Will people never believe about the lost sheep？〃
〃Oh！ yes； I believe that。 But then〃
〃You can't trust it quite。 Trust in God； then； the very father of
youand never mind the words。 You have been taught to turn the
very words of God against himself。〃
Lady Emily was weeping。
〃Lady Emily；〃 Margaret went on； 〃if I felt my heart as hard as a
stone； if I did not love God； or man； or woman； or little child； I
would yet say to God in my heart： 'O God； see how I trust thee；
because thou art perfect； and not changeable like me。 I do not love
thee。 I love nobody。 I am not even sorry for it。 Thou seest how
much I need thee to come close to me； to put thy arm round me； to
say to me； my child； for the worse my state； the greater my need of
my father who loves me。 Come to me； and my day will dawn。 My
beauty and my love will come back； and oh！ how I shall love thee； my
God！ and know that my love is thy love； my blessedness thy being。'〃
As Margaret spoke； she seemed to have forgotten Lady Emily's
presence； and to be actually praying。 Those who cannot receive such
words from the lips of a lady's…maid； must be reminded what her
father was； and that she had lost him。 She had had advantages at
least equal to those which David the Shepherd hadand he wrote the
Psalms。
She ended with：
〃I do not even desire thee to come； yet come thou。〃
She seemed to pray entirely as Lady Emily； not as Margaret。 When
she had ceased； Lady Emily said； sobbing：
〃You will not leave me； Margaret？ I will tell you why another
time。〃
〃I will not leave you； my dear lady。〃
Margaret stooped and kissed her forehead。 Lady Emily threw her arms
round her neck； and offered her mouth to be kissed by the maid。 In
another minute she was fast asleep； with Margaret seated by her
side； every now and then glancing up at her from her work； with a
calm face； over which brooded the mist of tears。
That night； as Hugh paced up and down the floor of his study about
midnight； he was awfully startled by the sudden opening of the door
and the apparition of Harry in his nightshirt； pale as death； and
scarcely able to articulate the words：
〃The ghost！ the ghost！〃
He took the poor boy in his arms； held him fast； and comforted him。
When he was a little soothed；
〃Oh； Harry！〃 he said； lightly； 〃you've been dreaming。 Where's the
ghost？〃
〃In the Ghost's Walk；〃 cried Harry； almost shrieking anew with
terror。
〃How do you know it is there？〃
〃I saw it from my window。I couldn't sleep。 I got up and looked
outI don't know whyand I saw it！ I saw it！〃
The words were followed by a long cry of terror。
〃Come and show it to me；〃 said Hugh； wanting to make light of it。
〃No； no； Mr。 Sutherlandplease not。 I couldn't go back into that
room。〃
〃Very well； dear Harry； you shan't go back。 You shall sleep with
me； to…night。〃
〃Oh！ thank you； thank you； dear Mr。 Sutherland。 You will love me
again； won't you？〃
This touched Hugh's heart。 He could hardly refrain from tears。 His
old love； buried before it was dead； revived。 He clasped the boy to
his heart； and carried him to his own bed； then； to comfort him；
undressed and lay down beside him； without even going to look if he
too might not see the ghost。 She had brought about one good thing
at least that night； though； I fear； she had no merit in it。
Lady Emily's room likewise looked out upon the Ghost's Walk。
Margaret heard the cry as she sat by the sleeping Emily； and； not
knowing whence it came； went； naturally enough； in her perplexity；
to the window。 From it she could see distinctly； for it was clear
moonlight： a white figure went gliding away along the deserted
avenue。 She immediately guessed what the cry had meant； but as she
had heard a door bang directly after （as Harry shut his behind him
with a terrified instinct； to keep the awful window in）； she was not
very uneasy about him。 She felt besides that she must remain where
she was； according to her promise to Lady Emily。 But she resolved
to be prepared for the possible recurrence of the same event； and
accordingly revolved it in her mind。 She was sure that any report
of it coming to Lady Emily's ears； would greatly impede her
recovery； for she instinctively felt that her illness had something
to do with the questionable occupations in the library。 She watched
by her bedside all the night； slumbering at times； but roused in a
moment by any restlessness of the patient； when she found that；
simply by laying her hand on hers； or kissing her forehead； she
could restore her at once to quiet sleep。
CHAPTER XIX。
THE GHOST'S WALK。
Thierry。'Tis full of fearful shadows。
Ordella。 So is sleep； sir；
Or anything that's merely ours； and mortal；
We were begotten gods else。 But those fears
Feeling but once the fires of nobler thoughts；
Fly； like the shapes of clouds we form； to nothing。
BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER。Thierry and Theodoret。
Margaret sat watching the waking of Lady Emily。 Knowing how much
the first thought colours the feeling of the whole day； she wished
that Lady Emily should at once be aware that she was by her side。
She opened her eyes； and a smile broke over her face when she
perceived her nurse。 But Margaret did not yet speak to her。
Every nurse should remember that waking ought always to be a gradual
operation； and； except in the most triumphant health； is never
complete on the opening of the eyes。
〃Margaret； I am better；〃 said Lady Emily； at last。
〃I am very glad； my lady。〃
〃I have been lying awake for some time； and I am sure I am better。
I don't see strange…coloured figures floating about the room as I
did yesterday。 Were you not out of the room a few minutes ago？〃
〃Just for one moment； my lady。〃
〃I knew it。 But I did not mind it。 Yesterday； when you left me；
those figures grew ten times as many； the moment you were gone。 But
you will stay with me to…day； too； Margaret？〃 she added； with some
anxiety。
〃I will； if you find you need me。 But I may be forced to leave you
a little while this eveningyou must try to allow me this； dear
Lady Emily。〃
〃Of course I will。 I will be quite patient； I promise you； whatever
comes to me。〃
When Harry woke； after a very troubled sleep； from which he had
often started with sudden cries of terror； Hugh made him promise not
to increase the confusion of the household； by speaking of what he
had seen。 Harry promised at once； but begged in his turn that Hugh
would not leave him all day。 It did not need the pale scared face
of his pupil to enforce the request； for Hugh was already anxious
lest the fright the boy had had； should exercise a permanently
deleterious effect on his constitution。 Therefore he hardly let him
out of his sight。
But although Harry kept his word； the cloud of perturbation gathered
thicker in the kitchen and the servants' hall。 Nothing came to the
ears of their master and mistress； but gloomy looks； sudden starts；
and sidelong glances of fear； indicated the prevailing character of
the feelings of the household。
And although Lady Emily was not so ill； she had not yet taken a
decided turn for the better； but appeared to suffer from some kind
of low fever。 The medical man who was called in； confessed to Mrs。
Elton； that as yet he could say nothing very decided about her
condition； but recommended great quiet and careful nursing。
Margaret scarcely left her room； and the invalid showed far more
than the ordinary degree of dependence upon her nurse。 In her
relation to her； she was more like a child than an invalid。
About noon she was better。 She called Margaret and said to her：
〃Margaret； dear； I should like to tell you one thing that annoys me
very much。〃
〃What is it； dear Lady Emily？〃
〃That man haunts me。 I cannot bear the thought of him； and yet I
cannot get rid of him。 I am sure he is a bad man。 Are you certain
he is not here？〃
〃Yes； indeed； my lady。 He has not been here since the day before
yesterday。〃
〃And yet when you leave me for an instant； I always feel as if he
were sitting in the very seat where you were the moment before； or
just coming to the door and about to open it。 That is why I cannot
bear you to leave me。〃
Margaret might have confessed to some slighter sensations of the
same kind； but they did not oppress her as they did Lady Emily。
〃God is nearer to you than any thought or feeling