have not succeeded yet。〃
〃Confess yourself vanquished； then； and come to dinner。〃
〃I am very unwilling to give in； for I feel convinced that if I had
leisure to copy the inscription as far as I can read it； I should；
with the help of my dictionary； soon supply the rest。 I am very
unwilling； as well； to lose a chance of the favour of Lady Emily。〃
〃Yes； do read it； if you can。 I too am dying to hear it；〃 said
Euphra。
〃Will you trust me with it； Mr。 Arnold？ I will take the greatest
care of it。〃
〃Oh； certainly！〃 replied Mr。 Arnoldwith a little hesitation in his
tone； however； of which Hugh was too eager to take any notice。
He carried it to his room immediately； and laid it beside his
manuscript verses； in the hiding…place of the old escritoire。 He
was in the drawing…room a moment after。
There he found Euphra and the Bohemian alone。Von Funkelstein had；
in an incredibly short space of time； established himself as
Hausfreund； and came and went as he pleased。They looked as if they
had been interrupted in a hurried and earnest conversationtheir
faces were so impassive。 Yet Euphra's wore a considerably
heightened coloura more articulate indication。 She could school
her features； but not her complexion。
CHAPTER XXIII。
THE WAGER。
He。。。stakes this ring；
And would so； had it been a carbuncle
Of Ph渂us' wheel； and might so safely； had it
Been all the worth of his car。
Cymbeline。
Hugh； of course； had an immediate attack of jealousy。 Wishing to
show it in one quarter； and hide it in every other； he carefully
abstained from looking once in the direction of Euphra； while；
throughout the dinner； he spoke to every one else as often as there
was the smallest pretext for doing so。 To enable himself to keep
this up； he drank wine freely。 As he was in general very moderate；
by the time the ladies rose； it had begun to affect his brain。 It
was not half so potent； however； in its influences； as the parting
glance which Euphra succeeded at last； as she left the room； in
sending through his eyes to his heart。
Hugh sat down to the table again； with a quieter tongue； but a
busier brain。 He drank still； without thinking of the consequences。
A strong will kept him from showing any signs of intoxication； but
he was certainly nearer to that state than he had ever been in his
life before。
The Bohemian started the new subject which generally follows the
ladies' departure。
〃How long is it since Arnstead was first said to be haunted； Mr。
Arnold？〃
〃Haunted！ Herr von Funkelstein？ I am at a loss to understand you；〃
replied Mr。 Arnold； who resented any such allusion； being subversive
of the honour of his house； almost as much as if it had been
depreciative of his own。
〃I beg your pardon； Mr。 Arnold。 I thought it was an open subject of
remark。〃
〃So it is；〃 said Hugh； 〃every one knows that。〃
Mr。 Arnold was struck dumb with indignation。 Before he had
recovered himself sufficiently to know what to say； the conversation
between the other two had assumed a form to which his late
experiences inclined him to listen with some degree of interest。
But； his pride sternly forbidding him to join in it； he sat sipping
his wine in careless sublimity。
〃You have seen it yourself； then？〃 said the Bohemian。
〃I did not say that；〃 answered Hugh。 〃But I heard one of the maids
say oncewhen〃
He paused。
This hesitation of his witnessed against him afterwards； in Mr。
Arnold's judgment。 But he took no notice now。Hugh ended tamely
enough：
〃Why； it is commonly reported amongst the servants。〃
〃With a blue light？Such as we saw that night from the library
window； I suppose。〃
〃I did not say that；〃 answered Hugh。 〃Besides； it was nothing of the
sort you saw from the library。 It was only the moon。 But〃
He paused again。 Von Funkelstein saw the condition he was in； and
pressed him。
〃You know something more； Mr。 Sutherland。〃
Hugh hesitated again； but only for a moment。
〃Well； then；〃 he said； 〃I have seen the spectre myself； walking in
her white grave…clothes； in the Ghost's Avenueha！ ha！〃
Funkelstein looked anxious。
〃Were you frightened？〃 said he。
〃Frightened！〃 repeated Hugh； in a tone of the greatest contempt。 〃I
am of Don Juan's opinion with regard to such gentry。〃
〃What is that？〃
〃'That soul and body； on the whole；
Are odds against a disembodied soul。'〃
〃Bravo！〃 cried the count。 〃You despise all these tales about Lady
Euphrasia； wandering about the house with a death…candle in her
hand； looking everywhere about as if she had lost something； and
couldn't find it？〃
〃Pooh！ pooh！ I wish I could meet her！〃
〃Then you don't believe a word of it？〃
〃I don't say that。 There would be less of courage than boasting in
talking so； if I did not believe a word of it。〃
〃Then you do believe it？〃
But Hugh was too much of a Scotchman to give a hasty opinion； or
rather a direct answereven when half…tipsy； especially when such
was evidently desired。 He only shook and nodded his head at the
same moment。
〃Do you really mean you would meet her if you could？〃
〃I do。〃
〃Then； if all tales are true； you may； without much difficulty。 For
the coachman told me only to…day； that you may see her light in the
window of that room almost any night； towards midnight。 He told me；
too （for I made quite a friend of him to…day； on purpose to hear his
tales）； that one of the maids； who left the other day； told the
groomand he told the coachmanthat she had once heard talking；
and； peeping through the key…hole of a door that led into that part
of the old house； saw a figure； dressed exactly like the picture of
Lady Euphrasia； wandering up and down； wringing her hands and
beating her breast； as if she were in terrible trouble。 She had a
light in her hand which burned awfully blue； and her face was the
face of a corpse； with pale…green spots。〃
〃You think to frighten me； Funkelstein； and make me tremble at what
I said a minute ago。 Instead of repeating that。 I say now： I will
sleep in Lady Euphrasia's room this night； if you like。〃
〃I lay you a hundred guineas you won't！〃 cried the Bohemian。
〃Done！〃 said Hugh； offering him his hand。 Funkelstein took it； and
so the bet was committed to the decision of courage。
〃Well； gentlemen；〃 interposed Mr。 Arnold at last； 〃you might have
left a corner for me somewhere。 Without my permission you will
hardly settle your wager。〃
〃I beg your pardon； Mr。 Arnold；〃 said Funkelstein。 〃We got rather
excited over it； and forgot our manners。 But I am quite willing to
give it up； if Mr。 Sutherland will。〃
〃Not I；〃 said Hugh；〃that is； of course； if Mr。 Arnold has no
objection。〃
〃Of course not。 My house； ghost and all； is at your service；
gentlemen；〃 responded Mr。 Arnold； rising。
They went to the drawing…room。 Mr。 Arnold； strange to say； was in a
good humour。 He walked up to Mrs。 Elton； and said：
〃These wicked men have been betting； Mrs。 Elton。〃
〃I am surprised they should be so silly；〃 said she； with a smile；
taking it as a joke。
〃What have they been betting about？〃 said Euphra； coming up to her
uncle。
〃Herr von Funkelstein has laid a hundred guineas that Mr。 Sutherland
will not sleep in Lady Euphrasia's room to…night。〃
Euphra turned pale。
〃By sleep I suppose you mean spend the night？〃 said Hugh to
Funkelstein。 〃I cannot be certain of sleeping； you know。〃
〃Of course； I mean that；〃 answered the other； and； turning to
Euphrasia； continued：
〃I must say I consider it rather courageous of him to dare the
spectre as he does； for he cannot say he disbelieves in her。 But
come and sing me one of the old songs；〃 he added； in an under tone。
Euphra allowed him to lead her to the piano； but instead of singing
a song to him； she played some noisy music； through which he and she
contrived to talk for some time； without being overheard； after
which he left the room。 Euphra then looked round to Hugh； and
begged him with her eyes to come to her。 He could not resist；
burning with jealousy as he was。
〃Are you sure you have nerve enough for this； Hugh？〃 she said； still
playing。
〃I have had nerve enough to sit still and look at you for the last
half hour；〃 answered Hugh； rudely。
She turned pale； and glanced up at him with a troubled look。 Then；
without responding to his answer； said：
〃I daresay the count is not over…anxious to hold you to your bet。〃
〃Pray intercede for me with the count； madam；〃 answered Hugh；
sarcastically。 〃He would not wish the young fool to be frightened； I
daresay。 But perhaps he wishes to have an interview with the ghost
himself； and grudges me the privilege。〃
She turned deadly pale this time； and gave him one terrified glance；
but made no other reply to his words。 Still she played on。
〃You will arm yourself？〃
〃Against a ghost？ Yes； with a stout heart。〃
〃But don't forget the secret door through which we came that night；
Hugh。 I distrust the count。〃
The last words were spoken in a whisper； emphasized into almost a
hiss。
〃Tell him I shall be armed。 I tell you I shall meet him
bare…handed。 Betray me if you like。〃
Hugh had taken his revenge； and now came the reaction。 He gazed at
Euphra； but instead of the injured look； which was the best he could
hope to see； an expression of 〃pity and ruth〃 grew slowly in her
face； making it more lovely than ever in his eyes。 At last she
seemed on the point of bursting into tears； and； suddenly changing
the music； she began playing a dead…march。 She kept her eyes on the
keys。 Once more； only； she glanced round； to see whether Hugh was
still by her side； and he saw that her face was pale as death； and
wet with silent tears。 He had never seen her weep before。 He would
have fallen at her feet； had he been alone with her。 To hide his
feelings； he left the room； and then the house。
He wandered into the Ghost's Walk； and； finding himself there；
walked up and down in it。 This was certainly throwing the lady a
bold challenge； seeing he was going to spend the night in her room。
The excitement into which jealousy had thrown him； had been suddenly
checked by the sight of Euphra's tears。 The reaction； too； after
his