should he mention the crystal only？ He came to the conclusion that
it would only exasperate him the more； and perhaps turn suspicion
upon himself； if he communicated the fact that he too was a loser；
and to such an extent； for Hugh's ring was worth twenty of the
other； and was certainly as sacred as Mr。 Arnold's； if not so
ancient。 He would bear it in silence。 If the one could not be
found； there could certainly be no hope of the other。
Punctual as the clock； Mr。 Arnold returned。 It did not prejudice
him in favour of the reporter of bad tidings； that he begged a word
with him before dinner； when that was on the point of being served。
It was； indeed； exceeding impolitic； but Hugh would have felt like
an impostor； had he sat down to the table before making his
confession。
〃Mr。 Arnold； I am sorry to say I have been robbed； and in your
house； too。〃
〃In my house？ Of what； pray； Mr。 Sutherland？〃
Mr。 Arnold had taken the information as some weak men take any kind
of information referring to themselves or their belongingsnamely；
as an insult。 He drew himself up； and lowered portentously。
〃Of your ring； Mr。 Arnold。〃
〃Ofmyring？〃
And he looked at his ring…finger； as if he could not understand the
import of Hugh's words。
〃Of the ring you lent me to decipher；〃 explained Hugh。
〃Do you suppose I do not understand you； Mr。 Sutherland？ A ring
which has been in the family for two hundred years at least！ Robbed
of it？ In my house？ You must have been disgracefully careless； Mr。
Sutherland。 You have lost it。〃
〃Mr。 Arnold；〃 said Hugh； with dignity； 〃I am above using such a
subterfuge； even if it were not certain to throw suspicion where it
was undeserved。〃
Mr。 Arnold was a gentleman； as far as his self…importance allowed。
He did not apologize for what he had said； but he changed his
manner at once。
〃I am quite bewildered； Mr。 Sutherland。 It is a very annoying piece
of newsfor many reasons。〃
〃I can show you where I laid itin the safest corner in my room； I
assure you。〃
〃Of course； of course。 It is enough you say so。 We must not keep
the dinner waiting now。 But after dinner I shall have all the
servants up； and investigate the matter thoroughly。〃
〃So；〃 thought Hugh with himself； 〃some one will be made a felon of；
because the cursed dead go stalking about this infernal house at
midnight； gathering their own old baubles。 No； that will not do。 I
must at least tell Mr。 Arnold what I know of the doings of the
night。〃
So Mr。 Arnold must still wait for his dinner； or rather； which was
really of more consequence in the eyes of Mr。 Arnold； the dinner
must be kept waiting for him。 For order and custom were two of Mr。
Arnold's divinities； and the economy of his whole nature was apt to
be disturbed by any interruption of their laws； such as the
postponement of dinner for ten minutes。 He was walking towards the
door； and turned with some additional annoyance when Hugh addressed
him again：
〃One moment； Mr。 Arnold； if you please。〃
Mr。 Arnold merely turned and waited。
〃I fear I shall in some degree forfeit your good opinion by what I
am about to say； but I must run the risk。〃
Mr。 Arnold still waited。
〃There is more about the disappearance of the ring than I can
understand。〃
〃Or I either； Mr。 Sutherland。〃
〃But I must tell you what happened to myself； the night that I kept
watch in Lady Euphrasia's room。〃
〃You said you slept soundly。〃
〃So I did； part of the time。〃
〃Then you kept back part of the truth？〃
〃I did。〃
〃Was that worthy of you？〃
〃I thought it best： I doubted myself。〃
〃What has caused you to change your mind now？〃
〃This event about the ring。〃
〃What has that to do with it？ How do you even know that it was
taken on that night？〃
〃I do not know； for till this morning I had not opened the place
where it lay： I only suspect。〃
〃I am a magistrate； Mr。 Sutherland： I would rather not be prejudiced
by suspicions。〃
〃The person to whom my suspicions refer； is beyond your
jurisdiction； Mr。 Arnold。〃
〃I do not understand you。〃
〃I will explain myself。〃
Hugh gave Mr。 Arnold a hurried yet circumstantial sketch of the
apparition he believed he had seen。
〃What am I to judge from all this？〃 asked he； coldly； almost
contemptuously。
〃I have told you the facts； of course I must leave the conclusions
to yourself； Mr。 Arnold； but I confess； for my part； that any
disbelief I had in apparitions is almost entirely removed since〃
〃Since you dreamed you saw one？〃
〃Since the disappearance of the ring；〃 said Hugh。
〃Bah！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Arnold； with indignation。 〃Can a ghost fetch
and carry like a spaniel？ Mr。 Sutherland； I am ashamed to have such
a reasoner for tutor to my son。 Come to dinner； and do not let me
hear another word of this folly。 I beg you will not mention it to
any one。〃
〃I have been silent hitherto； Mr。 Arnold； but circumstances； such as
the commitment of any one on the charge of stealing the ring； might
compel me to mention the matter。 It would be for the jury to
determine whether it was relevant or not。〃
It was evident that Mr。 Arnold was more annoyed at the imputation
against the nocturnal habits of his house； than at the loss of the
ring； or even its possible theft by one of his servants。 He looked
at Hugh for a moment as if he would break into a furious rage； then
his look gradually changed into one of suspicion； and； turning
without another word； he led the way to the dining…room； followed by
Hugh。 To have a ghost held in his face in this fashion； one bred in
his own house； too； when he had positively declared his absolute
contempt for every legend of the sort； was more than man could bear。
He sat down to dinner in gloomy silence； breaking it only as often
as he was compelled to do the duties of a host； which he performed
with a greater loftiness of ceremony than usual。
There was no summoning of the servants after dinner； however。
Hugh's warning had been effectual。 Nor was the subject once more
alluded to in Hugh's hearing。 No doubt Mr。 Arnold felt that
something ought to be done； but I presume he could never make up his
mind what that something ought to be。 Whether any reasons for not
prosecuting the inquiry had occurred to him upon further reflection；
I am unable to tell。 One thing is certain； that from this time he
ceased to behave to Hugh with that growing cordiality which he had
shown him for weeks past。 It was no great loss to Hugh； but he felt
it； and all the more； because he could not help associating it with
that look of suspicion； the remains of which were still discernible
on Mr。 Arnold's face。 Although he could not determine the exact
direction of Mr。 Arnold's suspicions； he felt that they bore upon
something associated with the crystal ring； and the story of the
phantom lady。 Consequently； there was little more of comfort for
him at Arnstead。
Mr。 Arnold； however； did not reveal his change of feeling so much by
neglect as by ceremony； which； sooner than anything else； builds a
wall of separation between those who meet every day。 For the
oftener they meet； the thicker and the faster are the bricks and
mortar of cold politeness； evidently avoided insults； and subjected
manifestations of dislike； laid together。
CHAPTER XXVIII。
A BIRD'S…EYE VIEW。
O； cocks are crowing a merry midnight；
I wot the wild…fowls are boding day；
Give me my faith and troth again；
And let me fare me on my way。
Sae painfully she clam the wa'；
She clam the wa' up after him；
Hosen nor shoon upon her feet；
She hadna time to put them on。
Scotch Ballad。Clerk Saunders。
Dreary days passed。 The reports of Euphra were as favourable as the
nature of the injury had left room to expect。 Still they were but
reports： Hugh could not see her； and the days passed drearily。 He
heard that the swelling was reduced； and that the ankle was found
not to be dislocated； but that the bones were considerably injured；
and that the final effect upon the use of the parts was doubtful。
The pretty foot lay aching in Hugh's heart。 When Harry went to
bed； he used to walk out and loiter about the grounds； full of
anxious fears and no less anxious hopes。 If the night was at all
obscure； he would pass； as often as he dared； under Euphra's window；
for all he could have of her now was a few rays from the same light
that lighted her chamber。 Then he would steal away down the main
avenue； and thence watch the same light； whose beams； in that
strange play which the intellect will keep up in spite ofyet in
association withthe heart； made a photo…materialist of him。 For
he would now no longer believe in the pulsations of an ethereal
medium； butthat the very material rays which enlightened Euphra's
face； whether she waked or slept； stole and filtered through the
blind and the gathered shadows； and entered in bodily essence into
the mysterious convolutions of his brain； where his soul and heart
sought and found them。
When a week had passed； she was so far recovered as to be able to
see Mr。 Arnold； from whom Hugh heard； in a somewhat reproachful
tone； that she was but the wreck of her former self。 It was all
that Hugh could do to restrain the natural outbreak of his feelings。
A fortnight passed； and she saw Mrs。 Elton and Lady Emily for a few
moments。 They would have left before； but had yielded to Mr。
Arnold's entreaty； and were staying till Euphra should be at least
able to be carried from her room。
One day； when the visitors were out with Mr。 Arnold； Jane brought a
message to Hugh； requesting him to walk into Miss Cameron's room；
for she wanted to see him。 Hugh felt his heart flutter as if
doubting whether to stop at once； or to dash through its confining
bars。 He rose and followed the maid。 He stood over Euphra pale and
speechless。 She lay before him wasted and wan； her eyes twice their
former size； but with half their former light； her fingers long and
transparent； and her voice low and feeble。 She had just raised
herself with difficulty to a sitting posture； and the effort had
left her more weary。
〃Hugh！〃 she said； kindly。
〃Dear Euphra！〃 he answered； kissing the little hand he held in his。