left her more weary。
〃Hugh！〃 she said； kindly。
〃Dear Euphra！〃 he answered； kissing the little hand he held in his。
She looked at him for a little while； and the tears rose in her
eyes。
〃Hugh； I am a cripple for life。〃
〃God forbid； Euphra！〃 was all he could reply。
She shook her head mournfully。 Then a strange； wild look came in
her eyes； and grew till it seemed from them to overflow and cover
her whole face with a troubled expression； which increased to a look
of dull agony。
〃What is the matter； dear Euphra？〃 said Hugh； in alarm。 〃Is your
foot very painful？〃
She made no answer。 She was looking fixedly at his hand。
〃Shall I call Jane？〃
She shook her head。
〃Can I do nothing for you？〃
〃No；〃 she answered； almost angrily。
〃Shall I go； Euphra？〃
〃Yesyes。 Go。〃
He left the room instantly。 But a sharp though stifled cry of
despair drew him back at a bound。 Euphra had fainted。
He rang the bell for Jane； and lingered till he saw signs of
returning consciousness。
What could this mean？ He was more perplexed with her than ever he
had been。 Cunning love； however； soon found a way of explaining
itA way？Twenty waysnot one of them the way。
Next day； Lady Emily brought him a message from Euphranot to
distress himself about her； it was not his fault。
This message the bearer of it understood to refer to the original
accident； as the sender of it intended she should： the receiver
interpreted it of the occurrence of the day before； as the sender
likewise intended。 It comforted him。
It had become almost a habit with Hugh； to ascend the oak tree in
the evening； and sit alone； sometimes for hours； in the nest he had
built for Harry。 One time he took a book with him； another he went
without； and now and then Harry accompanied him。 But I have already
said； that often after tea； when the house became oppressive to him
from the longing to see Euphra； he would wander out alone； when；
even in the shadows of the coming night； he would sometimes climb
the nest； and there sit； hearing all that the leaves whispered about
the sleeping birds； without listening to a word of it； or trying to
interpret it by the kindred sounds of his own inner world； and the
tree…talk that went on there in secret。 For the divinity of that
inner world had abandoned it for the present； in pursuit of an
earthly maiden。 So its birds were silent； and its trees trembled
not。
An aging moon was feeling her path somewhere through the heavens；
but a thin veil of cloud was spread like a tent under the hyaline
dome where she walked； so that； instead of a white moon； there was a
great white cloud to enlighten the earth；a cloud soaked full of
her pale rays。 Hugh sat in the oak…nest。 He knew not how long he
had been there。 Light after light was extinguished in the house；
and still he sat there brooding； dreaming； in that state of mind in
which to the good； good things come of themselves； and to the evil；
evil things。 The nearness of the Ghost's Walk did not trouble him；
for he was too much concerned about Euphra to fear ghost or demon。
His mind heeded them not； and so was beyond their influence。
But while he sat； he became aware of human voices。 He looked out
from his leafy screen； and saw once more； at the end of the Ghost's
Walk； a form clothed in white。 But there were voices of two。 He
sent his soul into his ears to listen。 A horrible； incredible；
impossible idea forced itself upon himthat the tones were those of
Euphra and Funkelstein。 The one voice was weak and complaining； the
other firm and strong。
〃It must be some horrible ghost that imitates her；〃 he said to
himself； for he was nearly crazy at the very suggestion。
He would see nearer； if only to get rid of that frightful
insinuation of the tempter。 He descended the tree noiselessly。 He
lost sight of the figure as he did so。 He drew near the place where
he had seen it。 But there was no sound of voices now to guide him。
As he came within sight of the spot； he saw the white figure in the
arms of another； a man。 Her head was lying on his shoulder。 A
moment after； she was lifted in those arms and borne towards the
house；down the Ghost's Avenue。
A burning agony to be satisfied of his doubts seized on Hugh。 He
fled like a deer to the house by another path； tried； in his
suspicion； the library window； found it open； and was at Euphra's
door in a moment。 Here he hesitated。 She must be inside。 How dare
he knock or enter？
If she was there； she would be asleep。 He would not wake her。
There was no time to lose。 He would risk anything； to be rid of
this horrible doubt。
He gently opened the door。 The night…light was burning。 He
thought； at first； that Euphra was in the bed。 He felt like a
thief； but he stole nearer。 She was not there。 She was not on the
couch。 She was not in the room。 Jane was fast asleep in the
dressing…room。 It was enough。
He withdrew。 He would watch at his door to see her return； for she
must pass his door to reach her own。 He waited a time that seemed
hours。 At lengthhorrible； far more horrible to him than the
vision of the ghostEuphra crept past him； appearing in the
darkness to crawl along the wall against which she supported
herself； and scarcely suppressing her groans of pain。 She reached
her own room； and entering； closed the door。
Hugh was nearly mad。 He rushed down the stair to the library； and
out into the wood。 Why or whither he knew not。
Suddenly he received a blow on the head。 It did not stun him； but
he staggered under it。 Had he run against a tree？ No。 There was
the dim bulk of a man disappearing through the boles。 He darted
after him。 The man heard his footsteps； stopped； and waited in
silence。 As Hugh came up to him； he made a thrust at him with some
weapon。 He missed his aim。 The weapon passed through his coat and
under his arm。 The next moment； Hugh had wrenched the sword…stick
from him； thrown it away； and grappled withFunkelstein。 But
strong as Hugh was； the Bohemian was as strong； and the contest was
doubtful。 Strange as it may seemin the midst of it； while each
held the other unable to move； the conviction flashed upon Hugh's
mind； that； whoever might have taken Lady Euphrasia's ring； he was
grappling with the thief of his father's。
〃Give me my ring；〃 gasped he。
An imprecation of a sufficiently emphatic character was the only
reply。 The Bohemian got one hand loose； and Hugh heard a sound like
the breaking of glass。 Before he could gain any advantagefor his
antagonist seemed for the moment to have concentrated all his force
in the other handa wet handkerchief was held firmly to his face。
His fierceness died away； he was lapt in the vapour of dreams； and
his senses departed。
CHAPTER XXIX。
HUGH'S AWAKING。
But ah！ believe me； there is more than so；
That works such wonders in the minds of men；
I； that have often proved； too well it know；
And whoso list the like assays to ken；
Shall find by trial； and confess it then；
That beauty is not； as fond men misdeem；
An outward show of things that only seem！
But ye； fair dames； the world's dear ornaments；
And lively images of heaven's light；
Let not your beams with such disparagements
Be dimmed； and your bright glory darkened quite；
But； mindful still of your first country's sight；
Do still preserve your first informed grace；
Whose shadow yet shines in your beauteous face。
SPENSER。Hymn in Honour of Beauty。
When Hugh came to himself； he was lying； in the first grey of the
dawn； amidst the dews and vapours of the morning woods。 He rose and
looked around him。 The Ghost's Walk lay in long silence before him。
Here and there a little bird moved and peeped。 The glory of a new
day was climbing up the eastern coast of heaven。 It would be a day
of late summer； crowned with flame； and throbbing with ripening
life。 But for him the spirit was gone out of the world； and it was
nought but a mass of blind； heartless forces。
Possibly； had he overheard the conversation； the motions only of
which he had overseen the preceding night； he would； although
equally perplexed； have thought more gently of Euphra； but； in the
mood into which even then he must have been thrown； his deeper
feelings towards her could hardly have been different from what they
were now。 Although he had often felt that Euphra was not very good；
not a suspicion had crossed his mind as to what he would have called
the purity of her nature。 Like many youths； even of character
inferior to his own； he had the loftiest notions of feminine grace；
and unspottedness in thought and feeling； not to say action and aim。
Now he found that he had loved a woman who would creep from her
chamber； at the cost of great suffering； and almost at the risk of
her life； to meet； in the night and the woods； a man no better than
an assassinprobably a thief。 Had he been more versed in the ways
of women； or in the probabilities of things； he would have judged
that the very extravagance of the action demanded a deeper
explanation than what seemed to lie on the surface。 Yet； although
he judged Euphra very hardly upon those grounds； would he have
judged her differently had he actually known all？ About this I am
left to conjecture alone。
But the effect on Hugh was different from what the ordinary reader
of human nature might anticipate。 Instead of being torn in pieces
by storms of jealousy； all the summer growths of his love were
chilled by an absolute frost of death。 A kind of annihilation sank
upon the image of Euphra。 There had been no such Euphra。 She had
been but a creation of his own brain。 It was not so much that he
ceased to love； as that the being belovednot died； butceased to
exist。 There were moments in which he seemed to love her still with
a wild outcry of passion； but the frenzy soon vanished in the
selfish feeling of his own loss。 His love was not a high onenot
such as thine； my Falconer。 Thine was love indeed； though its tale
is too good to tell； simply because it is too good to be believed；
and we do men a wrong sometimes when we tell them more than they can
receive。
Thought； Speculation； Suggestion； crowded upon each other