and more alarming apparition of Lady Euphrasia； that he had hardly
had time to speculate on what the former could have been。 He was
meditating upon all these strange events； and remarking to himself
that； since his midnight encounter with Lady Euphrasia； the house
had been as quiet as a church…yard at noon； when all suddenly； he
saw before him； at some little distance； a dark figure approaching
him。 His heart seemed to bound into his throat and choke him； as he
said to himself： 〃It is the nun again！〃 But the next moment he saw
that it was Euphra。 I do not know which he would have preferred not
meeting alone； and in the deepening twilight： Euphra； too； had
become like a ghost to him。 His first impulse was to turn aside
into the wood； but she had seen him； and was evidently going to
address him。 He therefore advanced to meet her。 She spoke first；
approaching him with painful steps。
〃I have been looking for you； Mr。 Sutherland。 I wanted very much to
have a little conversation with you before you go。 Will you allow
me？〃
Hugh felt like a culprit directly。 Euphra's manner was quite
collected and kind； yet through it all a consciousness showed
itself； that the relation which had once existed between them had
passed away for ever。 In her voice there was something like the
tone of wind blowing through a ruin。
〃I shall be most happy；〃 said he。
She smiled sadly。 A great change had passed upon her。
〃I am going to be quite open with you；〃 she said。 〃I am perfectly
aware； as well as you are； that the boyish fancy you had for me is
gone。 Do not be offended。 You are manly enough； but your love for
me was boyish。 Most first loves are childish； quite irrespective of
age。 I do not blame you in the least。〃
This seemed to Hugh rather a strange style to assume； if all was
true that his own eyes had reported。 She went on：
〃Nor must you think it has cost me much to lose it。〃
Hugh felt hurt； at which no one who understands will be surprised。
〃But I cannot afford to lose you； the only friend I have；〃 she
added。
Hugh turned towards her with a face full of manhood and truth。
〃You shall not lose me； Euphra； if you will be honest to yourself
and to me。〃
〃Thank you。 I can trust you。 I will be honest。〃
At that moment； without the revival of a trace of his former
feelings； Hugh felt nearer to her than he had ever felt before。 Now
there seemed to be truth between them； the only medium through which
beings can unite。
〃I fear I have wronged you much；〃 she went on。 〃I do not mean some
time ago。〃 Here she hesitated。〃I fear I am the cause of your
leaving Arnstead。〃
〃You； Euphra？ No。 You must be mistaken。〃
〃I think not。 But I am compelled to make an unwilling disclosure of
a secreta sad secret about myself。 Do not hate me quiteI am a
somnambulist。〃
She hid her face in her hands； as if the night which had now closed
around them did not hide her enough。 Hugh did not reply。 Absorbed
in the interest which both herself and her confession aroused in
him； he could only listen eagerly。 She went on； after a moment's
pause：
〃I did not think at first that I had taken the ring。 I thought
another had。 But last night； and not till then； I discovered that I
was the culprit。〃
〃How？〃
〃That requires explanation。 I have no recollection of the events of
the previous night when I have been walking in my sleep。 Indeed；
the utter absence of a sense of dreaming always makes me suspect
that I have been wandering。 But sometimes I have a vivid dream；
which I know； though I can give no proof of it； to be a reproduction
of some previous somnambulic experience。 Do not ask me to recall
the horrors I dreamed last night。 I am sure I took the ring。〃
〃Then you dreamed what you did with it？〃
〃Yes； I gave it to〃
Here her voice sank and ceased。 Hugh would not urge her。
〃Have you mentioned this to Mr。 Arnold？〃
〃No。 I do not think it would do any good。 But I will； if you wish
it；〃 she added submissively。
〃Not at all。 Just as you think best。〃
〃I could not tell him everything。 I cannot tell you everything。 If
I did； Mr。 Arnold would turn me out of the house。 I am a very
unhappy girl； Mr。 Sutherland。〃
》From the tone of these words； Hugh could not for a moment suppose
that Euphra had any remaining design of fascination in them。
〃Perhaps he might want to keep you； if I told him all； but I do not
think； after the way he has behaved to you； that you could stay with
him； for he would never apologize。 It is very selfish of me； but
indeed I have not the courage to confess to him。〃
〃I assure you nothing could make me remain now。 But what can I do
for you？〃
〃Only let me depend upon you； in case I should need your help； or〃
Here Euphra stopped suddenly； and caught hold of Hugh's left hand；
which he had lifted to brush an insect from his face。
〃Where is your ring？〃 she said； in a tone of suppressed anxiety。
〃Gone； Euphra。 My father's ring！ It was lying beside Lady
Euphrasia's。〃
Euphra's face was again hidden in her hands。 She sobbed and moaned
like one in despair。 When she grew a little calmer； she said：
〃I am sure I did not take your ring； dear HughI am not a thief。 I
had a kind of right to the other； and he said it ought to have been
his； for his real name was Count von Halkarthe same name as Lady
Euphrasia's before she was married。 He took it； I am sure。〃
〃It was he that knocked me down in the dark that night then；
Euphra。〃
〃Did he？ Oh！ I shall have to tell you all。That wretch has a
terrible power over me。 I loved him once。 But I refused to take
the ring from your desk； because I knew it would get you into
trouble。 He threw me into a somnambulic sleep； and sent me for the
ring。 But I should have remembered if I had taken yours。 Even in
my sleep； I don't think he could have made me do that。 You may know
I speak the truth； when I am telling my own disgrace。 He promised
to set me free if I would get the ring； but he has not done it； and
he will not。〃
Sobs again interrupted her。
〃I was afraid your ring was gone。 I don't know why I thought so；
except that you hadn't it on； when you came to see me。 Or perhaps
it was because I am sometimes forced to think what that wretch is
thinking。 He made me go to him that night you saw me； Hugh。 But I
was so ill； I don't think I should have been able； but that I could
not rest till I had asked him about your ring。 He said he knew
nothing about it。〃
〃I am sure be has it；〃 said Hugh。 And he related to Euphra the
struggle he had had with Funkelstein and its result。 She shuddered。
〃I have been a devil to you； Hugh； I have betrayed you to him。 You
will never see your ring again。 Here； take mine。 It is not so good
as yours； but for the sake of the old way you thought of me； take
it。〃
〃No； no； Euphra； Mr。 Arnold would miss it。 Besides； you know it
would not be my father's ring； and it was not for the value of the
diamond I cared most about it。 And I am not sure that I shall not
find it again。 I am going up to London； where I shall fall in with
him； I hope。〃
〃But do take care of yourself。 He has no conscience。 God knows； I
have had little； but he has none。〃
〃I know he has none； but a conscience is not a bad auxiliary； and
there I shall have some advantage of him。 But what could he want
that ring of Lady Euphrasia's for？〃
〃I don't know。 He never told me。〃
〃It was not worth much。〃
〃Next to nothing。〃
〃I shall be surer to find that than my own。 And I will find it； if
I can； that Mr。 Arnold may believe I was not to blame。〃
〃Do。 But be careful。〃
〃Don't fear。 I will be careful。〃
She held out her hand； as if to take leave of him； but withdrew it
again with the sudden cry：
〃What shall I do？ I thought he had left me to myself； till that
night in the library。〃
She held down her head in silence。 Then she said； slowly； in a tone
of agony：
〃I am a slave； body and soul。Hugh！〃 she added； passionately； and
looking up in his face； 〃do you think there is a God？〃
Her eyes glimmered with the faint reflex from gathered tears； that
silently overflowed。
And now Hugh's own poverty struck him with grief and humiliation。
Here was a soul seeking God； and he had no right to say that there
was a God； for he knew nothing about him。 He had been told so； but
what could that far…off witness do for the need of a desolate heart？
She had been told so a million of times。 He could not say that he
knew it。 That was what she wanted and needed。
He was honest； and so replied：
〃I do not know。 I hope so。〃
He felt that she was already beyond him； for she had begun to cry
into the vague； seemingly heartless void； and say：
〃Is there a God somewhere to hear me when I cry？〃
And with all the teaching he had had； he had no word of comfort to
give。 Yes； he had： he had known David Elginbrod。
Before he had shaped his thought； she said：
〃I think； if there were a God； he would help me； for I am nothing
but a poor slave now。 I have hardly a will of my own。〃
The sigh she heaved told of a hopeless oppression。
〃The best man； and the wisest； and the noblest I ever knew；〃 said
Hugh； 〃believed in God with his whole heart and soul and strength
and mind。 In fact； he cared for nothing but God； or rather； he
cared for everything because it belonged to God。 He was never afraid
of anything； never vexed at anything； never troubled about anything。
He was a good man。〃
Hugh was surprised at the light which broke upon the character of
David； as he held it before his mind's eye； in order to describe it
to Euphra。 He seemed never to have understood him before。
〃Ah！ I wish I knew him。 I would go to that man； and ask him to
save me。 Where does he live？〃
〃Alas！ I do not know whether he is alive or deadthe more to my
shame。 But he lives； if he lives； far away in the north of
Scotland。〃
She paused。
〃No。 I could not go there。 I will write to him。〃
Hugh could not discourage her； though he doubted whether a real
communication could be established between them。
〃I will write down his address for you； when I go in；〃 said he。 〃But
what can he save you from？〃
〃From no God；〃 she an