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good； feet invisible。 Hugh came to these conclusions rapidly
enough； now that his attention was directed to her； for； though
naturally unobservant； his perception was very acute as soon as his
attention was roused。
〃Thank you；〃 he replied to her pretty speech。 〃I shall do my best to
deserve it。〃
〃I hope you will； Mr。 Sutherland；〃 rejoined she； with another arch
look。 〃Take some wine； Harry。〃
She poured out a glass of sherry； and gave it to the boy； who drank
it with some eagerness。 Hugh could not approve of this； but thought
it too early to interfere。 Turning to Harry； he said：
〃Now； Harry； you have had rather a tiring morning。 I should like
you to go and lie down a while。〃
〃Very well； Mr。 Sutherland；〃 replied Harry； who seemed rather
deficient in combativeness； as well as other boyish virtues。 〃Shall
I lie down in the library？〃
〃Nohave a change。〃
〃In my bed…room？〃
〃No； I think not。 Go to my room； and lie on the couch till I come
to you。〃
Harry went； and Hugh； partly for the sake of saying something； and
partly to justify his treatment of Harry； told Euphra； whose surname
he did not yet know； what they had been about all the morning；
ending with some remark on the view of the house in front。 She
heard the account of their proceedings with apparent indifference；
replying only to the remark with which he closed it：
〃It is rather a large house； is it not； for threeI beg your
pardon； for four persons to live in； Mr。 Sutherland？〃
〃It is； indeed； it quite bewilders me。〃
〃To tell the truth； I don't quite know above the half of it myself。〃
Hugh thought this rather a strange assertion； large as the house
was； but she went on：
〃I lost myself between the housekeeper's room and my own； no later
than last week。〃
I suppose there was a particle of truth in this； and that she had
taken a wrong turning in an abstracted fit。 Perhaps she did not
mean it to be taken as absolutely true。
〃You have not lived here long； then？〃
〃Not long for such a great place。 A few years。 I am only a poor
relation。〃
She accompanied this statement with another swift uplifting of the
eyelids。 But this time her eyes rested for a moment on Hugh's； with
something of a pleading expression； and when they fell； a slight
sigh followed。 Hugh felt that he could not quite understand her。 A
vague suspicion crossed his mind that she was bewitching him； but
vanished instantly。 He replied to her communication by a smile； and
the remark：
〃You have the more freedom； then。Did you know Harry's mother？〃 he
added； after a pause。
〃No。 She died when Harry was born。 She was very beautiful； and；
they say； very clever； but always in extremely delicate health。
Between ourselves； I doubt if there was much sympathythat is； if
my uncle and she quite understood each other。 But that is an old
story。〃
A pause followed。 Euphra resumed：
〃As to the freedom you speak of； Mr。 Sutherland； I do not quite know
what to do with it。 I live here as if the place were my own； and
give what orders I please。 But Mr。 Arnold shows me little
attentionhe is so occupied with one thing and another； I hardly
know what； and if he did； perhaps I should get tired of him。 So；
except when we have visitors； which is not very often； the time
hangs rather heavy on my hands。〃
〃But you are fond of readingand writing； too； I suspect；〃 Hugh
ventured to say。
She gave him another of her glances； in which the apparent shyness
was mingled with something for which Hugh could not find a name。
Nor did he suspect； till long after； that it was in reality
slyness； so tempered with archness； that； if discovered； it might
easily pass for an expression playfully assumed。
〃Oh！ yes；〃 she said； 〃one must read a book now and then； and if a
verse〃again a glance and a slight blush〃should come up from
nobody knows where； one may as well write it down。 But； please； do
not take me for a literary lady。 Indeed； I make not the slightest
pretensions。 I don't know what I should do without Harry； and
indeed； indeed； you must not steal him from me； Mr。 Sutherland。〃
〃I should be very sorry；〃 replied Hugh。 〃Let me beg you； as far as I
have a right to do so； to join us as often and as long as you
please。 I will go and see how he is。 I am sure the boy only wants
thorough rousing； alternated with perfect repose。〃
He went to his own room； where he found Harry； to his satisfaction；
fast asleep on the sofa。 He took care not to wake him； but sat down
beside him to read till his sleep should be over。 But； a moment
after； the boy opened his eyes with a start and a shiver； and gave a
slight cry。 When he saw Hugh he jumped up； and with a smile which
was pitiful to see upon a scared face； said：
〃Oh！ I am so glad you are there。〃
〃What is the matter； dear Harry？〃
〃I had a dreadful dream。〃
〃What was it？〃
〃I don't know。 It always comes。 It is always the same。 I know
that。 And yet I can never remember what it is。〃
Hugh soothed him as well as he could； and he needed it； for the cold
drops were standing on his forehead。 When he had grown calmer； he
went and fetched Gulliver； and； to the boy's great delight； read to
him till dinner…time。 Before the first bell rang； he had quite
recovered； and indeed seemed rather interested in the approach of
dinner。
Dinner was an affair of some state at Arnstead。 Almost immediately
after the second bell had rung； Mr。 Arnold made his appearance in
the drawing…room； where the others were already waiting for him。
This room had nothing of the distinctive character of the parts of
the house which Hugh had already seen。 It was merely a handsome
modern room； of no great size。 Mr。 Arnold led Euphra to dinner； and
Hugh followed with Harry。
Mr。 Arnold's manner to Hugh was the same as in the
morningstudiously polite； without the smallest approach to
cordiality。 He addressed him as an equal； it is true； but an equal
who could never be in the smallest danger of thinking he meant it。
Hugh； who； without having seen a great deal of the world； yet felt
much the same wherever he was； took care to give him all that he
seemed to look for； as far at least as was consistent with his own
self…respect。 He soon discovered that he was one of those men； who；
if you will only grant their position； and acknowledge their
authority； will allow you to have much your own way in everything。
His servants had found this out long ago； and almost everything
about the house was managed as they pleased； but as the oldest of
them were respectable family servants； nothing went very far wrong。
They all； however； waited on Euphra with an assiduity that showed
she was； or could be； quite mistress when and where she pleased。
Perhaps they had found out that she had great influence with Mr。
Arnold； and certainly he seemed very fond of her indeed； after a
stately fashion。 She spoke to the servants with peculiar
gentleness； never said； if you please； but always； thank you。 Harry
never asked for anything； but always looked to Euphra； who gave the
necessary order。 Hugh saw that the boy was quite dependent upon
her； seeming of himself scarcely capable of originating the simplest
action。 Mr。 Arnold； however； dull as he was； could not help seeing
that Harry's manner was livelier than usual； and seemed pleased at
the slight change already visible for the better。 Turning to Hugh
he said：
〃Do you find Harry very much behind with his studies； Mr。
Sutherland？〃
〃I have not yet attempted to find out；〃 replied Hugh。
〃Not？〃 said Mr。 Arnold； with surprise。
〃No。 If he be behind； I feel confident it will not be for long。〃
〃But；〃 began Mr。 Arnold； pompously； and then he paused。
〃You were kind enough to say； Mr。 Arnold； that I might try my own
plans with him first。 I have been doing so。〃
〃Yescertainly。 But〃
Here Harry broke in with some animation：
〃Mr。 Sutherland has been my horse； carrying me about on his back all
the morningno； not all the morningbut an hour； or an hour and a
halfor was it two hours； Mr。 Sutherland？〃
〃I really don't know； Harry；〃 answered Hugh； 〃I don't think it
matters much。〃
Harry seemed relieved； and went on：
〃He has been reading Gulliver's Travels to meoh； such fall！ And
we have been to see the cows and the pigs； and Mr。 Sutherland has
been teaching me to jump。 Do you know； papa； he jumped right over
the pony's back without touching it。〃
Mr。 Arnold stared at the boy with lustreless eyes and hanging
checks。 These grew red； as if he were going to choke。 Such
behaviour was quite inconsistent with the dignity of Arnstead and
its tutor； who had been recommended to him as a thorough gentleman。
But for the present he said nothing； probably because he could
think of nothing to say。
〃Certainly Harry seems better already；〃 interposed Euphra。
〃I cannot help thinking Mr。 Sutherland has made a good beginning。〃
Mr。 Arnold did not reply； but the cloud wore away from his face by
degrees； and at length he asked Hugh to take a glass of wine with
him。
When Euphra rose from the table； and Harry followed her example；
Hugh thought it better to rise as well。 Mr。 Arnold seemed to
hesitate whether or not to ask him to