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〃Then； ought you to do what I wish； or what you wish yourself？〃
〃What you wish； sir。〃
〃Then I want you to put away that book for a month at least。〃
〃Oh； Mr。 Sutherland！ I promised。〃
〃To whom？〃
〃To myself。〃
〃But I am above you； and I want you to do as I tell you。 Will you；
Harry？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Put away the book； then。〃
Harry sprang to his feet； put the book on its shelf； and； going up
to Hugh； said；
〃You have done it； not me。〃
〃Certainly； Harry。〃
The notions of a hypochondriacal child will hardly be interesting to
the greater part of my readers； but Hugh learned from this a little
lesson about divine law which he never forgot。
〃Now； Harry；〃 added he； 〃you must not open a book till I allow you。〃
〃No poetry； either？〃 said poor Harry； and his face fell。
〃I don't mind poetry so much； but of prose I will read as much to
you as will be good for you。 Come； let us have a bit of Gulliver
again。〃
〃Oh； how delightful！〃 cried Harry。 〃I am so glad you made me put
away that tiresome book。 I wonder why it insisted so on being
read。〃
Hugh read for an hour； and then made Harry put on his cloak；
notwithstanding the rain； which fell in a slow thoughtful spring
shower。 Taking the boy again on his back； he carried him into the
woods。 There he told him how the drops of wet sank into the ground；
and then went running about through it in every direction； looking
for seeds： which were all thirsty little things； that wanted to
grow； and could not； till a drop came and gave them drink。 And he
told him how the rain…drops were made up in the skies； and then came
down； like millions of angels； to do what they were told in the dark
earth。 The good drops went into all the cellars and dungeons of the
earth； to let out the imprisoned flowers。 And he told him how the
seeds； when they had drunk the rain…drops； wanted another kind of
drink next； which was much thinner and much stronger； but could not
do them any good till they had drunk the rain first。
〃What is that？〃 said Harry。 〃I feel as if you were reading out of
the Bible； Mr。 Sutherland。〃
〃It is the sunlight；〃 answered his tutor。 〃When a seed has drunk of
the water； and is not thirsty any more； it wants to breathe next；
and then the sun sends a long； small finger of fire down into the
grave where the seed is lying； and it touches the seed； and
something inside the seed begins to move instantly and to grow
bigger and bigger； till it sends two green blades out of it into the
earth； and through the earth into the air； and then it can breathe。
And then it sends roots down into the earth； and the roots keep
drinking water； and the leaves keep breathing the air； and the sun
keeps them alive and busy； and so a great tree grows up； and God
looks at it； and says it is good。〃
〃Then they really are living things？〃 said Harry。
〃Certainly。〃
〃Thank you； Mr。 Sutherland。 I don't think I shall dislike rain so
much any more。〃
Hugh took him next into the barn； where they found a great heap of
straw。 Recalling his own boyish amusements； he made him put off his
cloak； and help to make a tunnel into this heap。 Harry was
delightedthe straw was so nice； and bright； and dry； and clean。
They drew it out by handfuls； and thus excavated a round tunnel to
the distance of six feet or so； when Hugh proceeded to more extended
operations。 Before it was time to go to lunch； they had cleared
half of a hollow sphere； six feet in diameter； out of the heart of
the heap。
After lunch； for which Harry had been very unwilling to relinquish
the straw hut； Hugh sent him to lie down for a while； when he fell
fast asleep as before。 After he had left the room； Euphra said：
〃How do you get on with Harry； Mr。 Sutherland？〃
〃Perfectly to my satisfaction；〃 answered Hugh。
〃Do you not find him very slow？〃
〃Quite the contrary。〃
〃You surprise me。 But you have not given him any lessons yet。〃
〃I have given him a great many； and he is learning them very fast。〃
〃I fear he will have forgotten all my poor labours before you take
up the work where we left it。 When will you give him any
book…lessons？〃
〃Not for a while yet。〃
Euphra did not reply。 Her silence seemed intended to express
dissatisfaction； at least so Hugh interpreted it。
〃I hope you do not think it is to indulge myself that I manage
Master Harry in this peculiar fashion；〃 he said。 〃The fact is； he is
a very peculiar child； and may turn out a genius or a weakling； just
as he is managed。 At least so it appears to me at present。 May I
ask where you left the work you were doing with him？〃
〃He was going through the Eton grammar for the third time；〃 answered
Euphra； with a defiant glance； almost of dislike； at Hugh。 〃But I
need not enumerate his studies； for I daresay you will not take them
up at all after my fashion。 I only assure you I have been a very
exact disciplinarian。 What he knows； I think you will find he knows
thoroughly。〃
So saying； Euphra rose； and with a flush on her cheek； walked out of
the room in a more stately manner than usual。
Hugh felt that he had； somehow or other； offended her。 But； to tell
the truth； he did not much care； for her manner had rather irritated
him。 He retired to his own room； wrote to his mother； and； when
Harry awoke； carried him again to the barn for an hour's work in the
straw。 Before it grew dusk； they had finished a little； silent；
dark chamber； as round as they could make it； in the heart of the
straw。 All the excavated material they had thrown on the top；
reserving only a little to close up the entrance when they pleased。
The next morning was still rainy； and when Hugh found Harry in the
library as usual； he saw that the clouds had again gathered over the
boy's spirit。 He was pacing about the room in a very odd manner。
The carpet was divided diamond…wise in a regular pattern。 Harry's
steps were； for the most part； planted upon every third diamond； as
he slowly crossed the floor in a variety of directions； for； as on
previous occasions； he had not perceived the entrance of his tutor。
But； every now and then； the boy would make the most sudden and
irregular change in his mode of progression； setting his foot on the
most unexpected diamond； at one time the nearest to him； at another
the farthest within his reach。 When he looked up； and saw his tutor
watching him； he neither started nor blushed： but； still retaining
on his countenance the perplexed； anxious expression which Hugh had
remarked； said to him：
〃How can God know on which of those diamonds I am going to set my
foot next？〃
〃If you could understand how God knows； Harry； then you would know
yourself； but before you have made up your mind； you don't know
which you will choose； and even then you only know on which you
intend to set your foot； for you have often changed your mind after
making it up。〃
Harry looked as puzzled as before。
〃Why； Harry； to understand how God understands； you would need to be
as wise as he is； so it is no use trying。 You see you can't quite
understand me； though I have a real meaning in what I say。〃
〃Ah！ I see it is no use； but I can't bear to be puzzled。〃
〃But you need not be puzzled； you have no business to be puzzled。
You are trying to get into your little brain what is far too grand
and beautiful to get into it。 Would you not think it very stupid to
puzzle yourself how to put a hundred horses into a stable with
twelve stalls？〃
Harry laughed； and looked relieved。
〃It is more unreasonable a thousand times to try to understand such
things。 For my part； it would make me miserable to think that there
was nothing but what I could understand。 I should feel as if I had
no room anywhere。 Shall we go to our cave again？〃
〃Oh！ yes； please；〃 cried Harry； and in a moment he was on Hugh's
back once more； cantering joyously to the barn。
After various improvements； including some enlargement of the
interior； Hugh and Harry sat down together in the low yellow
twilight of their cave； to enjoy the result of their labours。 They
could just see； by the light from the tunnel； the glimmer of the
golden hollow all about them。 The rain was falling heavily
out…of…doors； and they could hear the sound of the multitudinous
drops of the broken cataract of the heavens like the murmur of the
insects in a summer wood。 They knew that everything outside was
rained upon； and was again raining on everything beneath it； while
they were dry and warm。
〃This is nice！〃 exclaimed Harry； after a few moments of silent
enjoyment。
〃This is your first lesson in architecture；〃 said Hugh。
〃Am I to learn architecture？〃 asked Harry； in a rueful tone。
〃It is well to know how things came to be done； if you should know
nothing more about them； Harry。 Men lived in the cellars first of
all； and next on the ground floor； but they could get no further
till they joined the two； and then they could build higher。〃
〃I don't quite understand you； sir。〃
〃I did not mean you should； Harry。〃
〃Then I don't mind； sir。 But I thought architecture was building。〃
〃So it is； and this is one way of building。 It is only making an
outside by pulling out an inside； instead of mak