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Hugh was all ear now。
〃Something sacred； if you please。〃
Euphra hesitated； but not long。
〃Shall I sing Mozart's Agnus Dei； then？〃
Lady Emily hesitated in her turn。
〃I should prefer something else。 I don't approve of singing popish
music； however beautiful it may be。〃
〃Well； what shall it be？〃
〃Something of Handel or Mendelssohn； please。 Do you sing； 'I know
that my Redeemer liveth？'〃
〃I daresay I can sing it；〃 replied Euphra； with some petulance； and
went to the piano。
This was a favourite air with Hugh； and he placed himself so as to
see the singer without being seen himself； and to lose no slightest
modulation of her voice。 But what was his disappointment to find
that oratorio…music was just what Euphra was incapable of！ No doubt
she sang it quite correctly； but there was no religion in it。 Not a
single tone worshipped or rejoiced。 The quality of sound necessary
to express the feeling and thought of the composer was lacking： the
palace of sound was all right constructed； but of wrong material。
Euphra； however； was quite unconscious of failure。 She did not
care for the music； but she attributed her lack of interest in it to
the music itself； never dreaming that； in fact； she had never really
heard it； having no inner ear for its deeper harmonies。 As soon as
she had finished； Lady Emily thanked her； but did not praise her
more than by saying：
〃I wish I had a voice like yours； Miss Cameron。〃
〃I daresay you have a better of your own；〃 said Euphra； falsely。
Lady Emily laughed。
〃It is the poorest little voice you ever heard； yet I confess I am
glad； for my own sake； that I have even that。 What should I do if I
never heard Handel！〃
Every simple mind has a little well of beauty somewhere in its
precincts； which flows and warbles； even when the owner is
unheedful。 The religion of Lady Emily had led her into a region far
beyond the reach of her intellect； in which there sprang a constant
fountain of sacred song。 To it she owed her highest moods。
〃Then Handel is your musician？〃 said Euphra。 〃You should not have
put me to such a test。 It was very unfair of you； Lady Emily。〃
Lady Emily laughed； as if quite amused at the idea of having done
Euphra any wrong。 Euphra added：
〃You must sing now； Lady Emily。 You cannot refuse； after the
admission you have just made。〃
〃I confess it is only fair； but I warn you to expect nothing。〃
She took her place at the piano； and sangHe shall feed his flock。
Her health had improved so much during her sojourn at Arnstead；
that； when she began to sing； the quantity of her voice surprised
herself； but after all； it was a poor voice； and the execution； if
clear of any great faults； made no other pretence to merit。 Yet she
effected the end of the music； the very result which every musician
would most desire； wherein Euphra had failed utterly。 This was
worthy of note； and Hugh was not even yet too blind to perceive it。
Lady Emily； with very ordinary intellect； and paltry religious
opinions； yet because she was good herself； and religiouscould； in
the reproduction of the highest kind of music； greatly surpass the
spirited； intellectual musician； whose voice was as superior to hers
as a nightingale's to a sparrow's； and whose knowledge of music and
musical power generally； surpassed hers beyond all comparison。
It must be allowed for Euphra； that she seemed to have gained some
perception of the fact。 Perhaps she had seen signs of emotion in
Hugh's face； which he had shaded with his hand as Lady Emily sang；
or perhaps the singing produced in her a feeling which she had not
had when singing herself。 All I know is； that the same nightwhile
Hugh was walking up and down his room； meditating on this defect of
Euphra's； and yet feeling that if she could sing only devil's music；
he must love hera tap came to the door which made him start with
the suggestion of the former mysterious noises of a similar kind；
that he sprang to the door； and that； instead of looking out on a
vacant corridor； as he all but anticipated； he saw Euphra standing
there in the darkwho said in a whisper：
〃Ah！ you do not love me any longer； because Lady Emily can sing
psalms better than I can！〃
There was both pathos and spite in the speech。
〃Come in； Euphra。〃
〃No。 I am afraid I have been very naughty in coming here at all。〃
〃Do come in。 I want you to tell me something about Funkelstein。〃
〃What do you want to know about him？ I suppose you are jealous of
him。 Ah！ you men can both be jealous and make jealous at the same
moment。〃 A little broken sigh followed。 Hugh answered：
〃I only want to know what he is。〃
〃Oh！ some twentieth cousin of mine。〃
〃Mr。 Arnold does not know that？〃
〃Oh dear！ no。 It is so far off I can't count it； In fact I doubt it
altogether。 It must date centuries back。〃
〃His intimacy； then； is not to be accounted for by his
relationship？〃
〃Ah！ ah！ I thought so。 Jealous of the poor count！〃
〃Count？〃
〃Oh dear！ what does it matter？ He doesn't like to be called Count；
because all foreigners are counts or barons； or something equally
distinguished。 I oughtn't to have let it out。〃
〃Never mind。 Tell me something about him。〃
〃He is a Bohemian。 I met him first； some years ago； on the
continent。〃
〃Then that was not your first meetingat Sir Edward Laston's？〃
〃No。〃
〃How candid she is！〃 thought Hugh。
〃He calls me his cousin； but if he be mine； he is yet more Mr。
Arnold's。 But he does not want it mentioned yet。 I am sure I don't
know why。〃
〃Is he in love with you？〃
〃How can I tell？〃 she answered archly。 〃By his being very jealous？
Is that the way to know whether a man is in love with one？ But if
he is in love with me； it does not follow that I am in love with
himdoes it？ Confess。 Am I not very good to answer all your
impertinent downright questions？ They are as point blank as the
church…catechism；mind； I don't say as rude。How can I be in love
with two ata？〃
She seemed to cheek herself。 But Hugh had heard enoughas she had
intended he should。 She turned instantly； and spedsurrounded by
the 〃low melodious thunder〃 of her silken garmentsto her own door；
where she vanished noiselessly。
〃What care I for oratorios？〃 said Hugh to himself； as he put the
light out； towards morning。
Where was all this to end？ What goal had Hugh set himself？ Could
he not go away； and achieve renown in one of many ways； and return
fit； in the eyes of the world； to claim the hand of Miss Cameron？
But would he marry her if he could？ He would not answer the
question。 He closed the ears of his heart to it； and tried to go to
sleep。 He slept； and dreamed of Margaret in the storm。
A few days passed without anything occurring sufficiently marked for
relation。 Euphra and he seemed satisfied without meeting in
private。 Perhaps both were afraid of carrying it too far； at least；
too far to keep clear of the risk of discovery； seeing that danger
was at present greater than usual。 Mr。 Arnold continued to be
thoroughly attentive to his guests； and became more and more devoted
to Lady Emily。 There was no saying where it might end； for he was
not an old man yet； and Lady Emily appeared to have no special
admirers。 Arnstead was such an abode； and surrounded with such an
estate； as few even of the nobility could call their own。 And a
reminiscence of his first wife seemed to haunt all Mr。 Arnold's
contemplations of Lady Emily； and all his attentions to her。 These
were delicate in the extreme； evidently bringing out the best life
that yet remained in a heart that was almost a fossil。 Hugh made
some fresh efforts to do his duty by Harry； and so far succeeded；
that at least the boy made some progressevident enough to the
moderate expectations of his father。 But what helped Harry as much
as anything； was the motherly kindness； even tenderness； of good
Mrs。 Elton； who often had him to sit with her in her own room。 To
her he generally fled for refuge； when he felt deserted and lonely。
CHAPTER XVII。
MATERIALISM alias GHOST…HUNTING。
Wie der Mond sich leuchtend dr鋘get
Durch den dunkeln Wolkenflor；
Also taucht aus dunkeln Zeiten
Mir ein lichtes Bild hervor。
HEINRICH HEINE
As the moon her face advances
Through the darkened cloudy veil；
So； from darkened times arising；
Dawns on me a vision pale。
In consequence of what Euphra had caused him to believe without
saying it； Hugh felt more friendly towards his new acquaintance； and
happeningon his side at least it did happento meet him a few
days after； walking in the neighbourhood； he joined him in a stroll。
Mr。 Arnold met them on horseback； and invited Von Funkelstein to
dine with them that evening； to which he willingly consented。 It
was noticeable that no sooner was the count within the doors of
Arnstead House； than he behaved with cordiality to every one of the
company except Hugh。 With him he made no approach to familiarity of
any kind； treating him； on the contrary； with studious politeness。
In the course of the dinner； Mr。 Arnold said：
〃It is curious； Herr von Funkelstein； how often； if you meet with
something new to you； you fall in with it agai