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〃Only？〃 was all Funkelstein said in reply； yet Hugh thought he had
no right to be so solicitous about Euphra's health。
As the gentlemen sat at their wine； Mr。 Arnold said：
〃I am anxious to have one more trial of those strange things you
have brought to our knowledge。 I have been thinking about them ever
since。〃
〃Of course I am at your service； Mr。 Arnold； but don't you think；
for the ladies' sakes； we have had enough of it？〃
〃You are very considerate； Herr von Funkelstein； but they need not
be present if they do not like it。〃
〃Very well； Mr。 Arnold。〃
They adjourned once more to the library instead of the drawing…room。
Hugh went and told Euphra； who was alone in the drawing…room； what
they were about。 She declined going； but insisted on his leaving
her； and joining the other gentlemen。
Hugh left her with much reluctance。
〃Margaret；〃 said Lady Emily； 〃I am certain that man is in the
house。〃
〃He is； my lady；〃 answered Margaret。
〃They are about some more of those horrid experiments； as they call
them。〃
〃I do not know。〃
Mrs。 Elton entering the room at the moment； Margaret said：
〃Do you know； ma'am； whether the gentlemen arein the library
again？〃
〃I don't know； Margaret。 I hope not。 We have had enough of that。
I will go and find out； though。〃
〃Will you take my place for a few minutes first； please； ma'am？〃
Margaret had felt a growing oppression for some time。 She had
scarcely left the sick…room that day。
〃Don't leave me； dear Margaret；〃 said Lady Emily； imploringly。
〃Only for a little while； my lady。 I shall be back in less than a
quarter of an hour。〃
〃Very well； Margaret；〃 she answered dolefully。
Margaret went out into the moonlight； and walked for ten minutes。
She sought the more open parts； where the winds were。 She then
returned to the sick…chamber； refreshed and strong。
〃Now I will go and see what the gentlemen are about；〃 said Mrs。
Elton。
The good lady did not like these proceedings； but she was
irresistibly attracted by them notwithstanding。 Having gone to see
for Lady Emily； she remained to see for herself。
After she had left； Lady Emily grew more uneasy。 Not even
Margaret's presence could make her comfortable。 Mrs。 Elton did not
return。 Many minutes elapsed。 Lady Emily said at last：
〃Margaret； I am terrified at the idea of being left alone； I
confess； but not so terrified as at the idea of what is going on in
that library。 Mrs。 Elton will not come back。 Would you mind just
running down to ask her to come to me？〃
〃I would go with pleasure；〃 said Margaret； 〃but I don't want to be
seen。〃
Margaret did not want to be seen by Hugh。 Lady Emily； with her
dislike to Funkelstein； thought Margaret did not want to be seen by
him。
〃You will find a black veil of mine；〃 she said； 〃in that
wardrobejust throw it over your head； and hold a handkerchief to
your face。 They will be so busy that they will never see you。〃
Margaret yielded to the request of Lady Emily； who herself arranged
her head…dress for her。
Now I must go back a little。When Mrs。 Elton reached the room； she
found it darkened； and the gentlemen seated at the table。 A running
fire of knocks was going on all around。
She sat down in a corner。 In a minute or two； she fancied she saw
strange figures moving about； generally near the floor； and very
imperfectly developed。 Sometimes only a hand； sometimes only a
foot； shadowed itself out of the dim obscurity。 She tried to
persuade herself that it was all done； somehow or other； by
Funkelstein； yet she could not help watching with a curious dread。
She was not a very excitable woman； and her nerves were safe
enough。
In a minute or two more； the table at which they were seated； began
to move up and down with a kind of vertical oscillation； and several
things in the room began to slide about； by short； apparently
purposeless jerks。 Everything threatened to assume motion； and turn
the library into a domestic chaos。 Mrs。 Elton declared afterwards
that several books were thrown about the room。But suddenly
everything was as still as the moonlight。 Every chair and table was
at rest； looking perfectly incapable of motion。 Mrs。 Elton felt
that she dared not say they had moved at all； so utterly ordinary
was their appearance。 Not a sound was to be heard from corner or
ceiling。 After a moment's silence； Mrs。 Elton was quite restored to
her sound mind； as she said； and left the room。
〃Some adverse influence is at work；〃 said Funkelstein； with some
vexation。 〃What is in that closet？〃
So saying he approached the door of the private staircase； and
opened it。 They saw him start aside； and a veiled dark figure pass
him； cross the library； and go out by another door。
〃I have my suspicions；〃 said Funkelstein； with a rather tremulous
voice。
〃And your fears too； I think。 Grant it now；〃 said Mr。 Arnold。
〃Granted； Mr。 Arnold。 Let us go to the drawing…room。〃
Just as Margaret had reached the library door at the bottom of the
private stair； either a puff of wind from an open loophole window；
or some other cause； destroyed the arrangement of the veil； and made
it fall quite over her face； She stopped for a moment to readjust
it。 She had not quite succeeded； when Funkelstein opened the door。
Without an instant's hesitation； she let the veil fall； and walked
forward。
Mrs。 Elton had gone to her own room； on her way to Lady Emily's。
When she reached the latter； she found Margaret seated as she had
left her； by the bedside。 Lady Emily said：
〃I did not miss you； Margaret； half so much as I expected。 But；
indeed； you were not many moments gone。 I do not care for that man
now。 He can't hurt me； can he？〃
〃Certainty not。 I hope he will give you no more trouble either；
dear Lady Emily。 But if I might presume to advise you； I would
sayGet well as soon as you can； and leave this place。〃
〃Why should I？ You frighten me。 Mr。 Arnold is very kind to me。〃
〃The place quite suits Lady Emily； I am sure； Margaret。〃
〃But Lady Emily is not so well as when she came。〃
〃No； but that is not the fault of the place；〃 said Lady Emily。 〃I am
sure it is all that horrid man's doing。〃
〃How else will you get rid of him； then？ What if he wants to get
rid of you？〃
〃What harm can I be doing hima poor girl like me？〃
〃I don't know。 But I fear there is something not right going on。〃
〃We will tell Mr。 Arnold at once；〃 said Mrs。 Elton。
〃But what could you tell him； ma'am？ Mr。 Arnold is hardly one to
listen to your maid's suspicions。 Dear Lady Emily； you must get
well and go。〃
〃I will try；〃 said Lady Emily； submissive as a child。
〃I think you will be able to get up for a little while tomorrow。〃
A tap came to the door。 It was Euphrasia； inquiring after Lady
Emily。
〃Ask Miss Cameron to come in；〃 said the invalid。
She entered。 Her manner was much changedwas subdued and
suffering。
〃Dear Miss Cameron； you and I ought to change places。 I am sorry to
see you looking so ill；〃 said Lady Emily。
〃I have had a headache all day。 I shall be quite well to…morrow；
thank you。〃
〃I intend to be so too；〃 said Lady Emily； cheerfully。
After some little talk； Euphra went； holding her hand to her
forehead。 Margaret did not look up； all the time she was in the
room； but went on busily with her needle。
That night was a peaceful one。
CHAPTER XXII。
THE RING。
shining crystal； which
Out of her womb a thousand rayons threw。
BELLAY： translated by Spenser。
The next day； Lady Emily was very nearly as well as she had proposed
being。 She did not； however； make her appearance below。 Mr。
Arnold； hearing at luncheon that she was out of bed； immediately
sent up his compliments； with the request that he might be permitted
to see her on his return from the neighbouring village； where he had
some business。 To this Lady Emily gladly consented。
He sat with her a long time； talking about various things； for the
presence of the girl； reminding him of his young wife； brought out
the best of the man； lying yet alive under the incrustation of
self…importance； and its inevitable stupidity。 At length； subject
of further conversation failing；
〃I wonder what we can do to amuse you； Lady Emily；〃 said he。
〃Thank you； Mr。 Arnold； I am not at all dull。 With my kind friend；
Mrs。 Elton； and〃
She would have said Margaret； but became instinctively aware that
the mention of her would make Mr。 Arnold open his eyes； for he did
not even know her name； and that he would stare yet wider when he
learned that the valued companion referred to was Mrs。 Elton's maid。
Mr。 Arnold left the room； and presently returned with his arms
filled with all the drawing…room books he could find； with grand
bindings outside； and equally grand plates inside。 These he heaped
on the table beside Lady Emily； who tried to look interested； but
scarcely succeeded to Mr。 Arnold's satisfaction； for he presently
said：
〃You don't seem to care much about these； dear Lady Emily。 I
daresay you have looked at them all already； in this dull house of
ours。〃
This was a wonderful admission from Mr。 Arnold。 He ponderedthen
exclaimed； as if he had just ma