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She rose and rang the bell。 When it was answered；
〃Jacob；〃 she said； 〃get me the keys of the house from Mrs。 Horton。〃
Jacob vanished； and reappeared with a huge bunch of keys。 She took
them。
〃Thank you。 They should not be allowed to get quite rusty； Jacob。〃
〃Please； Miss； Mrs。 Horton desired me to say； she would have seen to
them； if she had known you wanted them。〃
〃Oh！ never mind。 Just tell my maid to bring me an old pair of
gloves。〃
Jacob went； and the maid came with the required armour。
〃Now； Mr。 Sutherland。 Jane； you will come with us。 No； you need
not take the keys。 I will find those I want as we go。〃
She unlocked a door in the corner of the hall； which Hugh had never
seen open。 Passing through a long low passage； they came to a
spiral staircase of stone； up which they went； arriving at another
wide hall； very dusty； but in perfect repair。 Hugh asked if there
was not some communication between this hall and the great oak
staircase。
〃Yes；〃 answered Euphra； 〃but this is the more direct way。〃
As she said this； he felt somehow as if she cast on him one of her
keenest glances； but the place was very dusky； and he stood in a
spot where the light fell upon him from an opening in a shutter；
while she stood in deep shadow。
〃Jane； open that shutter。〃
The girl obeyed； and the entering light revealed the walls covered
with paintings； many of them apparently of no value； yet adding much
to the effect of the place。 Seeing that Hugh was at once attracted
by the pictures； Euphra said：
〃Perhaps you would like to see the picture gallery first？〃
Hugh assented。 Euphra chose key after key； and opened door after
door； till they came into a long gallery； well lighted from each
end。 The windows were soon opened。
〃Mr。 Arnold is very proud of his pictures； especially of his family
portraits； but he is content with knowing he has them； and never
visits them except to show them； or perhaps once or twice a year；
when something or other keeps him at home for a day； without
anything particular to do。〃
In glancing over the portraits； some of them by famous masters；
Hugh's eyes were arrested by a blonde beauty in the dress of the
time of Charles II。 There was such a reality of self…willed
boldness as well as something worse in her face； that； though
arrested by the picture； Hugh felt ashamed of looking at it in the
presence of Euphra and her maid。 The pictured woman almost put him
out of countenance； and yet at the same time fascinated him。
Dragging his eyes from it； he saw that Jane had turned her back
upon it； while Euphra regarded it steadily。
〃Open that opposite window； Jane；〃 said she； 〃there is not light
enough on this portrait。〃
Jane obeyed。 While she did so； Hugh caught a glimpse of her face；
and saw that the formerly rosy girl was deadly pale。 He said to
Euphra：
〃Your maid seems ill； Miss Cameron。〃
〃Jane； what is the matter with you？〃
She did not reply； but； leaning against the wall； seemed ready to
faint。
〃The place is close；〃 said her mistress。 〃Go into the next room
there；〃she pointed to a door〃and open the window。 You will soon
be well。〃
〃If you please； Miss； I would rather stay with you。 This place
makes me feel that strange。〃
She had come but lately； and had never been over the house before。
〃Nonsense！〃 said Miss Cameron； looking at her sharply。 〃What do you
mean？〃
〃Please； don't be angry； Miss； but the first night e'er I slept
here； I saw that very lady〃
〃Saw that lady！〃
〃Well； Miss； I mean； I dreamed that I saw her； and I remembered her
the minute I see her up there； and she give me a turn like。 I'm all
right now； Miss。〃
Euphra fixed her eyes on her； and kept them fixed； till she was very
nearly all wrong again。 She turned as pale as before； and began to
draw her breath hard。
〃You silly goose！〃 said Euphra； and withdrew her eyes； upon which
the girl began to breathe more freely。
Hugh was making some wise remarks in his own mind on the unsteady
condition of a nature in which the imagination predominates over the
powers of reflection； when Euphra turned to him； and began to tell
him that that was the picture of her three or four times
great…grandmother； painted by Sir Peter Lely； just after she was
married。
〃Isn't she fair？〃 said she。〃She turned nun at last； they say。〃
〃She is more fair than honest；〃 thought Hugh。 〃It would take a great
deal of nun to make her into a saint。〃 But he only said； 〃She is
more beautiful than lovely。 What was her name？〃
〃If you mean her maiden name； it was HalkarLady Euphrasia
Halkarnamed after me； you see。 She had foreign blood in her； of
course； and； to tell the truth； there were strange stories told of
her； of more sorts than one。 I know nothing of her family。 It was
never heard of in England； I believe； till after the Restoration。〃
All the time Euphra was speaking； Hugh was being perplexed with that
most annoying of perplexitiesthe flitting phantom of a
resemblance； which he could not catch。 He was forced to dismiss it
for the present； utterly baffled。
〃Were you really named after her； Miss Cameron？〃
〃No； no。 It is a family name with us。 But； indeed； I may be said
to be named after her； for she was the first of us who bore it。 You
don't seem to like the portrait。〃
〃I do not； but I cannot help looking at it； for all that。〃
〃I am so used to the lady's face；〃 said Euphra； 〃that it makes no
impression on me of any sort。 But it is said；〃 she added； glancing
at the maid； who stood at some distance； looking uneasily about
herand as she spoke she lowered her voice to a whisper〃it is
said； she cannot lie still。〃
〃Cannot lie still！ What do you mean？〃
〃I mean down there in the chapel；〃 she answered； pointing。
The Celtic nerves of Hugh shuddered。 Euphra laughed； and her voice
echoed in silvery billows； that broke on the faces of the men and
women of old time； that had owned the whole； whose lives had flowed
and ebbed in varied tides through the ancient house； who had married
and been given in marriage； and gone down to the chapel belowbelow
the prayers and below the psalmsand made a Sunday of all the week。
Ashamed of his feeling of passing dismay； Hugh said； just to say
something：
〃What a strange ornament that is！ Is it a brooch or a pin？ No； I
declare it is a ringlarge enough for three cardinals； and worn on
her thumb。 It seems almost to sparkle。 Is it ruby； or carbuncle；
or what？〃
〃I don't know： some clumsy old thing；〃 answered Euphra； carelessly。
〃Oh！ I see；〃 said Hugh； 〃it is not a red stone。 The glow is only a
reflection from part of her dress。 It is as clear as a diamond。
But that is impossiblesuch a size。 There seems to me something
curious about it； and the longer I look at it； the more strange it
appears。〃
Euphra stole another of her piercing glances at him； but said
nothing。
〃Surely；〃 Hugh went on； 〃a ring like that would hardly be likely to
be lost out of the family？ Your uncle must have it somewhere。〃
Euphra laughed； but this laugh was very different from the last。 It
rattled rather than rang。
〃You are wonderfully taken with a baublefor a man o