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entered。 〃Decipher that inscription； and gain the favour of Lady
Emily for ever。〃
As he spoke he put the ring in Hugh's hand。 Hugh recognized it at
once。
〃Ah！ this is Lady Euphrasia's wonderful ring；〃 said he。
Euphra cast on him one of her sudden glances。
〃What do you know about it？〃 said Mr。 Arnold； hastily。
Euphra flashed at him once more； covertly。
〃I only know that this is the ring in her portrait。 Any one may see
that it is a very wonderful ring indeed； by only looking at it；〃
answered Hugh； smiling。
〃I hope it is not too wonderful for you to get at the mystery of it；
though； Mr。 Sutherland？〃 said Lady Emily。
〃Lady Emily is dying to understand the inscription；〃 said Euphrasia。
By this time Hugh was turning it round and round； trying to get a
beginning to the legend。 But in this he met with a difficulty。 The
fact was； that the initial letter of the inscription could only be
found by looking into the crystal held close to the eye。 The words
seemed not altogether unknown to him； though the characters were a
little strange； and the words themselves were undivided。 The dinner
bell rang。
〃Dear me！ how the time goes in your room； Lady Emily！〃 said Mr。
Arnold； who was never known to keep dinner waiting a moment。 〃Will
you venture to go down with us to…day？〃
〃I fear I must not to…day。 To…morrow； I hope。 But do put up these
beauties before you go。 I dare not touch them without you； and it
is so much more pleasure seeing them； when I have you to tell me
about them。〃
〃Well； throw them in；〃 said Mr。 Arnold； pretending an indifference
he did not feel。 〃The reality of dinner must not be postponed to the
fancy of jewels。〃
All this time Hugh had stood poring over the ring at the window；
whither he had taken it for better light； as the shadows were
falling。 Euphra busied herself replacing everything in the box。
When all were in； she hastily shut the lid。
〃Well； Mr。 Sutherland？〃 said Mr。 Arnold。
〃I seem on the point of making it out； Mr。 Arnold； but I certainly
have not succeeded yet。〃
〃Confess yourself vanquished； then； and come to dinner。〃
〃I am very unwilling to give in； for I feel convinced that if I had
leisure to copy the inscription as far as I can read it； I should；
with the help of my dictionary； soon supply the rest。 I am very
unwilling； as well； to lose a chance of the favour of Lady Emily。〃
〃Yes； do read it； if you can。 I too am dying to hear it；〃 said
Euphra。
〃Will you trust me with it； Mr。 Arnold？ I will take the greatest
care of it。〃
〃Oh； certainly！〃 replied Mr。 Arnoldwith a little hesitation in his
tone； however； of which Hugh was too eager to take any notice。
He carried it to his room immediately； and laid it beside his
manuscript verses； in the hiding…place of the old escritoire。 He
was in the drawing…room a moment after。
There he found Euphra and the Bohemian alone。Von Funkelstein had；
in an incredibly short space of time； established himself as
Hausfreund； and came and went as he pleased。They looked as if they
had been interrupted in a hurried and earnest conversationtheir
faces were so impassive。 Yet Euphra's wore a considerably
heightened coloura more articulate indication。 She could school
her features； but not her complexion。
CHAPTER XXIII。
THE WAGER。
He。。。stakes this ring；
And would so； had it been a carbuncle
Of Ph渂us' wheel； and might so safely； had it
Been all the worth of his car。
Cymbeline。
Hugh； of course； had an immediate attack of jealousy。 Wishing to
show it in one quarter； and hide it in every other； he carefully
abstained from looking once in the direction of Euphra； while；
throughout the dinner； he spoke to every one else as often as there
was the smallest pretext for doing so。 To enable himself to keep
this up； he drank wine freely。 As he was in general very moderate；
by the time the ladies rose； it had begun to affect his brain。 It
was not half so potent； however； in its influences； as the parting
glance which Euphra succeeded at last； as she left the room； in
sending through his eyes to his heart。
Hugh sat down to the table again； with a quieter tongue； but a
busier brain。 He drank still； without thinking of the consequences。
A strong will kept him from showing any signs of intoxication； but
he was certainly nearer to that state than he had ever been in his
life before。
The Bohemian started the new subject which generally follows the
ladies' departure。
〃How long is it since Arnstead was first said to be haunted； Mr。
Arnold？〃
〃Haunted！ Herr von Funkelstein？ I am at a loss to understand you；〃
replied Mr。 Arnold； who resented any such allusion； being subversive
of the honour of his house； almost as much as if it had been
depreciative of his own。
〃I beg your pardon； Mr。 Arnold。 I thought it was an open subject of
remark。〃
〃So it is；〃 said Hugh； 〃every one knows that。〃
Mr。 Arnold was struck dumb with indignation。 Before he had
recovered himself sufficiently to know what to say； the conversation
between the other two had assumed a form to which his late
experiences inclined him to listen with some degree of interest。
But； his pride sternly forbidding him to join in it； he sat sipping
his wine in careless sublimity。
〃You have seen it yourself； then？〃 said the Bohemian。
〃I did not say that；〃 answered Hugh。 〃But I heard one of the maids
say oncewhen〃
He paused。
This hesitation of his witnessed against him afterwards； in Mr。
Arnold's judgment。 But he took no notice now。Hugh ended tamely
enough：
〃Why； it is commonly reported amongst the servants。〃
〃With a blue light？Such as we saw that night from the library
window； I suppose。〃
〃I did not say that；〃 answered Hugh。 〃Besides； it was nothing of the
sort you saw from the library。 It was only the moon。 But〃
He paused again。 Von Funkelstein saw the condition he was in； and
pressed him。
〃You know something more； Mr。 Sutherland。〃
Hugh hesitated again； but only for a moment。
〃Well； then；〃 he said； 〃I have seen the spectre myself； walking in
her white grave…clothes； in the Ghost's Avenueha！ ha！〃
Funkelstein looked anxious。
〃Were you frightened？〃 said he。
〃Frightened！〃 repeated Hugh； in a tone of the greatest contempt。 〃I
am of Don Juan's opinion with regard to such gentry。〃
〃What is that？〃
〃'That soul and body； on the whole；
Are odds against a disembodied soul。'〃
〃Bravo！〃 cried the count。 〃You despise all these tales about Lady
Euphrasia； wandering about the house with a death…candle in her
hand； looking everywhere about as if she had lost something； and
couldn't find it？〃
〃Pooh！ pooh！ I wish I could meet her！〃
〃Then you don't believe a word of it？〃
〃I don't say that。 There would be less of courage than boasting in
talking so； if I did not believe a word of it。〃
〃Then you do believe it？〃
But Hugh was too much of a Scotchman to give a hasty opinion； or
rather a direct answereven when half…tipsy； especially when such
was evidently desired。 He only shook and nodded his head at the
same moment。
〃Do you really mean you would meet her if you could？〃
〃I do。〃
〃Then； if all ta