第68章

Per me si va nella citt？dolente.

DANTE Through me thou goest into the city of grief.

Of necessity， with so many shafts opened into the mountain of knowledge， a far greater amount of time must be devoted by Harry and his tutor to the working of the mine， than they had given hitherto.

This made a considerable alteration in the intercourse of the youth and the lady； for， although Euphra was often present during school-hours， it must be said for Hugh that， during those hours， he paid almost all his attention to Harry； so much of it， indeed， that perhaps there was not enough left to please the lady. But she did not say so. She sat beside them in silence， occupied with her work， and saving up her glances for use. Now and then she would read；taking an opportunity sometimes， but not often， when a fitting pause occurred， to ask him to explain some passage about which she was in doubt. It must be conceded that such passages were well chosen for the purpose； for she was too wise to do her own intellect discredit by feigning a difficulty where she saw none； intellect being the only gift in others for which she was conscious of any reverence.

By-and-by she began to discontinue these visits to the schoolroom.

Perhaps she found them dull. Perhaps--but we shall see.

One morning， in the course of their study--Euphra not present--Hugh had occasion to go from his own room， where， for the most part， they carried on the severer portion of their labours， down to the library for a book， to enlighten them upon some point on which they were in doubt. As he was passing an open door， Euphra's voice called him.

He entered， and found himself in her private sitting-room. He had not known before where it was.

"I beg your pardon， Mr. Sutherland， for calling you， but I am at this moment in a difficulty. I cannot manage this line in the Inferno. Do help me."She moved the book towards him， as he now stood by her side， she remaining seated at her table. To his mortification， he was compelled to confess his utter ignorance of the language.

"Oh！ I am disappointed，" said Euphra.

"Not so much as I am，" replied Hugh. "But could you spare me one or two of your Italian books？""With pleasure，" she answered， rising and going to her bookshelves.

"I want only a grammar， a dictionary， and a New Testament.""There they are，" she said， taking them down one after the other， and bringing them to him. "I daresay you will soon get up with poor stupid me.""I shall do my best to get within hearing of your voice， at least， in which Italian must be lovely."No reply， but a sudden droop of the head.

"But，" continued Hugh， "upon second thoughts， lest I should be compelled to remain dumb， or else annoy your delicate ear with discordant sounds， just give me one lesson in the pronunciation.

Let me hear you read a little first."

"With all my heart."

Euphra began， and read delightfully； for she was an excellent Italian scholar. It was necessary that Hugh should look over the book. This was difficult while he remained standing， as she did not offer to lift it from the table. Gradually， therefore， and hardly knowing how， he settled into a chair by her side. Half-an-hour went by like a minute， as he listened to the silvery tones of her voice， breaking into a bell-like sound upon the double consonants of that sweet lady-tongue. Then it was his turn to read and be corrected， and read again and be again corrected. Another half-hour glided away， and yet another. But it must be confessed he made good use of the time--if only it had been his own to use； for at the end of it he could pronounce Italian very tolerably--well enough， at least， to keep him from fixing errors in his pronunciation， while studying the language alone. Suddenly he came to himself， and looked up as from a dream. Had she been bewitching him？ He was in Euphra's room--alone with her. And the door was shut--how or when？ And--he looked at his watch--poor little Harry had been waiting his return from the library， for the last hour and a half. He was conscience-stricken. He gathered up the books hastily， thanked Euphra in the same hurried manner， and left the room with considerable disquietude， closing the door very gently， almost guiltily， behind him.

I am afraid Euphra had been perfectly aware that he knew nothing about Italian. Did she see her own eyes shine in the mirror before her， as he closed the door？ Was she in love with him， then？

When Hugh returned with the Italian books， instead of the encyclop鎑ia he had gone to seek， he found Harry sitting where he had left him， with his arms and head on the table， fast asleep.

"Poor boy！" said Hugh to himself； but he could not help feeling glad he was asleep. He stole out of the room again， passed the fatal door with a longing pain， found the volume of his quest in the library， and， returning with it， sat down beside Harry. There he sat till he awoke.

When he did awake at last， it was almost time for luncheon. The shame-faced boy was exceedingly penitent for what was no fault， while Hugh could not relieve him by confessing his. He could only say：

"It was my fault， Harry dear. I stayed away too long. You were so nicely asleep， I would not wake you. You will not need a siesta， that is all."He was ashamed of himself， as he uttered the false words to the true-hearted child. But this， alas！ was not the end of it all.

Desirous of learning the language， but far more desirous of commending himself to Euphra， Hugh began in downright earnest. That very evening， he felt that he had a little hold of the language.

Harry was left to his own resources. Nor was there any harm in this in itself： Hugh had a right to part of every day for his own uses. But then， he had been with Harry almost every evening， or a great part of it， and the boy missed him much； for he was not yet self-dependent. He would have gone to Euphrasia， but somehow she happened to be engaged that evening. So he took refuge in the library， where， in the desolation of his spirit， Polexander began， almost immediately， to exercise its old dreary fascination upon him.