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〃Well； I should say so； but beauty is not； that is not beauty for
us。〃
Whether or not there was poison in the fork of this remark； Hugh
could only conjecture。 He made no reply。
As they walked about the precincts of the house； Funkelstein asked
many questions of Hugh； which his entire ignorance of domestic
architecture made it impossible for him to answer。 This seemed only
to excite the questioner's desire for information to a higher pitch；
and as if the very stones could reply to his demands； he examined
the whole range of the various buildings constituting the house of
Arnstead 〃as he would draw it。〃
〃Certainly；〃 said he； 〃there is at least variety enough in the style
of this mass of material。 There is enough for one pyramid。〃
〃That would be rather at the expense of the variety； would it not？〃
said Hugh； in spiteful response to the inconsequence of the second
member of Funkelstein's remark。 But the latter was apparently too
much absorbed in his continued inspection of the house； from every
attainable point of near view； to heed the comment。
〃This they call the Ghost's Walk；〃 said Hugh。
〃Ah！ about these old houses there are always such tales。〃
〃What sort of tales do you mean？〃
〃I mean of particular spots and their ghosts。 You must have heard
many such？〃
〃No； not I。〃
〃I think Germany is more prolific of such stories。 I could tell you
plenty。〃
〃But you don't mean you believe such things？〃
〃To me it is equal。 I look at them entirely as objects of art。〃
〃That is a new view of a ghost to me。 An object of art？ I should
have thought them considerably more suitable objects previous to
their disembodiment。〃
〃Ah！ you do not understand。 You call art painting； don't youor
sculpture at most？ I give up sculpture certainlyand painting too。
But don't you think a ghost a very effective object in literature
now？ Confess： do you not like a ghost…story very much？〃
〃Yes； if it is a very good one。〃
〃Hamlet now？〃
〃Ah！ we don't speak of Shakspere's plays as stories。 His characters
are so real to us； that； in thinking of their development； we go
back even to their fathers and mothersand sometimes even speculate
about their future。〃
〃You islanders are always in earliest somehow。 So are we Germans。
We are all one。〃
〃I hope you can be in earnest about dinner； then； for I hear the
bell。〃
〃We must render ourselves in the drawing…room； then？ Yes。〃
When they entered the drawing…room； they found Miss Cameron alone。
Funkelstein advanced； and addressed a few words to her in German；
which Hugh's limited acquaintance with the language prevented him
from catching。 At the same moment； Mr。 Arnold entered； and
Funkelstein； turning to him immediately； proceeded； as if by way of
apology for speaking in an unknown tongue； to interpret for Mr。
Arnold's benefit：
〃I have just been telling Miss Cameron in the language of my
country； how much better she looks than when I saw her at Sir Edward
Lastons。〃
〃I know I was quite a scare…crow then；〃 said Euphra； attempting to
laugh。
〃And now you are quite a decoy…duck； eh； Euphra？〃 said Mr。 Arnold；
laughing in reality at his own joke； which put him in great
good…humour for the whole time of dinner and dessert。
〃Thank you； uncle；〃 said Euphra； with a prettily pretended
affectation of humility。 Then she added gaily：
〃When did you rise on our Sussex horizon； Herr von Funkelstein？〃
〃Oh！ I have been in the neighbourhood for a few days； but I owe my
meeting with you to one of those coincidences which； were they not
so pleasantto me in this case； at leastone would think could
only result from the blundering of old Dame Nature over her
knitting。 If I had not had the good fortune to meet Mr。 Sutherland
the other evening； I should have remained in utter ignorance of your
neighbourhood and my own felicity； Miss Cameron。 Indeed； I called
now to see him； not you。〃
Hugh saw Mr。 Arnold looking rather doubtful of the foreigner's fine
speeches。
Dinner was announced。 Funkelstein took Miss Cameron； Hugh Mrs。
Elton； and Mr。 Arnold followed with Lady Emily； who would never
precede her older friend。 Hugh tried to talk to Mrs。 Elton； but
with meagre success。 He was suddenly a nobody； and felt more than
he had felt for a long time what； in his present deteriorated moral
state； he considered the degradation of his position。 A gulf seemed
to have suddenly yawned between himself and Euphra； and the loudest
voice of his despairing agony could not reach across that gulf。 An
awful conviction awoke within him； that the woman he worshipped
would scarcely receive his worship at the worth of incense now； and
yet in spirit he fell down grovelling before his idol。 The words
〃euphrasy and rue〃 kept ringing in his brain； coming over and over
with an awful mingling of chime and toll。 When he thought about it
afterwards； he seemed to have been a year in crossing the hall with
Mrs。 Elton on his arm。 But as if divining his thoughtsjust as
they passed through the dining…room door； Euphra looked round at
him； almost over Funkelstein's shoulder； and； without putting into
her face the least expression discernible by either of the others
following； contrived to banish for the time all Hugh's despair； and
to convince him that he had nothing to fear from Funkelstein。 How
it was done Hugh himself could not tell。 He could not even recall
the look。 He only knew that he had been as miserable as one waking
in his coffin； and that now he was out in the sunny air。
During dinner； Funkelstein paid no very particular attention to
Euphrasia； but was remarkably polite to Lady Emily。 She seemed
hardly to know how to receive his attentions； but to regard him as a
strange animal； which she did not know how to treat； and of which
she was a little afraid。 Mrs。 Elton； on the contrary； appeared to
be delighted with his behaviour and conversation； for； without
showing the least originality； he yet had seen so much； and knew so
well how to bring out what he had seen； that he was a most
interesting companion。 Hugh took little share in the conversation
beyond listening as well as he could； to prevent himself from gazing
too much at Euphra。
〃Had Mr。 Sutherland and you been old acquaintances then； Herr von
Funkelstein？〃 asked Mr。 Arnold； reverting to the conversation which
had been interrupted by the announcement of dinner。
〃Not at all。 We met quite accidentally； and introduced ourselves。
I believe a thunderstorm and a lecture on biology were the
mediating parties between us。 Was it not so； Mr。 Sutherland？〃
〃I beg your pardon；〃 stammered Hugh。 But Mr。 Arnold interposed：
〃A lecture on what； did you say？〃
〃On biology。〃
Mr。 Arnold looked posed。 He did not like to say he did not know
what the word meant； for； like many more ignorant men； he thought
such a confession humiliating。 Von Funkelstein hastened to his
relief。
〃It would be rather surprising if you were acquainted with the
subject； Mr。 Arnold。 I fear to explain it to you； lest both Mr。
Sutherland and myself should sink irrecoverably in your estimation。
But young men want to know all that is going on。〃
Herr Funkelstein was not exactly what one would call a young man；
but； as he chose to do so himself； there was no one to dispute the
classification。
〃Oh！ of course；〃 replied Mr。 Arnold； 〃quite right。 What； then；
pray； is biology？〃
〃A science； falsely so called；〃 said Hugh； who； waking up a little；
wanted to join in the conversation。
〃What does the word mean？〃 said Mr。 Arnold。
Von Funkelstein answered at once：
〃The science of life。 But I must say； the name； as now applied； is
no indication of the thing signified。〃
〃How； then； is a gentleman to know what it is？〃 said Mr。 Arnold；
half pettishly； and forgetting that his knowledge had not extended
even to the interpretation of the name。
〃It is one of the sciences； true or false； connected with animal
magnetism。〃
〃Bah！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Arnold； rather rudely。
〃You would have said so； if you had heard the lecture；〃 said
Funkelstein。
The conversation had not taken this turn till quite late in the
dining ceremony。 Euphra rose to go； and Hugh remarked that her face
was dreadfully pale。 But she walked steadily out of the room。
This interrupted the course of the talk； and the subject was not
resumed。 Immediately after tea； which was served very soon；
Funkelstein took his leave of the ladies。
〃We shall be glad to see you often while in this neighbourhood；〃
said Mr。 Arnold； as he bade him good night。
〃I shall； without fail； do myself the honour of calling again soon；〃
replied he； and bowed himself out。
Lady Emily； evidently relieved by his departure； rose； and；
approaching Euphra； said； in a sweet coaxing tone； which even she
could hardly have resisted：
〃Dear Miss Cameron； you promised to sing； for me in particular； some
evening。 May I claim the fulfilment of your promise？〃
Euphra had recovered her complexion； and she too seemed to Hugh to
be relieved by the departure of Funkelstein。
〃Certainly；〃 she answered； rising at once。 〃What shall I sing？〃
Hugh was all ear now。
〃Something sacred； if you please。〃
Euphra hes