She laughed; but the laugh did not succeed. It could not hide a real embarrassment. She pondered, and seemed irresolute. Then with the words--"They will say we stayed behind on purpose," she moved her hand to the door, but again withdrew it, and stood irresolute.
"Let us put out the light." said Hugh laughing, "and make no answer.""Can you starve well?"
"With you."
She murmured something to herself; then said aloud and hastily, as if she had made up her mind by the compulsion of circumstances:
"But this won't do. They are still looking at the portrait, Idaresay. Come."
So saying, she went into another recess, and, lifting a curtain of tapestry, opened a door.
"Come quick," she said.
Hugh followed her down a short stair into a narrow passage, nowhere lighted from the outside. The door went to behind them, as if some one had banged it in anger at their intrusion. The passage smelt very musty, and was as quiet as death.
"Not a word of this, Hugh, as you love me. It may be useful yet.""Not a word."
They came through a sliding panel into an empty room. Euphra closed it behind them.
"Now shade your light."
He did so. She took him by the hand. A few more turns brought them in sight of the lights of the rest of the party. As Euphra had conjectured, they were looking at the picture of Lady Euphrasia, Mr. Arnold prosing away to them, in proof that the nun could not be she.
They entered the gallery without being heard; and parting a little way, one pretending to look at one picture, the other at another, crept gradually round till they joined the group. It was a piece of most successful generalship. Euphra was, doubtless, quite prepared with her story in case it should fail.
"Dear Lady Emily," said she, "how tired you look! Do let us go, uncle.""By all means. Take my arm, Lady Emily. Euphra, will you take the keys again, and lock the doors?"Mrs. Elton had already taken Hugh's arm, and was leading him away after Mr. Arnold and Lady Emily.
"I will not leave you behind with the spectres, Miss Cameron," said Funkelstein.
"Thank you; they will not detain me long. They don't mind being locked up."It was some little time, however, before they presented themselves in the drawing-room, to which, and not to the library, the party had gone: they had had enough of horrors for that night.
Lest my readers should think they have had too many wonders at least, I will explain one of them. It was really Margaret Elginbrod whom Hugh had seen. Mrs. Elton was the lady in whose service she had left her home. It was nothing strange that they had not met, for Margaret knew he was in the same house, and had several times seen him, but had avoided meeting him. Neither was it a wonderful coincidence that they should be in such close proximity; for the college friend from whom Hugh had first heard of Mr. Arnold, was the son of the gentleman whom Mrs. Elton was visiting, when she first saw Margaret.