disliked asking questions about people to an uncommon degree； and so
preferred waiting for a natural revelation。 Her later behaviour had
repelled him； impressing him with the notion that she was proud； and
that she had made up her mind； notwithstanding her apparent
frankness at first； to keep him at a distance。 That she was fitful；
too； and incapable of showing much tenderness even to poor Harry； he
had already concluded in his private judgment…hall。 Nor could he
doubt that； whether from wrong theories； incapacity； or culpable
indifference； she must have taken very bad measures indeed with her
young pupil。
The next day resembled the two former； with this difference； that
the rain fell in torrents。 Seated in their strawy bower； they cared
for no rain。 They were safe from the whole world； and all the
tempers of nature。
Then Hugh told Harry about the slow beginnings and the mighty birth
of the great Roman people。 He told him tales of their battles and
conquests； their strifes at home； and their wars abroad。 He told
him stories of their grand men； great with the individuality of
their nation and their own。 He told him their characters； their
peculiar opinions and grounds of action； and the results of their
various schemes for their various ends。 He told him about their
love to their country； about their poetry and their religion； their
courage； and their hardihood； their architecture； their clothes； and
their armour； their customs and their laws； but all in such
language； or mostly in such language； as one boy might use in
telling another of the same age； for Hugh possessed the gift of a
general simplicity of thought； one of the most valuable a man can
have。 It cost him a good deal of labour （well…repaid in itself； not
to speak of the evident delight of Harry）； to make himself perfectly
competent for this； but he had a good foundation of knowledge to
work upon。
This went on for a long time after the period to which I am now more
immediately confined。 Every time they stopped to rest from their
rambles or gamesas often； in fact； as they sat down alone； Harry's
constant request was：
〃Now； Mr。 Sutherland； mightn't we have something more about the
Romans？〃
And Mr。 Sutherland gave him something more。 But all this time he
never uttered the wordLatin。
CHAPTER V。
LARCH AND OTHER HUNTING。
For there is neither buske nor hay
In May； that it n'ill shrouded bene；
And it with new？leav閟 wrene；
These wood閟 eke recoveren grene；
That drie in winter ben to sene；
And the erth waxeth proud withall；
For swot？dewes that on it fall；
And the poore estate forget；
In which that winter had it set：
And than becomes the ground so proude；
That it wol have a new？shroude；
And maketh so queint his robe and faire；
That it hath hewes an hundred paire；
Of grasse and floures； of Ind and Pers；
And many hew閟 full divers：
That is the robe I mean； ywis；
Through which the ground to praisen is。
CHAUCER'S translation of the Romaunt of the Rose。
So passed the three days of rain。 After breakfast the following
morning； Hugh went to find Harry； according to custom； in the
library。 He was reading。
〃What are you reading； Harry？〃 asked he。
〃A poem；〃 said Harry； and； rising as before； he brought the book to
Hugh。 It was Mrs。 Hemans's Poems。
〃You are fond of poetry； Harry。〃
〃Yes； very。〃
〃Whose poems do you like best？〃
〃Mrs。 Hemans's； of course。 Don't you think she is the best； sir？〃
〃She writes very beautiful verses； Harry。 Which poem are you
reading now？〃
〃Oh！ one of my favouritesThe Voice of Spring。〃
〃Who taught you to like Mrs。 Hemans？〃
〃Euphra； of course。〃
〃Will you read the poem to me？〃
Harry began； and read the poem through； with much taste and evident
enjoyment； an enjoyment which seemed； however； to spring more from
the music of the thought and its embodiment in sound； than from
sympathy with the forms of nature called up thereby。 This was shown
by his mode of reading； in which the music was everything； and the
sense little or nothing。 When he came to the line；
〃And the larch has hung all his tassels forth；〃
he smiled so delightedly； that Hugh said：
〃Are you fond of the larch； Harry？〃
〃Yes； very。〃
〃Are there any about here？〃
〃I don't know。 What is it like？〃
〃You said you were fond of it。〃
〃Oh； yes； it is a tree with beautiful tassels； you know。 I think I
should like to see one。 Isn't it a beautiful line？〃
〃When you have finished the poem； we will go and see if we can find
one anywhere in the woods。 We must know where we are in the world；
Harrywhat is all round about us； you know。〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 said Harry； 〃let us go and hunt the larch。〃
〃Perhaps we shall meet Spring； if we look for herperhaps hear her
voice； too。〃
〃That would be delightful；〃 answered Harry； smiling。 And away they
went。
I may just mention here that Mrs。 Hemans was allowed to retire
gradually； till at last she was to be found only in the more
inaccessible recesses of the library…shelves； while by that time
Harry might be heard； not all over the house； certainly； but as far
off as outside the closed door of the library； reading aloud to
himself one or other of Macaulay's ballads； with an evident
enjoyment of the go in it。 A story with drum and trumpet
accompaniment was quite enough； for the present； to satisfy Harry；
and Macaulay could give him that； if little more。
As they went across the lawn towards the shrubbery； on their way to
look for larches and Spring； Euphra joined them in walking dress。
It was a lovely morning。
〃I have taken you at your word； you see； Mr。 Sutherland；〃 said she。
〃I don't want to lose my Harry quite。〃
〃You dear kind Euphra！〃 said Harry； going round to her side and
taking her hand。 He did not stay long with her； however； nor did
Euphra seem particularly to want him。
〃There was one thing I ought to have mentioned to you the other
night； Mr。 Sutherland； and I daresay I should have mentioned it； had
not Mr。 Arnold interrupted our t阾e…？t阾e。 I feel now as if I had
been guilty of claiming far more than I have a right to； on the
score of musical insight。 I have Scotch blood in me； and was indeed
born in Scotland； though I left it before I was a year old。 My
mother； Mr。 Arnold's sister； married a gentleman who was half
Sootch； and I was born while they were on a visit to his relatives；
the Camerons of Lochnie。 His mother； my grandmother； was a Bohemian
lady； a countess with sixteen quarteringsnot a gipsy； I beg to
say。〃
Hugh thought she might have been； to judge from present appearances。
But how was he to account for this torrent of genealogical
information； into which the ice of her late constraint had suddenly
thawed？ It was odd that she should all at once volunteer so much
about herself。 Perhaps she had made up one of those minds which
need making up； every now and then； like a monthly magazine； and now
was prepared to publish it。 Hugh responded with a question：
〃Do I know your name； then； at last？ You are Miss Cameron？〃
〃Euphrasia Cameron； at your service； sir。〃 And she dropped a gay
little courtesy to Hugh； looking up at him with a flash of her black
diamonds。
〃Then you must sing to me to…night。〃
〃With all the pleasure in gipsy…land；〃 replied she； with a second
courtesy； lower than the first； taking for granted； no doubt； his
silent judgment on her person and complexion。
By this time they had reached the woods in a different quarter from
that which Hugh had gone through the other day with Harry。 And
here； in very deed； the Spring met them； with a profusion of
richness to which Hugh was quite a stranger。 The ground was
carpeted with primroses； and anemones； and other spring flowers；
which are the loveliest of all flowers。 They were drinking the
sunlight； which fell upon them through the budded boughs。 By the
time the light should be hidden from them by the leaves； which are
the clouds of the lower firmament of the woods； their need of it
would be gone： exquisites in living； they cared only for the
delicate morning of the year。
〃Do look at this darling； Mr。 Sutherland！〃 exclaimed Euphrasia
suddenly； as she bent at the root of a great beech； where grew a
large bush of rough leaves； with one tiny but perfectly…formed
primrose peeping out between。 〃Is it not a little pet？all
eyesall one eye staring out of its curtained bed to see what ever
is going on in the world。You had better lie down again： it is not
a nice place。〃
She spoke to it as if it had been a kitten or a baby。 And as she
spoke； she pulled the leaves yet closer over the little starer so as
to hide it quite。
As they went on； she almost obtrusively avoided stepping on the
flowers； saying she almost felt cruel； or at least rude； when she
did so。 Yet she trailed her dress over them in quite a careless
way； not lifting it at all。 This was a peculiarity of hers； which
Hugh never understood till he understood herself。
All about in shady places； the ferns were busy untucking themselves
from their grave…clothes； unrolling their mysterious coils of life；
adding continually to the hidden growth as they unfolded the
visible。 In this； the