answer them。
At one o'clock； the carriage came round to the door； and Hugh； in
the hope of seeing Euphra alone； was the first in the hall。 Mrs。
Elton and Lady Emily presently came； and proceeded to take their
places； without seeming to expect Miss Cameron。 Hugh helped them
into the carriage； but； instead of getting in； lingered； hoping that
Euphra was yet going to make her appearance。
〃I fear Miss Cameron is unable to join us；〃 said Mrs。 Elton；
divining his delay。
〃Shall I run up…stairs； and knock at her door？〃 said Hugh。
〃Do；〃 said Mrs。 Elton； who； after the unsatisfactory conversation
she had held with her maid； had felt both uneasy and curious； all
the morning。
Hugh bounded up…stairs； but； just as he was going to knock； the door
opened； and Euphra； appeared。
〃Dear Euphra！ how ill you look！〃 exclaimed Hugh。
She was pale as death； and dark under the eyes； and had evidently
been weeping。
〃Hush！ hush！〃 she answered。 〃Never mind。 It is only a bad headache。
Don't take any notice of it。〃
〃The carriage is at the door。 Will you not come with us？〃
〃With whom？〃
〃Lady Emily and Mrs。 Elton。〃
〃I am sick of them。〃
〃I am going； Euphra。〃
〃Stay with me。〃
〃I must go。 I promised to take care of them。〃
〃Oh； nonsense！ What should happen to them？ Stay with me。〃
〃No。 I am very sorry。 I wish I could。〃
〃Then I must go with you； I suppose。〃 Yet her tone expressed
annoyance。
〃Oh！ thank you；〃 cried Hugh in delight。 〃Make haste。 I will run
down； and tell them to wait。〃
He bounded away； and told the ladies that Euphra would join them in
a few minutes。
But Euphra was cool enough to inflict on them quite twenty minutes
of waiting； by which time she was able to behave with tolerable
propriety。 When she did appear at last； she was closely veiled； and
stepped into the carriage without once showing her face。 But she
made a very pretty apology for the delay she had occasioned； which
was certainly due； seeing it had been perfectly intentional。 She
made room for Hugh； he took his place beside her； and away they
drove。
Euphra scarcely spoke； but begged indulgence； on the ground of her
headache。 Lady Emily enjoyed the drive very much； and said a great
many pleasant little nothings。
〃Would you like a glass of milk？〃 said Mrs。 Elton to her； as they
passed a farm…house on the estate。
〃I shouldvery much；〃 answered Lady Emily。
The carriage was stopped； and the servant sent to beg a glass of
milk。 Euphra； who； from riding backward with a headache； had been
feeling very uncomfortable for some time； wished to get out while
the carriage was waiting。 Hugh jumped out； and assisted her。 She
walked a little way； leaning on his arm； up to the house； where she
had a glass of water； after which she said she felt better； and
returned with him to the carriage。 In getting in again； either from
the carelessness or the weakness occasioned by suffering； her foot
slipped from the step； and she fell with a cry of alarm。 Hugh
caught her as she fell； and she would not have been much injured；
had not the horses started and sprung forward at the moment； so that
the hind wheel of the carriage passed over her ankle。 Hugh； raising
her in his arms； found she was insensible。
He laid her down upon the grass by the roadside。 Water was
procured； but she showed no sign of recovering。What was to be
done？ Mrs。 Elton thought she had better be carried to the
farm…house。 Hugh judged it better to take her home at once。 To
this； after a little argument； Mrs。 Elton agreed。
They lifted her into the carriage； and made what arrangements they
best could to allow her to recline。 Blood was flowing from her
foot； and it was so much swollen that it was impossible to guess at
the amount of the injury。 The foot was already twice the size of
the other； in which Hugh for the first time recognised such a
delicacy of form； as； to his fastidious eye and already ensnared
heart； would have been perfectly enchanting； but for the agony he
suffered from the injury to the other。 Yet he could not help the
thought crossing his mind； that her habit of never lifting her dress
was a very strange one； and that it must have had something to do
with the present accident。 I cannot account for this habit； but on
one of two suppositions； that of an affected delicacy； or that of
the desire that the beauty of her feet should have its full power；
from being rarely seen。 But it was dreadful to think how far the
effects of this accident might permanently injure the beauty of one
of them。
Hugh would have walked home that she might have more room； but he
knew he could be useful when they arrived。 He seated himself so as
to support the injured foot； and prevent； in some measure； the
torturing effects of the motion of the carriage。 When they had gone
about half…way； she opened her eyes feebly； glanced at him； and
closed them again with a moan of pain。
He carried her in his arms up to her own room； and laid her on a
couch。 She thanked him by a pitiful attempt at a smile。 He mounted
his horse； and galloped for a surgeon。
The injury was a serious one； but until the swelling could be a
little reduced； it was impossible to tell how serious。 The surgeon；
however； feared that some of the bones of the ankle might be
crushed。 The ankle seemed to be dislocated； and the suffering was
frightful。 She endured it well； howeverso far as absolute silence
constitutes endurance。
Hugh's misery was extreme。 The surgeon had required his assistance；
but a suitable nurse soon arrived； and there was no pretext for his
further presence in the sick chamber。 He wandered about the
grounds。 Harry haunted his steps like a spaniel。 The poor boy felt
it much； and the suffering abstraction of Hugh sealed up his chief
well of comfort。 At length he went to Mrs。 Elton； who did her best
to console him。
By the surgeon's express orders； every one but the nurse was
excluded from Euphra's room。
CHAPTER XXVII。
MORE TROUBLES。
Come on and do your best
To fright me with your sprites： you're powerful at it。
You smell this business with a sense as cold
As is a dead man's nose。
A Winter's Tale。
When Mr。 Arnold came home to dinner； and heard of the accident； his
first feeling； as is the case with weak men； was one of mingled
annoyance and anger。 Hugh was the chief object of it； for had he
not committed the ladies to his care？ And the economy of his house
being partially disarranged by it； had he not a good right to be
angry？ His second feeling was one of concern for his niece； which
was greatly increased when he found that she was not in a state to
see him。 Still； nothing must interfere with the order of things；
and when Hugh went into the drawing…room at the usual hour； he found
Mr。 Arnold standing there in tail coat and white neck…cloth； looking
as if he had just arrived at a friend's house； to make one of a
stupid party。 And the party which sat down to dinner was certainly
dreary enough； consisting only； besides the host himself； of Mrs。
Elton； Hugh； and Harry。 Lady Emily had had exertion enough for the
day； and had besides shared in the shock of Euphra's misfortune。
Mr。 Arnold was considerably out of humour； and ready to pounce upon
any object of complaint。 He would have attacked Hugh with a pompous
speech on the subject of his carelessness； but he was rather afraid
of his tutor now；so certainly will the stronger get the upper hand
in time。 He did not even refer to the subject of the accident。
Therefore； although it filled the minds of all at table； it was
scarcely more than alluded to。 But having nothing at hand to find
fault with more suitable； he laid hold of the first wise remark
volunteered by good Mrs。 Elton； whereupon an amusing pas de deux
immediately followed； for it could not be called a duel； inasmuch as
each antagonist kept skipping harmlessly about the other； exploding
theological crackers； firmly believed by the discharger to be no
less than bomb…shells。 At length Mrs。 Elton withdrew。
〃By the way； Mr。 Sutherland；〃 said Mr。 Arnold； 〃have you succeeded
in deciphering that curious inscription yet？ I don't like the ring
to remain long out of my own keeping。 It is quite an heirloom； I
assure you。〃
Hugh was forced to confess that he had never thought of it again。
〃Shall I fetch it at once？〃 added he。
〃Oh！ no；〃 replied Mr。 Arnold。 〃I should really like to understand
the inscription。 To…morrow will do perfectly well。〃
They went to the drawing…room。 Everything was wretched。 However
many ghosts might be in the house； it seemed to Hugh that there was
no soul in it except in one room。 The wind sighed fitfully； and the
rain fell in slow； soundless showers。 Mr。 Arnold felt the vacant
oppression as well as Hugh。 Mrs Elton having gone to Lady Emily's
room； he proposed back gammon； and on that surpassing game； the
gentlemen expended the best part of two dreary hours。 When Hugh
reached his room he was too tired and spiritless for any
intellectual effort； and； instead of trying to decipher the ring；
went to bed； and slept as if there were never a ghost or a woman in
the universe。
His first proc