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〃What books have you？〃
〃Oh！ no books； if you please； just yet。 If you are satisfied with
Harry's progress so far； let me have my own way in this too。〃
〃But geography does not seem your strong point。〃
〃No； but I may be able to teach it all the better from feeling the
difficulties of a learner myself。〃
〃Well； you shall have a fair trial。〃
Next morning Hugh and Harry went out for a walk to the top of a hill
in the neighbourhood。 When they reached it； Hugh took a small
compass from his pocket； and set it on the ground； contemplating it
and the horizon alternately。
〃What are you doing； Mr。 Sutherland？〃
〃I am trying to find the exact line that would go through my home；〃
said he。
〃Is that funny little thing able to tell you？〃
〃Yes； this along with other things。 Isn't it curious； Harry； to
have in my pocket a little thing with a kind of spirit in it； that
understands the spirit that is in the big world； and always points
to its North Pole？〃
〃Explain it to me。〃
〃It is nearly as much a mystery to me as to you。〃
〃Where is the North Pole？〃
〃Look； the little thing points to it。〃
〃But I will turn it away。 Oh！ it won't go。 It goes back and back；
do what I will。〃
〃Yes； it will； if you turn it away all day long。 Look； Harry； if
you were to go straight on in this direction； you would come to a
Laplander； harnessing his broad…horned reindeer to his sledge。 He's
at it now； I daresay。 If you were to go in this line exactly； you
would go through the smoke and fire of a burning mountain in a land
of ice。 If you were to go this way； straight on； you would find
yourself in the middle of a forest with a lion glaring at your feet；
for it is dark night there now； and so hot！ And over there；
straight on； there is such a lovely sunset。 The top of a snowy
mountain is all pink with light； though the sun is downoh！ such
colours all about； like fairyland！ And there； there is a desert of
sand； and a camel dying； and all his companions just disappearing on
the horizon。 And there； there is an awful sea； without a boat to be
seen on it； dark and dismal； with huge rocks all about it； and waste
borders of sandso dreadful！〃
〃How do you know all this； Mr。 Sutherland？ You have never walked
along those lines； I know； for you couldn't。〃
〃Geography has taught me。〃
〃No； Mr。 Sutherland！〃 said Harry； incredulously。
〃Well； shall we travel along this line； just across that crown of
trees on the hill？〃
〃Yes； do let us。〃
〃Then；〃 said Hugh； drawing a telescope from his pocket； 〃this hill
is henceforth Geography Point； and all the world lies round about
it。 Do you know we are in the very middle of the earth？〃
〃Are we； indeed？〃
〃Yes。 Don't you know any point you like to choose on a ball is the
middle of it？〃
〃Oh！ yesof course。〃
〃Very well。 What lies at the bottom of the hill down there？〃
〃Arnstead； to be sure。〃
〃And what beyond there？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃Look through here。〃
〃Oh！ that must be the village we rode to yesterdayI forget the
name of it。〃
Hugh told him the name； and then made him look with the telescope
all along the receding line to the trees on the opposite hill。 Just
as he caught them； a voice beside them said：
〃What are you about； Harry？〃
Hugh felt a glow of pleasure as the voice fell on his ear。
It was Euphra's。
〃Oh！〃 replied Harry； 〃Mr。 Sutherland is teaching me geography with a
telescope。 It's such fun！〃
〃He's a wonderful tutor； that of yours； Harry！〃
〃Yes； isn't he just？ But；〃 Harry went on； turning to Hugh； 〃what
are we to do now？ We can't get farther for that hill。〃
〃Ah！ we must apply to your papa now； to lend us some of his
beautiful maps。 They will teach us what lies beyond that hill。 And
then we can read in some of his books about the places； and so go on
and on； till we reach the beautiful； wide； restless sea； over which
we must sail in spite of wind and tidestraight on and on； till we
come to land again。 But we must make a great many such journeys
before we really know what sort of a place we are living in； and we
shall have ever so many things to learn that will surprise us。〃
〃Oh！ it will be nice！〃 cried Harry。
After a little more geographical talk； they put up their
instruments； and began to descend the hill。 Harry was in no need of
Hugh's back now； but Euphra was in need of his hand。 In fact； she
spelled for its support。
〃How awkward of me！ I am stumbling over the heather shamefully！〃
She was； in fact； stumbling over her own dress； which she would not
hold up。 Hugh offered his hand； and her small one seemed quite
content to be swallowed up in his large one。
〃Why do you never let me put you on your horse？〃 said Hugh。 〃You
always manage to prevent me somehow or other。 The last time； I just
turned my head； and； behold！ when I looked； you were gathering your
reins。〃
〃It is only a trick of independence； HughMr。 SutherlandI beg
your pardon。〃
I can make no excuse for Euphra； for she had positively never heard
him called Hugh： there was no one to do so。 But； the slip had not；
therefore； the less effect； for it sounded as if she had been saying
his name over and over again to herself。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 repeated Euphra； hastily； for； as Hugh did not
reply； she feared her arrow had swerved from its mark。
〃For a sweet fault； EuphraI beg your pardonMiss Cameron。〃
〃You punish me with forgiveness；〃 returned she； with one of her
sweetest looks。
Hugh could not help pressing the little hand。
Was the pressure returned？ So slight； so airy was the touch； that
it might have been only the throb of his own pulses； all consciously
vital about the wonderful woman…hand that rested in his。 If he had
claimed it； she might easily have denied it； so ethereal and
uncertain was it。 Yet he believed in it。 He never dreamed that she
was exercising her skill upon him。 What could be her object in
bewitching a poor tutor？ Ah！ what indeed？
Meantime this much is certain； that she was drawing Hugh closer and
closer to her side； that a soothing dream of delight had begun to
steal over his spirit； soon to make it toss in feverous unrestas
the first effects of some poisons are like a dawn of tenfold
strength。 The mountain wind blew from her to him； sometimes
sweeping her garments about him； and bathing him in their faint
sweet odoursodours which somehow seemed to belong to her whom they
had only last visited； sometimes； so kindly strong did it blow；
compelling her； or at least giving her excuse enough； to leave his
hand and cling closely to his arm。 A fresh spring began to burst
from the very bosom of what had seemed before a perfect summer。 A
spring to summer！ What would the following summer be？ Ah！ and what
the autumn？ And what the winter？ For if the summer be tenfold
summer； then must the winter be tenfold winter。
But though knowledge is good for man； foreknowledge is not so good。
And； though Love be good； a tempest of it in the brain will not
ripen the fruits like a soft steady wind； or waft the ships home to
their desired haven。
Perhaps； what enslaved Hugh most； was the feeling that the damsel
stooped to him； without knowing that she stooped。 She seemed to him
in every way above him。 She knew so many things of which he was
ignorant； could say such lovely things； could； he did not doubt；
write lovely verses； could sing like an angel； （though Scotch songs
are not of essentially angelic strain； nor Italian songs either； in
general； and they were all that she could do）； was mistress of a
great rich wonderful house； with a history； and； more than all； was；
or appeared to him to bea beautiful woman。 It was true that his
family was as good as hers； but he had disowned his familyso his
pride declared； and the same pride made him despise his present
position； and look upon a tutor's employment asaswell； as other
people look upon it； as a rather contemptible one in fact；
especially for a young； powerful； six…foot fellow。
The influence of Euphrasia was not of the best upon him from the
first； for it had greatly increased this feeling about his
occupation。 It could not affect his feelings towards Harry； so the
boy did not suffer as yet。 But it set him upon a very unprofitable
kind of castle…building： he would be a soldier like his father； he
would leave Arnstead； to revisit it with a sword by his side； and a
Sir before his name。 Sir Hugh Sutherland would be somebody even in
the eyes of the master of Arnstead。 Yes； a six…foot fellow； though
he may be sensible in the main； is not； therefore； free from small
vanities； especially if he be in love。 But how leave Euphra？
Again I outrun my story。
CHAPTER X。
ITALIAN。
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