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ours。〃
This was a wonderful admission from Mr。 Arnold。 He ponderedthen
exclaimed； as if he had just made a grand discovery：
〃I have it！ I know something that will interest you。〃
〃Do not trouble yourself； pray； Mr。 Arnold；〃 said Lady Emily。 But
he was already half way to the door。
He went to his own room； and his own strong closet therein。
Returning towards the invalid's quarters with an ebony box of
considerable size； he found it rather heavy； and meeting Euphra by
the way； requested her to take one of the silver handles； and help
him to carry it to Lady Emily's room。 She started when she saw it；
but merely said：
〃With pleasure； uncle。〃
〃Now； Lady Emily；〃 said he； as； setting down the box； he took out a
curious antique enamelled key； 〃we shall be able to amuse you for a
little while。〃
He opened the box； and displayed such a glitter and show as would
have delighted the eyes of any lady。 All kinds of strange
ornaments； ancient watchesone of them a death's head in gold；
cameo necklaces； pearls abundant； diamonds； rubies； and all the
colours of precious stonesevery one of them having some history；
whether known to the owner or not； gems that had flashed on many a
fair finger and many a shining necklay before Lady Emily's
delighted eyes。 But Euphrasia's eyes shone； as she gazed on them；
with a very different expression from that which sparkled in Lady
Emily's。 They seemed to search them with fingers of lightning。 Mr。
Arnold chose two or three； and gave Lady Emily her choice of them。
〃I could not think of depriving you。〃
〃They are of no use to me；〃 said Mr。 Arnold； making light of the
handsome offer。
〃You are too kind。I should like this ring。〃
〃Take it then； dear Lady Emily。〃
Euphrasia's eyes were not on the speakers； nor was any envy to be
seen in her face。 She still gazed at the jewels in the box。
The chosen gem was put aside； and then； one after another； the
various articles were taken out and examined。 At length； a large
gold chain； set with emeralds； was lifted from where it lay coiled
up in a corner。 A low cry； like a muffled moan； escaped from
Euphrasia's lips； and she turned her head away from the box。
〃What is the matter； Euphra？〃 said Mr。 Arnold。
〃A sudden shoot of painI beg your pardon； dear uncle。 I fear I am
not quite so well yet as I thought I was。 How stupid of me！〃
〃Do sit down。 I fear the weight of the box was too much for you。〃
〃Not in the least。 I want to see the pretty things。〃
〃But you have seen them before。〃
〃No； uncle。 You promised to show them to me； but you never did。〃
〃You see what I get by being ill；〃 said Lady Emily。
The chain was examined； admired； and laid aside。
Where it had lain； they now observed； in the corner； a huge stone
like a diamond。
〃What is this？〃 said Lady Emily； taking it up。 〃Oh！ I see。 It is a
ring。 But such a ring for size； I never saw。 Do look； Miss
Cameron。〃
For Miss Cameron was not looking。 She was leaning her head on her
hand； and her face was ashy pale。 Lady Emily tried the ring on。
Any two of her fingers would go into the broad gold circlet； beyond
which the stone projected far in every direction。 Indeed； the ring
was attached to the stone； rather than the stone set in the ring。
〃That is a curious thing； is it not？〃 said Mr。 Arnold。 〃It is of no
value in itself； I believe； it is nothing but a crystal。 But it
seems to have been always thought something of in the family；I
presume from its being evidently the very ring painted by Sir Peter
Lely in that portrait of Lady Euphrasia which I showed you the other
day。 It is a clumsy affair； is it not？〃
It might have occurred to Mr。 Arnold； that such a thing must have
been thought something of； before its owner would have chosen to
wear it when sitting for her portrait。
Lady Emily was just going to lay it down； when she spied something
that made her look at it more closely。
〃What curious engraving is this upon the gold？〃 she asked。
〃I do not know； indeed；〃 answered Mr。 Arnold。 〃I have never observed
it。〃
〃Look at it； thenall over the gold。 What at first looks only like
chasing； is； I do believe； words。 The character looks to me like
German。 I wish I could read it。 I am but a poor German scholar。
Do look at it； please； dear Miss Cameron。〃
Euphra glanced slightly at it without touching it； and said：
〃I am sure I could make nothing of it。But；〃 she added； as if
struck by a sudden thought； 〃as Lady Emily seems interested in
itsuppose we send for Mr。 Sutherland。 I have no doubt he will be
able to decipher it。〃
She rose as if she would go for him herself； but； apparently on
second thoughts； went to the bell and rang it。
〃Oh！ do not trouble yourself；〃 interposed Lady Emily； in a tone that
showed she would like it notwithstanding。
〃No trouble at all；〃 answered Euphra and her uncle in a breath。
〃Jacob；〃 said Mr。 Arnold； 〃take my compliments to Mr。 Sutherland；
and ask him to step this way。〃
The man went； and Hugh came。
〃There's a puzzle for you； Mr。 Sutherland；〃 said Mr。 Arnold； as he
entered。 〃Decipher that inscription； and gain the favour of Lady
Emily for ever。〃
As he spoke he put the ring in Hugh's hand。 Hugh recognized it at
once。
〃Ah！ this is Lady Euphrasia's wonderful ring；〃 said he。
Euphra cast on him one of her sudden glances。
〃What do you know about it？〃 said Mr。 Arnold； hastily。
Euphra flashed at him once more； covertly。
〃I only know that this is the ring in her portrait。 Any one may see
that it is a very wonderful ring indeed； by only looking at it；〃
answered Hugh； smiling。
〃I hope it is not too wonderful for you to get at the mystery of it；
though； Mr。 Sutherland？〃 said Lady Emily。
〃Lady Emily is dying to understand the inscription；〃 said Euphrasia。
By this time Hugh was turning it round and round； trying to get a
beginning to the legend。 But in this he met with a difficulty。 The
fact was； that the initial letter of the inscription could only be
found by looking into the crystal held close to the eye。 The words
seemed not altogether unknown to him； though the characters were a
little strange； and the words themselves were undivided。 The dinner
bell rang。
〃Dear me！ how the time goes in your room； Lady Emily！〃 said Mr。
Arnold； who was never known to keep dinner waiting a moment。 〃Will
you venture to go down with us to…day？〃
〃I fear I must not to…day。 To…morrow； I hope。 But do put up these
beauties before you go。 I dare not touch them without you； and it
is so much more pleasure seeing them； when I have you to tell me
about them。〃
〃Well； throw them in；〃 said Mr。 Arnold； pretending an indifference
he did not feel。 〃The reality of dinner must not be postponed to the
fancy of jewels。〃
All this time Hugh had stood poring over the ring at the window；
whither he had taken it for better light； as the shadows were
falling。 Euphra busied herself replacing everything in the box。
When all were in； she hastily shut the lid。
〃Well； Mr。 Sutherland？〃 said Mr。 Arnold。
〃I seem on the point of making it out； Mr。 Arnold； but I certainly
have not succeeded yet。〃
〃Confess yourself vanquished； then； and come to dinner。〃
〃I am very unwilling to give in； for I feel convinced that if I had
leisure to copy the inscription as far as I can read it； I should；
with the help of my dictionary； soon supply the rest。 I am very
unwilling； as well； to lose a chance of the favour of Lady Emily。〃
〃Yes； do read it； if you can。 I too am dying to hear it；〃 said
Euphra。
〃Will you trust me with it； Mr。 Arnold？ I will take the greatest
care of it。〃
〃Oh； certainly！〃 replied Mr。 Arnoldwith a little hesitation in his
tone； however； of which Hugh was too eager to take any notice。
He carried it to his room immediately； and laid it beside his
manuscript verses； in the hiding…place of the old escritoire。 He
was in the drawing…room a moment after。
There he found Euphra and the Bohemian alone。Von Funkelstein had；
in an incredibly short space of time； established himself as
Hausfreund； and came and went as he pleased。They looked as if they
had been interrupted in a hurried and earnest conversationtheir
faces were so impassive。 Yet Euphra's wore a considerably
heightened coloura more articulate indication。 She could school
her features； but not her complexion。
CHAPTER XXIII。
THE WAGER。
He。。。stakes this ring；
And would so； had it been a carbuncle
Of Ph渂us' wheel； and might so safely； had it
Been all the worth of his car。
Cymbeline。
Hugh； of course； had an immediate attack of jealousy。 Wishing to
show it in one quarter； and hide it in every other； he carefully
abstained from looking once in the direction of Euphra； while；
throughout the dinner； he spoke to every one else as often as there
was the smallest pretext for doing so。 To enable himself to keep
this up； he drank wine freely。 As he was in general very moderate；
by the time the ladies rose； it had begun to affect his brain。 It
was not half so potent； however； in its influences； as the parting
glance which Euphra succeeded at last； as she left the room； in
sending through his eyes to his heart。
Hu