“You astonish me,” said Euphra.

“Latin gives me an advantage, you see,” said Hugh modestly.

“It seems to be very wonderful, nevertheless.”

These were sweet sounds to Hugh’s ear.  He had gained his end.  And she hers.

“Well,” she said, “I have just come upon another passage that perplexes me not a little.  Will you try your powers upon that for me?”

So saying, she proceeded to find it.

“It is school-time,” said Hugh “I fear I must not wait now.”

“Pooh! pooh!  Don’t make a pedagogue of yourself.  You know you are here more as a guardian —­ big brother, you know —­ to the dear child.  By the way, I am rather afraid you are working him a little more than his constitution will stand.”

“Do you think so?” returned Hugh quite willing to be convinced.  “I should be very sorry.”

“This is the passage,” said Euphra.

Hugh sat down once more at the table beside her.  He found this morsel considerably tougher than the last.  But at length he succeeded in pulling it to pieces and reconstructing it in a simpler form for the lady.  She was full of thanks and admiration.  Naturally enough, they went on to the next line, and the next stanza, and the next and the next; till —­ shall I be believed? —­ they had read a whole canto of the poem.  Euphra knew more words by a great many than Hugh; so that, what with her knowledge of the words, and his insight into the construction, they made rare progress.

“What a beautiful passage it is!” said Euphra.

“It is indeed,” responded Hugh; “I never read anything more beautiful.”

“I wonder if it would be possible to turn that into English.  I should like to try.”

“You mean verse, of course?”

“To be sure.”

“Let us try, then.  I will bring you mine when I have finished it.  I fear it will take some time, though, to do it well.  Shall it be in blank verse, or what?”

“Oh! don’t you think we had better keep the Terza Rima of the original?”

“As you please.  It will add much to the difficulty.”

“Recreant knight! will you shrink from following where your lady leads?”

“Never! so help me, my good pen!” answered Hugh, and took his departure, with burning cheeks and a trembling at the heart.  Alas! the morning was gone.  Harry was not in his study:  he sought and found him in the library, apparently buried in Polexander.

“I am so glad you are come,” said Harry; “I am so tired.”

“Why do you read that stupid book, then?”

“Oh! you know, I told you.”

“Tut! tut! nonsense!  Put it away,” said Hugh, his dissatisfaction with himself making him cross with Harry, who felt, in consequence, ten times more desolate than before.  He could not understand the change.