“What!  Miss Cameron here!” and advanced with a profound obeisance, holding his hat in his hand.

Hugh thought he saw her look annoyed; but she held out her hand to him, and, in a voice indicating —­ still as it appeared to Hugh —­ some reluctance, introduced him to her uncle, with the words: 

“We met at Sir Edward Laston’s, when I was visiting Mrs. Elkingham, two years ago, uncle.”

Mr. Arnold lifted his hat and bowed politely to the stranger.  Had Euphra informed him that, although a person of considerable influence in Sir Edward’s household, Herr von Funkelstein had his standing there only as Sir Edward’s private secretary, Mr. Arnold’s aversion to foreigners generally would not have been so scrupulously banished into the background of his behaviour.  Ordinary civilities passed between them, marked by an air of flattering deference on Funkelstein’s part, which might have been disagreeable to a man less uninterruptedly conscious of his own importance than Mr. Arnold; and the new visitor turned once more, as if forgetful of his previous direction, and accompanied them towards the house.  Before they reached it he had, even in that short space, ingratiated himself so far with Mr. Arnold, that he asked him to stay and dine with them —­ an invitation which was accepted with manifest pleasure.

“Mr. Sutherland,” said Mr. Arnold, “will you show your friend anything worth note about the place?  He has kindly consented to dine with us; and in the meantime I have some letters to write.”

“With pleasure,” answered Hugh.

But all this time he had been inwardly commenting on the appearance of his friend, as Mr. Arnold called him, with the jealousy of a youth in love; for was not Funkelstein an old acquaintance of Miss Cameron?  What might not have passed between them in that old hidden time? —­ for love is jealous of the past as well as of the future.  Love, as well as metaphysics, has a lasting quarrel with time and space:  the lower love fears them, while the higher defies them. —­ And he could not help seeing that Funkelstein was one to win favour in ladies’ eyes.  Very regular features and a dark complexion were lighted up by eyes as black as Euphra’s, and capable of a wonderful play of light; while his form was remarkable for strength and symmetry.  Hugh felt that in any company he would attract immediate attention.  His long dark beard, of which just the centre was removed to expose a finely-turned chin, blew over each shoulder as often as they met the wind in going round the house.  From what I have heard of him from other deponents besides Hugh, I should judge that he did well to conceal the lines of his mouth in a long moustache, which flowed into his bifurcated beard.  He had just enough of the foreign in his dress to add to the appearance of fashion which it bore.