But he felt that to show the least reluctance would place him at great disadvantage with a man of the world like the count.  He therefore thanked him slightly, and thrust the cheque into his trowsers-pocket, as if a greater sum of money than he had ever handled before were nothing more for him to win, than the count would choose it to be considered for him to lose.  He thought with himself:  “Ah! well, I need not make use of it;” and repaired to the school-room.

Here he found Harry waiting for him, looking tolerably well, and tolerably happy.  This was a great relief to Hugh, for he had not seen him at the breakfast-table —­ Harry having risen early and breakfasted before; and he had felt very uneasy lest the boy should have missed him in the night (for they were still bed-fellows), and should in consequence have had one of his dreadful attacks of fear. —­ It was evident that this had not taken place.

CHAPTER XXVI.

An accident.

There’s a special providence in the fall of a sparrow.

Hamlet.

When Mrs. Elton left the breakfast table, she went straight to Miss Cameron’s room to inquire after her, expecting to find her maid with her.  But when she knocked at the door, there was no reply.

She went therefore to her own room, and sent her maid to find
Euphra’s maid.

She came.

“Is your mistress going to get up to-day, Jane?” asked Mrs. Elton.

“I don’t know, ma’am.  She has not rung yet.”

“Have you not been to see how she is?”

“No, ma’am.”

“How was it you brought that message at breakfast, then?”

Jane looked confused, and did not reply.

“Jane!” said Mrs. Elton, in a tone of objurgation.

“Well, ma’am, she told me to say so,” answered Jane.

“How did she tell you?”

Jane paused again.

“Through the door, ma’am,” she answered at length; and then muttered, that they would make her tell lies by asking her questions she couldn’t answer; and she wished she was out of the house, that she did.

Mrs. Elton heard this, and, of course, felt considerably puzzled.

“Will you go now, please, and inquire after your mistress, with my compliments?”

“I daren’t, ma’am.”

“Daren’t!  What do you mean?”

“Well, ma’am, there is something about my mistress —­ " Here she stopped abruptly; but as Mrs. Elton stood expectant, she tried to go on.  All she could add, however, was —­ “No, ma’am; I daren’t.”

“But there is no harm in going to her room.”

“Oh, no, ma’am.  I go to her room, summer and winter, at seven o’clock every morning,” answered Jane, apparently glad to be able to say something.

“Why won’t you go now, then?”

“Why —­ why —­ because she told me —­ " Here the girl stammered and turned pale.  At length she forced out the words —­ “She won’t let me tell you why,” and burst into tears.