Euphra began, and read delightfully; for she was an excellent Italian scholar.  It was necessary that Hugh should look over the book.  This was difficult while he remained standing, as she did not offer to lift it from the table.  Gradually, therefore, and hardly knowing how, he settled into a chair by her side.  Half-an-hour went by like a minute, as he listened to the silvery tones of her voice, breaking into a bell-like sound upon the double consonants of that sweet lady-tongue.  Then it was his turn to read and be corrected, and read again and be again corrected.  Another half-hour glided away, and yet another.  But it must be confessed he made good use of the time —­ if only it had been his own to use; for at the end of it he could pronounce Italian very tolerably —­ well enough, at least, to keep him from fixing errors in his pronunciation, while studying the language alone.  Suddenly he came to himself, and looked up as from a dream.  Had she been bewitching him?  He was in Euphra’s room —­ alone with her.  And the door was shut —­ how or when?  And —­ he looked at his watch —­ poor little Harry had been waiting his return from the library, for the last hour and a half.  He was conscience-stricken.  He gathered up the books hastily, thanked Euphra in the same hurried manner, and left the room with considerable disquietude, closing the door very gently, almost guiltily, behind him.

I am afraid Euphra had been perfectly aware that he knew nothing about Italian.  Did she see her own eyes shine in the mirror before her, as he closed the door?  Was she in love with him, then?

When Hugh returned with the Italian books, instead of the encyclopaedia he had gone to seek, he found Harry sitting where he had left him, with his arms and head on the table, fast asleep.

“Poor boy!” said Hugh to himself; but he could not help feeling glad he was asleep.  He stole out of the room again, passed the fatal door with a longing pain, found the volume of his quest in the library, and, returning with it, sat down beside Harry.  There he sat till he awoke.

When he did awake at last, it was almost time for luncheon.  The shame-faced boy was exceedingly penitent for what was no fault, while Hugh could not relieve him by confessing his.  He could only say: 

“It was my fault, Harry dear.  I stayed away too long.  You were so nicely asleep, I would not wake you.  You will not need a siesta, that is all.”

He was ashamed of himself, as he uttered the false words to the true-hearted child.  But this, alas! was not the end of it all.