Would it be better to tell Mr. Arnold of the loss of both rings, or should he mention the crystal only? He came to the conclusion that it would only exasperate him the more, and perhaps turn suspicion upon himself, if he communicated the fact that he too was a loser, and to such an extent; for Hugh's ring was worth twenty of the other, and was certainly as sacred as Mr. Arnold's, if not so ancient. He would bear it in silence. If the one could not be found, there could certainly be no hope of the other.
Punctual as the clock, Mr. Arnold returned. It did not prejudice him in favour of the reporter of bad tidings, that he begged a word with him before dinner, when that was on the point of being served.
It was, indeed, exceeding impolitic; but Hugh would have felt like an impostor, had he sat down to the table before making his confession.
"Mr. Arnold, I am sorry to say I have been robbed, and in your house, too.""In my house? Of what, pray, Mr. Sutherland?"Mr. Arnold had taken the information as some weak men take any kind of information referring to themselves or their belongings--namely, as an insult. He drew himself up, and lowered portentously.
"Of your ring, Mr. Arnold."
"Of--my--ring?"
And he looked at his ring-finger, as if he could not understand the import of Hugh's words.
"Of the ring you lent me to decipher," explained Hugh.
"Do you suppose I do not understand you, Mr. Sutherland? A ring which has been in the family for two hundred years at least! Robbed of it? In my house? You must have been disgracefully careless, Mr. Sutherland. You have lost it."
"Mr. Arnold," said Hugh, with dignity, "I am above using such a subterfuge, even if it were not certain to throw suspicion where it was undeserved."Mr. Arnold was a gentleman, as far as his self-importance allowed.
He did not apologize for what he had said, but he changed his manner at once.
"I am quite bewildered, Mr. Sutherland. It is a very annoying piece of news--for many reasons.""I can show you where I laid it--in the safest corner in my room, Iassure you."
"Of course, of course. It is enough you say so. We must not keep the dinner waiting now. But after dinner I shall have all the servants up, and investigate the matter thoroughly.""So," thought Hugh with himself, "some one will be made a felon of, because the cursed dead go stalking about this infernal house at midnight, gathering their own old baubles. No, that will not do. Imust at least tell Mr. Arnold what I know of the doings of the night."So Mr. Arnold must still wait for his dinner; or rather, which was really of more consequence in the eyes of Mr. Arnold, the dinner must be kept waiting for him. For order and custom were two of Mr. Arnold's divinities; and the economy of his whole nature was apt to be disturbed by any interruption of their laws, such as the postponement of dinner for ten minutes. He was walking towards the door, and turned with some additional annoyance when Hugh addressed him again:
"One moment, Mr. Arnold, if you please."
Mr. Arnold merely turned and waited.
"I fear I shall in some degree forfeit your good opinion by what Iam about to say, but I must run the risk."
Mr. Arnold still waited.
"There is more about the disappearance of the ring than I can understand.""Or I either, Mr. Sutherland."
"But I must tell you what happened to myself, the night that I kept watch in Lady Euphrasia's room.""You said you slept soundly."
"So I did, part of the time."
"Then you kept back part of the truth?"
"I did."
"Was that worthy of you?"
"I thought it best: I doubted myself."