‘Of course I can. Of course not. It’s quite as well too. You won’t get me into any more scrapes.’ ‘_Did_ I get you into the scrape, Clara?’ ‘Yes, you did,’ she answered laughing, and walked away. I felt a good deal hurt, but comforted myself by saying she could not mean it, and sat down again to the _Seven Champions_. CHAPTER XIV. THE GHOST. I saw no more of Clara, but sat and read until I grew cold and tired, and wished very much that Mrs. Wilson would come. I thought she might have forgot me in the hurry, and there I should have to stay all night. After my recent escape, however, from a danger so much worse, I could regard the prospect with some composure. A full hour more must have passed; I was getting sleepy, and my candle had burned low, when at length Mrs Wilson did make her appearance, and I accompanied her gladly. ‘I am sure you want your tea, poor boy!’ she said. ‘Tea! Mrs. Wilson,’ I rejoined. ‘It’s bed I want. But when I think of it, I _am_ rather hungry.’ ‘You shall have tea and bed both,’ she answered kindly. ‘I’m sorry you’ve had such a dull evening, but I could _not_ help it.’ ‘Indeed, I’ve not been dull at all,’ I answered--‘till just the last hour or so.’ I longed to tell her all I had been about, for I felt guilty; but I would not betray Clara. ‘Well, here we are!’ she said, opening the door of her own room. ‘I hope I shall have peace enough to see you make a good meal.’ I did make a good meal. When I had done, Mrs Wilson took a rushlight and led the way. I took my sword and followed her. Into what quarter of the house she conducted me I could not tell. There was a nice fire burning in the room, and my night-apparel was airing before it. She set the light on the floor, and left me with a kind good-night. I was soon undressed and in bed, with my sword beside me on the coverlet of silk patchwork. But, from whatever cause, sleepy as I had been a little while before, I lay wide awake now, staring about the room. Like many others in the house, it was hung with tapestry, which was a good deal worn and patched--notably in one place, where limbs of warriors and horses came to an untimely end, on all sides of a certain oblong piece quite different from the rest in colour and design. I know now that it was a piece of _Gobelins,_ in the midst of ancient needlework. It looked the brighter of the two, but its colours were about three, with a good deal of white; whereas that which surrounded it had had many and brilliant colours, which, faded and dull and sombre, yet kept their harmony. The guard of the rushlight cast deeper and queerer shadows, as the fire sank lower. Its holes gave eyes of light to some of the figures in the tapestry, and as the light wavered, the eyes wandered about in a ghostly manner, and the shadows changed and flickered and heaved uncomfortably.