the hand of ethelberta-第81章

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watch。　　'If　we　cannot　catch　the　two　o'clock　train；　there　is　no
getting　there　to…nightand　to…morrow　we　could　not　possibly　arrive
before　one。'

'I　wish　there　was　time　for　me　to　go　and　tidy　myself　a　bit；'　said
Sol；　anxiously　looking　down　at　his　working　clothes。　　'I　suppose　you
would　not　like　me　to　go　with　you　like　this？'

'Confound　the　clothes！　　If　you　cannot　start　in　five　minutes；　we
shall　not　be　able　to　go　at　all。'

'Very　well；　thenwait　while　I　run　across　to　the　shop；　then　I　am
ready。　　How　do　we　get　to　the　station？'

'My　carriage　is　at　the　corner　waiting。　　When　you　come　out　I　will
meet　you　at　the　gates。'

Sol　then　hurried　downstairs；　and　a　minute　or　two　later　Mr。
Mountclere　followed；　looking　like　a　man　bent　on　policy　at　any　price。
The　carriage　was　brought　round　by　the　time　that　Sol　reappeared　from
the　yard。　　He　entered　and　sat　down　beside　Mountclere；　not　without　a
sense　that　he　was　spoiling　good　upholstery；　the　coachman　then
allowed　the　lash　of　his　whip　to　alight　with　the　force　of　a　small　fly
upon　the　horses；　which　set　them　up　in　an　angry　trot。　　Sol　rolled　on
beside　his　new　acquaintance　with　the　shamefaced　look　of　a　man　going
to　prison　in　a　van；　for　pedestrians　occasionally　gazed　at　him；　full
of　what　seemed　to　himself　to　be　ironical　surprise。

'I　am　afraid　I　ought　to　have　changed　my　clothes　after　all；'　he　said；
writhing　under　a　perception　of　the　contrast　between　them。　　'Not
knowing　anything　about　this；　I　ain't　a　bit　prepared。　　If　I　had　got
even　my　second…best　hat；　it　wouldn't　be　so　bad。'

'It　makes　no　difference；'　said　Mountclere　inanimately。

'Or　I　might　have　brought　my　portmantle；　with　some　things。'

'It　really　is　not　important。'

On　reaching　the　station　they　found　there　were　yet　a　few　minutes　to
spare；　which　Sol　made　use　of　in　writing　a　note　to　his　father；　to
explain　what　had　occurred。



42。　THE　DONCASTLES'　RESIDENCE；　AND　OUTSIDE　THE　SAME

Mrs。　Doncastle's　dressing…bell　had　rung；　but　Menlove；　the　lady's
maid；　having　at　the　same　time　received　a　letter　by　the　evening　post；
paused　to　read　it　before　replying　to　the　summons：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'ENCKWORTH　COURT；　Wednesday。

DARLING　LOUISA；I　can　assure　you　that　I　am　no　more　likely　than
yourself　to　form　another　attachment；　as　you　will　perceive　by　what
follows。　　Before　we　left　town　I　thought　that　to　be　able　to　see　you
occasionally　was　sufficient　for　happiness；　but　down　in　this　lonely
place　the　case　is　different。　　In　short；　my　dear；　I　ask　you　to
consent　to　a　union　with　me　as　soon　as　you　possibly　can。　　Your
prettiness　has　won　my　eyes　and　lips　completely；　sweet；　and　I　lie
awake　at　night　to　think　of　the　golden　curls　you　allowed　to　escape
from　their　confinement　on　those　nice　times　of　private　clothes；　when
we　walked　in　the　park　and　slipped　the　bonds　of　service；　which　you
were　never　born　to　any　more　than　I。　。　。　。

'Had　not　my　own　feelings　been　so　strong；　I　should　have　told　you　at
the　first　dash　of　my　pen　that　what　I　expected　is　coming　to　pass　at
lastthe　old　dog　is　going　to　be　privately　married　to　Mrs。　P。　　Yes；
indeed；　and　the　wedding　is　coming　off　to…morrow；　secret　as　the
grave。　　All　her　friends　will　doubtless　leave　service　on　account　of
it。　　What　he　does　now　makes　little　difference　to　me；　of　course；　as　I
had　already　given　warning；　but　I　shall　stick　to　him　like　a　Briton　in
spite　of　it。　　He　has　to…day　made　me　a　present；　and　a　further　five
pounds　for　yourself；　expecting　you　to　hold　your　tongue　on　every
matter　connected　with　Mrs。　P。's　friends；　and　to　say　nothing　to　any
of　them　about　this　marriage　until　it　is　over。　　His　lordship
impressed　this　upon　me　very　strong；　and　familiar　as　a　brother；　and
of　course　we　obey　his　instructions　to　the　letter；　for　I　need　hardly
say　that　unless　he　keeps　his　promise　to　help　me　in　setting　up　the
shop；　our　nuptials　cannot　be　consumed。　　His　help　depends　upon　our
obedience；　as　you　are　aware。　。　。　。'

This；　and　much　more；　was　from　her　very　last　lover；　Lord　Mountclere's
valet；　who　had　been　taken　in　hand　directly　she　had　convinced　herself
of　Joey's　hopeless　youthfulness。　　The　missive　sent　Mrs。　Menlove's
spirits　soaring　like　spring　larks；　she　flew　upstairs　in　answer　to
the　bell　with　a　joyful；　triumphant　look；　which　the　illuminated
figure　of　Mrs。　Doncastle　in　her　dressing…room　could　not　quite
repress。　　One　could　almost　forgive　Menlove　her　arts　when　so　modest　a
result　brought　such　vast　content。

Mrs。　Doncastle　seemed　inclined　to　make　no　remark　during　the
dressing；　and　at　last　Menlove　could　repress　herself　no　longer。

'I　should　like　to　name　something　to　you；　m'm。'

'Yes。'

'I　shall　be　wishing　to　leave　soon；　if　it　is　convenient。'

'Very　well；　Menlove；'　answered　Mrs。　Doncastle；　as　she　serenely
surveyed　her　right　eyebrow　in　the　glass。　　'Am　I　to　take　this　as　a
formal　notice？'

'If　you　please；　but　I　could　stay　a　week　or　two　beyond　the　month　if
suitable。　　I　am　going　to　be　marriedthat's　what　it　is；　m'm。'

'O！　　I　am　glad　to　hear　it；　though　I　am　sorry　to　lose　you。'

'It　is　Lord　Mountclere's　valetMr。　Tipmanm'm。'

'Indeed。'

Menlove　went　on　building　up　Mrs。　Doncastle's　hair　awhile　in　silence。

'I　suppose　you　heard　the　other　news　that　arrived　in　town　to…day；
m'm？'　she　said　again。　　'Lord　Mountclere　is　going　to　be　married　to…
morrow。'

'To…morrow？　　Are　you　quite　sure？'

'O　yes；　m'm。　　Mr。　Tipman　has　just　told　me　so　in　his　letter。　　He　is
going　to　be　married　to　Mrs。　Petherwin。　　It　is　to　be　quite　a　private
wedding。'

Mrs。　Doncastle　made　no　remark；　and　she　remained　in　the　same　still
position　as　before；　but　a　countenance　expressing　transcendent
surprise　was　reflected　to　Menlove　by　the　glass。

At　this　sight　Menlove's　tongue　so　burned　to　go　further；　and　unfold
the　lady's　relations　with　the　butler　downstairs；　that　she　would　have
lost　a　month's　wages　to　be　at　liberty　to　do　it。　　The　disclosure　was
almost　too　magnificent　to　be　repressed。　　To　deny　herself　so
exquisite　an　indulgence　required　an　effort　which　nothing　on　earth
could　have　sustained　save　the　one　thing　that　did　sustain　itthe
knowledge　that　upon　her　silence　hung　the　most　enormous　desideratum
in　the　world；　her　own　marriage。　　She　said　no　more；　and　Mrs。
Doncastle　went　away。

It　was　an　ordinary　family　dinner　that　day；　but　their　nephew　Neigh
happened　to　be　present。　　Just　as　they　were　sitting　down　Mrs。
Doncastle　said　to　her　husband：　　'Why　have　you　not　told　me　of　the
wedding　to…morrow？or　don't　you　know　anything　about　it？'

'Wedding？'　said　Mr。　Doncastle。

'Lord　Mountclere　is　to　be　married　to　Mrs。　Petherwin　quite
privately。'

'Good　God！'　said　some　person。

Mr。　Doncastle　did　not　speak　the　words；　they　were　not　spoken　by
Neigh：　　they　seemed　to　float　over　the　room　and　round　the　walls；　as
if　originating　in　some　spiritualistic　source。　　Yet　Mrs。　Doncastle；
remembering　the　symptoms　of　attachment　between　Ethelberta　and　her
nephew　which　had　appeared　during　the　summer；　looked　towards　Neigh
instantly；　as　if　she　thought　the　words　must　have　come　from　him　after
all；　but　Neigh's　face　was　perfectly　calm；　he；　together　with　her
husband；　was　sitting　with　his　eyes　fixed　in　the　direction　of　the
sideboard；　and　turning　to　the　same　spot　she　beheld　Chickerel
standing　pale　as　death；　his　lips　being　parted　as　if　he　did　not　know
where　he　was。

'Did　you　speak？'　said　Mrs。　Doncastle；　looking　with　astonishment　at
the　butler。

'Chickerel；　what's　the　matterare　you　ill？'　said　Mr。　Doncastle
simultaneously。　　'Was　it　you　who　said　that？'

'I　did；　sir；'　said　Chickerel　in　a　husky　voice；　scarcely　above　a
whisper。　　'I　could　not　help　it。'

'Why？'

'She　is　my　daughter；　and　it　shall　be　known　at　once！'

'Who　is　your　daughter？'

He　paused　a　few　moments　nervously。　　'Mrs。　Petherwin；'　he　said。

Upon　this　announcement　Neigh　looked　at　poor　Chickerel　as　if　he　saw
through　him　into　the　wall。　　Mrs。　Doncastle　uttered　a　faint
exclamation　and　leant　back　in　her　chair：　　the　bare　possibility　of
the　truth　of　Chickerel's　claims　to　such　paternity　shook　her　to
pieces　when　she　viewed　her　intimacies　with　Ethelberta　during　the
past　seasonthe　court　she　had　paid　her；　the　arrangements　she　had
entered　into　to　please　her；　above　all；　the　dinner…party　which　she
had　contrived　and　carried　out　solely　to　gratify　Lord　Mountclere　and
bri