the hand of ethelberta-第82章

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had　contrived　and　carried　out　solely　to　gratify　Lord　Mountclere　and
bring　him　into　personal　communication　with　the　general　favourite；
thus　making　herself　probably　the　chief　though　unconscious　instrument
in　promoting　a　match　by　which　her　butler　was　to　become　father…in…law
to　a　peer　she　delighted　to　honour。　　The　crowd　of　perceptions　almost
took　away　her　life；　she　closed　her　eyes　in　a　white　shiver。

'Do　you　mean　to　say　that　the　lady　who　sat　here　at　dinner　at　the　same
time　that　Lord　Mountclere　was　present；　is　your　daughter？'　asked
Doncastle。

'Yes；　sir；'　said　Chickerel　respectfully。

'How　did　she　come　to　be　your　daughter？'

'I　　Well；　she　is　my　daughter；　sir。'

'Did　you　educate　her？'

'Not　altogether；　sir。　　She　was　a　very　clever　child。　　Lady　Petherwin
took　a　deal　of　trouble　about　her　education。　　They　were　both　left
widows　about　the　same　time：　　the　son　died；　then　the　father。　　My
daughter　was　only　seventeen　then。　　But　though　she's　older　now；　her
marriage　with　Lord　Mountclere　means　misery。　　He　ought　to　marry
another　woman。'

'It　is　very　extraordinary；'　Mr。　Doncastle　murmured。　　'If　you　are　ill
you　had　better　go　and　rest　yourself；　Chickerel。　　Send　in　Thomas。'

Chickerel；　who　seemed　to　be　much　disturbed；　then　very　gladly　left
the　room；　and　dinner　proceeded。　　But　such　was　the　peculiarity　of　the
case；　that；　though　there　was　in　it　neither　murder；　robbery；　illness；
accident；　fire；　or　any　other　of　the　tragic　and　legitimate　shakers　of
human　nerves；　two　of　the　three　who　were　gathered　there　sat　through
the　meal　without　the　least　consciousness　of　what　viands　had　composed
it。　　Impressiveness　depends　as　much　upon　propinquity　as　upon
magnitude；　and　to　have　honoured　unawares　the　daughter　of　the　vilest
Antipodean　miscreant　and　murderer　would　have　been　less　discomfiting
to　Mrs。　Doncastle　than　it　was　to　make　the　same　blunder　with　the
daughter　of　a　respectable　servant　who　happened　to　live　in　her　own
house。　　To　Neigh　the　announcement　was　as　the　catastrophe　of　a　story
already　begun；　rather　than　as　an　isolated　wonder。　　Ethelberta's
words　had　prepared　him　for　something；　though　the　nature　of　that
thing　was　unknown。

'Chickerel　ought　not　to　have　kept　us　in　ignorance　of　thisof　course
he　ought　not！'　said　Mrs。　Doncastle；　as　soon　as　they　were　left　alone。

'I　don't　see　why　not；'　replied　Mr。　Doncastle；　who　took　the　matter
very　coolly；　as　was　his　custom。

'Then　she　herself　should　have　let　it　be　known。'

'Nor　does　that　follow。　　You　didn't　tell　Mrs。　Petherwin　that　your
grandfather　narrowly　escaped　hanging　for　shooting　his　rival　in　a
duel。'

'Of　course　not。　　There　was　no　reason　why　I　should　give　extraneous
information。'

'Nor　was　there　any　reason　why　she　should。　　As　for　Chickerel；　he
doubtless　felt　how　unbecoming　it　would　be　to　make　personal　remarks
upon　one　of　your　guestsHa…ha…ha！　　Well；　wellHa…ha…ha…ha！'

'I　know　this；'　said　Mrs。　Doncastle；　in　great　anger；　'that　if　my
father　had　been　in　the　room；　I　should　not　have　let　the　fact　pass
unnoticed；　and　treated　him　like　a　stranger！'

'Would　you　have　had　her　introduce　Chickerel　to　us　all　round？　　My
dear　Margaret；　it　was　a　complicated　position　for　a　woman。'

'Then　she　ought　not　to　have　come！'

'There　may　be　something　in　that；　though　she　was　dining　out　at　other
houses　as　good　as　ours。　　Well；　I　should　have　done　just　as　she　did；
for　the　joke　of　the　thing。　　Ha…ha…ha！it　is　very　goodvery。　　It
was　a　case　in　which　the　appetite　for　a　jest　would　overpower　the
sting　of　conscience　in　any　well…constituted　beingthat；　my　dear；　I
must　maintain。'

'I　say　she　should　not　have　come！'　answered　Mrs。　Doncastle　firmly。
'Of　course　I　shall　dismiss　Chickerel。'

'Of　course　you　will　do　no　such　thing。　　I　have　never　had　a　butler　in
the　house　before　who　suited　me　so　well。　　It　is　a　great　credit　to　the
man　to　have　such　a　daughter；　and　I　am　not　sure　that　we　do　not　derive
some　lustre　of　a　humble　kind　from　his　presence　in　the　house。　　But；
seriously；　I　wonder　at　your　short…sightedness；　when　you　know　the
troubles　we　have　had　through　getting　new　men　from　nobody　knows
where。'

Neigh；　perceiving　that　the　breeze　in　the　atmosphere　might　ultimately
intensify　to　a　palpable　black　squall；　seemed　to　think　it　would　be
well　to　take　leave　of　his　uncle　and　aunt　as　soon　as　he　conveniently
could；　nevertheless；　he　was　much　less　discomposed　by　the　situation
than　by　the　active　cause　which　had　led　to　it。　　When　Mrs。　Doncastle
arose；　her　husband　said　he　was　going　to　speak　to　Chickerel　for　a
minute　or　two；　and　Neigh　followed　his　aunt　upstairs。

Presently　Doncastle　joined　them。　　'I　have　been　talking　to
Chickerel；'　he　said。　　'It　is　a　very　curious　affairthis　marriage　of
his　daughter　and　Lord　Mountclere。　　The　whole　situation　is　the　most
astounding　I　have　ever　met　with。　　The　man　is　quite　ill　about　the
news。　　He　has　shown　me　a　letter　which　has　just　reached　him　from　his
son　on　the　same　subject。　　Lord　Mountclere's　brother　and　this　young
man　have　actually　gone　off　together　to　try　to　prevent　the　wedding；
and　Chickerel　has　asked　to　be　allowed　to　go　himself；　if　he　can　get
soon　enough　to　the　station　to　catch　the　night　mail。　　Of　course　he
may　go　if　he　wishes。'

'What　a　funny　thing！'　said　the　lady；　with　a　wretchedly　factitious
smile。　　'The　times　have　taken　a　strange　turn　when　the　angry　parent
of　the　comedy；　who　goes　post…haste　to　prevent　the　undutiful
daughter's　rash　marriage；　is　a　gentleman　from　below　stairs；　and　the
unworthy　lover　a　peer　of　the　realm！'

Neigh　spoke　for　almost　the　first　time。　　'I　don't　blame　Chickerel　in
objecting　to　Lord　Mountclere。　　I　should　object　to　him　myself　if　I
had　a　daughter。　　I　never　liked　him。'

'Why？'　said　Mrs。　Doncastle；　lifting　her　eyelids　as　if　the　act　were　a
heavy　task。

'For　reasons　which　don't　generally　appear。'

'Yes；'　said　Mr。　Doncastle；　in　a　low　tone。　　'Still；　we　must　not
believe　all　we　hear。'

'Is　Chickerel　going？'　said　Neigh。

'He　leaves　in　five　or　ten　minutes；'　said　Doncastle。

After　a　few　further　words　Neigh　mentioned　that　he　was　unable　to　stay
longer　that　evening；　and　left　them。　　When　he　had　reached　the　outside
of　the　door　he　walked　a　little　way　up　the　pavement　and　back　again；
as　if　reluctant　to　lose　sight　of　the　street；　finally　standing　under
a　lamp…post　whence　he　could　command　a　view　of　Mr。　Doncastle's　front。
Presently　a　man　came　out　in　a　great…coat　and　with　a　small　bag　in　his
hand；　Neigh　at　once　recognizing　the　person　as　Chickerel；　went　up　to
him。

'Mr。　Doncastle　tells　me　you　are　going　on　a　sudden　journey。　　At　what
time　does　your　train　leave？'　Neigh　asked。

'I　go　by　the　ten　o'clock；　sir：　　I　hope　it　is　a　third…class；'　said
Chickerel；　'though　I　am　afraid　it　may　not　be。'

'It　is　as　much　as　you　will　do　to　get　to　the　station；'　said　Neigh；
turning　the　face　of　his　watch　to　the　light。　　'Here；　come　into　my
cabI　am　driving　that　way。'

'Thank　you；　sir；'　said　Chickerel。

Neigh　called　a　cab　at　the　first　opportunity；　and　they　entered　and
drove　along　together。　　Neither　spoke　during　the　journey。　　When　they
were　driving　up　to　the　station　entrance　Neigh　looked　again　to　see
the　hour。

'You　have　not　a　minute　to　lose；'　he　said；　in　repressed　anxiety。
'And　your　journey　will　be　expensive：　　instead　of　walking　from
Anglebury　to　Knollsea；　you　had　better　driveabove　all；　don't　lose
time。　　Never　mind　what　class　the　train　is。　　Take　this　from　me；　since
the　emergency　is　great。'　　He　handed　something　to　Chickerel　folded　up
small。

The　butler　took　it　without　inquiry；　and　stepped　out　hastily。

'I　sincerely　hope　she　　Well；　good…night；　Chickerel；'　continued
Neigh；　ending　his　words　abruptly。　　The　cab　containing　him　drove
again　towards　the　station…gates；　leaving　Chickerel　standing　on　the
kerb。

He　passed　through　the　booking…office；　and　looked　at　the　paper　Neigh
had　put　into　his　hand。　　It　was　a　five…pound　note。

Chickerel　mused　on　the　circumstance　as　he　took　his　ticket　and　got
into　the　train。



43。　THE　RAILWAY　…　THE　SEA　…　THE　SHORE　BEYOND

By　this　time　Sol　and　the　Honourable　Edgar　Mountclere　had　gone　far　on
their　journey　into　Wessex。　　Enckworth　Court；　Mountclere's
destination；　though　several　miles　from　Knollsea；　was　most　easily
accessible　by　the　same　route　as　that　to　the　village；　the　latter
being　the　place　for　which　Sol　w