the hand of ethelberta-第87章

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if　they　would　attend　to　themselves　afterwards。　　This　Sol　promised；
and　the　key　of　the　door　was　let　down　to　them　from　the　bedroom　window
by　a　string。　　When　they　had　entered；　Sol；　who　knew　the　house　well；
busied　himself　in　lighting　a　fire；　the　driver　going　off　with　a
lantern　to　the　stable；　where　he　found　standing…room　for　the　two
horses。　　Mountclere　walked　up　and　down　the　kitchen；　mumbling　words
of　disgust　at　the　situation；　the　few　of　this　kind　that　he　let　out
being　just　enough　to　show　what　a　fearfully　large　number　he　kept　in。

'A…calling　up　people　at　this　time　of　morning！'　the　woman
occasionally　exclaimed　down　the　stairs。　　'But　folks　show　no　mercy
upon　their　flesh　and　bloodnot　one　bit　or　mite。'

'Now　never　be　stomachy；　my　good　soul；'　cried　Sol　from　the　fireplace；
where　he　stood　blowing　the　fire　with　his　breath。　　'Only　tell　me
where　the　victuals　bide；　and　I'll　do　all　the　cooking。　　We'll　pay
like　princesespecially　my　mate。'

'There's　but　little　in　house；'　said　the　sleepy　woman　from　her
bedroom。　　'There's　pig's　fry；　a　side　of　bacon；　a　conger　eel；　and
pickled　onions。'

'Conger　eel？'　said　Sol　to　Mountclere。

'No；　thank　you。'

'Pig's　fry？'

'No；　thank　you。'

'Well；　then；　tell　me　where　the　bacon　is；'　shouted　Sol　to　the　woman。

'You　must　find　it；'　came　again　down　the　stairs。　　''Tis　somewhere　up
in　chimley；　but　in　which　part　I　can't　mind。　　Really　I　don't　know
whether　I　be　upon　my　head　or　my　heels；　and　my　brain　is　all　in　a
spin；　wi'　being　rafted　up　in　such　a　larry！'

'Bide　where　you　be；　there's　a　dear；'　said　Sol。　　'We'll　do　it　all。
Just　tell　us　where　the　tea…caddy　is；　and　the　gridiron；　and　then　you
can　go　to　sleep　again。'

The　woman　appeared　to　take　his　advice；　for　she　gave　the　information；
and　silence　soon　reigned　upstairs。

When　one　piece　of　bacon　had　been　with　difficulty　cooked　over　the
newly…lit　fire；　Sol　said　to　Mountclere；　with　the　rasher　on　his　fork：
'Now　look　here；　sir；　I　think　while　I　am　making　the　tea；　you　ought　to
go　on　griddling　some　more　of　these；　as　you　haven't　done　nothing　at
all？'

'I　do　the　paying。　。　。　。　　Well；　give　me　the　bacon。'

'And　when　you　have　done　yours；　I'll　cook　the　man's；　as　the　poor
feller's　hungry；　I　make　no　doubt。'

Mountclere；　fork　in　hand；　then　began　with　his　rasher；　tossing　it
about　the　gridiron　in　masterly　style；　Sol　attending　to　the　tea。　　He
was　attracted　from　this　occupation　by　a　brilliant　flame　up　the
chimney；　Mountclere　exclaiming；　'Now　the　cursed　thing　is　on　fire！'

'Blow　it　outhardthat's　it！　　Well　now；　sir；　do　you　come　and　begin
upon　mine；　as　you　must　be　hungry。　　I'll　finish　the　griddling。　　Ought
we　to　mind　the　man　sitting　down　in　our　company；　as　there's　no　other
room　for　him？　　I　hear　him　coming　in。'

'O　nonot　at　all。　　Put　him　over　at　that　table。'

'And　I'll　join　him。　　You　can　sit　here　by　yourself；　sir。'

The　meal　was　despatched；　and　the　coachman　again　retired；　promising
to　have　the　horses　ready　in　about　an　hour　and　a　half。　　Sol　and
Mountclere　made　themselves　comfortable　upon　either　side　of　the
fireplace；　since　there　was　no　remedy　for　the　delay：　　after　sitting
in　silence　awhile；　they　nodded　and　slept。

How　long　they　would　have　remained　thus；　in　consequence　of　their
fatigues；　there　is　no　telling；　had　not　the　mistress　of　the　cottage
descended　the　stairs　about　two　hours　later；　after　peeping　down　upon
them　at　intervals　of　five　minutes　during　their　sleep；　lest　they
should　leave　without　her　knowledge。　　It　was　six　o'clock；　and　Sol
went　out　for　the　man；　whom　he　found　snoring　in　the　hay…loft。　　There
was　now　real　necessity　for　haste；　and　in　ten　minutes　they　were　again
on　their　way。



Day　dawned　upon　the　'Red　Lion'　inn　at　Anglebury　with　a　timid　and
watery　eye。　　From　the　shadowy　archway　came　a　shining　lantern；　which
was　seen　to　be　dangling　from　the　hand　of　a　little　bow…legged　old
manthe　hostler；　John。　　Having　reached　the　front；　he　looked　around
to　measure　the　daylight；　opened　the　lantern；　and　extinguished　it　by
a　pinch　of　his　fingers。　　He　paused　for　a　moment　to　have　the
customary　word　or　two　with　his　neighbour　the　milkman；　who　usually
appeared　at　this　point　at　this　time。

'It　sounds　like　the　whistle　of　the　morning　train；'　the　milkman　said
as　he　drew　near；　a　scream　from　the　further　end　of　the　town　reaching
their　ears。　　'Well；　I　hope；　now　the　wind's　in　that　quarter；　we　shall
ha'e　a　little　more　fine　weatherhey；　hostler？'

'What　be　ye　a　talking　o'？'

'Can　hear　the　whistle　plain；　I　say。'

'O　ay。　　I　suppose　you　do。　　But　faith；　'tis　a　poor　fist　I　can　make　at
hearing　anything。　　There；　I　could　have　told　all　the　same　that　the
wind　was　in　the　east；　even　if　I　had　not　seed　poor　Thomas　Tribble's
smoke　blowing　across　the　little　orchard。　　Joints　be　a　true
weathercock　enough　when　past　three…score。　　These　easterly　rains；
when　they　do　come；　which　is　not　often；　come　wi'　might　enough　to
squail　a　man　into　his　grave。'

'Well；　we　must　look　for　it；　hostler。　。　。　。　　Why；　what　mighty
ekkypage　is　this；　come　to　town　at　such　a　purblinking　time　of　day？'

''Tis　what　time　only　can　tellthough　'twill　not　be　long　first；'　the
hostler　replied；　as　the　driver　of　the　pair　of　horses　and　carriage
containing　Sol　and　Mountclere　slackened　pace；　and　drew　rein　before
the　inn。

Fresh　horses　were　immediately　called　for；　and　while　they　were　being
put　in　the　two　travellers　walked　up　and　down。

'It　is　now　a　quarter　to　seven　o'clock；'　said　Mountclere；　'and　the
question　arises；　shall　I　go　on　to　Knollsea；　or　branch　off　at
Corvsgate　Castle　for　Enckworth？　　I　think　the　best　plan　will　be　to
drive　first　to　Enckworth；　set　me　down；　and　then　get　him　to　take　you
on　at　once　to　Knollsea。　　What　do　you　say？'

'When　shall　I　reach　Knollsea　by　that　arrangement？'

'By　half…past　eight　o'clock。　　We　shall　be　at　Enckworth　before　eight；
which　is　excellent　time。'

'Very　well；　sir；　I　agree　to　that；'　said　Sol；　feeling　that　as　soon　as
one　of　the　two　birds　had　been　caught；　the　other　could　not　mate
without　their　knowledge。

The　carriage　and　horses　being　again　ready；　away　they　drove　at　once；
both　having　by　this　time　grown　too　restless　to　spend　in　Anglebury　a
minute　more　than　was　necessary。

The　hostler　and　his　lad　had　taken　the　jaded　Sandbourne　horses　to　the
stable；　rubbed　them　down；　and　fed　them；　when　another　noise　was　heard
outside　the　yard；　the　omnibus　had　returned　from　meeting　the　train。
Relinquishing　the　horses　to　the　small　stable…lad；　the　old　hostler
again　looked　out　from　the　arch。

A　young　man　had　stepped　from　the　omnibus；　and　he　came　forward。　　'I
want　a　conveyance　of　some　sort　to　take　me　to　Knollsea；　at　once。　　Can
you　get　a　horse　harnessed　in　five　minutes？'

'I'll　make　shift　to　do　what　I　can　master；　not　promising　about　the
minutes。　　The　truest　man　can　say　no　more。　　Won't　ye　step　into　the
bar；　sir；　and　give　your　order？　　I'll　let　ye　know　as　soon　as　'tis
ready。'

Christopher　turned　into　a　room　smelling　strongly　of　the　night
before；　and　stood　by　the　newly…kindled　fire　to　wait。　　He　had　just
come　in　haste　from　Melchester。　　The　upshot　of　his　excitement　about
the　wedding；　which；　as　the　possible　hour　of　its　solemnization　drew
near；　had　increased　till　it　bore　him　on　like　a　wind；　was　this
unpremeditated　journey。　　Lying　awake　the　previous　night；　the
hangings　of　his　bed　pulsing　to　every　beat　of　his　heart；　he　decided
that　there　was　one　last　and　great　service　which　it　behoved　him；　as
an　honest　man　and　friend；　to　say　nothing　of　lover；　to　render　to
Ethelberta　at　this　juncture。　　It　was　to　ask　her　by　some　means
whether　or　not　she　had　engaged　with　open　eyes　to　marry　Lord
Mountclere；　and　if　not；　to　give　her　a　word　or　two　of　enlightenment。
That　done；　she　might　be　left　to　take　care　of　herself。

His　plan　was　to　obtain　an　interview　with　Picotee；　and　learn　from　her
accurately　the　state　of　things。　　Should　he；　by　any　possibility；　be
mistaken　in　his　belief　as　to　the　contracting　parties；　a　knowledge　of
the　mistake　would　be　cheaply　purchased　by　the　journey。　　Should　he
not；　he　would　send　up　to　Ethelberta　the　strong　note　of　expostulation
which　was　already　written；　and　waiting　in　his　pocket。　　To　intrude
upon　her　at　such　a　time　was　unseemly；　and　to　despatch　a　letter　by　a
messenger　before　evidence　of　its　necessity　had　been　received　was
most　undesirable