the hand of ethelberta-第89章

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little　seat　which　they　overhung；　like　two　big　puddings　upon　a　small
dish。

'Fatherwhat；　you　going？'　said　Sol。　　'Is　it　about　Berta　that　you've
come？'

'Yes；　I　got　your　letter；'　said　Chickerel；　'and　I　felt　I　should　like
to　comethat　I　ought　to　come；　to　save　her　from　what　she'll　regret。
Luckily；　this　gentleman；　a　stranger　to　me；　has　given　me　a　lift　from
Anglebury；　or　I　must　have　hired。'　　He　pointed　to　Christopher。

'But　he's　Mr。　Julian！'　said　Sol。

'You　are　Mrs。　Petherwin's　father？I　have　travelled　in　your　company
without　knowing　it！'　exclaimed　Christopher；　feeling　and　looking　both
astonished　and　puzzled。　　At　first；　it　had　appeared　to　him　that；　in
direct　antagonism　to　his　own　purpose；　her　friends　were　favouring
Ethelberta's　wedding；　but　it　was　evidently　otherwise。

'Yes；　that's　father；'　said　Sol。　　'Father；　this　is　Mr。　Julian。　　Mr。
Julian；　this　gentleman　here　is　Lord　Mountclere's　brotherand；　to
cut　the　story　short；　we　all　wish　to　stop　the　wedding。'

'Then　let　us　get　on；　in　Heaven's　name！'　said　Mountclere。　　'You　are
the　lady's　father？'

'I　am；'　said　Chickerel。

'Then　you　had　better　come　into　this　carriage。　　We　shall　go　faster
than　the　dogcart。　　Now；　driver；　are　the　wheels　right　again？'

Chickerel　hastily　entered　with　Mountclere；　Sol　joined　them；　and　they
sped　on。　　Christopher　drove　close　in　their　rear；　not　quite　certain
whether　he　did　well　in　going　further；　now　that　there　were　plenty　of
people　to　attend　to　the　business；　but　anxious　to　see　the　end。　　The
other　three　sat　in　silence；　with　their　eyes　upon　their　knees；　though
the　clouds　were　dispersing；　and　the　morning　grew　bright。　　In　about
twenty　minutes　the　square　unembattled　tower　of　Knollsea　Church
appeared　below　them　in　the　vale；　its　summit　just　touching　the
distant　line　of　sea　upon　sky。　　The　element　by　which　they　had　been
victimized　on　the　previous　evening　now　smiled　falsely　to　the　low
morning　sun。

They　descended　the　road　to　the　village　at　a　little　more　mannerly
pace　than　that　of　the　earlier　journey；　and　saw　the　rays　glance　upon
the　hands　of　the　church　clock；　which　marked　five…and…twenty　minutes
to　nine。



45。　KNOLLSEA　…　THE　ROAD　THENCE　…　ENCKWORTH

All　eyes　were　directed　to　the　church…gate；　as　the　travellers
descended　the　hill。　　No　wedding　carriages　were　there；　no　favours；　no
slatternly　group　of　women　brimming　with　interest；　no　aged　pauper　on
two　sticks；　who　comes　because　he　has　nothing　else　to　do　till　dying
time；　no　nameless　female　passing　by　on　the　other　side　with　a　laugh
of　indifference；　no　ringers　taking　off　their　coats　as　they　vanish　up
a　turret；　no　hobbledehoys　on　tiptoe　outside　the　chancel　windowsin
short；　none　whatever　of　the　customary　accessories　of　a　country
wedding　was　anywhere　visible。

'Thank　God！'　said　Chickerel。

'Wait　till　you　know　he　deserves　it；'　said　Mountclere。

'Nothing's　done　yet　between　them。'

'It　is　not　likely　that　anything　is　done　at　this　time　of　day。　　But　I
have　decided　to　go　to　the　church　first。　　You　will　probably　go　to
your　relative's　house　at　once？'

Sol　looked　to　his　father　for　a　reply。

'No；　I　too　shall　go　to　the　church　first；　just　to　assure　myself；'
said　Chickerel。　　'I　shall　then　go　on　to　Mrs　Petherwin's。'

The　carriage　was　stopped　at　the　corner　of　a　steep　incline　leading
down　to　the　edifice。　　Mountclere　and　Chickerel　alighted　and　walked
on　towards　the　gates；　Sol　remaining　in　his　place。　　Christopher　was
some　way　off；　descending　the　hill　on　foot；　having　halted　to　leave
his　horse　and　trap　at　a　small　inn　at　the　entrance　to　the　village。

When　Chickerel　and　Mountclere　reached　the　churchyard　gate　they　found
it　slightly　open。　　The　church…door　beyond　it　was　also　open；　but
nobody　was　near　the　spot。

'We　have　arrived　not　a　minute　too　soon；　however；'　said　Mountclere。
'Preparations　have　apparently　begun。　　It　was　to　be　an　early　wedding；
no　doubt。'

Entering　the　building；　they　looked　around；　it　was　quite　empty。
Chickerel　turned　towards　the　chancel；　his　eye　being　attracted　by　a
red　kneeling…cushion；　placed　at　about　the　middle　of　the　altar…
railing；　as　if　for　early　use。　　Mountclere　strode　to　the　vestry；
somewhat　at　a　loss　how　to　proceed　in　his　difficult　task　of
unearthing　his　brother；　obtaining　a　private　interview　with　him；　and
then；　by　the　introduction　of　Sol　and　Chickerel；　causing　a　general
convulsion。

'Ha！　here's　somebody；'　he　said；　observing　a　man　in　the　vestry。　　He
advanced　with　the　intention　of　asking　where　Lord　Mountclere　was　to
be　found。　　Chickerel　came　forward　in　the　same　direction。

'Are　you　the　parish　clerk？'　said　Mountclere　to　the　man；　who　was
dressed　up　in　his　best　clothes。

'I　hev　the　honour　of　that　calling；'　the　man　replied。

Two　large　books　were　lying　before　him　on　the　vestry　table；　one　of
them　being　open。　　As　the　clerk　spoke　he　looked　slantingly　on　the
page；　as　a　person　might　do　to　discover　if　some　writing　were　dry。
Mountclere　and　Chickerel　gazed　on　the　same　page。　　The　book　was　the
marriage…register。

'Too　late！'　said　Chickerel。

There　plainly　enough　stood　the　signatures　of　Lord　Mountclere　and
Ethelberta。　　The　viscount's　was　very　black；　and　had　not　yet　dried。
Her　strokes　were　firm；　and　comparatively　thick　for　a　woman's；　though
paled　by　juxtaposition　with　her　husband's　muddled　characters。　　In
the　space　for　witnesses'　names　appeared　in　trembling　lines　as　fine
as　silk　the　autograph　of　Picotee；　the　second　name　being　that　of　a
stranger；　probably　the　clerk。

'Yes；　yeswe　are　too　late；　it　seems；'　said　Mountclere　coolly。　　'Who
could　have　thought　they'd　marry　at　eight！'

Chickerel　stood　like　a　man　baked　hard　and　dry。　　Further　than　his
first　two　words　he　could　say　nothing。

'They　must　have　set　about　it　early；　upon　my　soul；'　Mountclere
continued。　　'When　did　the　wedding　take　place？'　he　asked　of　the　clerk
sharply。

'It　was　over　about　five　minutes　before　you　came　in；'　replied　that
luminary　pleasantly；　as　he　played　at　an　invisible　game　of　pitch…and…
toss　with　some　half…sovereigns　in　his　pocket。　　'I　received　orders　to
have　the　church　ready　at　five　minutes　to　eight　this　morning；　though
I　knew　nothing　about　such　a　thing　till　bedtime　last　night。　　It　was
very　private　and　plain；　not　that　I　should　mind　another　such　a　one；
sir；'　and　he　secretly　pitched　and　tossed　again。

Meanwhile　Sol　had　found　himself　too　restless　to　sit　waiting　in　the
carriage　for　more　than　a　minute　after　the　other　two　had　left　it。　　He
stepped　out　at　the　same　instant　that　Christopher　came　past；　and
together　they　too　went　on　to　the　church。

'Father；　ought　we　not　to　go　on　at　once　to　Ethelberta's；　instead　of
waiting？'　said　Sol；　on　reaching　the　vestry；　still　in　ignorance。
''Twas　no　use　in　coming　here。'

'No　use　at　all；'　said　Chickerel；　as　if　he　had　straw　in　his　throat。
'Look　at　this。　　I　would　almost　sooner　have　had　it　that　in　leaving
this　church　I　came　from　her　gravewell；　no；　perhaps　not　that；　but　I
fear　it　is　a　bad　thing。'

Sol　then　saw　the　names　in　the　register；　Christopher　saw　them；　and
the　man　closed　the　book。　　Christopher　could　not　well　command
himself；　and　he　retired。

'I　knew　it。　　I　always　said　that　pride　would　lead　Berta　to　marry　an
unworthy　man；　and　so　it　has！'　said　Sol　bitterly。　　'What　shall　we　do
now？　　I'll　see　her。'

'Do　no　such　thing；　young　man；'　said　Mountclere。　　'The　best　course　is
to　leave　matters　alone。　　They　are　married。　　If　you　are　wise；　you
will　try　to　think　the　match　a　good　one；　and　be　content　to　let　her
keep　her　position　without　inconveniencing　her　by　your　intrusions　or
complaints。　　It　is　possible　that　the　satisfaction　of　her　ambition
will　help　her　to　endure　any　few　surprises　to　her　propriety　that　may
occur。　　She　is　a　clever　young　woman；　and　has　played　her　cards
adroitly。　　I　only　hope　she　may　never　repent　of　the　game！　　A…hem。
Good　morning。'　　Saying　this；　Mountclere　slightly　bowed　to　his
relations；　and　marched　out　of　the　church　with　dignity；　but　it　was
told　afterwards　by　the　coachman；　who　had　no　love　for　Mountclere；
that　when　he　stepped　into　the　fly；　and　was　as　he　believed
unobserved；　he　was　quite　overcome　with　fatuous　rage；　his　lips
frothing　like　a　mug　of　hot　ale。

'What　an　impertinent　gentleman　'tis；'　said　Chickerel。　　'As　if　we　had
tried　for　her　to　marry　his　brother！'

'He　knows　better　than　that；'　said　Sol。　　'