the hand of ethelberta-第86章

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every　pinnacle；　crag；　and　cave　returning　a　doubled　image　across　the
glassy　sea？

They　were　now　again　at　Sandbourne；　a　point　in　their　journey　reached
more　than　four　hours　ago。　　It　became　necessary　to　consider　anew　how
to　accomplish　the　difficult　remainder。　　The　wind　was　not　blowing
much　beyond　what　seamen　call　half　a　gale；　but　there　had　been　enough
unpleasantness　afloat　to　make　landsmen　glad　to　get　ashore；　and　this
dissipated　in　a　slight　measure　their　vexation　at　having　failed　in
their　purpose。　　Still；　Mountclere　loudly　cursed　their　confidence　in
that　treacherously　short　route；　and　Sol　abused　the　unknown
Sandbourne　man　who　had　brought　the　news　of　the　steamer's　arrival　to
them　at　the　junction。　　The　only　course　left　open　to　them　now；　short
of　giving　up　the　undertaking；　was　to　go　by　the　road　along　the　shore；
which；　curving　round　the　various　little　creeks　and　inland　seas
between　their　present　position　and　Knollsea；　was　of　no　less　length
than　thirty　miles。　　There　was　no　train　back　to　the　junction　till　the
next　morning；　and　Sol's　proposition　that　they　should　drive　thither
in　hope　of　meeting　the　mail…train；　was　overruled　by　Mountclere。

'We　will　have　nothing　more　to　do　with　chance；'　he　said。　　'We　may
miss　the　train；　and　then　we　shall　have　gone　out　of　the　way　for
nothing。　　More　than　that；　the　down　mail　does　not　stop　till　it　gets
several　miles　beyond　the　nearest　station　for　Knollsea；　so　it　is
hopeless。'

'If　there　had　only　been　a　telegraph　to　the　confounded　place！'

'Telegraphwe　might　as　well　telegraph　to　the　devil　as　to　an　old
booby　and　a　damned　scheming　young　widow。　　I　very　much　question　if　we
shall　do　anything　in　the　matter；　even　if　we　get　there。　　But　I
suppose　we　had　better　go　on　now？'

'You　can　do　as　you　like。　　I　shall　go　on；　if　I　have　to　walk　every
step　o't。'

'That's　not　necessary。　　I　think　the　best　posting…house　at　this　end
of　the　town　is　Tempett'swe　must　knock　them　up　at　once。　　Which　will
you　doattempt　supper　here；　or　break　the　back　of　our　journey　first；
and　get　on　to　Anglebury？　　We　may　rest　an　hour　or　two　there；　unless
you　feel　really　in　want　of　a　meal。'

'No。　　I'll　leave　eating　to　merrier　men；　who　have　no　sister　in　the
hands　of　a　cursed　old　Vandal。'

'Very　well；'　said　Mountclere。　　'We'll　go　on　at　once。'

An　additional　half…hour　elapsed　before　they　were　fairly　started；　the
lateness　and　abruptness　of　their　arrival　causing　delay　in　getting　a
conveyance　ready：　　the　tempestuous　night　had　apparently　driven　the
whole　town；　gentle　and　simple；　early　to　their　beds。　　And　when　at
length　the　travellers　were　on　their　way　the　aspect　of　the　weather
grew　yet　more　forbidding。　　The　rain　came　down　unmercifully；　the
booming　wind　caught　it；　bore　it　across　the　plain；　whizzed　it　against
the　carriage　like　a　sower　sowing　his　seed。　　It　was　precisely　such
weather；　and　almost　at　the　same　season；　as　when　Picotee　traversed
the　same　moor；　stricken　with　her　great　disappointment　at　not　meeting
Christopher　Julian。

Further　on　for　several　miles　the　drive　lay　through　an　open　heath；
dotted　occasionally　with　fir　plantations；　the　trees　of　which　told
the　tale　of　their　species　without　help　from　outline　or　colour；　they
spoke　in　those　melancholy　moans　and　sobs　which　give　to　their　sound　a
solemn　sadness　surpassing　even　that　of　the　sea。　　From　each　carriage…
lamp　the　long　rays　stretched　like　feelers　into　the　air；　and　somewhat
cheered　the　way；　until　the　insidious　damp　that　pervaded　all　things
above；　around；　and　underneath；　overpowered　one　of　them；　and　rendered
every　attempt　to　rekindle　it　ineffectual。　　Even　had　the　two　men's
dislike　to　each　other's　society　been　less；　the　general　din　of　the
night　would　have　prevented　much　talking；　as　it　was；　they　sat　in　a
rigid　reticence　that　was　almost　a　third　personality。　　The　roads　were
laid　hereabouts　with　a　light　sandy　gravel；　which；　though　not
clogging；　was　soft　and　friable。　　It　speedily　became　saturated；　and
the　wheels　ground　heavily　and　deeply　into　its　substance。

At　length；　after　crossing　from　ten　to　twelve　miles　of　these　eternal
heaths　under　the　eternally　drumming　storm；　they　could　discern
eyelets　of　light　winking　to　them　in　the　distance　from　under　a
nebulous　brow　of　pale　haze。　　They　were　looking　on　the　little　town　of
Havenpool。　　Soon　after　this　cross…roads　were　reached；　one　of　which；
at　right　angles　to　their　present　direction；　led　down　on　the　left　to
that　place。　　Here　the　man　stopped；　and　informed　them　that　the　horses
would　be　able　to　go　but　a　mile　or　two　further。

'Very　well；　we　must　have　others　that　can；'　said　Mountclere。　　'Does
our　way　lie　through　the　town？'

'No；　sirunless　we　go　there　to　change　horses；　which　I　thought　to
do。　　The　direct　road　is　straight　on。　　Havenpool　lies　about　three
miles　down　there　on　the　left。　　But　the　water　is　over　the　road；　and
we　had　better　go　round。　　We　shall　come　to　no　place　for　two　or　three
miles；　and　then　only　to　Flychett。'

'What's　Flychett　like？'

'A　trumpery　small　bit　of　a　village。'

'Still；　I　think　we　had　better　push　on；'　said　Sol。　　'I　am　against
running　the　risk　of　finding　the　way　flooded　about　Havenpool。'

'So　am　I；'　returned　Mountclere。

'I　know　a　wheelwright　in　Flychett；'　continued　Sol；　'and　he　keeps　a
beer…house；　and　owns　two　horses。　　We　could　hire　them；　and　have　a　bit
of　sommat　in　the　shape　of　victuals；　and　then　get　on　to　Anglebury。
Perhaps　the　rain　may　hold　up　by　that　time。　　Anything's　better　than
going　out　of　our　way。'

'Yes。　　And　the　horses　can　last　out　to　that　place；'　said　Mountclere。
'Up　and　on　again；　my　man。'

On　they　went　towards　Flychett。　　Still　the　everlasting　heath；　the
black　hills　bulging　against　the　sky；　the　barrows　upon　their　round
summits　like　warts　on　a　swarthy　skin。　　The　storm　blew　huskily　over
bushes　of　heather　and　furze　that　it　was　unable　materially　to
disturb；　and　the　travellers　proceeded　as　before。　　But　the　horses
were　now　far　from　fresh；　and　the　time　spent　in　reaching　the　next
village　was　quite　half　as　long　as　that　taken　up　by　the　previous
heavy　portion　of　the　drive。　　When　they　entered　Flychett　it　was　about
three。

'Now；　where's　the　inn？'　said　Mountclere；　yawning。

'Just　on　the　knap；'　Sol　answered。　　''Tis　a　little　small　place；　and
we　must　do　as　well　as　we　can。'

They　pulled　up　before　a　cottage；　upon　the　whitewashed　front　of　which
could　be　seen　a　square　board　representing　the　sign。　　After　an
infinite　labour　of　rapping　and　shouting；　a　casement　opened　overhead；
and　a　woman's　voice　inquired　what　was　the　matter。　　Sol　explained；
when　she　told　them　that　the　horses　were　away　from　home。

'Now　we　must　wait　till　these　are　rested；'　growled　Mountclere。　　'A
pretty　muddle！'

'It　cannot　be　helped；'　answered　Sol；　and　he　asked　the　woman　to　open
the　door。　　She　replied　that　her　husband　was　away　with　the　horses　and
van；　and　that　they　could　not　come　in。

Sol　was　known　to　her；　and　he　mentioned　his　name；　but　the　woman　only
began　to　abuse　him。

'Come；　publican；　you'd　better　let　us　in；　or　we'll　have　the　law
for't；'　rejoined　Sol；　with　more　spirit。　　'You　don't　dare　to　keep
nobility　waiting　like　this。'

'Nobility！'

'My　mate　hev　the　title　of　Honourable；　whether　or　no；　so　let's　have
none　of　your　slack；'　said　Sol。

'Don't　be　a　fool；　young　chopstick；'　exclaimed　Mountclere。　　'Get　the
door　opened。'

'I　willin　my　own　way；'　said　Sol　testily。　　'You　mustn't　mind　my
trading　upon　your　quality；　as　'tis　a　case　of　necessity。　　This　is　a
woman　nothing　will　bring　to　reason　but　an　appeal　to　the　higher
powers。　　If　every　man　of　title　was　as　useful　as　you　are　to…night；
sir；　I'd　never　call　them　lumber　again　as　long　as　I　live。'

'How　singular！'

'There's　never　a　bit　of　rubbish　that　won't　come　in　use　if　you　keep
it　seven　years。'

'If　my　utility　depends　upon　keeping　you　company；　may　I　go　to　h…
for　lacking　every　atom　of　the　virtue。'

'Hear；　hear！　　But　it　hardly　is　becoming　in　me　to　answer　up　to　a　man
so　much　older　than　I；　or　I　could　say　more。　　Suppose　we　draw　a　line
here　for　the　present；　sir；　and　get　indoors？'

'Do　what　you　will；　in　Heaven's　name。'

A　few　more　words　to　the　woman　resulted　in　her　agreeing　to　admit　them
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