the hand of ethelberta-第95章

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'Probably　at　half…past　seven；　at　the　west　lodge；　but　that　is　to　be
finally　fixed　by　a　note　she　will　hand　down　to　me　from　the　balcony。'

'Which　balcony？'

'The　nearest　to　the　yew…tree。'

'At　what　time　will　she　hand　the　note？'

'As　the　Court　clock　strikes　six；　she　says。　　And　if　I　am　not　there　to
take　her　instructions　of　course　she　will　give　up　the　idea；　which　is
just　what　I　want　her　to　do。'

Christopher　begged　Sol　to　go。　　Whether　Ethelberta　was　right　or
wrong；　he　did　not　stop　to　inquire。　　She　was　in　trouble；　she　was　too
clear…headed　to　be　in　trouble　without　good　reason；　and　she　wanted
assistance　out　of　it。　　But　such　was　Sol's　nature　that　the　more　he
reflected　the　more　determined　was　he　in　not　giving　way　to　her
entreaty。　　By　the　time　that　they　reached　Anglebury　he　repented
having　given　way　so　far　as　to　withhold　a　direct　refusal。

'It　can　do　no　good；'　he　said　mournfully。　　'It　is　better　to　nip　her
notion　in　its　beginning。　　She　says　she　wants　to　fly　to　Rouen；　and
from　there　arrange　terms　with　him。　　But　it　can't　be　doneshe　should
have　thought　of　terms　before。'

Christopher　made　no　further　reply。　　Leaving　word　at　the　'Red　Lion'
that　a　man　was　to　be　sent　to　take　the　horse　of　him；　he　drove
directly　onwards　to　the　station。

'Then　you　don't　mean　to　help　her？'　said　Julian；　when　Sol　took　the
ticketsone　for　himself　and　one　for　Picotee。

'I　serve　her　best　by　leaving　her　alone！'　said　Sol。

'I　don't　think　so。'

'She　has　married　him。'

'She　is　in　distress。'

'She　has　married　him。'

Sol　and　Picotee　took　their　seats；　Picotee　upbraiding　her　brother。
'I　can　go　by　myself！'　she　said；　in　tears。　　'Do　go　back　for　Berta；
Sol。　　She　said　I　was　to　go　home　alone；　and　I　can　do　it！'

'You　must　not。　　It　is　not　right　for　you　to　be　hiring　cabs　and
driving　across　London　at　midnight。　　Berta　should　have　known　better
than　propose　it。'

'She　was　flurried。　　Go；　Sol！'

But　her　entreaty　was　fruitless。

'Have　you　got　your　ticket；　Mr。　Julian？'　said　Sol。　　'I　suppose　we
shall　go　together　till　we　get　near　Melchester？'

'I　have　not　got　my　ticket　yetI'll　be　back　in　two　minutes。'

The　minutes　went　by；　and　Christopher　did　not　reappear。　　The　train
moved　off：　　Christopher　was　seen　running　up　the　platform；　as　if　in　a
vain　hope　to　catch　it。

'He　has　missed　the　train；'　said　Sol。　　Picotee　looked　disappointed；
and　said　nothing。　　They　were　soon　out　of　sight。

'God　forgive　me　for　such　a　hollow　pretence！'　said　Christopher　to
himself。　　'But　he　would　have　been　uneasy　had　he　known　I　wished　to
stay　behind。　　I　cannot　leave　her　in　trouble　like　this！'

He　went　back　to　the　'Red　Lion'　with　the　manner　and　movement　of　a　man
who　after　a　lifetime　of　desultoriness　had　at　last　found　something　to
do。　　It　was　now　getting　late　in　the　afternoon。　　Christopher　ordered
a　one…horse　brougham　at　the　inn；　and　entering　it　was　driven　out　of
the　town　towards　Enckworth　as　the　evening　shades　were　beginning　to
fall。　　They　passed　into　the　hamlet　of　Little　Enckworth　at　half…past
five；　and　drew　up　at　a　beer…house　at　the　end。　　Jumping　out　here；
Julian　told　the　man　to　wait　till　he　should　return。

Thus　far　he　had　exactly　obeyed　her　orders　to　Sol。　　He　hoped　to　be
able　to　obey　them　throughout；　and　supply　her　with　the　aid　her
brother　refused。　　He　also　hoped　that　the　change　in　the　personality
of　her　confederate　would　make　no　difference　to　her　intention。　　That
he　was　putting　himself　in　a　wrong　position　he　allowed；　but　time　and
attention　were　requisite　for　such　analysis：　　meanwhile　Ethelberta
was　in　trouble。　　On　the　one　hand　was　she　waiting　hopefully　for　Sol；
on　the　other　was　Sol　many　miles　on　his　way　to　town；　between　them　was
himself。

He　ran　with　all　his　might　towards　Enckworth　Park；　mounted　the　lofty
stone　steps　by　the　lodge；　saw　the　dark　bronze　figures　on　the　piers
through　the　twilight；　and　then　proceeded　to　thread　the　trees。　　Among
these　he　struck　a　light　for　a　moment：　　it　was　ten　minutes　to　six。
In　another　five　minutes　he　was　panting　beneath　the　walls　of　her
house。

Enckworth　Court　was　not　unknown　to　Christopher；　for　he　had
frequently　explored　that　spot　in　his　Sandbourne　days。　　He　perceived
now　why　she　had　selected　that　particular　balcony　for　handing　down
directions；　it　was　the　only　one　round　the　house　that　was　low　enough
to　be　reached　from　the　outside；　the　basement　here　being　a　little　way
sunk　in　the　ground。

He　went　close　under；　turned　his　face　outwards；　and　waited。　　About　a
foot　over　his　head　was　the　stone　floor　of　the　balcony；　forming　a
ceiling　to　his　position。　　At　his　back；　two　or　three　feet　behind；　was
a　blank　wallthe　wall　of　the　house。　　In　front　of　him　was　the　misty
park；　crowned　by　a　sky　sparkling　with　winter　stars。　　This　was
abruptly　cut　off　upward　by　the　dark　edge　of　the　balcony　which
overhung　him。

It　was　as　if　some　person　within　the　room　above　had　been　awaiting　his
approach。　　He　had　scarcely　found　time　to　observe　his　situation　when
a　human　hand　and　portion　of　a　bare　arm　were　thrust　between　the
balusters；　descended　a　little　way　from　the　edge　of　the　balcony；　and
remained　hanging　across　the　starlit　sky。　　Something　was　between　the
fingers。　　Christopher　lifted　his　hand；　took　the　scrap；　which　was
paper；　and　the　arm　was　withdrawn。　　As　it　withdrew；　a　jewel　on　one　of
the　fingers　sparkled　in　the　rays　of　a　large　planet　that　rode　in　the
opposite　sky。

Light　steps　retreated　from　the　balcony；　and　a　window　closed。
Christopher　had　almost　held　his　breath　lest　Ethelberta　should
discover　him　at　the　critical　moment　to　be　other　than　Sol；　and　mar
her　deliverance　by　her　alarm。　　The　still　silence　was　anything　but
silence　to　him；　he　felt　as　if　he　were　listening　to　the　clanging
chorus　of　an　oratorio。　　And　then　he　could　fancy　he　heard　words
between　Ethelberta　and　the　viscount　within　the　room；　they　were
evidently　at　very　close　quarters；　and　dexterity　must　have　been
required　of　her。　　He　went　on　tiptoe　across　the　gravel　to　the　grass；
and　once　on　that　he　strode　in　the　direction　whence　he　had　come。　　By
the　thick　trunk　of　one　of　a　group　of　aged　trees　he　stopped　to　get　a
light；　just　as　the　Court　clock　struck　six　in　loud　long　tones。　　The
transaction　had　been　carried　out；　through　her　impatience　possibly；
four　or　five　minutes　before　the　time　appointed。

The　note　contained；　in　a　shaken　hand；　in　which；　however；　the　well…
known　characters　were　distinguishable；　these　words　in　pencil：

'At　half…past　seven　o'clock。　　Just　outside　the　north　lodge；　don't
fail。'

This　was　the　time　she　had　suggested　to　Sol　as　that　which　would
probably　best　suit　her　escape；　if　she　could　escape　at　all。　　She　had
changed　the　place　from　the　west　to　the　north　lodgenothing　else。
The　latter　was　certainly　more　secluded；　though　a　trifle　more　remote
from　the　course　of　the　proposed　journey；　there　was　just　time　enough
and　none　to　spare　for　fetching　the　brougham　from　Little　Enckworth　to
the　lodge；　the　village　being　two　miles　off。　　The　few　minutes　gained
by　her　readiness　at　the　balcony　were　useful　now。　　He　started　at　once
for　the　village；　diverging　somewhat　to　observe　the　spot　appointed
for　the　meeting。　　It　was　excellently　chosen；　the　gate　appeared　to　be
little　used；　the　lane　outside　it　was　covered　with　trees；　and　all
around　was　silent　as　the　grave。　　After　this　hasty　survey　by　the　wan
starlight；　he　hastened　on　to　Little　Enckworth。

An　hour　and　a　quarter　later　a　little　brougham　without　lamps　was
creeping　along　by　the　park　wall　towards　this　spot。　　The　leaves　were
so　thick　upon　the　unfrequented　road　that　the　wheels　could　not　be
heard；　and　the　horse's　pacing　made　scarcely　more　noise　than　a　rabbit
would　have　done　in　limping　along。　　The　vehicle　progressed　slowly；
for　they　were　in　good　time。　　About　ten　yards　from　the　park　entrance
it　stopped；　and　Christopher　stepped　out。

'We　may　have　to　wait　here　ten　minutes；'　he　said　to　the　driver。　　'And
then　shall　we　be　able　to　reach　Anglebury　in　time　for　the　up　mail…
train　to　Southampton？'

'Half…past　seven；　half…past　eight；　half…past　ninetwo　hours。　　O
yes；　sir；　easily。　　A　young　lady　in　the　case　perhaps；　sir？'

'Yes。'

'Well；　I　hope　she'll　be　done　honestly　by；　even　if　she　is　of　humble
station。　　'Tis　best；　and　cheapest　too；　in　the　long　run。'　　The
coachman　was　apparently　imagining　the　dove　about　to