out…manoeuvre her persevering buccaneer； Ethelberta passed
alongside。 Could it be possible that Lord Mountclere had on her
account fixed this day for his visit across the Channel？
'Well； I would rather be haunted by him than by Mr。 Neigh；' she
said； and began laying her plans so as to guard against inconvenient
surprises。
The next morning Ethelberta was at the railway station； taking
tickets for herself and Cornelia； when she saw an old yet sly and
somewhat merry…faced Englishman a little way off。 He was attended
by a younger man； who appeared to be his valet。
'I will exchange one of these tickets；' she said to the clerk； and
having done so she went to Cornelia to inform her that it would
after all be advisable for them to travel separate； adding； 'Lord
Mountclere is in the station； and I think he is going on by our
train。 Remember； you are my maid again now。 Is not that the
gentlemanly man who assisted you yesterday？' She signified the
valet as she spoke。
'It is；' said Cornelia。
When the passengers were taking their seats； and Ethelberta was
thinking whether she might not after all enter a second…class with
Cornelia instead of sitting solitary in a first because of an old
man's proximity； she heard a shuffling at her elbow； and the next
moment found that he was overtly observing her as if he had not done
so in secret at all。 She at once gave him an unsurprised gesture of
recognition。 'I saw you some time ago； what a singular
coincidence；' she said。
'A charming one；' said Lord Mountclere； smiling a half…minute smile；
and making as if he would take his hat off and would not quite。
'Perhaps we must not call it coincidence entirely；' he continued；
'my journey； which I have contemplated for some time； was not fixed
this week altogether without a thought of your presence on the road…
…hee…hee！ Do you go far to…day？'
'As far as Caen；' said Ethelberta。
'Ah！ That's the end of my day's journey； too；' said Lord
Mountclere。 They parted and took their respective places； Lord
Mountclere choosing a compartment next to the one Ethelberta was
entering； and not； as she had expected； attempting to join her。
Now she had instantly fancied when the viscount was speaking that
there were signs of some departure from his former respectful manner
towards her； and an enigma lay in that。 At their earlier meetings
he had never ventured upon a distinct coupling of himself and
herself as he had done in his broad compliment to…dayif compliment
it could be called。 She was not sure that he did not exceed his
license in telling her deliberately that he had meant to hover near
her in a private journey which she was taking without reference to
him。 She did not object to the act； but to the avowal of the act；
and； being as sensitive as a barometer on signs affecting her social
condition； it darted upon Ethelberta for one little moment that he
might possibly have heard a word or two about her being nothing more
nor less than one of a tribe of thralls； hence his freedom of
manner。 Certainly a plain remark of that sort was exactly what a
susceptible peer might be supposed to say to a pretty woman of far
inferior degree。 A rapid redness filled her face at the thought
that he might have smiled upon her as upon a domestic whom he was
disposed to chuck under the chin。 'But no；' she said。 'He would
never have taken the trouble to follow and meet with me had he
learnt to think me other than a lady。 It is extremity of devotion
that's all。'
It was not Ethelberta's inexperience； but that her conception of
self precluded such an association of ideas； which led her to
dismiss the surmise that his attendance could be inspired by a
motive beyond that of paying her legitimate attentions as a co…
ordinate with him and his in the social field。 Even if he only
meant flirtation； she read it as of that sort from which courtship
with an eye to matrimony differs only in degree。 Hence； she
thought； his interest in her was not likely； under the ordinary
influences of caste feeling； to continue longer than while he was
kept in ignorance of her consanguinity with a stock proscribed。 She
sighed at the anticipated close of her full…feathered towering when
her ties and bonds should be uncovered。 She might have seen matters
in a different light； and sighed more。 But in the stir of the
moment it escaped her thought that ignorance of her position； and a
consequent regard for her as a woman of good standing； would have
prevented his indulgence in any course which was open to the
construction of being disrespectful。
Valognes； Carentan； Isigny； Bayeux； were passed； and the train drew
up at Caen。 Ethelberta's intention had been to stay here for one
night； but having learnt from Lord Mountclere； as previously
described； that this was his destination； she decided to go on。 On
turning towards the carriage after a few minutes of promenading at
the Caen station； she was surprised to perceive that Lord
Mountclere； who had alighted as if to leave； was still there。
They spoke again to each other。 'I find I have to go further；' he
suddenly said； when she had chatted with him a little time。 And
beckoning to the man who was attending to his baggage； he directed
the things to be again placed in the train。
Time passed； and they changed at the next junction。 When Ethelberta
entered a carriage on the branch line to take her seat for the
remainder of the journey； there sat the viscount in the same
division。 He explained that he was going to Rouen。
Ethelberta came to a quick resolution。 Her audacity； like that of a
child getting nearer and nearer a parent's side； became wonderfully
vigorous as she approached her destination； and though there were
three good hours of travel to Rouen as yet； the heavier part of the
journey was past。 At her aunt's would be a safe refuge； play what
pranks she might； and there she would to…morrow meet those bravest
of defenders Sol and Dan； to whom she had sent as much money as she
could conveniently spare towards their expenses； with directions
that they were to come by the most economical route； and meet her at
the house of her aunt； Madame Moulin； previous to their educational
trip to Paris； their own contribution being the value of the week's
work they would have to lose。 Thus backed up by Sol and Dan； her
aunt； and Cornelia； Ethelberta felt quite the reverse of a lonely
female persecuted by a wicked lord in a foreign country。 'He shall
pay for his weaknesses； whatever they mean；' she thought； 'and what
they mean I will find out at once。'
'I am going to Paris；' she said。
'You cannot to…night； I think。'
'To…morrow； I mean。'
'I should like to go on to…morrow。 Perhaps I may。 So that there is
a chance of our meeting again。'
'Yes； but I do not leave Rouen till the afternoon。 I first shall go
to the cathedral； and drive round the city。'
Lord Mountclere smiled pleasantly。 There seemed a sort of
encouragement in her words。 Ethelberta's thoughts； however； had
flown at that moment to the approaching situation at her aunt's
hotel： it would be extremely embarrassing if he should go there。
'Where do you stay； Lord Mountclere？' she said。
Thus directly asked； he could not but commit himself to the name of
the hotel he had been accustomed to patronize； which was one in the
upper part of the city。
'Mine is not that one；' said Ethelberta frigidly。
No further remark was made under this head； and they conversed for
the remainder of the daylight on scenery and other topics； Lord
Mountclere's air of festivity lending him all the qualities of an
agreeable companion。 But notwithstanding her resolve； Ethelberta
failed； for that day at least； to make her mind clear upon Lord
Mountclere's intentions。 To that end she would have liked first to
know what were the exact limits set by society to conduct under
present conditions； if society had ever set any at all； which was
open to question： since experience had long ago taught her that
much more freedom actually prevails in the communion of the sexes
than is put on paper as etiquette； or admitted in so many words as
correct behaviour。 In short； everything turned upon whether he had
learnt of her position when off the platform at Mayfair Hall。
Wearied with these surmises； and the day's travel； she closed her
eyes。 And then her enamoured companion more widely opened his； and
traced the beautiful features opposite him。 The arch of the brows
like a slur in musicthe droop of the lashes； the meeting of the
lips； and the sweet rotundity of the chinone by one； and all
together； they were adored； till his heart was like a retort full of
spirits of wine。
It was a warm evening； and when they arrived at their journey's end
distant thunder rolled behind heavy and opaque clouds。 Ethelberta
bade adieu to her attentive satellite； called to Cornelia； and
entered a cab； but before they reached the inn the thunder had
increased。 Then a cloud cracked into flame behind the iron spire of
the cathedral； showing in relief its black ribs and stanchions； as
if they were the bars of a blazing cresset held on high。
'Ah； we will clamber up there to…morrow；' said Ethelberta。
A wondrous stillness pervaded the streets of the city after this；
though it was not late； and their arrival at M。 Moulin's door was
quite an event for the quay。 No rain came； as they had expected；
and by the time they halted the western sky had cleared； so that the
newly…lit lamps on the quay； and the evening glow shining over the
river； inwove their harmonious rays as the warp and woof of one
lustrous tissue。 Before they had alighted there appeared from the
archway Madame Moulin in person； followed by the servants of the
hotel in a manner signifying that they did not receive a visitor
once a fortnight； though at that moment the clatter of sixty knives；
forks； and tongues was audible through an open window from the
adjoining dining…room； to the great interest of a group of idlers
outside。 Ethelberta had not seen her aunt since she last passed
through the town with Lady Petherwin； who then told her that this
landlady was the only respectable relative she seemed to have in the