power； which was； if that were possible； more gloomy than
disappointed love。 'I know now where he is。 That operation with
the cradle…apparatus is very interesting； and he is stopping to see
it。 。 。 。 But I shall not wait indoors much longer； whatever he may
be stopping to see。 It is very unaccountable； and vexing； after
moving into this new house too。 We were much more comfortable in
the old one。 In keeping any previous appointment in which I have
been concerned he has been ridiculously early。'
'Shall I run round？' said Picotee； 'and if he is not watching them
we will go out。'
'Very well；' said her sister。
The time of Picotee's absence seemed an age。 Ethelberta heard the
roar of another rocket； and still Picotee did not return。 'What can
the girl be thinking of？' she mused。 。 。 。 'What a half…and…half
policy mine has been！ Thinking of marrying for position； and yet
not making it my rigid plan to secure the man the first moment that
he made his offer。 So I lose the comfort of having a soul above
worldliness； and my compensation for not having it likewise！' A
minute or two more and in came Picotee。
'What has kept you so longand how excited you look；' said
Ethelberta。
'I thought I would stay a little while； as I had never seen a
rocket…apparatus；' said Picotee； faintly and strangely。
'But is he there？' asked her sister impatiently。
'Yeshe was。 He's gone now！'
'Lord Mountclere？'
'No。 There is no old man there at all。 Mr Julian was there。'
A little 'Ah！' came from Ethelberta； like a note from a storm…bird
at night。 She turned round and went into the back room。 'Is Mr。
Julian going to call here？' she inquired； coming forward again。
'Nohe's gone by the steamboat。 He was only passing through on his
way to Sandbourne； where he is gone to settle a small business
relating to his father's affairs。 He was not in Knollsea ten
minutes； owing to something which detained him on the way。'
'Did he inquire for me？'
'No。 And only think； Ethelbertasuch a remarkable thing has
happened； though I nearly forgot to tell you。 He says that coming
along the road he was overtaken by a carriage； and when it had just
passed him one of the horses shied； pushed the other down a slope；
and overturned the carriage。 One wheel came off and trundled to the
bottom of the hill by itself。 Christopher of course ran up； and
helped out of the carriage an old gentlemannow do you know what's
likely？'
'It was Lord Mountclere。 I am glad that's the cause；' said
Ethelberta involuntarily。
'I imagined you would suppose it to be Lord Mountclere。 But Mr。
Julian did not know the gentleman； and said nothing about who he
might be。'
'Did he describe him？'
'Not muchjust a little。'
'Well？'
'He said he was a sly old dog apparently； to hear how he swore in
whispers。 This affair is what made Mr。 Julian so late that he had
no time to call here。 Lord Mountclere's ankleif it was Lord
Mountclerewas badly sprained。 But the servants were not injured
beyond a scratch on the coachman's face。 Then they got another
carriage and drove at once back again。 It must be he； or else why
is he not come？ It is a pity； too； that Mr。 Julian was hindered by
this； so that there was no opportunity for him to bide a bit in
Knollsea。'
Ethelberta was not disposed to believe that Christopher would have
called； had time favoured him to the utmost。 Between himself and
her there was that kind of division which is more insurmountable
than enmity； for estrangements produced by good judgment will last
when those of feeling break down in smiles。 Not the lovers who part
in passion； but the lovers who part in friendship； are those who
most frequently part for ever。
'Did you tell Mr。 Julian that the injured gentleman was possibly
Lord Mountclere； and that he was coming here？' said Ethelberta。
'I made no remark at allI did not think of him till afterwards。'
The inquiry was hardly necessary； for Picotee's words would dry away
like a brook in the sands when she held conversation with
Christopher。
As they had anticipated； the sufferer was no other than their
intending visitor。 Next morning there was a note explaining the
accident； and expressing its writer's suffering from the cruel delay
as greater than that from the swollen ankle； which was progressing
favourably。
Nothing further was heard of Lord Mountclere for more than a week；
when she received another letter； which put an end to her season of
relaxation； and once more braced her to the contest。 This epistle
was very courteously written； and in point of correctness；
propriety； and gravity； might have come from the quill of a bishop。
Herein the old nobleman gave a further description of the accident；
but the main business of the communication was to ask her if； since
he was not as yet very active； she would come to Enckworth Court and
delight himself and a small group of friends who were visiting
there。
She pondered over the letter as she walked by the shore that day；
and after some hesitation decided to go。
38。 ENCKWORTH COURT
It was on a dull； stagnant； noiseless afternoon of autumn that
Ethelberta first crossed the threshold of Enckworth Court。 The
daylight was so lowered by the impervious roof of cloud overhead
that it scarcely reached further into Lord Mountclere's entrance…
hall than to the splays of the windows； even but an hour or two
after midday； and indoors the glitter of the fire reflected itself
from the very panes； so inconsiderable were the opposing rays。
Enckworth Court； in its main part； had not been standing more than a
hundred years。 At that date the weakened portions of the original
mediaeval structure were pulled down and cleared away； old jambs
being carried off for rick…staddles； and the foliated timbers of the
hall roof making themselves useful as fancy chairs in the summer…
houses of rising inns。 A new block of masonry was built up from the
ground of such height and lordliness that the remnant of the old
pile left standing became as a mere cup…bearer and culinary menial
beside it。 The rooms in this old fragment； which had in times past
been considered sufficiently dignified for dining…hall； withdrawing…
room； and so on； were now reckoned barely high enough for
sculleries； servants' hall； and laundries； the whole of which were
arranged therein。
The modern portion had been planned with such a total disregard of
association； that the very rudeness of the contrast gave an interest
to the mass which it might have wanted had perfect harmony been
attempted between the old nucleus and its adjuncts； a probable
result if the enlargement had taken place later on in time。 The
issue was that the hooded windows； simple string…courses； and random
masonry of the Gothic workman； stood elbow to elbow with the equal…
spaced ashlar； architraves； and fasciae of the Classic addition；
each telling its distinct tale as to stage of thought and domestic
habit without any of those artifices of blending or restoration by
which the seeker for history in stones will be utterly hoodwinked in
time to come。
To the left of the door and vestibule which Ethelberta passed
through rose the principal staircase； constructed of a freestone so
milk…white and delicately moulded as to be easily conceived in the
lamplight as of biscuit…ware。 Who； unacquainted with the secrets of
geometrical construction； could imagine that； hanging so airily
there； to all appearance supported on nothing； were twenty or more
tons dead weight of stone； that would have made a prison for an
elephant if so arranged？ The art which produced this illusion was
questionable； but its success was undoubted。 'How lovely！' said
Ethelberta； as she looked at the fairy ascent。 'His staircase alone
is worth my hand！'
Passing along by the colonnade； which partly fenced the staircase
from the visitor； the saloon was reached； an apartment forming a
double cube。 About the left…hand end of this were grouped the
drawing…rooms and library； while on the right was the dining…hall；
with billiard； smoking； and gun rooms in mysterious remoteness
beyond。
Without attempting to trace an analogy between a man and his
mansion； it may be stated that everything here； though so dignified
and magnificent； was not conceived in quite the true and eternal
spirit of art。 It was a house in which Pugin would have torn his
hair。 Those massive blocks of red…veined marble lining the hall
emulating in their surface…glitter the Escalier de Marbre at
Versailleswere cunning imitations in paint and plaster by workmen
brought from afar for the purpose； at a prodigious expense； by the
present viscount's father； and recently repaired and re…varnished。
The dark green columns and pilasters corresponding were brick at the
core。 Nay； the external walls； apparently of massive and solid
freestone； were only veneered with that material； being； like the
pillars； of brick within。
To a stone mask worn by a brick face a story naturally appertained
one which has since done service in other quarters。 When the vast
addition had just been completed King George visited Enckworth。 Its
owner pointed out the features of its grand architectural attempt；
and waited for commendation。
'Brick； brick； brick；' said the king。
The Georgian Lord Mountclere blushed faintly； albeit to his very
poll； and said nothing more about his house that day。 When the king
was gone he sent frantically for the craftsmen recently dismissed；
and soon the green lawns became again the colour of a Nine…Elms
cement wharf。 Thin freestone slabs were affixed to the whole series
of fronts by copper cramps and dowels； each one of substance
sufficient to have furnished a poor boy's pocket with pennies for a
month； till not a speck of the original surface remained； and the
edifice shone in all the grandeur of massive masonry that was not
massive at all。 But who remembered this save the builder and his
crew？ and as long as nobody knew the truth； pretence looked just as
well。
What was honest in Enckworth Court was that portion of the original
edifice which still remained； now degraded to subservient uses。
Where the untitled Mountclere of the Whi