already begun； rather than as an isolated wonder。 Ethelberta's
words had prepared him for something； though the nature of that
thing was unknown。
'Chickerel ought not to have kept us in ignorance of thisof course
he ought not！' said Mrs。 Doncastle； as soon as they were left alone。
'I don't see why not；' replied Mr。 Doncastle； who took the matter
very coolly； as was his custom。
'Then she herself should have let it be known。'
'Nor does that follow。 You didn't tell Mrs。 Petherwin that your
grandfather narrowly escaped hanging for shooting his rival in a
duel。'
'Of course not。 There was no reason why I should give extraneous
information。'
'Nor was there any reason why she should。 As for Chickerel； he
doubtless felt how unbecoming it would be to make personal remarks
upon one of your guestsHa…ha…ha！ Well； wellHa…ha…ha…ha！'
'I know this；' said Mrs。 Doncastle； in great anger； 'that if my
father had been in the room； I should not have let the fact pass
unnoticed； and treated him like a stranger！'
'Would you have had her introduce Chickerel to us all round？ My
dear Margaret； it was a complicated position for a woman。'
'Then she ought not to have come！'
'There may be something in that； though she was dining out at other
houses as good as ours。 Well； I should have done just as she did；
for the joke of the thing。 Ha…ha…ha！it is very goodvery。 It
was a case in which the appetite for a jest would overpower the
sting of conscience in any well…constituted beingthat； my dear； I
must maintain。'
'I say she should not have come！' answered Mrs。 Doncastle firmly。
'Of course I shall dismiss Chickerel。'
'Of course you will do no such thing。 I have never had a butler in
the house before who suited me so well。 It is a great credit to the
man to have such a daughter； and I am not sure that we do not derive
some lustre of a humble kind from his presence in the house。 But；
seriously； I wonder at your short…sightedness； when you know the
troubles we have had through getting new men from nobody knows
where。'
Neigh； perceiving that the breeze in the atmosphere might ultimately
intensify to a palpable black squall； seemed to think it would be
well to take leave of his uncle and aunt as soon as he conveniently
could； nevertheless； he was much less discomposed by the situation
than by the active cause which had led to it。 When Mrs。 Doncastle
arose； her husband said he was going to speak to Chickerel for a
minute or two； and Neigh followed his aunt upstairs。
Presently Doncastle joined them。 'I have been talking to
Chickerel；' he said。 'It is a very curious affairthis marriage of
his daughter and Lord Mountclere。 The whole situation is the most
astounding I have ever met with。 The man is quite ill about the
news。 He has shown me a letter which has just reached him from his
son on the same subject。 Lord Mountclere's brother and this young
man have actually gone off together to try to prevent the wedding；
and Chickerel has asked to be allowed to go himself； if he can get
soon enough to the station to catch the night mail。 Of course he
may go if he wishes。'
'What a funny thing！' said the lady； with a wretchedly factitious
smile。 'The times have taken a strange turn when the angry parent
of the comedy； who goes post…haste to prevent the undutiful
daughter's rash marriage； is a gentleman from below stairs； and the
unworthy lover a peer of the realm！'
Neigh spoke for almost the first time。 'I don't blame Chickerel in
objecting to Lord Mountclere。 I should object to him myself if I
had a daughter。 I never liked him。'
'Why？' said Mrs。 Doncastle； lifting her eyelids as if the act were a
heavy task。
'For reasons which don't generally appear。'
'Yes；' said Mr。 Doncastle； in a low tone。 'Still； we must not
believe all we hear。'
'Is Chickerel going？' said Neigh。
'He leaves in five or ten minutes；' said Doncastle。
After a few further words Neigh mentioned that he was unable to stay
longer that evening； and left them。 When he had reached the outside
of the door he walked a little way up the pavement and back again；
as if reluctant to lose sight of the street； finally standing under
a lamp…post whence he could command a view of Mr。 Doncastle's front。
Presently a man came out in a great…coat and with a small bag in his
hand； Neigh at once recognizing the person as Chickerel； went up to
him。
'Mr。 Doncastle tells me you are going on a sudden journey。 At what
time does your train leave？' Neigh asked。
'I go by the ten o'clock； sir： I hope it is a third…class；' said
Chickerel； 'though I am afraid it may not be。'
'It is as much as you will do to get to the station；' said Neigh；
turning the face of his watch to the light。 'Here； come into my
cabI am driving that way。'
'Thank you； sir；' said Chickerel。
Neigh called a cab at the first opportunity； and they entered and
drove along together。 Neither spoke during the journey。 When they
were driving up to the station entrance Neigh looked again to see
the hour。
'You have not a minute to lose；' he said； in repressed anxiety。
'And your journey will be expensive： instead of walking from
Anglebury to Knollsea； you had better driveabove all； don't lose
time。 Never mind what class the train is。 Take this from me； since
the emergency is great。' He handed something to Chickerel folded up
small。
The butler took it without inquiry； and stepped out hastily。
'I sincerely hope she Well； good…night； Chickerel；' continued
Neigh； ending his words abruptly。 The cab containing him drove
again towards the station…gates； leaving Chickerel standing on the
kerb。
He passed through the booking…office； and looked at the paper Neigh
had put into his hand。 It was a five…pound note。
Chickerel mused on the circumstance as he took his ticket and got
into the train。
43。 THE RAILWAY … THE SEA … THE SHORE BEYOND
By this time Sol and the Honourable Edgar Mountclere had gone far on
their journey into Wessex。 Enckworth Court； Mountclere's
destination； though several miles from Knollsea； was most easily
accessible by the same route as that to the village； the latter
being the place for which Sol was bound。
From the few words that passed between them on the way； Mountclere
became more stubborn than ever in a belief that this was a carefully
laid trap of the fair Ethelberta's to ensnare his brother without
revealing to him her family ties； which it therefore behoved him to
make clear； with the utmost force of representation； before the
fatal union had been contracted。 Being himself the viscount's only
remaining brother and near relative； the disinterestedness of his
motives may be left to imagination； that there was much real excuse
for his conduct must； however； be borne in mind。 Whether his
attempt would prevent the union was another question： he believed
that； conjoined with his personal influence over the viscount； and
the importation of Sol as a firebrand to throw between the betrothed
pair； it might do so。
About half…an…hour before sunset the two individuals； linked by
their differences； reached the point of railway at which the branch
to Sandbourne left the main line。 They had taken tickets for
Sandbourne； intending to go thence to Knollsea by the steamer that
plied between the two places during the summer monthsmaking this a
short and direct route。 But it occurred to Mountclere on the way
that； summer being over； the steamer might possibly have left off
running； the wind might be too high for a small boat； and no large
one might be at hand for hire： therefore it would be safer to go by
train to Anglebury； and the remaining sixteen miles by driving over
the hills； even at a great loss of time。
Accident； however； determined otherwise。 They were in the station
at the junction； inquiring of an official if the Speedwell had
ceased to sail； when a countryman who had just come up from
Sandbourne stated that； though the Speedwell had left off for the
year； there was that day another steamer at Sandbourne。 This
steamer would of necessity return to Knollsea that evening； partly
because several people from that place had been on board； and also
because the Knollsea folk were waiting for groceries and draperies
from London： there was not an ounce of tea or a hundredweight of
coal in the village； owing to the recent winds； which had detained
the provision parcels at Sandbourne； and kept the colliers up…
channel until the change of weather this day。 To introduce
necessaries by a roundabout land journey was not easy when they had
been ordered by the other and habitual route。 The boat returned at
six o'clock。
So on they went to Sandbourne； driving off to the pier directly they
reached that place； for it was getting towards night。 The steamer
was there； as the man had told them； much to the relief of Sol； who；
being extremely anxious to enter Knollsea before a late hour； had
known that this was the only way in which it could be done。
Some unforeseen incident delayed the boat； and they walked up and
down the pier to wait。 The prospect was gloomy enough。 The wind
was north…east； the sea along shore was a chalky…green； though
comparatively calm； this part of the coast forming a shelter from
wind in its present quarter。 The clouds had different velocities；
and some of them shone with a coppery glare； produced by rays from
the west which did not enter the inferior atmosphere at all。 It was
reflected on the distant waves in patches； with an effect as if the
waters were at those particular spots stained with blood。 This
departed； and what daylight was left to the earth came from strange
and unusual quarters of the heavens。 The zenith would be bright； as
if that were the place of the sun； then all overhead would close；
and a whiteness in the east would give the appearance of morning；
while a bank as thick as a wall barricaded the west； which looked as
if it had no acquaintance with sunsets； and would blush red no more。
'Any other passengers？' shouted the master of the steamboat。 'We
must be off： it may be a dirty night。'
Sol and Mountclere went on board； and the pier receded in the dusk。
'Shall we hav