It now wanted a quarter to nine o"clock. When Knight was gone, Stephen felt yet more impatient of the circ.u.mstance that another day would have to drag itself away wearily before he could set out for that spot of earth whereon a soft thought of him might perhaps be nourished still. On a sudden he admitted to his mind the possibility that the engagement he was waiting in town to keep might be postponed without much harm.
It was no sooner perceived than attempted. Looking at his watch, he found it wanted forty minutes to the departure of the ten o"clock train from Paddington, which left him a surplus quarter of an hour before it would be necessary to start for the station.
Scribbling a hasty note or two--one putting off the business meeting, another to Knight apologizing for not being able to see him in the evening--paying his bill, and leaving his heavier luggage to follow him by goods-train, he jumped into a cab and rattled off to the Great Western Station.
Shortly afterwards he took his seat in the railway carriage.
The guard paused on his whistle, to let into the next compartment to Smith"s a man of whom Stephen had caught but a hasty glimpse as he ran across the platform at the last moment.
Smith sank back into the carriage, stilled by perplexity. The man was like Knight--astonishingly like him. Was it possible it could be he?
To have got there he must have driven like the wind to Bede"s Inn, and hardly have alighted before starting again. No, it could not be he; that was not his way of doing things.
During the early part of the journey Stephen Smith"s thoughts busied themselves till his brain seemed swollen. One subject was concerning his own approaching actions. He was a day earlier than his letter to his parents had stated, and his arrangement with them had been that they should meet him at Plymouth; a plan which pleased the worthy couple beyond expression. Once before the same engagement had been made, which he had then quashed by ante-dating his arrival. This time he would go right on to Castle Boterel; ramble in that well-known neighbourhood during the evening and next morning, making inquiries; and return to Plymouth to meet them as arranged--a contrivance which would leave their cherished project undisturbed, relieving his own impatience also.
At Chippenham there was a little waiting, and some loosening and attaching of carriages.
Stephen looked out. At the same moment another man"s head emerged from the adjoining window. Each looked in the other"s face.
Knight and Stephen confronted one another.
"You here!" said the younger man.
"Yes. It seems that you are too," said Knight, strangely.
"Yes."
The selfishness of love and the cruelty of jealousy were fairly exemplified at this moment. Each of the two men looked at his friend as he had never looked at him before. Each was TROUBLED at the other"s presence.
"I thought you said you were not coming till to-morrow," remarked Knight.
"I did. It was an afterthought to come to-day. This journey was your engagement, then?"
"No, it was not. This is an afterthought of mine too. I left a note to explain it, and account for my not being able to meet you this evening as we arranged."
"So did I for you."
"You don"t look well: you did not this morning."
"I have a headache. You are paler to-day than you were."
"I, too, have been suffering from headache. We have to wait here a few minutes, I think."
They walked up and down the platform, each one more and more embarra.s.singly concerned with the awkwardness of his friend"s presence. They reached the end of the footway, and paused in sheer absent-mindedness. Stephen"s vacant eyes rested upon the operations of some porters, who were shifting a dark and curious-looking van from the rear of the train, to shunt another which was between it and the fore part of the train. This operation having been concluded, the two friends returned to the side of their carriage.
"Will you come in here?" said Knight, not very warmly.
"I have my rug and portmanteau and umbrella with me: it is rather bothering to move now," said Stephen reluctantly. "Why not you come here?"
"I have my traps too. It is hardly worth while to shift them, for I shall see you again, you know."
"Oh, yes."
And each got into his own place. Just at starting, a man on the platform held up his hands and stopped the train.
Stephen looked out to see what was the matter.
One of the officials was exclaiming to another, "That carriage should have been attached again. Can"t you see it is for the main line? Quick!
What fools there are in the world!"
"What a confounded nuisance these stoppages are!" exclaimed Knight impatiently, looking out from his compartment. "What is it?"
"That singular carriage we saw has been unfastened from our train by mistake, it seems," said Stephen.
He was watching the process of attaching it. The van or carriage, which he now recognized as having seen at Paddington before they started, was rich and solemn rather than gloomy in aspect. It seemed to be quite new, and of modern design, and its impressive personality attracted the notice of others beside himself. He beheld it gradually wheeled forward by two men on each side: slower and more sadly it seemed to approach: then a slight concussion, and they were connected with it, and off again.
Stephen sat all the afternoon pondering upon the reason of Knight"s unexpected reappearance. Was he going as far as Castle Boterel? If so, he could only have one object in view--a visit to Elfride. And what an idea it seemed!
At Plymouth Smith partook of a little refreshment, and then went round to the side from which the train started for Camelton, the new station near Castle Boterel and Endelstow.
Knight was already there.
Stephen walked up and stood beside him without speaking. Two men at this moment crept out from among the wheels of the waiting train.
"The carriage is light enough," said one in a grim tone. "Light as vanity; full of nothing."
"Nothing in size, but a good deal in signification," said the other, a man of brighter mind and manners.
Smith then perceived that to their train was attached that same carriage of grand and dark aspect which had haunted them all the way from London.
"You are going on, I suppose?" said Knight, turning to Stephen, after idly looking at the same object.
"Yes."
"We may as well travel together for the remaining distance, may we not?"
"Certainly we will;" and they both entered the same door.
Evening drew on apace. It chanced to be the eve of St. Valentine"s--that bishop of blessed memory to youthful lovers--and the sun shone low under the rim of a thick hard cloud, decorating the eminences of the landscape with crowns of orange fire. As the train changed its direction on a curve, the same rays stretched in through the window, and coaxed open Knight"s half-closed eyes.
"You will get out at St. Launce"s, I suppose?" he murmured.
"No," said Stephen, "I am not expected till to-morrow." Knight was silent.
"And you--are you going to Endelstow?" said the younger man pointedly.
"Since you ask, I can do no less than say I am, Stephen," continued Knight slowly, and with more resolution of manner than he had shown all the day. "I am going to Endelstow to see if Elfride Swancourt is still free; and if so, to ask her to be my wife."
"So am I," said Stephen Smith.