"I hope not, sir. I am Lord Verney--about it; and it would pain me extremely to learn that any serious injuries, or--or--things--had been sustained, about it."
"I"ll tell that in a moment," said Doctor Lyster, who was of the party, briskly.
So after a variety of twists and wrenches and pokes, Vane Etherage was p.r.o.nounced sound and safe.
"I don"t know how the devil I escaped!" exclaimed the invalid.
"By tumbling on _me_--very simply," replied Captain Shrapnell with a spirited laugh.
"You may set your mind at rest, Shrapnell," said the Doctor, walking up to him, with a congratulatory air. "He"s all right, this time; but you had better mind giving the old fellow any more rolls of that sort--the pitcher to the well, you know--and the next time might smash him."
"I"m more concerned about smashing myself, thank you. The next time he may roll to the devil--and through whoever he pleases for me--knocked down with that blackguard old chair, and that great hulking fellow on top of me--all for trying to be of use, egad! when everyone of you funked it--and not a soul asks about _my_ bones, egad! or my neck either."
"Oh! come, Shrapnell, you"re not setting up for an old dog yet. There"s a difference between you and Etherage," said the Doctor.
"I hope so," answered the Captain, sarcastically, "but civility is civility all the world over; and I can tell you, another fellow would make fuss enough about the pain I"m suffering."
It was found, further, that one wheel of the bath-chair was disorganised, and the smith must come from the town to get it to rights, and that Vane Etherage, who could as soon have walked up a rainbow as up the acclivity to Hazelden, must bivouac for a while where he sat.
So there the visit was paid, and the exciting gala of that day closed, and the Viscount and his party marched down, with many friends attendant, to the jetty, and embarked in the yacht for Ware.
CHAPTER XX.
REBECCA MERVYN READS HER LETTER.
THE evenings being short, the shops alight, and the good people of Cardyllian in their houses, Tom Sedley found the hour before dinner hang heavily on his hands. So he walked slowly up Castle Street, and saw Mr.
Robson, the worthy post-master, standing, with his hands in his pockets, at the open door.
"No letter for me, I dare say?" asked Sedley.
"No, sir--nothing."
"I don"t know how to kill the time. I wish my dinner was ready. You dined, like a wise man, at one o"clock, I dare say?"
"We do--we dine early here, sir."
"I know it; a capital plan. I do it myself, whenever I make any stay here."
"And you can eat a bit o" something hearty at tea then."
"To be sure; that"s the good of it. I don"t know what to do with myself.
I"ll take a walk round by Malory. Can I leave the Malory letters for you?"
"You"re only joking, sir."
"I was not, upon my honour. I"d be glad to bolt your shutters, or to twig your steps--anything to do. I literally don"t know what to do with myself."
"There"s no family at Malory, you know, now, sir."
"Oh! I did not know. I knew the other family had gone. No letters to be delivered then?"
"Well, sir, there _is_--but you"re only joking."
"What is it?"
"A letter to Mrs. Rebecca Mervyn--but I would not think of troubling a gentleman with it."
"Old Rebecca? why I made her acquaintance among the shingles and c.o.c.kles on the sea-sh.o.r.e last year--a charming old sea-nymph, or whatever you call it."
"We all have a great respect for Mrs. Mervyn, down here, in Cardyllian.
The family has a great opinion of her, and they think a great deal of her, like us," said Mr. Robson, who did not care to hear any mysterious names applied to her without a protest.
"Well--so I say--so have I. I"ll give her the letter, and take a receipt," said Sedley, extending his hand.
"There really _is_ a receipt, sir, wanting," said the official, amused.
"It came this morning--and if you"ll come in--if it isn"t too much trouble--I"ll show it to you, please, sir."
In he stepped to the post-office, where Mr. Robson showed him a letter which he had that afternoon received. It said,--
"SIR,--I enclose five shillings, represented by postage-stamps, which will enable you to pay a messenger on whom you can depend, to deliver a letter which I place along with this in the post-office, into the hand of Mrs. Mervyn, Steward"s House, Malory, Cardyllian, to whom it is addressed, and which is marked with the letter D at the left-hand corner.
"I am, sir, "Your obt. servant, "J. DINGWELL."
"The letter is come," said Mr. Robson, taking it out of a pigeon-hole in a drawer, and thumbing it, and smiling on it with a gentle curiosity.
"Yes--that"s it," said Tom Sedley, also reading the address. ""Mrs.
Mervyn"--what a queer old ghost of a lady she is--"Malory," that"s the ground--and the letter D in the corner. Well, I"m quite serious. I"ll take the letter with pleasure, and see the old woman, and put it into her hand. I"m not joking, and I shall be back again in an hour, I dare say, and I"ll tell you what she says, and how she looks--that is, a.s.suming it is a love-letter."
"Well, sir, as you wish it; and it"s very kind of you, and the old lady must sign a receipt, for the letter"s registered--but it"s too much trouble for you, sir, isn"t it really?"
"Nonsense; give me the letter. If you won"t, I can"t help it."
"And this receipt should be signed."
"And the receipt also."
So away went our friend, duly furnished, and marched over the hill we know so well, that over-hangs the sea, and down by the narrow old road to Malory, thinking of many things.
The phantom of the beautiful lady of Malory was very much faded now.
Even as he looked down on the old house and woodlands, the romance came not again. It was just a remembered folly, like others, and excited or pained him little more. But a new trouble vexed him. How many of our blessings do we take for granted, enjoy thanklessly, like our sight, our hearing, our health, and only appreciate when they are either withdrawn or in danger!
Captain Shrapnell had written among his gossip some jocular tattle about Cleve"s devotion to Miss Agnes Etherage, which had moved him oddly and uncomfortably; but the next letter disclosed the mystery of Cleve"s clandestine visits to Malory, and turned his thoughts into a new channel.
But here was all revived, and worse. Charity, watching with a woman"s eyes, and her opportunities, had made to him a confidence about which there could be no mistake; and then Agnes was so changed--not a bit glad to see him! And did not she look pretty? Was there not a slight look of pride--a reserve--that was new--a little sadness--along with the heightened beauty of her face and figure? How on earth had he been so stupid as not to perceive how beautiful she was all this time? Cleve had more sense. By Jove! she was the prettiest girl in England, and that selfish fellow had laid himself out to make her fond of him, and, having succeeded, jilted her! And now she would not care for any one but him.