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must take her as she is； or he is kindly welcome to leave her。'
'Ah； well！ I might have had a word or two to say about that； but
the time has gone by for it； worse luck。 Perhaps it is best that I
have said nothing； and she has had her way。 No； I shan't come in；
Picotee。 Father is gone； and I am going too。'
'O Sol！'
'We are rather put out at her acting like thisfather and I and all
of us。 She might have let us know about it beforehand； even if she
is a lady and we what we always was。 It wouldn't have let her down
so terrible much to write a line。 She might have learnt something
that would have led her to take a different step。'
'But you will see poor Berta？ She has done no harm。 She was going
to write long letters to all of you to…day； explaining her wedding；
and how she is going to help us all on in the world。'
Sol paused irresolutely。 'No； I won't come in；' he said。 'It would
disgrace her； for one thing； dressed as I be； more than that； I
don't want to come in。 But I should like to see her； if she would
like to see me； and I'll go up there to that little fir plantation；
and walk up and down behind it for exactly half…an…hour。 She can
come out to me there。' Sol had pointed as he spoke to a knot of
young trees that hooded a knoll a little way off。
'I'll go and tell her；' said Picotee。
'I suppose they will be off somewhere； and she is busy getting
ready？'
'O no。 They are not going to travel till next year。 Ethelberta
does not want to go anywhere； and Lord Mountclere cannot endure this
changeable weather in any place but his own house。'
'Poor fellow！'
'Then you will wait for her by the firs？ I'll tell her at once。'
Picotee left him； and Sol went across the glade。
46。 ENCKWORTH （continued） … THE ANGLEBURY HIGHWAY
He had not paced behind the firs more than ten minutes when
Ethelberta appeared from the opposite side。 At great inconvenience
to herself； she had complied with his request。
Ethelberta was trembling。 She took her brother's hand； and said；
'Is father； then； gone？'
'Yes；' said Sol。 'I should have been gone likewise； but I thought
you wanted to see me。'
'Of course I did； and him too。 Why did you come so mysteriously；
and； I must say； unbecomingly？ I am afraid I did wrong in not
informing you of my intention。'
'To yourself you may have。 Father would have liked a word with you
beforeyou did it。'
'You both looked so forbidding that I did not like to stop the
carriage when we passed you。 I want to see him on an important
matterhis leaving Mrs。 Doncastle's service at once。 I am going to
write and beg her to dispense with a notice； which I have no doubt
she will do。'
'He's very much upset about you。'
'My secrecy was perhaps an error of judgment；' she said sadly。 'But
I had reasons。 Why did you and my father come here at all if you
did not want to see me？'
'We did want to see you up to a certain time。'
'You did not come to prevent my marriage？'
'We wished to see you before the marriageI can't say more。'
'I thought you might not approve of what I had done；' said
Ethelberta mournfully。 'But a time may come when you will approve。'
'Never。'
'Don't be harsh； Sol。 A coronet covers a multitude of sins。'
'A coronet： good Lordand you my sister！ Look at my hand。' Sol
extended his hand。 'Look how my thumb stands out at the root； as if
it were out of joint； and that hard place inside there。 Did you
ever see anything so ugly as that handa misshaped monster； isn't
he？ That comes from the jackplane； and my pushing against it day
after day and year after year。 If I were found drowned or buried；
dressed or undressed； in fustian or in broadcloth； folk would look
at my hand and say； 〃That man's a carpenter。〃 Well now； how can a
man； branded with work as I be； be brother to a viscountess without
something being wrong？ Of course there's something wrong in it； or
he wouldn't have married yousomething which won't be righted
without terrible suffering。'
'No； no；' said she。 'You are mistaken。 There is no such wonderful
quality in a title in these days。 What I really am is second wife
to a quiet old country nobleman； who has given up society。 What
more commonplace？ My life will be as simple； even more simple； than
it was before。'
'Berta； you have worked to false lines。 A creeping up among the
useless lumber of our nation that'll be the first to burn if there
comes a flare。 I never see such a deserter of your own lot as you
be！ But you were always like it； Berta； and I am ashamed of ye。
More than that； a good woman never marries twice。'
'You are too hard； Sol；' said the poor viscountess； almost crying。
'I've done it all for you！ Even if I have made a mistake； and given
my ambition an ignoble turn； don't tell me so now； or you may do
more harm in a minute than you will cure in a lifetime。 It is
absurd to let republican passions so blind you to fact。 A family
which can be honourably traced through history for five hundred
years； does affect the heart of a person not entirely hardened
against romance。 Whether you like the peerage or no； they appeal to
our historical sense and love of old associations。'
'I don't care for history。 Prophecy is the only thing can do poor
men any good。 When you were a girl； you wouldn't drop a curtsey to
'em； historical or otherwise； and there you were right。 But；
instead of sticking to such principles； you must needs push up； so
as to get girls such as you were once to curtsey to you； not even
thinking marriage with a bad man too great a price to pay for't。'
'A bad man？ What do you mean by that？ Lord Mountclere is rather
old； but he's worthy。 What did you mean； Sol？'
'Nothinga mere sommat to say。'
At that moment Picotee emerged from behind a tree； and told her
sister that Lord Mountclere was looking for her。
'Well； Sol； I cannot explain all to you now；' she said。 'I will
send for you in London。' She wished him goodbye； and they
separated； Picotee accompanying Sol a little on his way。
Ethelberta was greatly perturbed by this meeting。 After retracing
her steps a short distance； she still felt so distressed and
unpresentable that she resolved not to allow Lord Mountclere to see
her till the clouds had somewhat passed off； it was but a bare act
of justice to him to hide from his sight such a bridal mood as this。
It was better to keep him waiting than to make him positively
unhappy。 She turned aside； and went up the valley； where the park
merged in miles of wood and copse。
She opened an iron gate and entered the wood； casually interested in
the vast variety of colours that the half…fallen leaves of the
season wore： more； much more； occupied with personal thought。 The
path she pursued became gradually involved in bushes as well as
trees； giving to the spot the character rather of a coppice than a
wood。 Perceiving that she had gone far enough； Ethelberta turned
back by a path which at this point intersected that by which she had
approached； and promised a more direct return towards the Court。
She had not gone many steps among the hazels； which here formed a
perfect thicket； when she ob