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Neigh's remark that he believed he should see Ethelberta again the
next day referred to a contemplated pilgrimage of an unusual sort
which had been arranged for that day by Mrs。 Belmaine upon the
ground of an incidental suggestion of Ethelberta's。 One afternoon
in the week previous they had been chatting over tea at the house of
the former lady； Neigh being present as a casual caller； when the
conversation was directed upon Milton by somebody opening a volume
of the poet's works that lay on a table near。
'Milton！ thou shouldst be living at this hour：
England hath need of thee'
said Mrs。 Belmaine with the degree of flippancy which is considered
correct for immortal verse； the Bible； God； etc。； in these days。
And Ethelberta replied； lit up by a quick remembrance； 'It is a good
time to talk of Milton； for I have been much impressed by reading
the 〃Life；〃 and I have decided to go and see his tomb。 Could we not
all go？ We ought to quicken our memories of the great； and of where
they lie； by such a visit occasionally。'
'We ought；' said Mrs。 Belmaine。
'And why shouldn't we？' continued Ethelberta； with interest。
'To Westminster Abbey？' said Mr。 Belmaine； a common man of thirty；
younger than his wife； who had lately come into the room。
'No； to where he lies comparatively aloneCripplegate Church。'
'I always thought that Milton was buried in Poet's Corner；' said Mr。
Belmaine。
'So did I；' said Neigh； 'but I have such an indifferent head for
places that my thinking goes for nothing。'
'Well； it would be a pretty thing to do；' said Mrs。 Belmaine； 'and
instructive to all of us。 If Mrs。 Petherwin would like to go； I
should。 We can take you in the carriage and call round for Mrs。
Doncastle on our way； and set you both down again coming back。'
'That would be excellent；' said Ethelberta。 'There is nowhere I
like going to so much as the depths of the city。 The absurd
narrowness of world…renowned streets is so surprisingso crooked
and shady as they are too； and full of the quaint smells of old
cupboards and cellars。 Walking through one of them reminds me of
being at the bottom of some crevasse or gorge； the proper surface of
the globe being the tops of the houses。'
'You will come to take care of us； John？ And you； Mr。 Neigh； would
like to come？ We will tell Mr。 Ladywell that he may join us if he
cares to；' said Mrs。 Belmaine。
'O yes；' said her husband quietly； and Neigh said he should like
nothing better； after a faint aspect of apprehension at the
remoteness of the idea from the daily track of his thoughts。 Mr。
Belmaine observing this； and mistaking it for an indication that
Neigh had been dragged into the party against his will by his over…
hasty wife； arranged that Neigh should go independently and meet
them there at the hour named if he chose to do so； to give him an
opportunity of staying away。 Ethelberta also was by this time
doubting if she had not been too eager with her proposal。 To go on
such a sentimental errand might be thought by her friends to be
simply troublesome； their adherence having been given only in the
regular course of complaisance。 She was still comparatively an
outsider here； her life with Lady Petherwin having been passed
chiefly in alternations between English watering…places and
continental towns。 However； it was too late now to muse on this；
and it may be added that from first to last Ethelberta never
discovered from the Belmaines whether her proposal had been an
infliction or a charm； so perfectly were they practised in
sustaining that complete divorce between thinking and saying which
is the hall…mark of high civilization。
But； however she might doubt the Belmaines； she had no doubt as to
Neigh's true sentiments： the time had come when he； notwithstanding
his air of being oppressed by almost every lively invention of town
and country for charming griefs to rest； would not be at all
oppressed by a quiet visit to the purlieus of St Giles's；
Cripplegate； since she was the originator； and was going herself。
It was a bright hope…inspiring afternoon in this mid…May time when
the carriage containing Mr。 and Mrs。 Belmaine； Mrs。 Doncastle； and
Ethelberta； crept along the encumbered streets towards Barbican；
till turning out of that thoroughfare into Redcross Street they
beheld the bold shape of the old tower they sought； clothed in every
neutral shade； standing clear against the sky； dusky and grim in its
upper stage； and hoary grey below； where every corner of every stone
was completely rounded off by the waves of wind and storm。
All people were busy here： our visitors seemed to be the only idle
persons the city contained； and there was no dissonancethere never
isbetween antiquity and such beehive industry； for pure industry；
in failing to observe its own existence and aspect； partakes of the
unobtrusive nature of material things。 This intra…mural stir was a
flywheel transparent by excessive motion； through which Milton and
his day could be seen as if nothing intervened。 Had there been
ostensibly harmonious accessories； a crowd of observing people in
search of the poetical； conscious of the place and the scene； what a
discord would have arisen there！ But everybody passed by Milton's
grave except Ethelberta and her friends； and for the moment the
city's less invidious conduct appeared to her more respectful as a
practice than her own。
But she was brought out of this rumination by the halt at the church
door； and completely reminded of the present by finding the church
open； and Neighthe； till yesterday； unimpassioned Neighwaiting
in the vestibule to receive them； just as if he lived there。
Ladywell had not arrived。 It was a long time before Ethelberta
could get back to Milton again； for Neigh was continuing to impend
over her future more and more visibly。 The objects along the
journey had distracted her mind from him； but the moment now was as
a direct renewal and prolongation of the declaration…time yesterday；
and as if in furtherance of the conclusion of the episode。
They all alighted and went in； the coachman being told to take the
carriage to a quiet nook further on； and return in half…an…hour。
Mrs。 Belmaine and her carriage some years before had accidentally
got jammed crosswise in Cheapside through the clumsiness of the man
in turning up a side street； blocking that great artery of the
civilized world for the space of a minute and a half； when they were
pounced upon by half…a…dozen policemen and forced to back
ignominiously up a little slit between the houses where they did not
mean to go； amid the shouts of the hindered drivers； and it was her
nervous recollection of that event which caused Mrs。 Belmaine to be
so precise in her directions now。
By the time that they were grouped around the tomb the visit had
assumed a much more solemn complexion than any one among them had
anticipated。 Ashamed of the influence that she discovered Neigh to
be exercising over her； and opposing it steadily； Ethelberta drew
from her pocket a small edition of Milton； and proposed that she
should read a few lines from 'Paradise Lost。' The responsibility of
produc