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she dismounted； and tying him to a stone which projected like a fang
from a raw edge of wall； performed the remainder of the ascent on
foot。 Once among the towers above； she became so interested in the
windy corridors； mildewed dungeons； and the tribe of daws peering
invidiously upon her from overhead； that she forgot the flight of
time。
Nearly three…quarters of an hour passed before she came out from the
immense walls； and looked from an opening to the front over the wide
expanse of the outer ward； by which she had ascended。
Ethelberta was taken aback to see there a file of shining carriages；
which had arrived during her seclusion in the keep。 From these
began to burst a miscellany of many…coloured draperies； blue； buff；
pied； and black； they united into one； and crept up the incline like
a cloud； which then parted into fragments； dived into old doorways；
and lost substance behind projecting piles。 Recognizing in this the
ladies and gentlemen of the meeting； her first thought was how to
escape； for she was suddenly overcome with dread to meet them all
single…handed as she stood。 She drew back and hurried round to the
side； as the laughter and voices of the assembly began to be
audible； and； more than ever vexed that she could not have fallen in
with them in some unobtrusive way； Ethelberta found that they were
immediately beneath her。
Venturing to peep forward again； what was her mortification at
finding them gathered in a ring； round no object of interest
belonging to the ruin； but round her faithful beast； who had
loosened himself in some way from the stone； and stood in the middle
of a plat of grass； placidly regarding them。
Being now in the teeth of the Association； there was nothing to do
but to go on； since； if she did not； the next few steps of their
advance would disclose her。 She made the best of it； and began to
descend in the broad view of the assembly； from the midst of which
proceeded a laugh'Hee…hee…hee！' Ethelberta knew that Lord
Mountclere was there。
'The poor thing has strayed from its owner；' said one lady； as they
all stood eyeing the apparition of the ass。
'It may belong to some of the villagers；' said the President in a
historical voice： 'and it may be appropriate to mention that many
were kept here in olden times： they were largely used as beasts of
burden in victualling the castle previous to the last siege； in the
year sixteen hundred and forty…five。'
'It is very weary； and has come a long way； I think；' said a lady；
adding； in an imaginative tone； 'the humble creature looks so aged
and is so quaintly saddled that we may suppose it to be only an
animated relic； of the same date as the other remains。'
By this time Lord Mountclere had noticed Ethelberta's presence； and
straightening himself to ten years younger； he lifted his hat in
answer to her smile； and came up jauntily。 It was a good time now
to see what the viscount was really like。 He appeared to be about
sixty…five； and the dignified aspect which he wore to a gazer at a
distance became depreciated to jocund slyness upon nearer view； when
the small type could be read between the leading lines。 Then it
could be seen that his upper lip dropped to a point in the middle；
as if impressing silence upon his too demonstrative lower one。 His
right and left profiles were different； one corner of his mouth
being more compressed than the other； producing a deep line thence
downwards to the side of his chin。 Each eyebrow rose obliquely
outwards and upwards； and was thus far above the little eye； shining
with the clearness of a pond that has just been able to weather the
heats of summer。 Below this was a preternaturally fat jowl； which；
by thrusting against cheeks and chin； caused the arch old mouth to
be almost buried at the corners。
A few words of greeting passed； and Ethelberta told him how she was
fearing to meet them all； united and primed with their morning's
knowledge as they appeared to be。
'Well； we have not done much yet；' said Lord Mountclere。 'As for
myself； I have given no thought at all to our day's work。 I had not
forgotten your promise to attend； if you could possibly drive
across； andhee…hee…hee！I have frequently looked towards the hill
where the road descends。 。 。 。 Will you now permit me to introduce
some of my partyas many of them as you care to know by name？ I
think they would all like to speak to you。'
Ethelberta then found herself nominally made known to ten or a dozen
ladies and gentlemen who had wished for special acquaintance with
her。 She stood there； as all women stand who have made themselves
remarkable by their originality； or devotion to any singular cause；
as a person freed of her hampering and inconvenient sex； and； by
virtue of her popularity； unfettered from the conventionalities of
manner prescribed by custom for household womankind。 The charter to
move abroad unchaperoned； which society for good reasons grants only
to women of three sortsthe famous； the ministering； and the
improperEthelberta was in a fair way to make splendid use of：
instead of walking in protected lanes she experienced that luxury of
isolation which normally is enjoyed by men alone； in conjunction
with the attention naturally bestowed on a woman young and fair。
Among the presentations were Mr。 and Mrs。 Tynn； member and member's
mainspring for North Wessex； Sir Cyril and Lady Blandsbury； Lady
Jane Joy； and the Honourable Edgar Mountclere； the viscount's
brother。 There also hovered near her the learned Doctor Yore； Mr。
Small； a profound writer； who never printed his works； the Reverend
Mr。 Brook； rector； the Very Reverend Dr。 Taylor； dean； and the
undoubtedly Reverend Mr。 Tinkleton； Nonconformist； who had slipped
into the fold by chance。
These and others looked with interest at Ethelberta： the old county
fathers hard； as at a questionable town phenomenon； the county sons
tenderly； as at a pretty creature； and the county daughters with
great admiration； as at a lady reported by their mammas to be no
better than she should be。 It will be seen that Ethelberta was the
sort of woman that well…rooted local people might like to look at on
such a free and friendly occasion as an archaeological meeting；
where； to gratify a pleasant whim； the picturesque form of
acquaintance is for the nonce preferred to the useful； the spirits
being so brisk as to swerve from strict attention to the select and
sequent gifts of heaven； blood and acres； to consider for an idle
moment the subversive Mephistophelian endowment； brains。
'Our progress in the survey of the castle has not been far as yet；'
Lord Mountclere resumed； 'indeed； we have only just arrived； the
weather this morning being so unsettled。 When you came up we were
engaged in a preliminary study of the poor animal you see there：
how it could have got up here we cannot understand。'
He pointed as he spoke to the donkey which had brought Ethelberta
thither； whereupon she was silent； and gazed at her untoward beast
as if she had never before beheld him。
The ass looked at Ethelberta as though he would say； 'Why don't you
own me； after safely bringing you over those we