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hurry； for she was not insensible to his perseverance in seeking her
over all these miles of sea and land； and secondly； she feared that
if he were to leave on the instant he might run into the arms of
Lord Mountclere and Ladywell。
'I shall be only too happy to stay till you are at leisure；' said
Neigh； in the unimpassioned delivery he used whether his meaning
were a trite compliment or the expression of his most earnest
feeling。
'I may be rather a long time；' said Ethelberta dubiously。
'My time is yours。'
Ethelberta left the room and hurried to her aunt； exclaiming； 'O；
Aunt Charlotte； I hope you have rooms enough to spare for my
visitors； for they are like the fox； the goose； and the corn； in the
riddle； I cannot leave them together； and I can only be with one at
a time。 I want the nicest drawing…room you have for an interview of
a bare two minutes with an old gentleman。 I am so sorry this has
happened； but it is not altogether my fault！ I only arranged to see
one of them； but the other was sent to me by mother； in a mistake；
and the third met with me on my journey： that's the explanation。
There's the oldest of them just come。'
She looked through the glass partition； and under the arch of the
court…gate； as the wheels of the viscount's carriage were heard
outside。 Ethelberta ascended to a room on the first floor； Lord
Mountclere was shown up； and the door closed upon them。
At this time Neigh was very comfortably lounging in an arm…chair in
Ethelberta's room on the second floor。 This was a pleasant enough
way of passing the minutes with such a tender interview in prospect；
and as he leant he looked with languid and luxurious interest
through the open casement at the spars and rigging of some luggers
on the Seine； the pillars of the suspension bridge； and the scenery
of the Faubourg St。 Sever on the other side of the river。 How
languid his interest might ultimately have become there is no
knowing； but there soon arose upon his ear the accents of Ethelberta
in low distinctness from somewhere outside the room。
'Yes； the scene is pleasant to…day；' she said。 'I like a view over
a river。'
'I should think the steamboats are objectionable when they stop
here；' said another person。
Neigh's face closed in to an aspect of perplexity。 'Surely that
cannot be Lord Mountclere？' he muttered。
Had he been certain that Ethelberta was only talking to a stranger；
Neigh would probably have felt their conversation to be no business
of his； much as he might have been surprised to find her giving
audience to another man at such a place。 But his impression that
the voice was that of his acquaintance； Lord Mountclere； coupled
with doubts as to its possibility； was enough to lead him to rise
from the chair and put his head out of the window。
Upon a balcony beneath him were the speakers； as he had suspected
Ethelberta and the viscount。
Looking right and left； he saw projecting from the next window the
head of his friend Ladywell； gazing right and left likewise；
apparently just drawn out by the same voice which had attracted
himself。
'Whatyou； Neigh！how strange；' came from Ladywell's lips before
he had time to recollect that great coolness existed between himself
and Neigh on Ethelberta's account； which had led to the reduction of
their intimacy to the most attenuated of nods and good…mornings ever
since the Harlequin…rose incident at Cripplegate。
'Yes； it is rather strange；' said Neigh； with saturnine evenness。
'Still a fellow must be somewhere。'
Each then looked over his window…sill downwards； upon the speakers
who had attracted them thither。
Lord Mountclere uttered something in a low tone which did not reach
the young men； to which Ethelberta replied； 'As I have said； Lord
Mountclere； I cannot give you an answer now。 I must consider what
to do with Mr。 Neigh and Mr。 Ladywell。 It is too sudden for me to
decide at once。 I could not do so until I have got home to England；
when I will write you a letter； stating frankly my affairs and those
of my relatives。 I shall not consider that you have addressed me on
the subject of marriage until； having received my letter； you'
'Repeat my proposal；' said Lord Mountclere。
'Yes。'
'My dear Mrs。 Petherwin； it is as good as repeated！ But I have no
right to assume anything you don't wish me to assume； and I will
wait。 How long is it that I am to suffer in this uncertainty？'
'A month。 By that time I shall have grown weary of my other two
suitors。'
'A month！ Really inflexible？'
Ethelberta had returned inside the window； and her answer was
inaudible。 Ladywell and Neigh looked up； and their eyes met。 Both
had been reluctant to remain where they stood； but they were too
fascinated to instantly retire。 Neigh moved now； and Ladywell did
the same。 Each saw that the face of his companion was flushed。
'Come in and see me；' said Ladywell quickly； before quite
withdrawing his head。 'I am staying in this room。'
'I will；' said Neigh； and taking his hat he left Ethelberta's
apartment forthwith。
On entering the quarters of his friend he found him seated at a
table whereon writing materials were strewn。 They shook hands in
silence； but the meaning in their looks was enough。
'Just let me write a note； Ladywell； and I'm your man；' said Neigh
then； with the freedom of an old acquaintance。
'I was going to do the same thing；' said Ladywell。
Neigh then sat down； and for a minute or two nothing was to be heard
but the scratching of a pair of pens； ending on the one side with a
more boisterous scratch； as the writer shaped 'Eustace Ladywell；'
and on the other with slow firmness in the characters 'Alfred
Neigh。'
'There's for you； my fair one；' said Neigh； closing and directing
his letter。
'Yours is for Mrs。 Petherwin？ So is mine；' said Ladywell； grasping
the bell…pull。 'Shall I direct it to be put on her table with this
one？'
'Thanks。' And the two letters went off to Ethelberta's sitting…
room； which she had vacated to receive Lord Mountclere in an empty
one beneath。 Neigh's letter was simply a pleading of a sudden call
away which prevented his waiting till she should return； Ladywell's；
though stating the same reason for leaving； was more of an
upbraiding nature； and might almost have told its reader； were she
to take the trouble to guess； that he knew of the business of Lord
Mountclere with her to…day。
'Now； let us get out of this place；' said Neigh。 He proceeded at
once down the stairs； followed by Ladywell； whosettling his
account at the bureau without calling for a bill； and directing his
portmanteau to be sent to the Right…bank railway stationwent with
Neigh into the street。
They had not walked fifty yards up the quay when two British
workmen； in holiday costume； who had just turned the corner of the
Rue Jeanne d'Arc； approached them。 Seeing him to be an Englishman；
one of the two addressed Neigh； saying； 'Can you tell us the way；
sir； to the Hotel Bold Soldier？'
Neigh pointed out the place he had just come from to the tall young
men； and continued his walk with Ladywell。
Ladywell was the first to break silence。 'I have been