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dangerous； yer wife is out of danger； and 'tis a boy…y…y…y！'
Ethelberta and Picotee were at this time standing on the beach a
hundred and fifty yards off。 Whether or not the master of the
steamer received the information volunteered by Flower； the two
girls saw the triangle of lamps get narrow at its base； reduce
themselves to two in a vertical line； then to one； then to darkness。
The Spruce had turned her head from Knollsea。
'They have gone back； and I shall not have my wedding things after
all！' said Ethelberta。 'Well； I must do without them。'
'You see； 'twas best to play sure；' said Flower to his comrades； in
a tone of complacency。 'They might have been able to do it； but
'twas risky。 The shop…folk be out of stock； I hear； and the
visiting lady up the hill is terribly in want of clothes； so 'tis
said。 But what's that？ Ounce ought to have put back afore。'
Then the lantern which hung at the end of the jetty was taken down；
and the darkness enfolded all around from view。 The bay became
nothing but a voice； the foam an occasional touch upon the face； the
Spruce an imagination； the pier a memory。 Everything lessened upon
the senses but one； that was the wind。 It mauled their persons like
a hand； and caused every scrap of their raiment to tug westward。 To
stand with the face to sea brought semi…suffocation； from the
intense pressure of air。
The boatmen retired to their position under the wall； to lounge
again in silence。 Conversation was not considered necessary： their
sense of each other's presence formed a kind of conversation。
Meanwhile Picotee and Ethelberta went up the hill。
'If your wedding were going to be a public one； what a misfortune
this delay of the packages would be；' said Picotee。
'Yes；' replied the elder。
'I think the bracelet the prettiest of all the presents he brought
to…daydo you？'
'It is the most valuable。'
'Lord Mountclere is very kind； is he not？ I like him a great deal
better than I diddo you； Berta？'
'Yes； very much better；' said Ethelberta； warming a little。 'If he
were not so suspicious at odd moments I should like him exceedingly。
But I must cure him of that by a regular course of treatment； and
then he'll be very nice。'
'For an old man。 He likes you better than any young man would take
the trouble to do。 I wish somebody else were old too。'
'He will be some day。'
'Yes； but'
'Never mind： time will straighten many crooked things。'
'Do you think Lord Mountclere has reached home by this time？'
'I should think so： though I believe he had to call at the
parsonage before leaving Knollsea。'
'Had he？ What for？'
'Why； of course somebody must'
'O yes。 Do you think anybody in Knollsea knows it is going to be
except us and the parson？'
'I suppose the clerk knows。'
'I wonder if a lord has ever been married so privately before。'
'Frequently： when he marries far beneath him； as in this case。 But
even if I could have had it； I should not have liked a showy
wedding。 I have had no experience as a bride except in the private
form of the ceremony。'
'Berta； I am sometimes uneasy about you even now and I want to ask
you one thing； if I may。 Are you doing this for my sake？ Would you
have married Mr。 Julian if it had not been for me？'
'It is difficult to say exactly。 It is possible that if I had had
no relations at all； I might have married him。 And I might not。'
'I don't intend to marry。'
'In that case you will live with me at Enckworth。 However； we will
leave such details till the ground…work is confirmed。 When we get
indoors will you see if the boxes have been properly corded； and are
quite ready to be sent for？ Then come in and sit by the fire； and
I'll sing some songs to you。'
'Sad ones； you mean。'
'No； they shall not be sad。'
'Perhaps they may be the last you will ever sing to me。'
'They may be。 Such a thing has occurred。'
'But we will not think so。 We'll suppose you are to sing many to me
yet。'
'Yes。 There's good sense in that； Picotee。 In a world where the
blind only are cheerful we should all do well to put out our eyes。
There； I did not mean to get into this state： forgive me； Picotee。
It is because I have had a thoughtwhy I cannot tellthat as much
as this man brings to me in rank and gifts he may take out of me in
tears。'
'Berta！'
'But there's no reason in itnot any； for not in a single matter
does what has been supply us with any certain ground for knowing
what will be in the world。 I have seen marriages where happiness
might have been said to be ensured； and they have been all sadness
afterwards； and I have seen those in which the prospect was black as
night； and they have led on to a time of sweetness and comfort。 And
I have seen marriages neither joyful nor sorry； that have become
either as accident forced them to become； the persons having no
voice in it at all。 Well； then； why should I be afraid to make a
plunge when chance is as trustworthy as calculation？'
'If you don't like him well enough； don't have him； Berta。 There's
time enough to put it off even now。'
'O no。 I would not upset a well…considered course on the haste of
an impulse。 Our will should withstand our misgivings。 Now let us
see if all has been packed； and then we'll sing。'
That evening； while the wind was wheeling round and round the
dwelling； and the calm eye of the lighthouse afar was the single
speck perceptible of the outside world from the door of Ethelberta's
temporary home； the music of songs mingled with the stroke of the
wind across the iron railings； and was swept on in the general tide
of the gale； and the noise of the rolling sea； till not the echo of
a tone remained。
An hour before this singing； an old gentleman might have been seen
to alight from a little one…horse brougham； and enter the door of
Knollsea parsonage。 He was bent upon obtaining an entrance to the
vicar's study without giving his name。
But it happened that the vicar's wife was sitting in the front room；
making a pillow…case for the children's bed out of an old surplice
which had been excommunicated the previous Easter； she heard the
newcomer's voice through the partition； started； and went quickly to
her husband； who was where he ought to have been； in his study。 At
her entry he looked up with an abstracted gaze； having been lost in
meditation over a little schooner which he was attempting to rig for
their youngest boy。 At a word from his wife on the suspected name
of the visitor； he resumed his earlier occupation of inserting a few
strong sentences； full of the observation of maturer life； between
the lines of a sermon written during his first years of ordination；
in order to make it available for the coming Sunday。 His wife then
vanished with the little ship in her hand； and the visitor appeared。
A talk went on in low tones。
After a ten minutes' stay he departed as secretly as he had come。
His errand was the cause of much whispered discussion between the
vicar and his wife during the evening； but nothing was said
concerning it to the outside world。
44。 SANDBOURNE … A LONELY HEATH … THE 'RED LION' … THE HIGHWAY
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