CHAPTER V

ybecomeapreytonewconvictions,andhadgoneovertotheChurchofRomewhereuponMissLeech'sfather,alsoaclergymanoftheChurchofEngland,hadtalkedagreatdealabouttheScarletWomanofBabylon,andhadshutthedoorinMr.Jessup'sfacewhennexthecalledtoexplain.ThishadhappenedwhenMissLeechwastwenty.Now,atthirty,anorphanresignedtotheworld'sbuffets,shefoundagentleconsolationinrepeatingthestoryofherill-starredengagementtoherkeenlyinterestedfriendandpupilandtheoftenersherepeateditthelessdiditgrieveher,tillatlastshecameactuallytoenjoytheremembranceofit,pleasedtohaveplayedtheprincipalparteveninadramathatwashissedoffherlittlestage,gladtofindasympatheticlistener,dwellingmuchandfondlyoneveryincidentofthatshortperiodofimportanceandglory. ItisdoubtfulwhethershewouldeverhaveextractedthesameamountofpleasurefromMr.Jessuphadheremainedfixedinthefaithofhisfathersandmarriedherindueseason.ByhissecessionhehadunconsciouslybecomeasortofprovidencetoLettyandherself,savingthemfromendlesshoursofdulness,furnishingtheirlonelyschoolroomlifewithromanceandmysteryandifinMissLeech'smindhegraduallytookonthesweetintangibilityofapleasantdream,hewastheverypithandmarrowofLetty'sexistence.SheglowedandthrilledatthethoughtthatperhapsshetoowouldonedayhaveaMr.Jessupofherown,whowouldhaveconvictions,andgiveupeverything,herselfincluded,forwhathebelievedtoberight. Asusual,theyatoncebecameabsorbedinMr.Jessup,forgettinginthecontemplationofhisexcellencieseverythingelseintheworld,tilltheywererousedtorealitiesbytheirarrivalatStralsundandSusie,thrustingbooksandbagsandumbrellasintotheirpassivehands,pushedthemoutofthecarriageintothewet. Hilton,themaidsharedbySusieandAnna,hadthentobefoundandurgedtoclamberdownquicklyontothelowplatform,whereshestoodhelplessly,thepictureofinjuredsuperiority,hustledbythehurryingportersandpassengers,outofwhosewayshescornedtomove,whileAnnawenttolookfortheluggageandhaveitputintothecartthathadbeensentforit. Thiscartwasanordinaryfarmcart,usedforbringinginthehayinJune,butalsousedforcarryingoutthemanureinNovemberandonasackofstrawlyinginthebottomitwasexpectedthatHiltonshouldsit.Thefarmboywhodroveit,andwhohelpedtheportertotiethetrunkstoitssideslesttheyshouldtooviolentlybumpagainsteachotherandHiltonontheway,saidsothecoachmanofthecarriagewaitingfortheHerrschaftenpointedwithhiswhipfirstatHiltonandthenatthecart,andsaidsotheporter,whoseemedtothinkitquitenatural,saidsoandeverybodywaswaitingforHiltontogetin,who,whenshehadatlengthgraspedthesituation,wenttoSusie,whowaslookingfrightenedandpretendingtobeabsorbedbythesky,andwithavoiceshakenbypassion,andafacechangingfromwhitetored,announcedherintentionofonlygoinginthatcartasacorpse,whentheymightdowithherastheypleased,butasalivingbodywithbreathinit,never. Herewasadifficulty.Andidlers,whosecuriositywasnotextinguishablebywindandsleet,begantopressround,andpeoplewhohadcomebythesametrainstoppedontheirwayouttolisten.Thefarmboypattedthesackanddeclaredthatitwascleanstraw,thecoachmanstooduponhisboxandsworethatitwasanewsack,theporterassuredtheFr?uleinthatitwasascomfortableasafeatherbed,andnobodyseemedtounderstandthatwhatshewasbeingofferedwasaninsult. SusiewasafraidofHilton,whohadbeenintheserviceofduchesses,andwhoheldtheseduchessesoverhermistress'sheadwheneverhermistresswantedtodoanythingthatwasinconvenienttoherselfquotingtheirsayings,pointingouthowtheywouldhaveactedinanygivencase,andalways,itappeared,theyhaddoneexactlywhatHiltondesired.Susie'sadmirationforduchesseswasslavish,andHiltonwastreatedwithanindulgentliberalitythatwasabsurdcomparedtothestinginessdisplayedtowardseveryoneelse.Hiltonwasnotmorehorrifiedthanhermistresswhenshesawthefarmcart,andunderstoodthatitwasfortheluggageandthemaid.ItwasimpossibletotakeherwiththeminwhattheportercalledtheherrschaftlicheWagen,foritwasakindofvictoria,andhowtogettheirfourselvesintoitwasasufficientpuzzle."Whatshallwedo?"saidSusie,indespair,toAnna. "Do?Why,she'llhavetogoinit.Hilton,don'tbeafoolishperson,anddon'tkeepushereinthewet.Thisisn'tEngland,andnobodythinksanythinghereofdrivinginfarmcarts.Itispatriarchalsimplicity,that'sall.Peoplearestaringatyounowbecauseyouaremakingsuchafuss.Getinlikeagoodsoul,andletusstart." "Onlyasacorpse,m'm,"reiteratedHiltonwithchatteringteeth,"neverasalivingbody." "Nonsense,"saidAnnaimpatiently. "Whatshallwedo?"repeatedSusie."PoorHilton—whatbarbarianstheymustbehere." "WemustsendherinaDroschky,then,ifitisn'ttoofar,andwecangetonetogo." "ADroschkyallthatdistance!Itwillberuinous." "Well,wecan'tstandhereamusingthesepeopleforever." "Oh,Iwishwehadnevercometothishorribleplace!"criedSusie,reallymademiserablebyHilton'srage. ButAnnadidnotstaytolisteneithertoherlamentsortoHilton'smonotonous"Onlyasacorpse,m'lady,"andwasalreadyarrangingwithanunwillingdriver,whohadnodesirewhatevertodrivetoKleinwalde,butconsentedtodosoonbeingpromisedtwentymarks,arestandfeedofoatsforhishorses,andanylittleadditionintheshapeofrefreshmentandextramoneythatmightsuggestitselftoAnna'sgenerosity. "Youknow,Anna,youcan'texpectmetopayforthefly,"saidSusieuneasily,whentheappeasedHiltonhadbeenputintoitandwasoutofearshot."Thatdreadfulcartisyourproperty,Isuppose." "Ofcourseitis,"saidAnna,smiling,"andofcoursetheflyismyaffair.HowmagnificentIfeel,disposingofcartsandDroschkies.Now,willyoupleasetogetintomycarriage?Anddoyouobservetheextremerespectfulnessofmycoachman?" Thecoachman,astrange-looking,round-shoulderedbeing,withalonggrizzledbeard,adark-blueclothcaponhishead,andabodyclothedinafawn-colouredsuitandgaiters,onwhichagreatmanytarnishedsilverbuttonsadornedwithUncleJoachim'scoatofarmswerefastenedatshortintervals,removedhiscapwhilehisnewmistressandherpartywereenteringthecarriage,anddidnotputitonagaintilltheywerereadytostart. "Quiteasthoughwewereroyalties,"saidSusie. "Buttherestofhimisn't,"repliedAnna,whowasgreatlyamusedbytheturn-out."Doyoulikemyhorses,Susie?Ordoyoususpectthemofhavingbeenploughingallthemorning?Oh,well,"sheaddedquickly,ashamedoflaughingatanypartofherdearuncle'sgift,"Isupposeonehastohaveheavilybuilthorsesinthispartoftheworld,wheretheroadsareprobablyfrightfullybad." "Theirtailsmightbealittleshorter,"saidSusie. "Theymight,"agreedAnnaserenely. Withtheaidoftheporter,whoknewallaboutUncleJoachim'swillandwasdeeplyinterested,theywereatlastsomehowpackedintothecarriage,andawaytheyrattledovertheroughstones,threadingtheoutskirtsofthetown