第140章

No:let us leave her alone.She is beyond our love,and let her be beyond our reproach.Since we dont know half the reasons that made her do as she did,Stephen,how can we say,even now,that she was not pure and true in heart?Knights voice had now become mild and gentle as a childs.He went on:Can we call her ambitious?No.Circumstance has,as usual,overpowered her purposes--fragile and delicate as she--liable to be overthrown in a moment by the coarse elements of accident.I know thats it,--dont you?

It may be--it must be.Let us go on.

They began to bend their steps towards Castle Boterel,whither they had sent their bags from Camelton.They wandered on in silence for many minutes.Stephen then paused,and lightly put his hand within Knights arm.

I wonder how she came to die,he said in a broken whisper.

Shall we return and learn a little more?

They turned back again,and entering Endelstow a second time,came to a door which was standing open.It was that of an inn called the Welcome Home,and the house appeared to have been recently repaired and entirely modernized.The name too was not that of the same landlord as formerly,but Martin Cannisters.

Knight and Smith entered.The inn was quite silent,and they followed the passage till they reached the kitchen,where a huge fire was burning,which roared up the chimney,and sent over the floor,ceiling,and newly-whitened walls a glare so intense as to make the candle quite a secondary light.A woman in a white apron and black gown was standing there alone behind a cleanly-scrubbed deal table.Stephen first,and Knight afterwards,recognized her as Unity,who had been parlour-maid at the vicarage and young ladys-maid at the Crags.

Unity,said Stephen softly,dont you know me?

She looked inquiringly a moment,and her face cleared up.

Mr.Smith--ay,that it is!she said.And thats Mr.Knight.I beg you to sit down.Perhaps you know that since I saw you last I have married Martin Cannister.

How long have you been married?

About five months.We were married the same day that my dear Miss Elfie became Lady Luxellian.Tears appeared in Unitys eyes,and filled them,and fell down her cheek,in spite of efforts to the contrary.

The pain of the two men in resolutely controlling themselves when thus exampled to admit relief of the same kind was distressing.

They both turned their backs and walked a few steps away.

Then Unity said,Will you go into the parlour,gentlemen?

Let us stay here with her,Knight whispered,and turning said,No;we will sit here.We want to rest and dry ourselves here for a time,if you please.

That evening the sorrowing friends sat with their hostess beside the large fire,Knight in the recess formed by the chimney breast,where he was in shade.And by showing a little confidence they won hers,and she told them what they had stayed to hear--the latter history of poor Elfride.

One day--after you,Mr.Knight,left us for the last time--she was missed from the Crags,and her father went after her,and brought her home ill.Where she went to,I never knew--but she was very unwell for weeks afterwards.And she said to me that she didnt care what became of her,and she wished she could die.

When she was better,I said she would live to be married yet,and she said then,"Yes;Ill do anything for the benefit of my family,so as to turn my useless life to some practical account."

Well,it began like this about Lord Luxellian courting her.The first Lady Luxellian had died,and he was in great trouble because the little girls were left motherless.After a while they used to come and see her in their little black frocks,for they liked her as well or better than their own mother---thats true.They used to call her "little mamma."These children made her a shade livelier,but she was not the girl she had been--I could see that--

and she grew thinner a good deal.Well,my lord got to ask the Swancourts oftener and oftener to dinner--nobody else of his acquaintance--and at last the vicars family were backwards and forwards at all hours of the day.Well,people say that the little girls asked their father to let Miss Elfride come and live with them,and that he said perhaps he would if they were good children.However,the time went on,and one day I said,"Miss Elfride,you dont look so well as you used to;and though nobody else seems to notice it I do."She laughed a little,and said,"I shall live to be married yet,as you told me."

"Shall you,miss?I am glad to hear that,"I said.

"Whom do you think I am going to be married to?"she said again.

"Mr.Knight,I suppose,"said I.