第54章

Mr.Swancourt had alighted at the same time with Elfride,crossing over to the Row for a few minutes to speak to a friend he recognized there;and his wife was thus left sole tenant of the carriage.

Now,whilst this little act had been in course of performance,there stood among the promenading spectators a man of somewhat different deion from the rest.Behind the general throng,in the rear of the chairs,and leaning against the trunk of a tree,he looked at Elfride with quiet and critical interest.

Three points about this unobtrusive person showed promptly to the exercised eye that he was not a Row man pur sang.First,an irrepressible wrinkle or two in the waist of his frock-coat--denoting that he had not damned his tailor sufficiently to drive that tradesman up to the orthodox high pressure of cunning workmanship.Second,a slight slovenliness of umbrella,occasioned by its owners habit of resting heavily upon it,and using it as a veritable walking-stick,instead of letting its point touch the ground in the most coquettish of kisses,as is the proper Row manner to do.Third,and chief reason,that try how you might,you could scarcely help supposing,on looking at his face,that your eyes were not far from a well-finished mind,instead of the well-finished skin et praeterea nihil,which is by rights the Mark of the Row.

The probability is that,had not Mrs.Swancourt been left alone in her carriage under the tree,this man would have remained in his unobserved seclusion.But seeing her thus,he came round to the front,stooped under the rail,and stood beside the carriage-door.

Why,Henry Knight--of course it is!My--second--third--fourth cousin--what shall I say?At any rate,my kinsman.

Yes,one of a remnant not yet cut off.I scarcely was certain of you,either,from where I was standing.

I have not seen you since you first went to Oxford;consider the number of years!You know,I suppose,of my marriage?

And there sprang up a dialogue concerning family matters of birth,death,and marriage,which it is not necessary to detail.Knight presently inquired:

The young lady who changed into the other carriage is,then,your stepdaughter?

Yes,Elfride.You must know her.

And who was the lady in the carriage Elfride entered;who had an ill-defined and watery look,as if she were only the reflection of herself in a pool?

Lady Luxellian;very weakly,Elfride says.My husband is remotely connected with them;but there is not much intimacy on account of----.However,Henry,youll come and see us,of course.24Chevron Square.Come this week.We shall only be in town a week or two longer.

Let me see.Ive got to run up to Oxford to-morrow,where I shall be for several days;so that I must,I fear,lose the pleasure of seeing you in London this year.

Then come to Endelstow;why not return with us?

I am afraid if I were to come before August I should have to leave again in a day or two.I should be delighted to be with you at the beginning of that month;and I could stay a nice long time.

I have thought of going westward all the summer.

Very well.Now remember thats a compact.And wont you wait now and see Mr.Swancourt?He will not be away ten minutes longer.

No;Ill beg to be excused;for I must get to my chambers again this evening before I go home;indeed,I ought to have been there now--I have such a press of matters to attend to just at present.

You will explain to him,please.Good-bye.

And let us know the day of your appearance as soon as you can.

I will