第58章

amverymuchmistaken，Bishopriggswillcomebacktotheinn。Theoldrascal(thereisnodenyingit)isamostamusingperson。Heleftaterribleblankwhenheleftmyclerks’room。OldcustomersatCraigFernie(especiallytheEnglish)，inmissingBishopriggs，will，youmayrelyonit，missoneoftheattractionsoftheinn。

Mrs。Inchbareisnotawomantoletherdignitystandinthewayofherbusiness。SheandBishopriggswillcometogetheragain，soonerorlater，andmakeitup。WhenIhaveputcertainquestionstoher，whichmaypossiblyleadtoveryimportantresults，IshallleavealetterforBishopriggsinMrs。

Inchbare’shands。TheletterwilltellhimIhavesomethingforhimtodo，andwillcontainanaddressatwhichhecanwritetome。Ishallhearofhim，Blancheand，iftheletterisinhispossession，Ishallgetit。“

“Won’thebeafraid——ifhehasstolentheletter——totellyouhehasgotit？“

“Verywellput，mychild。Hemighthesitatewithotherpeople。

ButIhavemyownwayofdealingwithhim-andIknowhowtomakehimtellMe——EnoughofBishopriggstillhistimecomes。

Thereisoneotherpoint，inregardtoMissSilvester。Imayhavetodescribeher。Howwasshedressedwhenshecamehere？

Remember，Iamaman——and(ifanEnglishwoman’sdress_can_bedescribedinanEnglishwoman’slanguage)tellme，inEnglish，whatshehadon。“

“Sheworeastrawhat，withcorn-flowersinit，andawhiteveil。

Corn-flowersatonesideuncle，whichislesscommonthancornflowersinfront。Andshehadonalightgrayshawl。Anda_Piqué；_——“

“ThereyougowithyourFrench!Notawordmore!Astrawhat，withawhiteveil，andwithcorn-flowersatonesideofthehat。

Andalightgrayshawl。That’sasmuchastheordinarymalemindcantakein；andthatwilldo。Ihavegotmyinstructions，andsavedprecioustime。Sofarsogood。Hereweareattheendofourconference——inotherwords，atthegateofthestable-yard。

YouunderstandwhatyouhavetodowhileIamaway？“

“IhavetosendArnoldtothecross-roads。AndIhavetobehave(ifIcan)asifnothinghadhappened。“

“Goodchild!Wellputagain!youhavegotwhatIcallgraspofmind，Blanche。Aninvaluablefaculty!Youwillgovernthefuturedomestickingdom。Arnoldwillbenothingbutaconstitutionalhusband。Thosearetheonlyhusbandswhoarethoroughlyhappy。

Youshallheareverything，mylove，whenIcomelack。Gotyourbag，Duncan？Good。Andthetime-table？Good。Youtakethereins——Iwon’tdrive。Iwanttothink。Drivingisincompatiblewithintellectualexertion。Amanputshismindintohishorse，andsinkstothelevelofthatusefulanimal——asanecessaryconditionofgettingtohisdestinationwithoutbeingupset。Godblessyou，Blanche!Tothestation，Duncan!tothestation!“

THEchaiserattledourthroughthegates。Thedogsbarkedfuriously。SirPatricklookedround，andwavedhishandasheturnedthecorneroftheroad。Blanchewasleftaloneintheyard。

Shelingeredalittle，absentlypattingthedogs。Theyhadespecialclaimsonhersympathyatthatmoment；they，too，evidentlythoughtithardtobeleftbehindatthehouse。Afterawhilesherousedherself。Si