第79章

Withtheseseriousobstaclesstandingintheway，whatwastobedone？TheonlyalternativeleftwastoapproachMrs。Glenarmundershelterofthedark。

Reachingthisconclusion，Bishopriggsdecidedtoascertainfromtheservantswhatthelady’sfuturemovementsmightbe；and，thusinformed，tostartleherbyanonymouswarnings，conveyedthroughthepost，andclaimingtheiranswerthroughtheadvertisingchannelofanewspaper。Herewasthecertaintyofalarmingher，coupledwiththecertaintyofsafetytohimself!LittledidMrs。Glenarmdream，whenshecapriciouslystoppedaservantgoingbywithsomeglassesoflemonade，thatthewretchedoldcreaturewhoofferedthetraycontemplatedcorrespondingwithherbeforetheweekwasout，inthedoublecharacterofher“Well-Wisher“andher“TrueFriend。“

Theeveningadvanced。Theshadowslengthened。Thewatersofthelakegrewpitchyblack。Theglidingoftheghostlyswansbecamerareandmorerare。Theeldersofthepartythoughtofthedrivehome。Thejuniors(exceptingCaptainNewenden)begantoflagatthedance。Littlebylittlethecomfortableattractionsofthehouse——tea，coffee，andcandle-lightinsnugrooms——resumedtheirinfluence。Theguestsabandonedtheglade；andthefingersandlungsofthemusiciansrestedatlast。

LadyLundieandherpartywerethefirsttosendforthecarriageandsayfarewell；thebreak-upofthehouseholdatWindygatesonthenextday，andthejourneysouth，beingsufficientapologiesforsettingtheexampleofretreat。InanhourmoretheonlyvisitorsleftweretheguestsstayingatSwanhavenLodge。

Thecompanygone，thehiredwaitersfromKirkandrewwerepaidanddismissed。

OnthejourneybackthesilenceofBishopriggscreatedsomesurpriseamonghiscomrades。

“I’vegotmyainconcerns。tothinkof，“wastheonlyanswerhevouchsafedtotheremonstrancesaddressedtohim。The“concerns“

alludedto，comprehended，amongotherchangesofplan，hisdeparturefromKirkandrewthenextday——withareference，incaseofinquiries，tohisconvenientfriendattheCowgate，Edinburgh。

Hisactualdestination——tobekeptasecretfromeverybody——wasPerth。Theneighborhoodofthistown——asstatedontheauthorityofherownmaid——wasthepartofScotlandtowhichtherichwidowcontemplatedremovingwhensheleftSwanhavenintwodays’time。

AtPerth，Bishopriggsknewofmorethanoneplaceinwhichhecouldgettemporaryemployment——andatPerthhedeterminedtomakehisfirstanonymousadvancestoMrs。Glenarm。

TheremainderoftheeveningpassedquietlyenoughattheLodge。

Theguestsweresleepyanddullaftertheexcitementoftheday。

Mrs。Glenarmretiredearly。Ateleveno’clockJuliusDelamaynwastheonlypersonleftupinthehouse。Hewasunderstoodtobeinhisstudy，preparinganaddresstotheelectors，basedoninstructionssentfromLondonbyhisfather。Hewasactuallyoccupiedinthemusic-room——nowthattherewasnobodytodiscoverhim——playingexercisessoftlyonhisbelovedviolin。

Atthetrainer’scottageatriflingincidentoccured，thatnight，whichaffordedmaterialsforanoteinPerry’sprofessionaldiary。

Geoffreyhadsustainedthelatertrialofwalkingforagiventimeanddistance，athisfullspeed，withoutshowinganyofthosesymptomsofexhaustionwhichhadfollowedthemoreseriousexperimentofrunning，towhichhehadbeensubjectedearlierintheday。Perry，honestlybent——thoughhehadprivatelyhedgedhisownbets——ondoinghisbesttobringhismaningoodordertothepostonthedayoftherac