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of Joey's hopeless youthfulness。 The missive sent Mrs。 Menlove's
spirits soaring like spring larks； she flew upstairs in answer to
the bell with a joyful； triumphant look； which the illuminated
figure of Mrs。 Doncastle in her dressing…room could not quite
repress。 One could almost forgive Menlove her arts when so modest a
result brought such vast content。
Mrs。 Doncastle seemed inclined to make no remark during the
dressing； and at last Menlove could repress herself no longer。
'I should like to name something to you； m'm。'
'Yes。'
'I shall be wishing to leave soon； if it is convenient。'
'Very well； Menlove；' answered Mrs。 Doncastle； as she serenely
surveyed her right eyebrow in the glass。 'Am I to take this as a
formal notice？'
'If you please； but I could stay a week or two beyond the month if
suitable。 I am going to be marriedthat's what it is； m'm。'
'O！ I am glad to hear it； though I am sorry to lose you。'
'It is Lord Mountclere's valetMr。 Tipmanm'm。'
'Indeed。'
Menlove went on building up Mrs。 Doncastle's hair awhile in silence。
'I suppose you heard the other news that arrived in town to…day；
m'm？' she said again。 'Lord Mountclere is going to be married to…
morrow。'
'To…morrow？ Are you quite sure？'
'O yes； m'm。 Mr。 Tipman has just told me so in his letter。 He is
going to be married to Mrs。 Petherwin。 It is to be quite a private
wedding。'
Mrs。 Doncastle made no remark； and she remained in the same still
position as before； but a countenance expressing transcendent
surprise was reflected to Menlove by the glass。
At this sight Menlove's tongue so burned to go further； and unfold
the lady's relations with the butler downstairs； that she would have
lost a month's wages to be at liberty to do it。 The disclosure was
almost too magnificent to be repressed。 To deny herself so
exquisite an indulgence required an effort which nothing on earth
could have sustained save the one thing that did sustain itthe
knowledge that upon her silence hung the most enormous desideratum
in the world； her own marriage。 She said no more； and Mrs。
Doncastle went away。
It was an ordinary family dinner that day； but their nephew Neigh
happened to be present。 Just as they were sitting down Mrs。
Doncastle said to her husband： 'Why have you not told me of the
wedding to…morrow？or don't you know anything about it？'
'Wedding？' said Mr。 Doncastle。
'Lord Mountclere is to be married to Mrs。 Petherwin quite
privately。'
'Good God！' said some person。
Mr。 Doncastle did not speak the words； they were not spoken by
Neigh： they seemed to float over the room and round the walls； as
if originating in some spiritualistic source。 Yet Mrs。 Doncastle；
remembering the symptoms of attachment between Ethelberta and her
nephew which had appeared during the summer； looked towards Neigh
instantly； as if she thought the words must have come from him after
all； but Neigh's face was perfectly calm； he； together with her
husband； was sitting with his eyes fixed in the direction of the
sideboard； and turning to the same spot she beheld Chickerel
standing pale as death； his lips being parted as if he did not know
where he was。
'Did you speak？' said Mrs。 Doncastle； looking with astonishment at
the butler。
'Chickerel； what's the matterare you ill？' said Mr。 Doncastle
simultaneously。 'Was it you who said that？'
'I did； sir；' said Chickerel in a husky voice； scarcely above a
whisper。 'I could not help it。'
'Why？'
'She is my daughter； and it shall be known at once！'
'Who is your daughter？'
He paused a few moments nervously。 'Mrs。 Petherwin；' he said。
Upon this announcement Neigh looked at poor Chickerel as if he saw
through him into the wall。 Mrs。 Doncastle uttered a faint
exclamation and leant back in her chair： the bare possibility of
the truth of Chickerel's claims to such paternity shook her to
pieces when she viewed her intimacies with Ethelberta during the
past seasonthe court she had paid her； the arrangements she had
entered into to please her； above all； the dinner…party which she
had contrived and carried out solely to gratify Lord Mountclere and
bring him into personal communication with the general favourite；
thus making herself probably the chief though unconscious instrument
in promoting a match by which her butler was to become father…in…law
to a peer she delighted to honour。 The crowd of perceptions almost
took away her life； she closed her eyes in a white shiver。
'Do you mean to say that the lady who sat here at dinner at the same
time that Lord Mountclere was present； is your daughter？' asked
Doncastle。
'Yes； sir；' said Chickerel respectfully。
'How did she come to be your daughter？'
'I Well； she is my daughter； sir。'
'Did you educate her？'
'Not altogether； sir。 She was a very clever child。 Lady Petherwin
took a deal of trouble about her education。 They were both left
widows about the same time： the son died； then the father。 My
daughter was only seventeen then。 But though she's older now； her
marriage with Lord Mountclere means misery。 He ought to marry
another woman。'
'It is very extraordinary；' Mr。 Doncastle murmured。 'If you are ill
you had better go and rest yourself； Chickerel。 Send in Thomas。'
Chickerel； who seemed to be much disturbed； then very gladly left
the room； and dinner proceeded。 But such was the peculiarity of the
case； that； though there was in it neither murder； robbery； illness；
accident； fire； or any other of the tragic and legitimate shakers of
human nerves； two of the three who were gathered there sat through
the meal without the least consciousness of what viands had composed
it。 Impressiveness depends as much upon propinquity as upon
magnitude； and to have honoured unawares the daughter of the vilest
Antipodean miscreant and murderer would have been less discomfiting
to Mrs。 Doncastle than it was to make the same blunder with the
daughter of a respectable servant who happened to live in her own
house。 To Neigh the announcement was as the catastrophe of a story
already begun； rather than as an isolated wonder。 Ethelberta's
words had prepared him for something； though the nature of that
thing was unknown。
'Chickerel ought not to have kept us in ignorance of thisof course
he ought not！' said Mrs。 Doncastle； as soon as they were left alone。
'I don't see why not；' replied Mr。 Doncastle； who took the matter
very coolly； as was his custom。
'Then she herself should have let it be known。'
'Nor does that follow。 You didn't tell Mrs。 Petherwin that your
grandfather narrowly escaped hanging for shooting his rival in a
duel。'
'Of course not。 There was no reason why I should give extraneous
information。'
'Nor was there any reason why she should。 As for Chickerel； he
doubtless felt how unbecoming it would be to make personal remarks
upon one of your guestsHa…ha…ha！ Well； wellHa…ha…ha…ha！'
'I know this；' said Mrs。 Doncastle； in great anger； 'that if my
father had been in the room； I should not have let the fact pass
unnoticed； and treated him like a stranger！'
'Would you have had her introduce Chickerel to us all round？ M