WhenheandtheKinghadjourneyedabouttenmiles, theyreached a considerablevillage, andhaltedthereforthenight, at a goodinn. Theformerrelationswereresumed; HendonstoodbehindtheKing's chair, whilehedined, andwaiteduponhim; undressedhimwhenhewasreadyforbed; thentookthefloorforhisownquarters, andsleptathwartthedoor, rolledupin a blanket.
"AndoldSanctumSanctorumwastrulysorryyourhighnesscamenotback," saidHendon; "I sawitinhisface."
5
"Marry I willneverdoubtthat!" saidtheKing—andthentoldhisownstory; afterwhich, Hendonwassorryhehadnotdestroyedthearchangel.
6
Duringthelastdayofthetrip, Hendon's spiritsweresoaring. Histongueranconstantly. Hetalkedabouthisoldfather, andhisbrotherArthur, andtoldofmanythingswhichillustratedtheirhighandgenerouscharacters; hewentintolovingfrenziesoverhisEdith, andwassoglad-heartedthathewasevenabletosaysomegentleandbrotherlythingsaboutHugh. Hedwelt a dealonthecomingmeetingatHendonHall; what a surpriseitwouldbetoeverybody, andwhatanoutburstofthanksgivinganddelighttherewouldbe.
7
Itwas a fairregion, dottedwithcottagesandorchards, andtheroadledthroughbroadpasturelandswhoserecedingexpanses, markedwithgentleelevationsanddepressions, suggestedtheswellingandsubsidingundulationsofthesea. Intheafternoonthereturningprodigalmadeconstantdeflectionsfromhiscoursetoseeifbyascendingsomehillockhemightnotpiercethedistanceandcatch a glimpseofhishome. Atlasthewassuccessful, andcriedoutexcitedly—
8
"Thereisthevillage, myPrince, andthereistheHallcloseby! Youmayseethetowersfromhere; andthatwoodthere—thatismyfather's park. Ah, nowthou'ltknowwhatstateandgrandeurbe! A housewithseventyrooms—thinkofthat!—andsevenandtwentyservants! A bravelodgingforsuchaswe, isitnotso? Come, letusspeed—myimpatiencewillnotbrookfurtherdelay."
9
Allpossiblehurrywasmade; still, itwasafterthree o'clockbeforethevillagewasreached. Thetravellersscamperedthroughit, Hendon's tonguegoingallthetime. "Hereisthechurch—coveredwiththesameivy—nonegone, noneadded." "Yonderistheinn, theoldRedLion,—andyonderisthemarket-place." "HereistheMaypole, andherethepump—nothingisaltered; nothingbutthepeople, atanyrate; tenyearsmake a changeinpeople; someofthese I seemtoknow, butnoneknowme." Sohischatranon. Theendofthevillagewassoonreached; thenthetravellersstruckinto a crooked, narrowroad, walledinwithtallhedges, andhurriedbrisklyalongitforhalf a mile, thenpassedinto a vastflowergardenthroughanimposinggateway, whosehugestonepillarsboresculpturedarmorialdevices. A noblemansionwasbeforethem.
10
"WelcometoHendonHall, myKing!" exclaimedMiles. "Ah, 'tis a greatday! Myfatherandmybrother, andtheLadyEdithwillbesomadwithjoythattheywillhaveeyesandtonguefornonebutmeinthefirsttransportsofthemeeting, andsothou'ltseembutcoldlywelcomed—butminditnot; 'twillsoonseemotherwise; forwhen I saythouartmyward, andtellthemhowcostlyismyloveforthee, thou'ltseethemtaketheetotheirbreastsforMilesHendon's sake, andmaketheirhouseandheartsthyhomeforeverafter!"
11
ThenextmomentHendonsprangtothegroundbeforethegreatdoor, helpedtheKingdown, thentookhimbythehandandrushedwithin. A fewstepsbroughthimto a spaciousapartment; heentered, seatedtheKingwithmorehurrythanceremony, thenrantoward a youngmanwhosatat a writing-tableinfrontof a generousfireoflogs.
12
"Embraceme, Hugh," hecried, "andsaythou'rtglad I amcomeagain! andcallourfather, forhomeisnothometill I shalltouchhishand, andseehisface, andhearhisvoiceoncemore!"
13
ButHughonlydrewback, afterbetraying a momentarysurprise, andbent a gravestareupontheintruder—a starewhichindicatedsomewhatofoffendeddignity, atfirst, thenchanged, inresponsetosomeinwardthoughtorpurpose, toanexpressionofmarvellingcuriosity, mixedwith a realorassumedcompassion. Presentlyhesaid, in a mildvoice—
"Godbemercifultome, a strickenman! Gone,—bothgone—theworthytakenandtheworthlessspared, inme! Ah! I craveyourmercy!—donotsaytheLadyEdith—"
36
"Isdead? No, shelives."
37
"Then, Godbepraised, myjoyiswholeagain! Speedthee, brother—lethercometome! An' shesay I amnotmyself—butshewillnot; no, no, shewillknowme, I were a fooltodoubtit. Bringher—bringtheoldservants; they, too, willknowme."
"Ah, myKing," criedHendon, colouringslightly, "donotthoucondemnme—wait, andthoushaltsee. I amnoimpostor—shewillsayit; youshallhearitfromthesweetestlipsinEngland. I animpostor? Why, I knowthisoldhall, thesepicturesofmyancestors, andallthesethingsthatareaboutus, as a childknowethitsownnursery. Herewas I bornandbred, mylord; I speakthetruth; I wouldnotdeceivethee; andshouldnoneelsebelieve, I praytheedonotthoudoubtme—I couldnotbearit."
44
"I donotdoubtthee," saidtheKing, with a childlikesimplicityandfaith.
45
"I thanktheeoutofmyheart!" exclaimedHendonwith a fervencywhichshowedthathewastouched. TheKingadded, withthesamegentlesimplicity—
46
"Dostthoudoubtme?"
47
A guiltyconfusionseizeduponHendon, andhewasgratefulthatthedooropenedtoadmitHugh, atthatmoment, andsavedhimthenecessityofreplying.
48
A beautifullady, richlyclothed, followedHugh, andafterhercameseveralliveriedservants. Theladywalkedslowly, withherheadbowedandhereyesfixeduponthefloor. Thefacewasunspeakablysad. MilesHendonsprangforward, cryingout—
49
"Oh, myEdith, mydarling—"
50
ButHughwavedhimback, gravely, andsaidtothelady—
51
"Lookuponhim. Doyouknowhim?"
52
AtthesoundofMiles's voicethewomanhadstartedslightly, andhercheekshadflushed; shewastremblingnow. Shestoodstill, duringanimpressivepauseofseveralmoments; thenslowlyliftedupherheadandlookedintoHendon's eyeswith a stonyandfrightenedgaze; thebloodsankoutofherface, dropbydrop, tillnothingremainedbutthegreypallorofdeath; thenshesaid, in a voiceasdeadastheface, "I knowhimnot!" andturned, with a moanand a stifledsob, andtotteredoutoftheroom.
53
MilesHendonsankinto a chairandcoveredhisfacewithhishands. After a pause, hisbrothersaidtotheservants—
54
"Youhaveobservedhim. Doyouknowhim?"
55
Theyshooktheirheads; thenthemastersaid—
56
"Theservantsknowyounot, sir. I fearthereissomemistake. Youhaveseenthatmywifeknewyounot."
57
"Thywife!" InaninstantHughwaspinnedtothewall, withanirongripabouthisthroat. "Oh, thoufox-heartedslave, I seeitall! Thou'stwritthelyingletterthyself, andmystolenbrideandgoodsareitsfruit. There—nowgettheegone, lest I shameminehonourablesoldiershipwiththeslayingofsopitiful a mannikin!"