CHAPTER VII. HORTON LODGE

The31stofJanuarywasawild,tempestuousday:therewasastrongnorthwind,withacontinualstormofsnowdriftingonthegroundandwhirlingthroughtheair.Myfriendswouldhavehadmedelaymydeparture,butfearfulofprejudicingmyemployersagainstmebysuchwantofpunctualityatthecommencementofmyundertaking,Ipersistedinkeepingtheappointment. Iwillnotinflictuponmyreadersanaccountofmyleavinghomeonthatdarkwintermorning:thefondfarewells,thelong,longjourneytoO——,thesolitarywaitingsininnsforcoachesortrains—forthereweresomerailwaysthen—and,finally,themeetingatO——withMr.Murray’sservant,whohadbeensentwiththephaetontodrivemefromthencetoHortonLodge.Iwilljuststatethattheheavysnowhadthrownsuchimpedimentsinthewayofbothhorsesandsteam-engines,thatitwasdarksomehoursbeforeIreachedmyjourney’send,andthatamostbewilderingstormcameonatlast,whichmadethefewmiles’spacebetweenO——andHortonLodgealongandformidablepassage.Isatresigned,withthecold,sharpsnowdriftingthroughmyveilandfillingmylap,seeingnothing,andwonderinghowtheunfortunatehorseanddrivercouldmaketheirwayevenaswellastheydidandindeeditwasbutatoilsome,creepingstyleofprogression,tosaythebestofit.Atlengthwepausedand,atthecallofthedriver,someoneunlatchedandrolledbackupontheircreakinghingeswhatappearedtobetheparkgates.Thenweproceededalongasmootherroad,whence,occasionally,Iperceivedsomehuge,hoarymassgleamingthroughthedarkness,whichItooktobeaportionofasnow-cladtree.Afteraconsiderabletimewepausedagain,beforethestatelyporticoofalargehousewithlongwindowsdescendingtotheground. Irosewithsomedifficultyfromunderthesuperincumbentsnowdrift,andalightedfromthecarriage,expectingthatakindandhospitablereceptionwouldindemnifymeforthetoilsandhardshipsoftheday.Agentlemanlypersoninblackopenedthedoor,andadmittedmeintoaspacioushall,lightedbyanamber-colouredlampsuspendedfromtheceilingheledmethroughthis,alongapassage,andopeningthedoorofabackroom,toldmethatwastheschoolroom.Ientered,andfoundtwoyoungladiesandtwoyounggentlemen—myfuturepupils,Isupposed.Afteraformalgreeting,theeldergirl,whowastriflingoverapieceofcanvasandabasketofGermanwools,askedifIshouldliketogoupstairs.Irepliedintheaffirmative,ofcourse. “Matilda,takeacandle,andshowherherroom,”saidshe. MissMatilda,astrappinghoydenofaboutfourteen,withashortfrockandtrousers,shruggedhershouldersandmadeaslightgrimace,buttookacandleandproceededbeforemeupthebackstairs(along,steep,doubleflight),andthroughalong,narrowpassage,toasmallbuttolerablycomfortableroom.ShethenaskedmeifIwouldtakesometeaorcoffee.IwasabouttoanswerNobutrememberingthatIhadtakennothingsinceseveno’clockthatmorning,andfeelingfaintinconsequence,IsaidIwouldtakeacupoftea.Sayingshewouldtell“Brown,”theyoungladydepartedandbythetimeIhaddivestedmyselfofmyheavy,wetcloak,shawl,bonnet,&c.,amincingdamselcametosaytheyoungladiesdesiredtoknowwhetherIwouldtakemyteaupthereorintheschoolroom.UnderthepleaoffatigueIchosetotakeitthere.Shewithdrewand,afterawhile,returnedagainwithasmalltea-tray,andplaceditonthechestofdrawers,whichservedasadressing-table.Havingcivillythankedher,IaskedatwhattimeIshouldbeexpectedtoriseinthemorning. “Theyoungladiesandgentlemenbreakfastathalf-pasteight,ma’am,”saidshe“theyriseearlybut,astheyseldomdoanylessonsbeforebreakfast,Ishouldthinkitwilldoifyourisesoonafterseven.” Idesiredhertobesokindastocallmeatseven,and,promisingtodoso,shewithdrew.Then,havingbrokenmylongfastonacupofteaandalittlethinbreadandbutter,Isatdownbesidethesmall,smoulderingfire,andamusedmyselfwithaheartyfitofcryingafterwhich,Isaidmyprayers,andthen,feelingconsiderablyrelieved,begantoprepareforbed.Findingthatnoneofmyluggagewasbroughtup,Iinstitutedasearchforthebellandfailingtodiscoveranysignsofsuchaconvenienceinanycorneroftheroom,Itookmycandleandventuredthroughthelongpassage,anddownthesteepstairs,onavoyageofdiscovery.Meetingawell-dressedfemaleontheway,ItoldherwhatIwantedbutnotwithoutconsiderablehesitation,asIwasnotquitesurewhetheritwasoneoftheupperservants,orMrs.Murrayherself:ithappened,however,tobethelady’s-maid.Withtheairofoneconferringanunusualfavour,shevouchsafedtoundertakethesendingupofmythingsandwhenIhadre-enteredmyroom,andwaitedandwonderedalongtime(greatlyfearingthatshehadforgottenorneglectedtoperformherpromise,anddoubtingwhethertokeepwaitingorgotobed,orgodownagain),myhopes,atlength,wererevivedbythesoundofvoicesandlaughter,accompaniedbythetrampoffeetalongthepassageandpresentlytheluggagewasbroughtinbyarough-lookingmaidandaman,neitherofthemveryrespectfulintheirdemeanourtome.Havingshutthedoorupontheirretiringfootsteps,andunpackedafewofmythings,Ibetookmyselftorestgladlyenough,forIwaswearyinbodyandmind. Itwaswithastrangefeelingofdesolation,mingledwithastrongsenseofthenoveltyofmysituation,andajoylesskindofcuriosityconcerningwhatwasyetunknown,thatIawokethenextmorningfeelinglikeonewhirledawaybyenchantment,andsuddenlydroppedfromthecloudsintoaremoteandunknownland,widelyandcompletelyisolatedfromallhehadeverseenorknownbeforeorlikeathistle-seedborneonthewindtosomestrangenookofuncongenialsoil,whereitmustlielongenoughbeforeitcantakerootandgerminate,extractingnourishmentfromwhatappearssoalientoitsnature:if,indeed,itevercan.Butthisgivesnoproperideaofmyfeelingsatallandnoonethathasnotlivedsucharetired,stationarylifeasmine,canpossiblyimaginewhattheywere:hardlyevenifhehasknownwhatitistoawakesome