So she gave Sir Charles a
hint that Baden was a very good place to be married in; and from that
moment Sir Charles gave Bella and her father no rest till they
consented.
Little did Richard Bassett, in England, dream what was going on at
Baden. He now surveyed the chimneys of Huntercombe Hall with
resignation, and even with growing complacency, as chimneys that would
one day be his, since their owner would not be in a hurry to love
again. He shot Sir Charles's pheasants whenever they strayed into his
hedgerows, and he lived moderately and studied health. In a word,
content with the result of his anonymous letter, he confined himself
now to cannily out-living the wrongful heir--his cousin.
One fine frosty day the chimneys of Huntercombe began to show signs of
life; vertical columns of blue smoke rose in the air, one after
another, till at last there were about forty going.
Old servants flowed down from London. New ones trickled in, with their
boxes, from the country. Carriages were drawn out into the stable-yard,
horses exercised, and a whisper ran that Sir Charles was coming to live
on his estates, and not alone.
Richard Bassett went about inquiring cautiously.
The rumor spread and was confirmed by some little facts.
At last, one fine day, when the chimneys were all smoking, the
church-bells began to peal.
Pages:
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105