The
probabilities were that this vehicle--for a vehicle of some sort it
seemed to be--would pass by and pursue its way to the nearest
railway-town as others had done. But, contrary to the landlord's
expectation, as he stood conning it through the yet unshuttered
windows, the solitary object, on reaching the corner, turned into
the hotel-front, and drove up to the door.
It was a conveyance particularly unsuited to such a season and
weather, being nothing more substantial than an open basket-carriage
drawn by a single horse. Within sat two persons, of different
sexes, as could soon be discerned, in spite of their muffled attire.
The man held the reins, and the lady had got some shelter from the
storm by clinging close to his side. The landlord rang the
hostler's bell to attract the attention of the stable-man, for the
approach of the visitors had been deadened to noiselessness by the
snow, and when the hostler had come to the horse's head the
gentleman and lady alighted, the landlord meeting them in the hall.
The male stranger was a foreign-looking individual of about eight-
and-twenty. He was close-shaven, excepting a moustache, his
features being good, and even handsome. The lady, who stood timidly
behind him, seemed to be much younger--possibly not more than
eighteen, though it was difficult to judge either of her age or
appearance in her present wrappings.
The gentleman expressed his wish to stay till the morning,
explaining somewhat unnecessarily, considering that the house was an
inn, that they had been unexpectedly benighted on their drive.
Pages:
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248