The Last Chronicle of Barset [139]
direct him. But on reconsideration, as he drew nearer to the scene of his future operations, he thought that it might be well for him to remain that night at Guestwick. He did not quite know how far Allington was from Guestwick, but he did know that it was still mid-winter, and that the days were short. 'The Magpie' was the best inn, Johnny said. Having lived at Guestwick all his life, and having a mother living there now, he had never himself put up at 'The Magpie' but he believed it to a good country inn. They kept post-horses there, he knew. He did not tell the stranger that his late old friend Lord De Guest, and his present old friend Lady Julia, always hired post-horses from 'The Magpie', but he grounded his ready assertion on the remembrance of that fact. 'I think I shall stay there tonight,' said the major. 'You'll find it pretty comfortable, I don't doubt,' said Johnny. 'Though, indeed, it always seems to me that a man alone at an inn has a very bad time of it. Reading is all very well, but one gets tired of it at last. And then I hate horse-hair chairs.' 'It isn't very delightful,' said the major, 'but beggars mustn't be choosers.' Then there was a pause, after which the major spoke again. 'You don't happen to know which way Allington lies?'
'Allington!' said Johnny.
'Yes, Allington. Is there not a village called Allington?'
'There is a village called Allington, certainly. It lies over there.' And Johnny pointed with his finger through the window. 'As you do not know the country you can see nothing, but I can see the Allington trees at this moment.'
'I suppose there is no inn at Allington?'
'There's a public-house, with a very nice bedroom. It is called the "Red Lion". Mrs Forrard keeps it. I would quite as soon stay there as at "The Magpie". Only if they don't expect you, they wouldn't have much for dinner.'
'Then you know the village of Allington?'
'Yes, I know the village of Allington very well. I have friends living there. Indeed, I may say I know everybody living in Allington.'
'Do you know Mrs Dale?'
'Mrs Dale,' said Johnny. 'Yes, I know Mrs Dale. I have known Mrs Dale pretty nearly all my life.' Who could this man be who was gong down to see Mrs Dale--Mrs Dale, and consequently, Lily Dale? He thought that he knew Mrs Dale so well, that she could have no visitor of whom he would not be entitled to have some knowledge. But Major Grantly had nothing more to say at the moment about Mrs Dale. He had never seen Mrs Dale in his life, and was now going to her house, not to see her, but a friend of hers. He found that he could not very well explain this to a stranger, and therefore at the moment he said nothing further. But Johnny would not allow the subject to be dropped. 'Have you known Mrs Dale long?' he asked.
'I have not the pleasure of knowing her at all,' said the major.
'I thought, perhaps, by your asking after her--'
'I intend to call upon her, that is all. I suppose they will have an omnibus here from "The Magpie"?' Eames said that there no doubt would be an omnibus from 'The Magpie', and then they were at their journey's end.
For the present we will follow John Eames, who went at once to his mother's house. It was his intention to remain there for two or three days, and then go over to the house, or rather to the cottage, of his great ally Lady Julia, which lay just beyond Guestwick Manor, and somewhat nearer to Allington than to the town of Guestwick. He had made up his mind that he would not himself too over to Allington till he could do so from Guestwick Cottage, as it was called, feeling that, under certain untoward circumstances--should untoward circumstances arise--Lady Julia's sympathy might be more endurable than that of his mother. But he would take care that it should be known at Allington that he was in the neighbourhood. He understood the necessary strategy of his campaign too well to suppose that he could startle Lily into acceptance.
With his own mother and sister, John Eames was in these days quite a hero. He was a hero with them now, because
'Allington!' said Johnny.
'Yes, Allington. Is there not a village called Allington?'
'There is a village called Allington, certainly. It lies over there.' And Johnny pointed with his finger through the window. 'As you do not know the country you can see nothing, but I can see the Allington trees at this moment.'
'I suppose there is no inn at Allington?'
'There's a public-house, with a very nice bedroom. It is called the "Red Lion". Mrs Forrard keeps it. I would quite as soon stay there as at "The Magpie". Only if they don't expect you, they wouldn't have much for dinner.'
'Then you know the village of Allington?'
'Yes, I know the village of Allington very well. I have friends living there. Indeed, I may say I know everybody living in Allington.'
'Do you know Mrs Dale?'
'Mrs Dale,' said Johnny. 'Yes, I know Mrs Dale. I have known Mrs Dale pretty nearly all my life.' Who could this man be who was gong down to see Mrs Dale--Mrs Dale, and consequently, Lily Dale? He thought that he knew Mrs Dale so well, that she could have no visitor of whom he would not be entitled to have some knowledge. But Major Grantly had nothing more to say at the moment about Mrs Dale. He had never seen Mrs Dale in his life, and was now going to her house, not to see her, but a friend of hers. He found that he could not very well explain this to a stranger, and therefore at the moment he said nothing further. But Johnny would not allow the subject to be dropped. 'Have you known Mrs Dale long?' he asked.
'I have not the pleasure of knowing her at all,' said the major.
'I thought, perhaps, by your asking after her--'
'I intend to call upon her, that is all. I suppose they will have an omnibus here from "The Magpie"?' Eames said that there no doubt would be an omnibus from 'The Magpie', and then they were at their journey's end.
For the present we will follow John Eames, who went at once to his mother's house. It was his intention to remain there for two or three days, and then go over to the house, or rather to the cottage, of his great ally Lady Julia, which lay just beyond Guestwick Manor, and somewhat nearer to Allington than to the town of Guestwick. He had made up his mind that he would not himself too over to Allington till he could do so from Guestwick Cottage, as it was called, feeling that, under certain untoward circumstances--should untoward circumstances arise--Lady Julia's sympathy might be more endurable than that of his mother. But he would take care that it should be known at Allington that he was in the neighbourhood. He understood the necessary strategy of his campaign too well to suppose that he could startle Lily into acceptance.
With his own mother and sister, John Eames was in these days quite a hero. He was a hero with them now, because