Never man looked with more impatience for a post, than Captain Ryecroft
for the night mail from the West, its morning delivery in London. It
may bring him a letter, on the contents of which will turn the hinges of
his life's fate, assuring his happiness or dooming him to misery. And
if no letter come, its failure will make misery for him all the same.
It is scarce necessary to say, the epistle thus expected, and fraught
with such grave consequence, is an answer to his own; that written in
Herefordshire, and posted before leaving the Wyeside Hotel. Twenty-four
hours have since elapsed; and now, on the morning after, he is at the
Langham, London, where the response, if any, should reach him.
He has made himself acquainted with the statistics of postal time,
telling him when the night mail is due, and when the first distribution
of letters in the metropolitan district. At earliest in the Langham,
which has post and telegraph office within its own walls, this palatial
hostelry, unrivalled for convenience, being in direct communication with
all parts of the world.
It is on the stroke of 8 a.m., and, the ex-Hussar-officer pacing the
tesselated tiles, outside the deputy-manager's moderately-sized room
with its front glass-protected, watches for the incoming of the
post-carrier.
It seems an inexorable certainty--though a very vexatious one--that
person, or thing, awaited with unusual impatience, must needs be behind
time--as if to punish the moral delinquency of the impatient one. Even
postmen are not always punctual, as Vivian Ryecroft has reason to know.
That amiable and active individual in coatee of coarse cloth, with red
rag facings, flitting from door to door, brisk as a blue-bottle, on this
particular morning does not step across the threshold of the Langham
till nearly half-past eight. There is a thick fog, and the street flags
are "greasy." That would be the excuse for his tardy appearance, were
he called upon to give one.
Dumping down his sack, and spilling its contents upon the lead-covered
sill of the booking-office window, he is off again on a fresh and
further flight.
With no abatement of impatience Captain Ryecroft stands looking at the
letters being sorted--a miscellaneous lot, bearing the post marks of
many towns and many countries, with the stamps of nearly every civilised
nation on the globe; enough of them to make the eyes of an ardent stamp
collector shed tears of concupiscence.
Scarcely allowing the sorter time to deposit them in their respective
pigeon boles, Ryecroft approaches and asks if there be any for him--at
the same time giving his name.
"No, not any," answers the clerk, after drawing out all under letter R,
and dealing them off as a pack of cards.
"Are you quite sure, sir? Pardon me. I intend starting off within the
hour, and expecting a letter of some importance, may I ask you to glance
over them again?"
In all the world there are no officials more affable than those of the
Langham. They are in fact types of the highest _hotel civilisation_.
Instead of showing nettled, he thus appealed to makes assenting
rejoinder, accompanying his words with a re-examination of the letters
under R; soon as completed saying,--
"No, sir; none for the name of Ryecroft."
He bearing this name turns away, with an air of more than
disappointment. The negative denoting that no letter had been written
in reply, vexes--almost irritates him. It is like a blow repeated--a
second slap in his face held up in humiliation--after having forgiven
the first. He will not so humble himself--never forgive again. This
his resolve as he ascends the great stairway to his room, once more to
make ready for travel.
The steam-packet service between Folkestone and Boulogne is "tidal."
Consulting Bradshaw, he finds the boat on that day leaves the former
place at 4 p.m.; the connecting train from the Charing Cross station, 1.
Therefore have several hours to be put in meanwhile.
How are they to be occupied? He is not in the mood for amusement.
Nothing in London could give him that now--neither afford him a moment's
gratification.
Perhaps in Paris? And he will try. There men have buried their
griefs--women as well: too oft laying in the same grave their innocence,
honour, and reputation. In the days of Napoleon the Little, a grand
cemetery of such; hosts entering it pure and stainless, to become
tainted as the Imperial _regime_ itself.
And he, too, may succumb to its influence, sinister as hell itself. In
his present frame of mind it is possible. Nor would his be the first
noble spirit broken down, wrecked on the reef of a disappointed
passion--love thwarted, the loved one never again to be spoken to, in
all likelihood never more met!
While waiting for the Folkestone train, he is a prey to the most
harrowing reflections, and in hope of escaping them, descends to the
billiard-room--in the Langham a well-appointed affair, with tables the
very best.
The marker accommodates him to a hundred up, which he loses. It is not
for that he drops the cue disheartened, and retires. Had he won, with
Cook, Bennett, or Roberts as his adversary, 'twould have been all the
same.
Once more mounting to his room, he makes an appeal to the ever-friendly
Nicotian. A cigar, backed by a glass of brandy, may do something to
soothe his chafed spirit; and lighting the one, he rings for the other.
This brought him, he takes seat by the window, throws up the sash, and
looks down upon the street. There to see what gives him a fresh spasm
of pain; though to two others, affording the highest happiness on earth.
For it is a wedding ceremony being celebrated at "All Souls" opposite,
a church before whose altar many fashionable couples join hands to be
linked together for life. Such a couple is in the act of entering the
sacred edifice; carriages drawing up and off in quick succession,
coachmen with white rosettes and whips ribbon-bedecked, footmen wearing
similar favours--an unusually stylish affair.
As in shining and with smiling faces, the bridal train ascends the steps
two by two disappearing within the portals of the church, the spectators
on the nave and around the enclosure rails also looking joyous, as
though each--even the raggedest--had a personal interest in the event,
from the window opposite, Captain Ryecroft observes it with very
different feelings. For the thought is before his mind, how near he has
been himself to making one in such a procession--at its head--followed
by the bitter reflection, he now never shall.
A sigh, succeeded by a half angry ejaculation; then the bell rung with a
violence which betrays how the sight has agitated him.