Whereat the new master chuckled, and dismissed the lugubrious ex-master
and his friendly warnings from his mind. But although the gloomy
prognostications of his Job's comforters failed in the least to depress
his spirits, one very small cloud hovered occasionally on the horizon.
This was the attitude of his worthy and respected prospective pupil and
brother-in-law, Arthur Herapath. That young gentleman, who had been
prudently kept in the dark while term lasted, was, as may be imagined,
considerably astounded on arriving home to be met with the news that the
new master of the Shell at Grandcourt was to be Mark Railsford.
"What a lark!" he exclaimed.
Now, genial as the remark was, the tone in which it was uttered was not
calculated to inspire confidence in the breasts of those to whom it was
addressed. There was more of enjoyment in it than respect. Yet boys
will be boys, and who can gauge the depths of a nature below the smiles
that ripple on the surface?
It was little incidents like these which occasionally suggested to
Railsford, far more forcibly than the lugubrious warnings of his
officious friends, that the task before him at Grandcourt would tax his
powers considerably. But, on the whole, he rejoiced that all would not
be plain-sailing at first, and that there was no chance of his relapsing
immediately into the condition of a humdrum pedagogue.
The Christmas holidays slipped away only too fast for Arthur and for
Daisy. Mark, much as he felt the approaching separation from his
betrothed, could not suppress a slight feeling of exultation as the day
drew near when he was to "go, see, and conquer" at Grandcourt. His
three idle years made the prospect of hard work now welcome; and the
importance which everyone else attached to his new duties made him
doubly keen for a fray on which so many eyes were turned.
Dr Ponsford had suggested, in terms which amounted to a mandate, that
the new master might find it convenient to arrive at Grandcourt a day
before the school returned, in order to take possession of his quarters
and acquaint himself with the details of his coming duties. This
arrangement was not altogether satisfactory, for it deprived Mark of the
pleasure of his future brother-in-law's escort, which was a great loss,
and also of the prospect of finding Grover at his journey's end, on
which he had reckoned with some confidence. However, it was only the
difference of a day, and during that day he would at least do his utmost
to make a favourable impression on his chief. So, with a heart full of
confidence, and a cab full of luggage, he set out gaily on his new
career.
"Good-bye, Mark. You'll be good to my son, I know," said Mrs Herapath.
"Good-bye, my boy; take care of your health," said Mr Herapath.
"Good-bye, Mark," said Daisy.
"Ta-ta, old man," called Arthur. "See you to-morrow."
This last greeting, strange as it may seem, recurred to Railsford's
memory more frequently than any of the others during the course of the
long railway journey to Grandcourt. It took all sorts of forms as the
day wore on. At first it seemed only a fraternal _au revoir_, then it
became a rather serious promise, and finally sounded in his ears rather
like a menace.
Here was he, going down like a prince to his coronation, and his
subjects would "see him to-morrow." It had never occurred to him before
that these subjects might have something to say to the ordering of the
new kingdom, and that he should have to reckon with them, as well as
they with him. The idea was not altogether comfortable, and he tried to
shelve it. Of course he would get on with them. They would look up to
him, and they would discover that his interests and theirs were the
same. He was prepared to go some way to meet them. It would be odd if
they would not come the rest to meet him. He turned his mind to other
subjects. Still he wished he could be quite sure that Arthur's innocent
"see you again to-morrow" had no double meaning for him.
The railway took him as far as Blankington Junction, about five miles
from Grandcourt; and, as it would be some time before a Grandcourt train
came up, he decided, after seeing his effects into a cab, to take
advantage of the fine, frosty afternoon, and complete his journey on
foot. He was, in fact, beginning to grow a little depressed, and the
exercise would brace him up. He had, foolishly enough, looked forward
to a somewhat different kind of advent, dropping, perhaps, with some
little _eclat_ on a school where Arthur had already proclaimed his fame
among the boys, and where Grover had prepared him a welcome among the
masters. Compared with that, this solitary backstairs arrival seemed
tame and dispiriting, and he half regretted that he had not postponed
his coming till to-morrow, even in the face of Dr Ponsford's
suggestion.
A mile from Grandcourt he caught sight of the square red ivy-covered
brick tower of the school among the trees. Even in winter it looked
warm and picturesque. It was growing dark when he passed the lodge, and
crossed the playing-field towards the school-house. The cabman was
awaiting him in the square.
"Never gave me your name," explained he, "and nobody knows nothink about
you here. Five miles is seven-and-six, and luggage is two bob more, and
waiting another 'alf-hour's a crown,--namely, twelve shillings, and
thank you, mister."
Railsford rang the bell at the porter's lodge. A small child of eight
appeared.
"Where's your father?" asked the new master.
"Yout," replied the girl.
"Well, your mother?"
"Please, she's--she's in the churchyard along of my Aunt Sally."
"Well, run and-- You mean she's dea--?"
The child nodded before he had finished his sentence.
"Is there anyone about?" inquired the perplexed new-comer.
"There's Mrs 'Astings, doing the floors in Bickers's."
Mrs Hastings was duly summoned, and arrived with her broom and
kneeling-pad.
"My good woman, can you tell me the fare from Blankington here?"
The lady looked perplexed, then embarrassed, then angry.
"And you fetched me over from Bickers's--me, with my lame foot, over the
cobbles--to ask me that! You oughter be ashamed of yerself, young man.
Ask the cabman; he knows."
It was hopeless. Railsford assisted to unload the cab, and meekly gave
the cabman the fare demanded.
"I am Mr Railsford, the new master," said he presently, overtaking Mrs
Hastings, as she hobbled back in dudgeon to her work; "which are my
rooms?"
"I'm sure I don't know. You're a day too early. All the rooms is up,
and it will take us all our times to get them done against the school
comes back to-morrow."
"It is an extraordinary thing," said Railsford, who began to feel his
dignity somewhat put upon, "that Dr Ponsford should tell me to come to-
day, and that no preparations--"
"'Tain't got to do with me. You'd best go to the doctor's house, out of
that gate, across the little square, the house on the far side of the
chapel."
Railsford, leaving his luggage stacked on the pavement outside the
porter's lodge, started off with flushed cheeks to the lion's den. The
doctor, said the maid, was in, but was at dinner. The gentleman had
better call again in half an hour.
So Railsford, in the closing twilight, took a savage walk round the
school precincts, in no mood to admire the natural beauties of the
place, or to indulge in any rhapsodies at this near view of the scene of
his coming triumphs. In half an hour he returned, and was shown into
the doctor's study.
"How do you do, Mr ---;" here the doctor took up his visitor's card to
refresh his memory--"Mr Railsford?"
"I was afraid, sir," said Mark, "I had mistaken your letter about coming
to-day; there appears to be no one--no one who can--I have been unable
to ascertain where I am to go."
The doctor waited patiently for the end of this lucid explanation.
"I rather wonder it did not suggest itself to you to call on me for
information."
Railsford wondered so too, and felt rather sheepish.
"Your train must have been late. I expected you an hour ago."
"I think we were up to time. I walked from Blankington here."
"Really--I wish I had known of your intention."
"I trust," said Railsford, struck by a horrible suspicion, "you were not
waiting dinner for me."
"Not in the least," said the doctor, with a grim smile; "but I had
calculated on taking you round before nightfall. We must defer our
visit till the morning. Talking of dinner," he added, "you will be
ready for something after your journey, will you not?"