six, and then went to his lodgings to take one
last look at his outer man. The evening was very fine, but he went down
to the station in a cab, because he would not meet Lady Ongar in soiled
boots. He told himself again that he was an ass; and then tried to
console himself by thinking that such an occasion as this seldom
happened once to any man--could hardly happen more than once to any man.
He had hired a carriage for her, not thinking it fit that Lady Ongar
should be taken to her new home in a cab; and when he was at the
station, half an hour before the proper time, was very fidgety because
it had not come. Ten minutes before eight he might have been seen
standing at the entrance to the station looking out anxiously for the
vehicle. The man was there, of course, in time, but Harry made himself
angry because he could not get the carriage so placed that Lady Ongar
might be sure of stepping into it without leaving the platform.
Punctually to the moment the coming train announced itself by its
whistle, and Harry Clavering felt himself to be in a flutter.

The train came up along the platform, and Harry stood there expecting to
see Julia Brabazon's head projected from the first window that caught
his eye. It was of Julia Brabazon's head, and not of Lady Ongar's, that
he was thinking. But he saw no sign of her presence while the carriages
were coming to a stand-still, and the platform was covered with
passengers before he discovered her whom he was seeking. At last he
encountered in the crowd a man in livery, and found from him that he was
Lady Ongar's servant. "I have come to meet Lady Ongar," said Harry, "and
have got a carriage for her." Then the servant found his mistress, and
Harry offered his hand to a tall woman in black. She wore a black straw
bat with a veil, but the veil was so thick that Harry could not at all
see her face.

"Is that Mr. Clavering?" said she.

"Yes," said Harry, "it is I. Your sister asked me to take rooms for you,
and as I was in town I thought I might as well meet you to see if you
wanted anything. Can I get the luggage?"

"Thank you; the man will do that. He knows where the things are."

"I ordered a carriage; shall I show him where it is? Perhaps you will
let me take you to it? They are so stupid here. They would not let me
bring it up."

"It will do very well I'm sure. It's very kind of you. The rooms are in
Bolton street. I have the number here. Oh! thank you." But she would not
ta