CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.
A VISIT TO THE WINE BINS.
Punctual to his time Mr Hampton came down the road from the station,with the _Globe_ in his hand, the _Pall Mall_ under his arm, and the_Evening Standard_ in his pocket.
As he came in sight of the house, he was aware of the tall, gaunt figureof Mrs Hampton standing at the drawing-room window, forming a kit-catpicture in a frame, which, as he drew nearer, and the high brick wallinterposed, gradually became a half length, then a quarter, then a head,the lace of a cap, and nothing at all.
The old lady was at the top of the steps, sour-looking and frowning, ashe neared the entrance, but full of interest in him and sympathy.
"You look tired, dear," she said.
"Eh? No. Pretty comfortable. How's Gertrude?"
"In trouble."
"Eh? What about?"
"George Harrington went out last night on the sly, and hasn't comeback."
The old lawyer uttered a grunt.
"Not been near you?"
"No, no!"
"Nor written?"
"Not he!"
"Nor sent a telegram?"
"No, my dear, no."
"Then, all I can say is that it's very disgraceful."
"Out all night, and of course poor Gertrude as anxious--"
"As if she was his wife," added the lawyer, hanging up his hat and lightovercoat.
"More," said Mrs Hampton. "You would not find a wife so anxious if ahusband behaved like that."
"No, my dear, of course not. There, I'll go up and dress. I say, youwill not wait dinner for him, as you would breakfast?" said the oldlawyer, who looked upon his dinner as the most important event of thetwenty-four hours.
"Indeed, if I have any influence with Gertrude we shall not," said MrsHampton sternly. "I have hardly had a morsel to-day."
"Where's Gertrude?"
"Gone up to her room to dress," said Mrs Hampton; and as soon as theywere in their own apartment, she related the whole of the day'sdiscoveries, and her theory about George Harrington having gone off tojoin Saul.
"Humph! hardly likely," said the old man thoughtfully. "So you waitedall that time, and then found out that he had not been to bed?"
"Yes."
"How does Gertrude take it?"
"Like a lamb apparently. Ready to defend him quite indignantly if I saya word."
"Then don't say one. I'm very glad he has gone out."
"Glad?"
"Yes. The more he shows the cloven hoof the better."
"My dear?"
"For Gertrude. She may have her eyes so opened that she will refuse tomarry him, throw him over completely, and then, my dear, we shall oncemore get home to peace and quietness."
"If it would turn out like that," said Mrs Hampton thoughtfully, "Iwould not mind. But come now, speak out."
No answer.
"What are you thinking about, Hampton?"
"I was thinking, my dear, that this accounts for the way the money goes.I'm glad I've got a clue to that, not that it matters to us."
"What do you think it is--gambling?"
"May be."
"Then you don't think so, Hampton? Now speak out."
"No, my dear, you don't need telling. Not surprising after the life hehas led in the West."
"Yes, sir, it is very surprising, when he is engaged to the sweetestgirl in the world."
"Yes. Did the dog howl much?"
"Not a great deal, but very strangely; and don't turn from one subjectto another so abruptly."
"Enough to make him, with his head cut open, poor brute!"
Ten minutes after they descended to the drawing-room, where, in spite ofher cheerful looks and animated manner of addressing the old lawyer, itwas plain to see that Gertrude had been crying, and the tears rose toher eyes again as she noted the tenderly sympathetic manner towards herof her two friends.
"I have ordered the dinner to be taken in at the usual time," she saideagerly.
"Oh, no, my dear, not for us," said Mrs Hampton after a desperateeffort to master herself.
"Yes, I am sure that George--who, I feel sure, has gone to join SaulHarrington--would wish us to go on as usual. Yes, Denton? Dinner?"
"No, miss; I only came to say that there is no wine up."
"No wine, Denton?"
"No, miss; but if you get out the keys I could go down and fetch it fromthe cellar."
"Yes, yes; of course," said Gertrude. "I'll go with you."
"No, no, my dear," cried Mrs Hampton; "we take so little, and I am sureMr Hampton will not mind to-day."
The old lawyer's face was a study, and he took out his handkerchief andblew quite a blast.
"My beloved wife," he said, "I am quite willing to forego a good manythings, but my glass of sherry with my dinner, and my glass of portafterwards, are little matters which have grown so customary that--"
"Now, I'm sure, Hampton," began the old lady.
"Yes, my love, and so am I," he said decisively. "Gertrude, my dear, ifyou will give Denton the keys, I'll go myself, and get the wine, and--Bless me, what a howl!"
The dog, which had been silent for hours, suddenly sent forth one of itslong, low, mournful cries, which seemed to fill the place with thedoleful sound.
Mrs Denton shook her head, and gazed inquiringly at the old lawyer, butbeyond looking upon the cry as a temporary nuisance, whose effect onlylasted the length of the sound, it seemed to make not the slightestimpression upon him.
Gertrude led the way to the study, and, opening the glass door of thecabinet, took from the little drawer the cellar keys; everyone connectedwith the important parts of the house having, for many years past, hadits resting-place in one of those drawers.
"Are you coming, too?" said Mr Hampton, smiling.
"Oh, yes," replied Gertrude; "I used often to go with dear uncle andcarry the basket when I was quite a little child. I know the differentbins well, and can show you which port and which sherry he used to getout for you and Dr Lawrence."
"Yes, and splendid wines they were," said the old lawyer, smiling. "No,no, Gertie, my dear, you must not cut off my glass of wine."
"I have the basket and a light, sir," said the old housekeeper,appearing at the door.
"Thank you, Denton. You need not come. I'll carry--"
"The light," said the old lawyer, smiling. "Give me the basket, MrsDenton. Now then, Gertie, my dear; if a stranger came and saw me now,he'd say: `What a shabby-looking old butler they have at The Mynns.'"
Gertrude took the candle and led the way to the cellar door, which theold lawyer opened, and the girl went first. Then the second door wasopened, and they went on over the sawdust-covered floor, inhaling themingled odour of damp wood, mildew, and wine.
"Ha!" sighed the old man, as he looked to right and left at thestacked-up bottles: "It's a weakness and a vain longing, no doubt,Gertrude, my dear; but there is one thing at The Mynns I do look uponwith envy, and that is the cellar. Bless my heart! is that dog going tohowl like that all night?"
"No, no," said Gertrude, with an involuntary shiver, as the low mournfulcry penetrated to where they stood. "Poor Bruno! he has been sadlyhurt. There, Mr Hampton, that is the sherry," she continued, pointingto a bin which had only been lowered about a fourth.
"Then we'll have a bottle of you," said the old man, carefully takingone by the neck from its sawdust bed.
"And that is the port," continued Gertrude, holding up the light, topoint to the other side of the cellar.
"Ha!" ejaculated the old man, with all the enjoyment of a connoisseur,as he again carefully lifted a bottle with its lime-wash mark across theend. "No, no, Mrs Hampton, you must not have it all your own way.Gertie, my dear, if I stand that up I shall spoil it. Would you mindcarrying this bottle by the neck?"
"Oh, no; I'll carry it," she said hastily, as if eager to get out of thecrypt-like place. "I have it. Oh, Bruno, Bruno!" she exclaimed, asanother low, deep howl, from apparently close at hand, reache
d theirears. "You had better take a bottle of the old Burgundy, too, MrHampton."
"Well, yes; perhaps I might as well, Gertie; but I shall use you as abuttress against Mrs Hampton's wrath."
"Oh, yes," cried Gertrude laughingly, "I'll defend you. That's thebin--the Chambertin."
"Prince of wines," muttered the old man, crossing to the bin hiscompanion had pointed out, while his shadow cast by the candle she heldwas thrown upon ceiling and wall in a peculiarly grotesque fashion, asif he were the goblin of the cave.
"Now," he said, as he carefully placed the bottle in the basket, "weshall be all right, even if George comes back. Bless my soul! what'sthat?"
For Gertrude uttered a wild shriek, there was a crash, and they were inutter darkness.
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