SQUIRE ARDEN.
VOL. III.
SQUIRE ARDEN.
BY
MRS. OLIPHANT,
AUTHOR OF
“CHRONICLES OF CARLINGFORD,”
“SALEM CHAPEL,” “THE MINISTER’S WIFE,”
ETC., ETC.
IN THREE VOLUMES.
VOL. III.
LONDON:
HURST & BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS,
13 GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.
1871.
The Right of Translation is Reserved.
PERTH:
Samuel Cowan & Co., Printers.
Chapter I., II., III., IV., V., VI., VII., VIII., IX., X., XI., XII., XIII., XIV., XV., XVI., XVII., XVIII., XIX., XX., XXI., XXII., XXIII., XXIV., XXV., XXVI., XXVII., XXVIII., XXIX.
SQUIRE ARDEN.
CHAPTER I.
“How is Miss Pimpernel?” Arthur asked as he entered the house. He wentin with a great appearance of anxiety and haste, and he repeated hisquestion to a maid who was just preparing to ascend the stairs. Thefootman had given him no answer—a fact which he did not even observe;and the maid made him a little curtsey, and cast down her eyes, andlooked confused and uncomfortable. “My mistress is coming, sir,” shesaid; and Arthur, looking up, saw that Mrs. Pimpernel herself wasadvancing to meet him. He saw at the first glance that there was to bewar, and war to the knife, and that conciliation was impossible. “How isMiss Pimpernel?” he asked, taking the first word. “I was so glad to seeshe was able to move at once; but I fear she must have been much shaken,at least.”
Mrs. Pimpernel came downstairs upon him before she made any answer. Shebore down like a conquering ship or a charge of cavalry. Her face{2} wascrimson; her eyes bright with anger; her head was agitated by a littlenervous tremble. “Mr. Arden,” she said, rushing, as it were, into thefray, “I don’t think Miss Pimpernel would have been much the better foryou, whatever had happened. I don’t think from what I have heard, thatyour kind service would have been much good to her. To tel