"Horses on!" said Gammon, leaning back in the carriage.
"That's a monstrous fine woman standing at the inn door, Titmouse--eh?" exclaimed Mr. Yahoo, who had alighted for a moment, and stood beside the door of Titmouse's carriage, his execrable eye settled upon Miss Aubrey. "I wonder who and what she is? By Jove, 'tis the face--the figure of an angel! egad, they're _somebody_; I'll look at their panels!"
"I know who it is," said Titmouse, rather faintly; "I'll tell you by-and-by."
"Now, _now_! my dear fellow. Our divinity is vanishing," whispered Mr. Yahoo, eagerly, as Miss Aubrey, having slipped something into the beggar's hand, stepped into the carriage. As soon as her brother had entered, the door was closed, and they drove off.
"Who's that, Mr. Titmouse?" inquired Miss Quirk, with a little eagerness, observing--women are very quick in detecting such matters--that both Gammon and Titmouse looked rather embarrassed.
"It's the--the Aubreys," replied Titmouse.
"Eh! By Jove!--is it?" quickly inquired old Quirk, putting his head out of the window; "how very odd, to meet the old birds? Egad! their nest must be yet warm--ha! ha!"
"What! dear papa, are those the people you've turned out? Gracious! I thought I heard some one say that Miss Aubrey was pretty! La! I'm sure _I_ thought--now what do _you_ think, Mr. Titmouse?" she added, turning abruptly and looking keenly at him.
"Oh! 'pon my life, I--I--see nothing at all in her--devilish plain, I should say--infernally pale, and all that!"
They were soon on their way again. Titmouse quickly recovered his equanimity, but Gammon continued silent and thoughtful for many--many miles; and the reader would not be surprised at it, if he knew as well as I do the thoughts which the unexpected sight of that travelling-carriage of Mr. Aubrey had suggested to Mr. Gammon.
As they approached the scene of triumph and rejoicing, and ascertained that they were within about a mile of the peaceful little village of Yatton, the travellers began to look out for indications of the kind which Mr. Gammon had mentioned to Titmouse, viz. a band and procession, and an attendant crowd. But however careful and extensive might have been the arrangements of those to whom that matter had been intrusted, they were likely to be sadly interfered with by a circumstance which, happening just then, might, to a weaker and more superstitious mind than that of Mr. Titmouse, have looked a little ominous--namely, the occurrence of a tremendous thunder-storm. It was then about five o'clock in the afternoon. The whole day had been overcast, and the sky threatening; and just as the two carriages came to that turning in the road which gave them the first glimpse of the Hall--only, however, the tops of the great antique brick chimneys, which were visible above the surrounding trees--a fearful, long-continued flash of lightning burst from the angry heavens, followed, after an interval of but a second or two, by a peal of thunder which sounded as if a park of artillery was being repeatedly discharged immediately overhead.