Christmas morning though it be, it
is necessary to send up workmen, to ascertain the extent of the
damage done. These, led by Durdles, go aloft; while Mr. Tope and a
crowd of early idlers gather down in Minor Canon Corner, shading
their eyes and watching for their appearance up there.
This cluster is suddenly broken and put aside by the hands of Mr.
Jasper; all the gazing eyes are brought down to the earth by his
loudly inquiring of Mr. Crisparkle, at an open window:
'Where is my nephew?'
'He has not been here. Is he not with you?'
'No. He went down to the river last night, with Mr. Neville, to
look at the storm, and has not been back. Call Mr. Neville!'
'He left this morning, early.'
'Left this morning early? Let me in! let me in!'
There is no more looking up at the tower, now. All the assembled
eyes are turned on Mr. Jasper, white, half-dressed, panting, and
clinging to the rail before the Minor Canon's house.
CHAPTER XV - IMPEACHED
NEVILLE LANDLESS had started so early and walked at so good a pace,
that when the church-bells began to ring in Cloisterham for morning
service, he was eight miles away. As he wanted his breakfast by
that time, having set forth on a crust of bread, he stopped at the
next roadside tavern to refresh.
Visitors in want of breakfast - unless they were horses or cattle,
for which class of guests there was preparation enough in the way
of water-trough and hay - were so unusual at the sign of The Tilted
Wagon, that it took a long time to get the wagon into the track of
tea and toast and bacon.
Pages:
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225