The Fair Little Lady
The coach came in sight]
It was not long after that delightful day at Mrs. Goodriche's, when thechildren, having done their morning lessons, had just gone out of thehall-door, on their way to Henry's arbour, when they heard the wheelsof a carriage sounding from a distance.
The sound was not like that of a waggon, which goes along heavily,crashing and breaking the stones in its passage, whilst the feet of thehorses come down with a heavy beat upon the ground; but horses andwheels went lightly, and as if the carriage was coming near quickly.
Very few light carriages passed that way, and therefore when anythingof the kind was heard or seen, everybody left off what they were doingto look, let them be ever so busy. Lucy and Emily and Henry ran down tothe gate which opened on the road. Henry climbed to the top of thehighest bar; but the little girls stood on one side, where they werehalf hidden by a rose-bush.
When they were got there the carriage was heard more plainly: andHenry was hardly fixed upon the top of the gate before John came up,with a hoe and a basket in his hand.
"So, Master Henry," he said, "you are come to see the coach; I justcaught sight of it as it went round the corner below, and I promise youit is worth seeing; it beats Sir Charles Noble's to nothing--but herethey come."
At first there appeared a groom, dressed in a glazed hat, and a livery,and shining boots; and he was riding a fine horse, and he went forwardquickly; he had several dogs running by him. Lucy and Emily were gladthat John, with his hoe, was close by, for they did not love strangedogs.
But the groom and his dogs were very soon out of sight; he was ridingon to see that the gates were open where the coach was going.Immediately afterwards the coach came in sight--and a fine new coach itwas; and there were four horses, with postillions whipping and cuttingaway; and ladies and gentlemen in the coach.
Lucy and Emily and Henry did not look at the grown people, but at avery pretty little lady, of Emily's age perhaps, who was looking out ofthe window on their side.
They saw her face, which was fair and very pale, and they saw hercurling light hair, and her blue satin hat, which had white feathers init; and they knew that she saw them, for she rather smiled and lookedpleased, and turned to speak about them, they thought, to the lady nextto her. But the coach was gone in a minute, not rattling like ahack-chaise, but making a sort of low rumbling sound, and that soundwas not heard long.
"Who are those?" said Henry, as he stood at the very top of the gate,like a bird upon a perch, "who are those fine people?"
"They are the great folks," replied John, "who are come to live at SirCharles Noble's. They call them Honourable--by way of distinction--theHonourable Mr. and Mrs. Darwell, and they are immensely rich; and thatis their only child, for they have but one--and she, to be sure, is nosmall treasure, as people say, and they never can make enough of her."
"What is her name, John?" asked Lucy.
"Don't ask me, Miss," replied John; "for though I have heard the name,I could not pretend to speak it properly, it is so unaccountably fine."
"I should like to hear it," said Emily.
"And that you will be sure to do soon, Miss," answered John; "for allthe country is talking about the family, and they say they are uncommongrand."
"But, John," said Henry, "when will you come and nail the benches in myhut? Will you come now? Shall I fetch the hammer and nails?"
"No, master," returned John, "you need not fetch them, for I have themhere in this basket, and was just going when I saw the coach."
"Away then," cried Henry, jumping from the top of the gate, and runningbefore, whilst John followed close behind him, and Lucy and Emily cameafterwards, talking of the fair little lady.