England -- Social life and customs -- 20th century -- Fiction; Mate selection -- Fiction; Young women -- Fiction
"How remarkable," said the bishop, smiling. "But I am not surprised.
Indeed, in this last case I am almost gratified, though I withhold my
reasons for saying so. Are you then acquainted with any one called De
Vere? No; or with a Mrs. Carteret Williams?"
Light dawned in the driver’s face at last. "Mrs. Williams! Ay, sure
enif. She do sell sweets and tobacco."
"Indeed," said the bishop, "indeed, how remarkable! But I don’t think
she will do. Have you heard of a Mrs. Rivaulx or a Mrs. Goby? Perhaps
I surprise you in this part of Lincolnshire, but in London it is not at
all uncommon for married ladies to have several names, not at all
uncommon."
"No, sir, I never heard o’ none of ’em," returned the driver, thinking
that this gentleman talked most remarkable "cat-blash."
"Good heavens!" said the bishop, "this new custom is trying. Do you
then know a Mrs. Carew or Mrs. Bramber?"
Again the man scratched his head and shook it. What did this strange
person in gaiters mean?
"Oh! ah!" he said at last. "There be a Mrs. Bramwell at the Moat
House."
"Indeed," said the bishop. "Perhaps that may be the lady. At the Moat
House! Do you know Mr. Bramwell?"
"I’ve seen un," said the driver.
"What is he like?" asked the bishop. "Is he fair or dark, or tall or
short?"
"He’s fairish to dark and betwixt and between," said the driver, wishing
to be accurate, "and mostly goes in big spectacles in his engine."
"Ha!" said the bishop, "we are on the scent! And what is Mrs. Bramwell
like?"
"She do mostly go in the engine with specs on, too, sir. But my wife do
say she be a very fine woman."
The bishop nodded.
"I think you may drive us to the Moat House," he said. "I will bring my
friends out."
He rubbed his hands and congratulated himself on the skill with which he
had discovered the object of his search.
"I really believe I have found her," he said, when he entered the
waiting-room. "I really believe it."
"No!" said the duchess.
"Yes," said the bishop. "By a series of skilful questions and the
exercise of a little pardonable deceit, I have learnt that there is a
Mrs. Bramwell here, who is said to be a very fine woman, and goes out in
goggles in a motor-car with her husband, who is fairish to dark and tall
and short and also wears goggles."
Augustin nodded.
"This looks like—something," he said, hopefully. "Bramwell! Perhaps
really Bramber, Titania."
"No, no," said Titania. "I expect disaster. I anticipate the Jew or
Williams."
"But Bramwell—the first syllable being Bram," suggested the bishop.
"I cannot build on Bram," said the duchess. "We are an unfortunate
family. Lord Bramber may be an earl at any minute, and she has married
a coal-heaver, of course! Let us go at once."
When they got into the carriage, the bishop told the man to drive to the
Moat House.
"Did you say Moat House?" asked the duchess.
"I did," replied the bishop.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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