LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1538, 22 January 1879, Page 3

LITERATURE.

THE MASTER OF THE GOLDEN HOUSE. [“London Society.”] ( Continued.) I managed to find my way into the re-freshment-room, and hovered around her in her train. Then gathering courage, possibly from the foaming grape of eastern France, j spoke. She greeted me at once heartily and kindly as the unknown friend who had helped her at the Museum. Daring the chances of the evening I found myself in the conservatory, and, as our hostess was not at hand, 1 succeeded in introducing myself by name. CHAPTER IV. nVK 001/DBN KNOCKERS, In con-so of time I did manage to find myself in Devonshire again. I know people who go there sea on after season, year after year, for the best part of their lives. ‘ I have been there, and still would go,’ is a phrase which exactly suits Devonshire. No one who has ever known that loveliest of counties, hut has sighed that he might have a summer home of his own in some shaded glen or amid the glories of its northern or southern sea In the course of my travels 1 came to Plymouth, A friend had put me down for seven days at the Royal Western Yacht Club. Suddenly I bethought myself of old Bampfyldo. I should like to thin his streams and wend my way across his stubbles. I had fairly forgotten him, and I must suppose that, by parity of reasoning, he had equally forgotten me. Nevertheless I wrote my note, amid a crowd of other notes, at the club, and the thing wont clean out of my mind. However, by return of post, I got an ..answer in a big sprawling hand, which spread itself diagonally across the page, in which the writer, Mr Damply Ide, assured me that ho had not forgetten, me, and would be very glad if I would give him a week of my company. Instead of going to bin station, as 1 ought to have done, and where ho had sent his tray,, to meet me, I got out at the hideous junction, whom 1 at least knew that I could hire a conveyance that would take me to Dowuo, * Do you know Downc ?’ I asked a cabman. ‘ Dnwnc Hall? Squire Batnpfyldc’s ? I should think X do. He’s down there 'lyat now expecting company.’ ‘ What sort of a man rs nc i' ‘ He’s a very queer one, is that Squire Bampfyldo. HeVgot a big park, and drives all round it every day with eight horses with goldsn-plated harness. He’s mo:td shy of letting people come near him. Hue day I drove a gent, as might be you, down here, who wanted to sec the park I he lodge-keeper wouldn't let nim in ; but he found an easy place in the wall, and 1 got over. He had only got over a few minutes when he meets the

governor, who makes him a low bow, and asks him what he wanted. He says ho comes to see the place, and how the lodgekeeper wouldn’t let him in ; but he thought Squire Bampfylde wouldn t mind liifl looking at it. “Jem,” says the Squire, “here’s a couple of sovereigns for you, and I’ll take care of the gentleman.” So he has the gentleman in, and drives him about, and gives him dinner ; and then, when it’s quite dark, and the roads miry and the rain falling, he leads him to the steps outside the house, says, “You cams here as you chose, and you can get back as you choose and slams the door in his 1.100, It was about three in the morning when the gent got back to our place, and he was horribly torn and muddy. He nearly broke his neck getting over the wall again, and had seven country miles to walk. After that the squire raised his wall three feet all round, and stuck spikes and broken glass on the top of it.’ This kind of talk was not very likely to assure me of the character of my reception. But it is not necessary to believe all that cabmen say. Mr Bampfylde received me with the greatest cordiality. ‘ I am so glad that you remember me, and took me at my word, and came to see mo.’ * Well, I confess I was a little shy in writing to you after the lapse of so long a time. ’

‘O, that’s all nonsense, Of course I should not have asked yon unless I meant you to come at any time which would be most convenient to yourself, lam so glad that you took me at my word, It shows that you have faith in me ; and faitk is a line thing.’ Despite the scarlet blotch and the coarse features, there was something eminently kind and courteous in his tone. My heart warmed to his voice, which is the highest thing I can say of a man. There was something very simple and unsophisticated in my manner, albeit the new scene in which I found myself was one of great and unusual splendour. There seemed to bo a pervading glitter of gold everywhere, not tinsel and veneering, but substantial gold, except where there were gems, statuary, and pictures, which even my uncritical sense told me were of more value than mere gold could possess. * I am all alone to-night, except, indeed, that there is one visitor who may or may not return this evening ;’ and here I thought a shade of annoyance passed over his face. •But let me show you your room.’ It was a large low house, in fact only two stories high, but it covered a considerable extent of ground. Outside the hall, and communicating by a public way, was a pretty chapel. The hall was large, and on ascending the stairs I found that several sets of stairs converged there on a wide open space as largo as the hall below. A magnificent window of painted glass rose from basement to roof. Opposite this window there was a kind of corridor, five bedroom doors with resplendent panels, and each decorated with a golden knocker. ‘ Well,’ he said, ‘here are my five guestchambers, Here is my young lady’s chamber, I expect a very pretty girl here in a day or two. Master Stuart ; so 1 advise you to try and keep heart-whole. Poor girl, there’s not the least use in her coming. I suppose, however, that she must come if she wants. ’