By this Time we were all equipped. Just as Miss Clary was kissing Gatty at the Door, I noticed the Squire whisper a Word in Mr. Heavitree's Ear, which made the latter colour very much; adding to it, "You'll be a Fool, if you don't do as I say."
Now, we were all setting out from the hospitable Threshold, the Lights streaming from which illumined our Path till we reached the Gate, which Mr. Heavitree held open till we had all passed. Gatty's two younger Sisters, to show their Love and Sorrow, were each monopolizing one of her Arms and hanging upon her as they followed Joe, who was taking the Lead with a Lantern, though there was a pale Moon. Mr. Heavitree, therefore, coming up as soon as he had fastened the Gate, found me just behind the rest, and spontaneously gave me his Arm; but the next Minute, in a hurried Manner and lowered Voice said, "Dear Mrs. Patty, this once be my Friend. I've a Word to say to Gatty, and those Girls will never let me!"
I immediately said, smiling, "Trust to me;" and in another Minute had dropped his Arm and was walking off with Lucy, and in two or three Minutes more had secured Penelope too. As we walked on briskly, Pen said, "Hadn't we better stop for Gatty?" but I said, "No, she's close behind, and Mr. Heavitree wants to have a little Talk with her for the last Time." This quite satisfied the artless Girls, who soon were busy chattering about the Loss of poor Gatty, and their Fears lest she might not have a safe Journey. They pointed out to me the North Star, and Charles's Wain, and many other Stars or Planets whose Names I forget, and told me I might always know a Star from a Planet, because Stars twinkle and Planets do not. Pen even added that Sirius, the Dog-Star, is sixty Times brighter than the Sun, which I'm free to think must have been a prodigious Blunder of hers. Who can believe it? Except indeed, Children, who swallow Incredibilities without any Trouble.
Arrived at the Gate, we were surprised at Gatty's coming up to us alone; yet I am certain I had had a Glimpse of two dark Figures following us the Minute before. Directly we got in-Doors, all was Bustle. Mrs. Bowerbank was sure we must be perishing of Cold, and insisted on our going to Bed directly; and promising to send each of us a Basin of hot Gruel to eat in our Beds: Gruel well qualified with Wine, Nutmeg, and Sugar—Caudle, in Fact!
It was no bad Thing to be thus coddled and comforted like Invalids while we felt quite well; and we were soon undressing as fast as we could. All but Gatty, who came up to me when I was about half undressed, to fetch a few Things she wanted, and to tell me she was going to sleep with her Mother. This was a Surprise and Disappointment to me; I had reckoned on a good Gossip over our Gruel, and on her telling me all about Mr. Heavitree as soon as the Candle was put out. However, it seemed that the Thing had been settled, even before we started, in order that I might not be disturbed by her early Departure the next Morning; and her Box had already been carried down, and she said she wanted to spend her last Night with her Mother, so there was no more to be said. I noticed, however, as she kissed me, that her Eyelids were red with crying, but her Eyes beaming under them very bright. I said, "Good Night, but not good-bye; for I am resolved to see you off in the Morning." She said, "Oh, you must not think of it. All will be Bustle, and there will be no real Pleasure in seeing each other. I have quite got over my Trouble at going, now, and don't care at all about it." So she kissed me cheerfully, and repeated, "Good-Night and good-bye," and ran off. I was still resolved to get up in Time to see the Last of her; but I suppose the Caudle, being so strong, made me sleep heavier and later than usual; for though it was yet Dark when I got up, I found on going down Stairs that Gatty had been gone a full Hour. None of the Family had accompanied her except Joe and the Girl of all Work, who carried her Box; but Pen told me that just as she was watching Gatty out of Sight by the Light of the Lantern, some one joined them.
When Joe returned, he said their Companion had been young Mr. Heavitree, who wanted, he supposed, to be at the Beast-Market betimes, or, sure, he would not have been afoot so early. Joe added that the Snow was tremendous,—up to a Man's Knees in many Parts, and up to his Shoulders under the Banks. We thought he must be exaggerating; but, however, the poor Boy had certainly been Half his Depth in Snow himself, though he averred he had not stumbled. He said it was freezing now, and the Roads so slippery that the Horses stumbled so at every Step that they were obliged to be led—he did not believe they would make more than two Miles an Hour, and wondered when Gatty would reach London. Lucy said, "Hush," and bade him not frighten their Mother, who was just coming in; but Mrs. Bowerbank had heard it all from the Cook-Maid, and looked very grave. It turned out, that Mr. Heavitree had made Gatty go inside, and had accompanied her the first Stage. Joe's Eyes looked very round, and he said, "Oh, I wasn't to tell that; but Women will be blabbing." "Who told you not to tell, Joey?" says Lucy. "If I told you that, Miss Lucy," says he, "I should blab too." So then we sat down to Breakfast, for they were glad of the Excuse to repair their hurried Meal by keeping me Company. After that, we sat to our Needles, and Joey did Sums or pretended to do them, and drew Pictures on his Slate. Mrs. Bowerbank was a ruminative Woman of few Words, the younger Girls were rather afraid of her, and rather shy towards me, and we missed Gatty sadly. As for getting out of Doors, we were close Prisoners, and likely to be for some Days; the Weather was as bad as could be, and threatened to be worse.
