Noel Vanstone's mind. In the meantime he would beg
Mr. Vanstone not to call at North Shingles until he received a special
invitation to do so--which invitation should certainly be given on the
day when the family returned. The motive of this apparently strange
request should be explained to Mr. Vanstone's perfect satisfaction when
he was once more united to his friends. Until that period arrived, the
strictest caution was enjoined on him in all his communications with
Mrs. Lecount; and the instant destruction of Mr. Bygrave's letter, after
due perusal of it, was (if the classical phrase might be pardoned) a
_sine qua non_.
The fifth day came. Noel Vanstone (after submitting himself to the _sine
qua non_, and destroying the letter) waited anxiously for results; while
Mrs. Lecount, on her side, watched patiently for events. Toward three
o'clock in the afternoon th e carriage appeared again at the gate of
North Shingles. Mr. Bygrave got out and tripped away briskly to the
landlord's cottage for the key. He returned with the servant at his
heels. Miss Bygrave left the carriage; her giant relative followed
her example; the house door was opened; the trunks were taken off; the
carriage disappeared, and the Bygraves were at home again!
Four o'clock struck, five o'clock, six o'clock, and nothing happened.
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