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onthefartherbank,andbepaddledacrossbyhimself
oroneoftheservants.Oftenherowedhimself,for
heusedtobeafineoarsman,anditwasgoodforthe
loungeronthequaytoseethefoamingprowofhis
vigorousprogressandthedignityofphysicaltoil.
Inallotherrespects,exceptinthiscaseofOld
George,”LordAshbridge’swisheswerelawtothelocal
authorities,forinthistranquilEast-coastdistrictthe
spiritofthefeudalsystemwithabeneficentlordand
contentedtenantsstronglysurvived.Ithadtriumphed
evenoversuchmoderninnovationsasrailroads,for
LordAshbridgehadtheundoubtedrighttostopany
trainhepleasedbysignalatAshbridgestation.This
hecertainlyenjoyeddoing;itfedhissenseofthe
fitnessofthingstoprogressalongtheplatformwithhis
genial,importanttiptoewalk,andelbowssquarely
stuckout,tothecarriagethatwasatoncereservedfor
him,totouchthebrimofhisgreytop-hat(iftravelling
uptotown)totheobsequiousguard,andtoobserve
theheadsofpassengerswhowonderedwhytheir
expresswasarrested,thrustoutofcarriagewindows
tolookathim.Alivenedfootman,aswellasavalet,
followedhim,bearingacoatandarugandamorning
oreveningpaperandadispatch-boxwithalargegilt
coronetonit,andbestowedthesesolacestoarailway
journeyontheemptyseatsnearhim.Andnotonlyhis
senseoffitnesswasherebyfed,butthatalsoofthe
station-masterandthesolitaryporterandthenewsboy,
andsuchinhabitantsofAshbridgeashappenedtohave
strolledontotheplatform.ForhewasTHEIREarl
ofAshbridge,kind,courteousanddominant,alocal
king;itwasallverypleasant.
Butthisarrestofexpresstrainswasastrictly
personalprivilege;whenLadyAshbridgeorMichael
travelledtheyalwayswentintheslowtrain
toStoneborough,changedthereandabidedtheirtime
ontheplatformlikeordinarymortals.Thoughhecould
undoubtedlyhaveextendedhisrightstothestopping
ofatrainforhiswifeorson,hewiselyreservedthisfor
