"
"Nothing more?"
Mr. Dwerrihouse smiled grimly. "Well," he said, "you may tell my cousin
that she need not burn the hall down in my honor _this_ time, and that
I shall be obliged if she will order the blue-room chimney to be swept
before I arrive."
"That sounds tragic. Had you a conflagration on the occasion of your
last visit to Dumbleton?"
"Something like it. There had been no fire lighted in my bedroom since
the spring, the flue was foul, and the rooks had built in it; so when
I went up to dress for dinner, I found the room full of smoke, and the
chimney on fire. Are we already at Blackwater?"
The train had gradually come to a pause while Mr. Dwerrihouse was
speaking, and, on putting my head out of the window, I could see the
station some few hundred yards ahead. There was another train before
us blocking the way, and the guard was making use of the delay to collect
the Blackwater tickets. I had scarcely ascertained our position, when
the ruddy-faced official appeared at our carriage-door.
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