Page:Austen Sanditon and other miscellanea.djvu/32

 a few moments to cut short both his remonstrance to the Driver and his congratulations to his wife and himself, and sit down on the bank, unable to stand. ‘There is something wrong here’, said he, putting his hand to his ankle. ‘But never mind, my Dear’ — looking up at her with a smile — ‘It could not have happened, you know, in a better place. Good out of Evil. The very thing perhaps to be wished for. We shall soon get relief. There, I fancy, lies my cure’ — pointing to the neat-looking end of a Cottage, which was seen romantically situated among woods on a high Eminence at some little Distance. ‘Does not that promise to be the very place?’ His wife fervently hoped it was, but stood, terrified and anxious, neither able to do or suggest anything, and receiving her first real comfort from the sight of several persons now coming to their assistance. The accident had been discerned from a Hayfield adjoining the House they had passed, and the persons who approached were a well-looking, Hale, Gentlemanlike Man, of middle age, the Proprietor of the Place, who happened to be among his Haymakers at the time, and three or four of the ablest of them summoned to attend their Master — to say nothing of all the rest of the field, Men, Women and Children — not very far off. Mr. Heywood, such was the name of the said Proprietor, advanced with a very civil salutation, much concern for the accident, some surprise at any body's attempting that road in a Carriage, and ready offers of assistance. His courtesies were received with Goodbreeding and gratitude and while one or two of the Men lent their help to the Driver in getting the Carriage upright again, the Traveller said : ‘You are extremely obliging, Sir, and I take you at your word. The injury to my Leg is, I dare say, very trifling, but it is always best in these cases to have a surgeon's opinion without loss of time; and as the road does not seem at present in a favourable state for my