the hand of ethelberta-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


this　to　be　said；　that　the　fact　of　having　been　bred　in　a　wealthy　home
does　slightly　redeem　an　attempt　to　attain　to　such　a　one　again。'

Ethelberta　smiled　a　smile　of　many　meanings。

'However；　we　are　wasting　words；'　he　resumed　cheerfully。　　'It　is
better　for　us　to　part　as　we　met；　and　continue　to　be　the　strangers
that　we　have　become　to　each　other。　　I　owe　you　an　apology　for　having
been　betrayed　into　more　feeling　than　I　had　a　right　to　show；　and　let
us　part　friends。　　Good　night；　Mrs。　Petherwin；　and　success　to　you。
We　may　meet　again；　some　day；　I　hope。'

'Good　night；'　she　said；　extending　her　hand。　　He　touched　it；　turned
about；　and　in　a　short　time　nothing　remained　of　him　but　quick　regular
brushings　against　the　heather　in　the　deep　broad　shadow　of　the　moor。

Ethelberta　slowly　moved　on　in　the　direction　that　he　had　pointed　out。
This　meeting　had　surprised　her　in　several　ways。　　First；　there　was
the　conjuncture　itself；　but　more　than　that　was　the　fact　that　he　had
not　parted　from　her　with　any　of　the　tragic　resentment　that　she　had
from　time　to　time　imagined　for　that　scene　if　it　ever　occurred。　　Yet
there　was　really　nothing　wonderful　in　this：　　it　is　part　of　the
generous　nature　of　a　bachelor　to　be　not　indisposed　to　forgive　a
portionless　sweetheart　who；　by　marrying　elsewhere；　has　deprived　him
of　the　bliss　of　being　obliged　to　marry　her　himself。　　Ethelberta
would　have　been　disappointed　quite　had　there　not　been　a　comforting
development　of　exasperation　in　the　middle　part　of　his　talk；　but
after　all　it　formed　a　poor　substitute　for　the　loving　hatred　she　had
expected。

When　she　reached　the　hotel　the　lamp　over　the　door　showed　a　face　a
little　flushed；　but　the　agitation　which　at　first　had　possessed　her
was　gone　to　a　mere　nothing。　　In　the　hall　she　met　a　slender　woman
wearing　a　silk　dress　of　that　peculiar　black　which　in　sunlight
proclaims　itself　to　have　once　seen　better　days　as　a　brown；　and　days
even　better　than　those　as　a　lavender；　green；　or　blue。

'Menlove；'　said　the　lady；　'did　you　notice　if　any　gentleman　observed
and　followed　me　when　I　left　the　hotel　to　go　for　a　walk　this
evening？'

The　lady's…maid；　thus　suddenly　pulled　up　in　a　night　forage　after
lovers；　put　a　hand　to　her　forehead　to　show　that　there　was　no　mistake
about　her　having　begun　to　meditate　on　receiving　orders　to　that
effect；　and　said　at　last；　'You　once　told　me；　ma'am；　if　you
recollect；　that　when　you　were　dressed；　I　was　not　to　go　staring　out
of　the　window　after　you　as　if　you　were　a　doll　I　had　just
manufactured　and　sent　round　for　sale。'

'Yes；　so　I　did。'

'So　I　didn't　see　if　anybody　followed　you　this　evening。'

'Then　did　you　hear　any　gentleman　arrive　here　by　the　late　train　last
night？'

'O　no；　ma'amhow　could　I？'　said　Mrs。　Menlovean　exclamation　which
was　more　apposite　than　her　mistress　suspected；　considering　that　the
speaker；　after　retiring　from　duty；　had　slipped　down　her　dark　skirt
to　reveal　a　light；　puffed；　and　festooned　one；　put　on　a　hat　and
feather；　together　with　several　pennyweights　of　metal　in　the　form　of
rings；　brooches；　and　earringsall　in　a　time　whilst　one　could　count
a　hundredand　enjoyed　half…an…hour　of　prime　courtship　by　an
honourable　young　waiter　of　the　town；　who　had　proved　constant　as　the
magnet　to　the　pole　for　the　space　of　the　day　and　a　half　that　she　had
known　him。

Going　at　once　upstairs；　Ethelberta　ran　down　the　passage；　and　after
some　hesitation　softly　opened　the　door　of　the　sitting…room　in　the
best　suite　of　apartments　that　the　inn　could　boast　of。

In　this　room　sat　an　elderly　lady　writing　by　the　light　of　two　candles
with　green　shades。　　Well　knowing；　as　it　seemed；　who　the　intruder
was；　she　continued　her　occupation；　and　her　visitor　advanced　and
stood　beside　the　table。　　The　old　lady　wore　her　spectacles　low　down
her　cheek；　her　glance　being　depressed　to　about　the　slope　of　her
straight　white　nose　in　order　to　look　through　them。　　Her　mouth　was
pursed　up　to　almost　a　youthful　shape　as　she　formed　the　letters　with
her　pen；　and　a　slight　move　of　the　lip　accompanied　every　downstroke。
There　were　two　large　antique　rings　on　her　forefinger；　against　which
the　quill　rubbed　in　moving　backwards　and　forwards；　thereby　causing　a
secondary　noise　rivalling　the　primary　one　of　the　nib　upon　the　paper。

'Mamma；'　said　the　younger　lady；　'here　I　am　at　last。'

A　writer's　mind　in　the　midst　of　a　sentence　being　like　a　ship　at　sea；
knowing　no　rest　or　comfort　till　safely　piloted　into　the　harbour　of　a
full　stop；　Lady　Petherwin　just　replied　with　'What；'　in　an　occupied
tone；　not　rising　to　interrogation。　　After　signing　her　name　to　the
letter；　she　raised　her　eyes。

'Why；　how　late　you　are；　Ethelberta；　and　how　heated　you　look！'　she
said。　　'I　have　been　quite　alarmed　about　you。　　What　do　you　say　has
happened？'

The　great；　chief；　and　altogether　eclipsing　thing　that　had　happened
was　the　accidental　meeting　with　an　old　lover　whom　she　had　once
quarrelled　with；　and　Ethelberta's　honesty　would　have　delivered　the
tidings　at　once；　had　not；　unfortunately；　all　the　rest　of　her
attributes　been　dead　against　that　act；　for　the　old　lady's　sake　even
more　than　for　her　own。

'I　saw　a　great　cruel　bird　chasing　a　harmless　duck！'　she　exclaimed
innocently。　　'And　I　ran　after　to　see　what　the　end　of　it　would　be
much　further　than　I　had　any　idea　of　going。　　However；　the　duck　came
to　a　pond；　and　in　running　round　it　to　see　the　end　of　the　fight；　I
could　not　remember　which　way　I　had　come。'

'Mercy！'　said　her　mother…in…law；　lifting　her　large　eyelids；　heavy　as
window…shutters；　and　spreading　out　her　fingers　like　the　horns　of　a
snail。　　'You　might　have　sunk　up　to　your　knees　and　got　lost　in　that
swampy　placesuch　a　time　of　night；　too。　　What　a　tomboy　you　are！
And　how　did　you　find　your　way　home　after　all！'

'O；　some　man　showed　me　the　way；　and　then　I　had　no　difficulty；　and
after　that　I　came　along　leisurely。'

'I　thought　you　had　been　running　all　the　way；　you　look　so　warm。'

'It　is　a　warm　evening。　。　。　。　　Yes；　and　I　have　been　thinking　of　old
times　as　I　walked　along；'　she　said；　'and　how　people's　positions　in
life　alter。　　Have　I　not　heard　you　say　that　while　I　was　at　Bonn；　at
school；　some　family　that　we　had　known　had　their　household　broken　up
when　the　father　died；　and　that　the　children　went　away　you　didn't
know　where？'

'Do　you　mean　the　Julians？'

'Yes；　that　was　the　name。'

'Why；　of　course　you　know　it　was　the　Julians。　　Young　Julian　had　a　day
or　two's　fancy　for　you　one　summer；　had　he　not？just　after　you　came
to　us；　at　the　same　time；　or　just　before　it；　that　my　poor　boy　and　you
were　so　desperately　attached　to　each　other。'

'O　yes；　I　recollect；'　said　Ethelberta。　　'And　he　had　a　sister；　I
think。　　I　wonder　where　they　went　to　live　after　the　family　collapse。'

'I　do　not　know；'　said　Lady　Petherwin；　taking　up　another　sheet　of
paper。　　'I　have　a　dim　notion　that　the　son；　who　had　been　brought　up
to　no　profession；　became　a　teacher　of　music　in　some　country　town
music　having　always　been　his　hobby。　　But　the　facts　are　not　very
distinct　in　my　memory。'　　And　she　dipped　her　pen　for　another　letter。

Ethelberta；　with　a　rather　fallen　countenance；　then　left　her　mother…
in…law；　and　went　where　all　ladies　are　supposed　to　go　when　they　want
to　torment　their　minds　in　comfortto　her　own　room。　　Here　she
thoughtfully　sat　down　awhile；　and　some　time　later　she　rang　for　her
maid。

'Menlove；'　she　said；　without　looking　towards　a　rustle　and　half　a
footstep　that　had　just　come　in　at　the　door；　but　leaning　back　in　her
chair　and　speaking　towards　the　corner　of　the　looking…glass；　'will
you　go　down　and　find　out　if　any　gentleman　named　Julian　has　been
staying　in　this　house？　　Get　to　know　it；　I　mean；　Menlove；　not　by
directly　inquiring；　you　have　ways　of　getting　to　know　things；　have
you　not？　　If　the　devoted　George　were　here　now；　he　would　help'

'George　was　nothing　to　me；　ma'am。'

'James；　then。'

'And　I　only　had　James　for　a　week　or　ten　days：　　when　I　found　he　was　a
married　man；　I　encouraged　his　addresses　very　little　indeed。'

'If　you　had　encouraged　him　heart　and　soul；　you　couldn't　have　fumed
more　at　the　loss　of　him。　　But　please　to　go　and　make　that　inquiry；
will　you；　Menlove？'

In　a　few　minutes　Ethelberta's　woman　was　back　again。　　'A　gentleman　of
that　name　stayed　here　last　night；　and　left　this　afternoon。'

'Will　you　find　out　his　address？'

Now　the　lady's…maid　had　already　been　quick…witted　enough　to　find　out
that；　and　indeed　all　about　him；　but　it　chanced　that　a　fashionable
illustrated　weekly　paper　had　just　been　sent　from　the　bookseller's；
and　being　in　want　of　a　little　time　to　look　it　over　before　it　reached
her　mistress's　hands；　Mrs。　Menlove　retired；　as　if　to　go　and　ask　the
questionto　stand　meanwhile　under　the　gas…lamp　in　the　passage；
inspecting　the　fascinating　engravings。　　But　as　time　will　not　wait
for　tire…women；　a　natural　length　of　absence　soon　elapsed；　and　she
returned　again　and　said；

'His　address　is；　Upper　Street；　Sandbourne。'

'Thank　you；　that　will　do；'　replied　her　mistress。

The　hour　grew　later；　and　that　dreamy　period　came　round　when　ladies'
fancies；　that　have　lain　shut　up　close　as　their　fans　during　the　day；
begin　to　assert　themselves　anew。　　At　this　time　a　good　guess　at
Ethelberta's　thoughts　might　have　been　made　from　her　manner　of
passing　the　minutes　away。　　Instead　of　reading；　entering　notes　in　her
diary；　or　doing　any　ordinary　thing；　she　walked　to　and　fro；　curled
her　pretty　nether　lip　within　her　pretty　upper　one　a　great　many
times；　made　a　cradle　of　her　locked　fingers；　and　paused　with　fixed
eyes　where　the　walls　of　the　room　set　limits　upon　her　walk　to　look　at
nothing　but　a　picture　within　her　mind。



2。　CHRISTOPHER'S　HOUSE　…　SANDBOURNE　TOWN　…　SANDBOURNE　MOOR

During　the　wet　autumn　of　the　same　year；　the　postman　passed　one
morning　as　usual　into　a　plain　street　that　ran　through　the　less
fashionable　portion　of　Sandbourne；　a　modern　coast　town　and　watering…
place　not　many　miles　from　the　ancient　Anglebury。　　He　knocked　at　the
door　of　a　flat…faced　brick　house；　and　it　was　opened　by　a　slight；
thoughtful　young　man；　with　his　hat　on；　just　then　coming　out。　　The
postman　put　into　his　hands　a　book　packet；　addressed；　'Christopher
Julian；　Esq。'

Christopher　took　the　package　upstairs；　opened　it　with　curiosity；　and
discovered　within　a　green　volume　of　poems；　by　an　anonymous　writer；
the　title…page　bearing　the　inscription；　'Metres　by　E。'　　The　book　was
new；　though　it　was　cut；　and　it　appeared　to　have　been　looked　into。
The　young　man；　after　turning　it　over　and　wondering　where　it　came
from；　laid　it　on　the　table　and　went　his　way；　being　in　haste　to
fulfil　his　engagements　for　the　day。

In　the　evening；　on　returning　home　from　his　occupations；　he　sat
himself　down　cosily　to　read　the　newly…arrived　volume。　　The　winds　of
this　uncertain　season　were　snarling　in　the　chimneys；　and　drops　of
rain　spat　themselves　into　the　fire；　revealing　plainly　that　the　young
man's　room　was　not　far　enough　from　the　top　of　the　house　to　admit　of
a　twist　in　the　flue；　and　revealing　darkly　a　little　more；　if　that
social　rule…of…three　inverse；　the　higher　in　lodgings　the　lower　in
pocket；　were　applicable　here。　　However；　the　aspect　of　the　room；
though　homely；　was　cheerful；　a　somewhat　contradictory　group　of
furniture　suggesting　that　the　collection　consisted　of　waifs　and
strays　from　a　former　home；　the　grimy　faces　of　the