the hand of ethelberta-第39章

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Picotee。　　In　the　ripple　of　conversation　Ethelberta's　clear　voice
could　occasionally　be　heard；　and　her　young　sister　could　see　that　her
eyes　were　bright；　and　her　face　beaming；　as　if　divers　social　wants
and　looming　penuriousness　had　never　been　within　her　experience。　　Mr。
Doncastle　was　quite　absorbed　in　what　she　was　saying。　　So　was　the
queer　old　man　whom　Menlove　had　called　Lord　Mountclere。

'The　dashing　widow　looks　very　well；　does　she　not？'　said　a　person　at
Picotee's　elbow。

It　was　her　conductor　Menlove；　now　returned　again；　whom　Picotee　had
quite　forgotten。

'She　will　do　some　damage　here　to…night　you　will　find；'　continued
Menlove。　　'How　long　have　you　been　with　her？'

'O；　a　long　timeI　mean　rather　a　short　time；'　stammered　Picotee。

'I　know　her　well　enough。　　I　was　her　maid　once；　or　rather　her　mother…
in…law's；　but　that　was　long　before　you　knew　her。　　I　did　not　by　any
means　find　her　so　lovable　as　you　seem　to　think　her　when　I　had　to　do
with　her　at　close　quarters。　　An　awful　flirtawful。　　Don't　you　find
her　so？'

'I　don't　know。'

'If　you　don't　yet　you　will　know。　　But　come　down　from　your　perchthe
dining…room　door　will　not　be　open　again　for　some　timeand　I　will
show　you　about　the　rooms　upstairs。　　This　is　a　larger　house　than　Mrs。
Petherwin's；　as　you　see。　　Just　come　and　look　at　the　drawing…rooms。'

Wishing　much　to　get　rid　of　Menlove；　yet　fearing　to　offend　her；
Picotee　followed　upstairs。　　Dinner　was　almost　over　by　this　time；　and
when　they　entered　the　front　drawing…room　a　young　man…servant　and
maid　were　there　rekindling　the　lights。

'Now　let's　have　a　game　of　cat…and…mice；'　said　the　maid…servant
cheerily。　　'There's　plenty　of　time　before　they　come　up。'

'Agreed；'　said　Menlove　promptly。　　'You　will　play；　will　you　not；　Miss
Chickerel？'

'No；　indeed；'　said　Picotee；　aghast。

'Never　mind；　then；　you　look　on。'

Away　then　ran　the　housemaid　and　Menlove；　and　the　young　footman
started　at　their　heels。　　Round　the　room；　over　the　furniture；　under
the　furniture；　through　the　furniture；　out　of　one　window；　along　the
balcony；　in　at　another　window；　again　round　the　roomso　they　glided
with　the　swiftness　of　swallows　and　the　noiselessness　of　ghosts。

Then　the　housemaid　drew　a　jew's…harp　from　her　pocket；　and　struck　up
a　lively　waltz　sotto　voce。　　The　footman　seized　Menlove；　who　appeared
nothing　loth；　and　began　spinning　gently　round　the　room　with　her；　to
the　time　of　the　fascinating　measure

　　　　　'Which　fashion　hails；　from　countesses　to　queens；
　　　　　　And　maids　and　valets　dance　behind　the　scenes。'

Picotee；　who　had　been　accustomed　to　unceiled　country　cottages　all
her　life；　wherein　the　scamper　of　a　mouse　is　heard　distinctly　from
floor　to　floor；　exclaimed　in　a　terrified　whisper；　at　viewing　all
this；　'They'll　hear　you　underneath；　they'll　hear　you；　and　we　shall
all　be　ruined！'

'Not　at　all；'　came　from　the　cautious　dancers。　　'These　are　some　of
the　best　built　houses　in　Londondouble　floors；　filled　in　with
material　that　will　deaden　any　row　you　like　to　make；　and　we　make
none。　　But　come　and　have　a　turn　yourself；　Miss　Chickerel。'

The　young　man　relinquished　Menlove；　and　on　the　spur　of　the　moment
seized　Picotee。　　Picotee　flounced　away　from　him　in　indignation；
backing　into　a　corner　with　ruffled　feathers；　like　a　pullet　trying　to
appear　a　hen。

'How　dare　you　touch　me！'　she　said；　with　rounded　eyes。　　'I'll　tell
somebody　downstairs　of　you；　who'll　soon　see　about　it！'

'What　a　baby；　she'll　tell　her　father。'

'No　I　shan't；　somebody　you　are　all　afraid　of；　that's　who　I'll　tell。'

'Nonsense；'　said　Menlove；　'he　meant　no　harm。'

Playtime　was　now　getting　short；　and　further　antics　being　dangerous
on　that　account；　the　performers　retired　again　downstairs；　Picotee　of
necessity　following。　　Her　nerves　were　screwed　up　to　the　highest
pitch　of　uneasiness　by　the　grotesque　habits　of　these　men　and　maids；
who　were　quite　unlike　the　country　servants　she　had　known；　and
resembled　nothing　so　much　as　pixies；　elves；　or　gnomes；　peeping　up
upon　human　beings　from　their　shady　haunts　underground；　sometimes　for
good；　sometimes　for　illsometimes　doing　heavy　work；　sometimes　none；
teasing　and　worrying　with　impish　laughter　half　suppressed；　and
vanishing　directly　mortal　eyes　were　bent　on　them。　　Separate　and
distinct　from　overt　existence　under　the　sun；　this　life　could　hardly
be　without　its　distinctive　pleasures；　all　of　them　being　more　or　less
pervaded　by　thrills　and　titillations　from　games　of　hazard；　and　the
perpetual　risk　of　sensational　surprises。

Long　before　this　time　Picotee　had　begun　to　be　anxious　to　get　home
again；　but　Menlove　seemed　particularly　to　desire　her　company；　and
pressed　her　to　sit　awhile；　telling　her　young　friend；　by　way　of
entertainment；　of　various　extraordinary　love　adventures　in　which　she
had　figured　as　heroine　when　travelling　on　the　Continent。　　These
stories　had　one　and　all　a　remarkable　likeness　in　a　certain　point
Menlove　was　always　unwilling　to　love　the　adorer；　and　the　adorer　was
always　unwilling　to　live　afterwards　on　account　of　it。

'Ha…ha…ha！'　in　men's　voices　was　heard　from　the　distant　dining…room
as　the　two　women　went　on　talking。

'And　then；'　continued　Menlove；　'there　was　that　duel　I　was　the　cause
of　between　the　courier　and　the　French　valet。　　Dear　me；　what　a
trouble　that　was；　yet　I　could　do　nothing　to　prevent　it。　　This
courier　was　a　very　handsome　manthey　are　handsome　sometimes。'

'Yes；　they　are。　　My　aunt　married　one。'

'Did　she？　　Where　do　they　live？'

'They　keep　an　hotel　at　Rouen；'　murmured　Picotee；　in　doubt　whether
this　should　have　been　told　or　not。

'Well；　he　used　to　follow　me　to　the　English　Church　every　Sunday
regularly；　and　I　was　so　determined　not　to　give　my　hand　where　my
heart　could　never　be；　that　I　slipped　out　at　the　other　door　while　he
stood　expecting　me　by　the　one　I　entered。　　Here　I　met　M。　Pierre；
when；　as　ill　luck　would　have　it；　the　other　came　round　the　corner；
and　seeing　me　talking　to　the　valet；　he　challenged　him　at　once。'

'Ha…ha…ha！'　was　heard　again　afar。

'Did　they　fight？'　said　Picotee。

'Yes；　I　believe　they　did。　　We　left　Nice　the　next　day；　but　I　heard
some　time　after　of　a　duel　not　many　miles　off；　and　although　I　could
not　get　hold　of　the　names；　I　make　no　doubt　it　was　between　those　two
gentlemen。　　I　never　knew　which　of　them　fell；　poor　fellow；　whichever
it　was。'

'Ha…ha…ha…ha…ha…ha！'　came　from　the　dining…room。

'Whatever　are　those　boozy　men　laughing　at；　I　wonder？'　said　Menlove。
'They　are　always　so　noisy　when　the　ladies　have　gone　upstairs。　　Upon
my　soul；　I'll　run　up　and　find　out。'

'No；　no；　don't；'　entreated　Picotee；　putting　her　hand　on　her
entertainer's　arm。　　'It　seems　wrong；　it　is　no　concern　of　ours。'

'Wrong　be　hangedanything　on　an　impulse；'　said　Mrs。　Menlove；
skipping　across　the　room　and　out　of　the　door；　which　stood　open；　as
did　others　in　the　house；　the　evening　being　sultry　and　oppressive。

Picotee　waited　in　her　seat　until　it　occurred　to　her　that　she　could
escape　the　lady's…maid　by　going　off　into　her　father's　pantry　in　her
absence。　　But　before　this　had　been　put　into　effect　Menlove　appeared
again。

'Such　fun　as　they　are　having　up　there；'　she　said。　　'Somebody　asked
Mr。　Neigh　to　tell　a　story　which　he　had　told　at　some　previous　time；
but　he　was　very　reluctant　to　do　so；　and　pretended　he　could　not
recollect　it。　　Well；　then；　the　other　manI　could　not　distinguish
him　by　his　voicebegan　telling　it；　to　prompt　Mr。　Neigh's　memory；
and；　as　far　as　I　could　understand；　it　was　about　some　lady　who
thought　Mr。　Neigh　was　in　love　with　her；　and；　to　find　whether　he　was
worth　accepting　or　not；　she　went　with　her　maid　at　night　to　see　his
estate；　and　wandered　about　and　got　lost；　and　was　frightened；　and　I
don't　know　what　besides。　　Then　Mr。　Neigh　laughed　too；　and　said　he
liked　such　common　sense　in　a　woman。　　No　names　were　mentioned；　but　I
fancy；　from　the　awkwardness　of　Mr。　Neigh　at　being　compelled　to　tell
it；　that　the　lady　is　one　of　those　in　the　drawing…room。　　I　should
like　to　know　which　it　was。'

'I　knowhave　heard　something　about　it；'　said　Picotee；　blushing　with
anger。　　'It　was　nothing　at　all　like　that。　　I　wonder　Mr。　Neigh　had
the　audacity　ever　to　talk　of　the　matter；　and　to　misrepresent　it　so
greatly！'

'Tell　all　about　it；　do；'　said　Menlove。

'O　no；'　said　Picotee。　　'I　promised　not　to　say　a　word。'

'It　is　your　mistress；　I　expect。'

'You　may　think　what　you　like；　but　the　lady　is　anything　but　a
mistress　of　mine。'

The　flighty　Menlove　pressed　her　to　tell　the　whole　story；　but　finding
this　useless　the　subject　was　changed。　　Presently　her　father　came　in；
and；　taking　no　notice　of　Menlove；　told　his　daughter　that　she　had
been　called　for。　　Picotee　very　readily　put　on　her　things；　and　on
going　outside　found　Joey　awaiting　her。　　Mr。　Chickerel　followed
closely；　with　sharp　glances　from　the　corner　of　his　eye；　and　it　was
plain　from　Joey's　nervous　manner　of　lingering　in　the　shadows　of　the
area　doorway　instead　of　entering　the　house；　that　the　butler　had　in
some　way　set　himself　to　prevent　all　communion　between　the　fair
lady's…maid　and　his　son　for　that　evening　at　least。

He　watched　Picotee　and　her　brother　off　the　premises；　and　the　pair
went　on　their　way　towards　Exonbury　Crescent；　very　few　words　passing
between　them。　　Picotee's　thoughts　had　turned　to　the　proposed　visit
to　Knollsea；　and　Joey　was　sulky　under　disappointment　and　the　blank
of　thwarted　purposes。



30。　ON　THE　HOUSETOP

'Picotee；　are　you　asleep？'　Ethelberta　whispered　softly　at　dawn　the
next　morning；　by　the　half…opened　door　of　her　sister's　bedroom。

'No；　I　keep　waking；　it　is　so　warm。'

'So　do　I。　　Suppose　we　get　up　and　see　the　sun　rise。　　The　east　is
filling　with　flame。'

'Yes；　I　should　like　it；'　said　Picotee。

The　restlessness　which　had　brought　Ethelberta　hither　in　slippers　and
dressing…gown　at　such　an　early　hour　owed　its　origin　to　another　cause
than　the　warmth　of　the　weather；　but　of　that　she　did　not　speak　as
yet。　　Picotee's　room　was　an　attic；　with　windows　in　the　roofa
chamber　dismal　enough　at　all　times；　and　very　shadowy　now。　　While
Picotee　was　wrapping　up；　Ethelberta　placed　a　chair　under　the　window；
and　mounting　upon　this　they　stepped　outside；　and　seated　themselves
within　the　parapet。

The　air　was　as　clear　and　fresh　as　on　a　mountain　side；　sparrows
chattered；　and　birds　of　a　species　unsuspected　at　later　hours　could
be　heard　singing　in　the　park　hard　by；　while　here　and　there　on　ridges
and　flats　a　cat　might　be　seen　going　calmly　home　from　the　devilries
of　the　night　to　resume　the　amiabilities　of　the　day。

'I　am　so　sorry　I　was　asleep　when　you　reached　home；'　said　Picotee。
'I　was　so　anxious　to　tell　you　something　I　heard　of；　and　to　know　what
you　did；　but　my　eyes　would　shut；　try　as　I　might；　and　then　I　tried　no
longer。　　Did　you　see　me　at　all；　Berta？'

'Never　once。　　I　had　an　impression　that　you　were　there。　　I　fancied
you　were　from　father's　carefully　vacuous　look　whenever　I　glanced　at
his　face。　　But　were　you　careful　about　what　you　said；　and　did　you　see
Menlove？　　I　felt　all　the　time　that　I　had　done　wrong　in　letting　you
come；　the　gratification　to　you　was　not　worth　the　risk　to　me。'

'I　saw　her；　and　talked　to　her。　　But　I　am　certain　she　suspected
nothing。　　I　enjoyed　myself　very　much；　and　there　was　no　risk　at　all。'

'I　am　glad　it　is　no　worse　news。　　However；　you　must　not　go　there
again：　　upon　th