the hand of ethelberta-第5章

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pupils　there　were　two　who　lived　at　some　distance　from　Sandbourne
one　of　them　in　the　direction　indicated　as　that　habitually　taken　by
the　young　person；　and　in　the　afternoon；　as　he　returned　homeward；
Christopher　loitered　and　looked　around。　　At　first　he　could　see
nobody；　but　when　about　a　mile　from　the　outskirts　of　the　town　he
discerned　a　light　spot　ahead　of　him；　which　actually　turned　out　to　be
the　jacket　alluded　to。　　In　due　time　he　met　the　wearer　face　to　face；
she　was　not　Ethelberta　Petherwinquite　a　different　sort　of
individual。　　He　had　long　made　up　his　mind　that　this　would　be　the
case；　yet　he　was　in　some　indescribable　way　disappointed。

Of　the　two　classes　into　which　gentle　young　women　naturally　divide；
those　who　grow　red　at　their　weddings；　and　those　who　grow　pale；　the
present　one　belonged　to　the　former　class。　　She　was　an　April…natured；
pink…cheeked　girl；　with　eyes　that　would　have　made　any　jeweller　in
England　think　of　his　tradeone　who　evidently　took　her　day　in　the
daytime；　frequently　caught　the　early　worm；　and　had　little　to　do　with
yawns　or　candlelight。　　She　came　and　passed　him；　he　fancied　that　her
countenance　changed。　　But　one　may　fancy　anything；　and　the　pair
receded　each　from　each　without　turning　their　heads。　　He　could　not
speak　to　her；　plain　and　simple　as　she　seemed。

It　is　rarely　that　a　man　who　can　be　entered　and　made　to　throb　by　the
channel　of　his　ears　is　not　open　to　a　similar　attack　through　the
channel　of　his　eyesfor　many　doors　will　admit　to　one　mansion
allowance　being　made　for　the　readier　capacity　of　chosen　and
practised　organs。　　Hence　the　beauties；　concords；　and　eloquences　of
the　female　form　were　never　without　their　effect　upon　Christopher；　a
born　musician；　artist；　poet；　seer；　mouthpiecewhichever　a
translator　of　Nature's　oracles　into　simple　speech　may　be　called。
The　young　girl　who　had　gone　by　was　fresh　and　pleasant；　moreover；　she
was　a　sort　of　mysterious　link　between　himself　and　the　past；　which
these　things　were　vividly　reviving　in　him。

The　following　week　Christopher　met　her　again。　　She　had　not　much
dignity；　he　had　not　much　reserve；　and　the　sudden　resolution　to　have
a　holiday　which　sometimes　impels　a　plump　heart　to　rise　up　against　a
brain　that　overweights　it　was　not　to　be　resisted。　　He　just　lifted
his　hat；　and　put　the　only　question　he　could　think　of　as　a　beginning：
'Have　I　the　pleasure　of　addressing　the　author　of　a　book　of　very
melodious　poems　that　was　sent　me　the　other　day？'

The　girl's　forefinger　twirled　rapidly　the　loop　of　braid　that　it　had
previously　been　twirling　slowly；　and　drawing　in　her　breath；　she
said；　'No；　sir。'

'The　sender；　then？'

'Yes。'

She　somehow　presented　herself　as　so　insignificant　by　the　combined
effect　of　the　manner　and　the　words　that　Christopher　lowered　his
method　of　address　to　her　level　at　once。　　'Ah；'　he　said；　'such　an
atmosphere　as　the　writer　of　〃Metres　by　E。〃　seems　to　breathe　would
soon　spoil　cheeks　that　are　fresh　and　round　as　lady…appleseh；
little　girl？　　But　are　you　disposed　to　tell　me　that　writer's　name？'

By　applying　a　general　idea　to　a　particular　case　a　person　with　the
best　of　intentions　may　find　himself　immediately　landed　in　a
quandary。　　In　saying　to　the　country　girl　before　him　what　would　have
suited　the　mass　of　country　lasses　well　enough；　Christopher　had
offended　her　beyond　the　cure　of　compliment。

'I　am　not　disposed　to　tell　the　writer's　name；'　she　replied；　with　a
dudgeon　that　was　very　great　for　one　whose　whole　stock　of　it　was　a
trifle。　　And　she　passed　on　and　left　him　standing　alone。

Thus　further　conversation　was　checked；　but；　through　having
rearranged　the　hours　of　his　country　lessons；　Christopher　met　her　the
next　Wednesday；　and　the　next　Friday；　and　throughout　the　following
weekno　further　words　passing　between　them。　　For　a　while　she　went
by　very　demurely；　apparently　mindful　of　his　offence。　　But　effrontery
is　not　proved　to　be　part　of　a　man's　nature　till　he　has　been　guilty
of　a　second　act：　　the　best　of　men　may　commit　a　first　through
accident　or　ignorancemay　even　be　betrayed　into　it　by　over…zeal　for
experiment。　　Some　such　conclusion　may　or　may　not　have　been　arrived
at　by　the　girl　with　the　lady…apple　cheeks；　at　any　rate；　after　the
lapse　of　another　week　a　new　spectacle　presented　itself；　her　redness
deepened　whenever　Christopher　passed　her　by；　and　embarrassment
pervaded　her　from　the　lowest　stitch　to　the　tip　of　her　feather。　　She
had　little　chance　of　escaping　him　by　diverging　from　the　road；　for　a
figure　could　be　seen　across　the　open　ground　to　the　distance　of　half
a　mile　on　either　side。　　One　day　as　he　drew　near　as　usual；　she　met
him　as　women　meet　a　cloud　of　dustshe　turned　and　looked　backwards
till　he　had　passed。

This　would　have　been　disconcerting　but　for　one　reason：　　Christopher
was　ceasing　to　notice　her。　　He　was　a　man　who　often；　when　walking
abroad；　and　looking　as　it　were　at　the　scene　before　his　eyes；
discerned　successes　and　failures；　friends　and　relations；　episodes　of
childhood；　wedding　feasts　and　funerals；　the　landscape　suffering
greatly　by　these　visions；　until　it　became　no　more　than　the　patterned
wall…tints　about　the　paintings　in　a　gallery；　something　necessary　to
the　tone；　yet　not　regarded。　　Nothing　but　a　special　concentration　of
himself　on　externals　could　interrupt　this　habit；　and　now　that　her
appearance　along　the　way　had　changed　from　a　chance　to　a　custom　he
began　to　lapse　again　into　the　old　trick。　　He　gazed　once　or　twice　at
her　form　without　seeing　it：　　he　did　not　notice　that　she　trembled。

He　sometimes　read　as　he　walked；　and　book　in　hand　he　frequently
approached　her　now。　　This　went　on　till　six　weeks　had　passed　from　the
time　of　their　first　encounter。　　Latterly　might　have　been　once　or
twice　heard；　when　he　had　moved　out　of　earshot；　a　sound　like　a　small
gasping　sigh；　but　no　arrangements　were　disturbed；　and　Christopher
continued　to　keep　down　his　eyes　as　persistently　as　a　saint　in　a
church　window。

The　last　day　of　his　engagement　had　arrived；　and　with　it　the　last　of
his　walks　that　way。　　On　his　final　return　he　carried　in　his　hand　a
bunch　of　flowers　which　had　been　presented　to　him　at　the　country…
house　where　his　lessons　were　given。　　He　was　taking　them　home　to　his
sister　Faith；　who　prized　the　lingering　blossoms　of　the　seeding
season。　　Soon　appeared　as　usual　his　fellow…traveller；　whereupon
Christopher　looked　down　upon　his　nosegay。　　'Sweet　simple　girl；'　he
thought；　'I'll　endeavour　to　make　peace　with　her　by　means　of　these
flowers　before　we　part　for　good。'

When　she　came　up　he　held　them　out　to　her　and　said；　'Will　you　allow
me　to　present　you　with　these？'

The　bright　colours　of　the　nosegay　instantly　attracted　the　girl's
handperhaps　before　there　had　been　time　for　thought　to　thoroughly
construe　the　position；　for　it　happened　that　when　her　arm　was
stretched　into　the　air　she　steadied　it　quickly；　and　stood　with　the
pose　of　a　statuerigid　with　uncertainty。　　But　it　was　too　late　to
refuse：　　Christopher　had　put　the　nosegay　within　her　fingers。
Whatever　pleasant　expression　of　thanks　may　have　appeared　in　her　eyes
fell　only　on　the　bunch　of　flowers；　for　during　the　whole　transaction
they　reached　to　no　higher　level　than　that。　　To　say　that　he　was
coming　no　more　seemed　scarcely　necessary　under　the　circumstances；
and　wishing　her　'Good　afternoon'　very　heartily；　he　passed　on。

He　had　learnt　by　this　time　her　occupation；　which　was　that　of　pupil…
teacher　at　one　of　the　schools　in　the　town；　whither　she　walked　daily
from　a　village　near。　　If　he　had　not　been　poor　and　the　little　teacher
humble；　Christopher　might　possibly　have　been　tempted　to　inquire　more
briskly　about　her；　and　who　knows　how　such　a　pursuit　might　have
ended？　　But　hard　externals　rule　volatile　sentiment；　and　under　these
untoward　influences　the　girl　and　the　book　and　the　truth　about　its
author　were　matters　upon　which　he　could　not　afford　to　expend　much
time。　　All　Christopher　did　was　to　think　now　and　then　of　the　pretty
innocent　face　and　round　deep　eyes；　not　once　wondering　if　the　mind
which　enlivened　them　ever　thought　of　him。



3。　SANDBOURNE　MOOR　（continued）

It　was　one　of　those　hostile　days　of　the　year　when　chatterbox　ladies
remain　miserably　in　their　homes　to　save　the　carriage　and　harness；
when　clerks'　wives　hate　living　in　lodgings；　when　vehicles　and　people
appear　in　the　street　with　duplicates　of　themselves　underfoot；　when
bricklayers；　slaters；　and　other　out…door　journeymen　sit　in　a　shed
and　drink　beer；　when　ducks　and　drakes　play　with　hilarious　delight　at
their　own　family　game；　or　spread　out　one　wing　after　another　in　the
slower　enjoyment　of　letting　the　delicious　moisture　penetrate　to
their　innermost　down。　　The　smoke　from　the　flues　of　Sandbourne　had
barely　strength　enough　to　emerge　into　the　drizzling　rain；　and　hung
down　the　sides　of　each　chimney…pot　like　the　streamer　of　a　becalmed
ship；　and　a　troop　of　rats　might　have　rattled　down　the　pipes　from
roof　to　basement　with　less　noise　than　did　the　water　that　day。

On　the　broad　moor　beyond　the　town；　where　Christopher's　meetings　with
the　teacher　had　so　regularly　occurred；　were　a　stream　and　some　large
pools；　and　beside　one　of　these；　near　some　hatches　and　a　weir；　stood
a　little　square　building；　not　much　larger　inside　than　the　Lord
Mayor's　coach。　　It　was　known　simply　as　'The　Weir　House。'　　On　this
wet　afternoon；　which　was　the　one　following　the　day　of　Christopher's
last　lesson　over　the　plain；　a　nearly　invisible　smoke　came　from　the
puny　chimney　of　the　hut。　　Though　the　door　was　closed；　sounds　of
chatting　and　mirth　fizzed　from　the　interior；　and　would　have　told
anybody　who　had　come　nearwhich　nobody　didthat　the　usually　empty
shell　was　tenanted　to…day。

The　scene　within　was　a　large　fire　in　a　fireplace　to　which　the　whole
floor　of　the　house　was　no　more　than　a　hearthstone。　　The　occupants
were　two　gentlemanly　persons；　in　shooting　costume；　who　had　been
traversing　the　moor　for　miles　in　search　of　wild　duck　and　teal；　a
waterman；　and　a　small　spaniel。　　In　the　corner　stood　their　guns；　and
two　or　three　wild　mallards；　which　represented　the　scanty　product　of
their　morning's　labour；　the　iridescent　necks　of　the　dead　birds
replying　to　every　flicker　of　the　fire。　　The　two　sportsmen　were
smoking；　and　their　man　was　mostly　occupying　himself　in　poking　and
stirring　the　fire　with　a　stick：　　all　three　appeared　to　be　pretty
well　wetted。

One　of　the　gentlemen；　by　way　of　varying　the　not　very　exhilarating
study　of　four　brick　walls　within　microscopic　distance　of　his　eye；
turned　to　a　small　square　hole　which　admitted　light　and　air　to　the
hut；　and　looked　out　upon　the　dreary　prospect　before　him。　　The　wide
concave　of　cloud；　of　the　monotonous　hue　of　dull　pewter；　formed　an
unbroken　hood　over　the　level　from　horizon　to　horizon；　beneath　it；
reflecting　its　wan　lustre；　was　the　glazed　high…road　which　stretched；
hedgeless　and　ditchless；　past　a　directing…post　where　another　road
joined　it；　and　on　to　the　less　regular　ground　beyond；　lying　like　a
riband　unrolled　across　the　scene；　till　it　vanished　over　the
furthermost　undulation。　　Beside　the　pools　were　occasional　tall
sheaves　of　flags　and　sedge；　and　about　the　plain　a　few　bushes；　these
forming　the　only　obstructions　to　a　view　otherwise　unbroken。

The　sportsman's　attention　was　attracted　by　a　figure　in　a　state　of
gradual　enlargement　as　it　approached　along　the　road。

'I　shoul