the hand of ethelberta-第53章

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manifest。　　And　although　tropical　travellers；　Indian　officers　and
their　wives；　courteous　exiles；　and　descendants　of　Irish　kings；　were
infinitely　more　pleasant　than　Lord　Mountclere's　landed　neighbours
would　probably　have　been；　to　such　a　cosmopolite　as　Ethelberta　a　calm
Tory　or　old　Whig　company　would　have　given　a　greater　treat。　　They
would　have　struck　as　gratefully　upon　her　senses　as　sylvan　scenery
after　crags　and　cliffs；　or　silence　after　the　roar　of　a　cataract。

It　was　evening；　and　all　these　personages　at　Enckworth　Court　were
merry；　snug；　and　warm　within　its　walls。　　Dinner…time　had　passed；　and
everything　had　gone　on　well；　when　Mrs。　Tara　O'Fanagan；　who　had　a
gold…clamped　tooth；　which　shone　every　now　and　then；　asked　Ethelberta
if　she　would　amuse　them　by　telling　a　story；　since　nobody　present；
except　Lord　Mountclere；　had　ever　heard　one　from　her　lips。

Seeing　that　Ethelberta　had　been　working　at　that　art　as　a　profession；
it　can　hardly　be　said　that　the　question　was　conceived　with　tact；
though　it　was　put　with　grace。　　Lord　Mountclere　evidently　thought　it
objectionable；　for　he　looked　unhappy。　　To　only　one　person　in　the
brilliant　room　did　the　request　appear　as　a　timely　accident；　and　that
was　to　Ethelberta　herself。　　Her　honesty　was　always　making　war　upon
her　manoeuvres；　and　shattering　their　delicate　meshes；　to　her　great
inconvenience　and　delay。　　Thus　there　arose　those　devious　impulses
and　tangential　flights　which　spoil　the　works　of　every　would…be
schemer　who　instead　of　being　wholly　machine　is　half　heart。　　One　of
these　now　was　to　show　herself　as　she　really　was；　not　only　to　Lord
Mountclere；　but　to　his　friends　assembled；　whom；　in　her　ignorance；
she　respected　more　than　they　deserved；　and　so　get　rid　of　that　self…
reproach　which　had　by　this　time　reached　a　morbid　pitch；　through　her
over…sensitiveness　to　a　situation　in　which　a　large　majority　of　women
and　men　would　have　seen　no　falseness。

Full　of　this　curious　intention；　she　quietly　assented　to　the　request；
and　laughingly　bade　them　put　themselves　in　listening　order。

'An　old　story　will　suit　us；'　said　the　lady　who　had　importuned　her。
'We　have　never　heard　one。'

'No；　it　shall　be　quite　new；'　she　replied。　'One　not　yet　made　public；
though　it　soon　will　be。'

The　narrative　began　by　introducing　to　their　notice　a　girl　of　the
poorest　and　meanest　parentage；　the　daughter　of　a　serving…man；　and
the　fifth　of　ten　children。　　She　graphically　recounted；　as　if　they
were　her　own；　the　strange　dreams　and　ambitious　longings　of　this
child　when　young；　her　attempts　to　acquire　education；　partial
failures；　partial　successes；　and　constant　struggles；　instancing　how；
on　one　of　these　occasions；　the　girl　concealed　herself　under　a
bookcase　of　the　library　belonging　to　the　mansion　in　which　her　father
served　as　footman；　and　having　taken　with　her　there；　like　a　young
Fawkes；　matches　and　a　halfpenny　candle；　was　going　to　sit　up　all
night　reading　when　the　family　had　retired；　until　her　father
discovered　and　prevented　her　scheme。　　Then　followed　her　experiences
as　nursery…governess；　her　evening　lessons　under　self…selected
masters；　and　her　ultimate　rise　to　a　higher　grade　among　the　teaching
sisterhood。　　Next　came　another　epoch。　　To　the　mansion　in　which　she
was　engaged　returned　a　truant　son；　between　whom　and　the　heroine　an
attachment　sprang　up。　　The　master　of　the　house　was　an　ambitious
gentleman　just　knighted；　who；　perceiving　the　state　of　their　hearts；
harshly　dismissed　the　homeless　governess；　and　rated　the　son；　the
consequence　being　that　the　youthful　pair　resolved　to　marry　secretly；
and　carried　their　resolution　into　effect。　　The　runaway　journey　came
next；　and　then　a　moving　description　of　the　death　of　the　young
husband；　and　the　terror　of　the　bride。

The　guests　began　to　look　perplexed；　and　one　or　two　exchanged
whispers。　　This　was　not　at　all　the　kind　of　story　that　they　had
expected；　it　was　quite　different　from　her　usual　utterances；　the
nature　of　which　they　knew　by　report。　　Ethelberta　kept　her　eye　upon
Lord　Mountclere。　　Soon；　to　her　amazement；　there　was　that　in　his　face
which　told　her　that　he　knew　the　story　and　its　heroine　quite　well。
When　she　delivered　the　sentence　ending　with　the　professedly
fictitious　words：　　'I　thus　was　reduced　to　great　distress；　and　vainly
cast　about　me　for　directions　what　to　do；'　Lord　Mountclere's　manner
became　so　excited　and　anxious　that　it　acted　reciprocally　upon
Ethelberta；　her　voice　trembled；　she　moved　her　lips　but　uttered
nothing。　　To　bring　the　story　up　to　the　date　of　that　very　evening　had
been　her　intent；　but　it　was　beyond　her　power。　　The　spell　was　broken；
she　blushed　with　distress　and　turned　away；　for　the　folly　of　a
disclosure　here　was　but　too　apparent。

Though　every　one　saw　that　she　had　broken　down；　none　of　them　appeared
to　know　the　reason　why；　or　to　have　the　clue　to　her　performance。
Fortunately　Lord　Mountclere　came　to　her　aid。

'Let　the　first　part　end　here；'　he　said；　rising　and　approaching　her。
'We　have　been　well　entertained　so　far。　　I　could　scarcely　believe
that　the　story　I　was　listening　to　was　utterly　an　invention；　so
vividly　does　Mrs。　Petherwin　bring　the　scenes　before　our　eyes。　　She
must　now　be　exhausted；　we　will　have　the　remainder　to…morrow。'

They　all　agreed　that　this　was　well；　and　soon　after　fell　into　groups；
and　dispersed　about　the　rooms。　　When　everybody's　attention　was　thus
occupied　Lord　Mountclere　whispered　to　Ethelberta　tremulously；　'Don't
tell　more：　　you　think　too　much　of　them：　　they　are　no　better　than
you！　　Will　you　meet　me　in　the　little　winter　garden　two　minutes
hence？　　Pass　through　that　door；　and　along　the　glass　passage。'　　He
himself　left　the　room　by　an　opposite　door。

She　had　not　set　three　steps　in　the　warm　snug　octagon　of　glass　and
plants　when　he　appeared　on　the　other　side。

'You　knew　it　all　before！'　she　said；　looking　keenly　at　him。　　'Who
told　you；　and　how　long　have　you　known　it？'

'Before　yesterday　or　last　week；'　said　Lord　Mountclere。　　'Even　before
we　met　in　France。　　Why　are　you　so　surprised？'

Ethelberta　had　been　surprised；　and　very　greatly；　to　find　him；　as　it
were；　secreted　in　the　very　rear　of　her　position。　　That　nothing　she
could　tell　was　new　to　him　was　a　good　deal　to　think　of；　but　it　was
little　beside　the　recollection　that　he　had　actually　made　his　first
declaration　in　the　face　of　that　knowledge　of　her　which　she　had
supposed　so　fatal　to　all　her　matrimonial　ambitions。

'And　now　only　one　point　remains　to　be　settled；'　he　said；　taking　her
hand。　　'You　promised　at　Rouen　that　at　our　next　interview　you　would
honour　me　with　a　decisive　replyone　to　make　me　happy　for　ever。'

'But　my　father　and　friends？'　said　she。

'Are　nothing　to　be　concerned　about。　　Modern　developments　have　shaken
up　the　classes　like　peas　in　a　hopper。　　An　annuity；　and　a　comfortable
cottage'

'My　brothers　are　workmen。'

'Manufacture　is　the　single　vocation　in　which　a　man's　prospects　may
be　said　to　be　illimitable。　　Hee…hee！they　may　buy　me　up　before　they
die！　　And　now　what　stands　in　the　way？　　It　would　take　fifty　alliances
with　fifty　families　so　little　disreputable　as　yours；　darling；　to
drag　mine　down。'

Ethelberta　had　anticipated　the　scene；　and　settled　her　course；　what
had　to　be　said　and　done　here　was　mere　formality；　yet　she　had　been
unable　to　go　straight　to　the　assent　required。　　However；　after　these
words　of　self…depreciation；　which　were　let　fall　as　much　for　her　own
future　ease　of　conscience　as　for　his　present　warning；　she　made　no
more　ado。

'I　shall　think　it　a　great　honour　to　be　your　wife；'　she　said　simply。



39。　KNOLLSEA　…　MELCHESTER

The　year　was　now　moving　on　apace；　but　Ethelberta　and　Picotee　chose
to　remain　at　Knollsea；　in　the　brilliant　variegated　brick　and　stone
villa　to　which　they　had　removed　in　order　to　be　in　keeping　with　their
ascending　fortunes。　　Autumn　had　begun　to　make　itself　felt　and　seen
in　bolder　and　less　subtle　ways　than　at　first。　　In　the　morning　now；
on　coming　downstairs；　in　place　of　a　yellowish…green　leaf　or　two
lying　in　a　corner　of　the　lowest　step；　which　had　been　the　only
previous　symptoms　around　the　house；　she　saw　dozens　of　them　playing
at　corkscrews　in　the　wind；　directly　the　door　was　opened。　　Beyond；
towards　the　sea；　the　slopes　and　scarps　that　had　been　muffled　with　a
thick　robe　of　cliff　herbage；　were　showing　their　chill　grey　substance
through　the　withered　verdure；　like　the　background　of　velvet　whence
the　pile　has　been　fretted　away。　　Unexpected　breezes　broomed　and
rasped　the　smooth　bay　in　evanescent　patches　of　stippled　shade；　and；
besides　the　small　boats；　the　ponderous　lighters　used　in　shipping
stone　were　hauled　up　the　beach　in　anticipation　of　the　equinoctial
attack。

A　few　days　after　Ethelberta's　reception　at　Enckworth；　an　improved
stanhope；　driven　by　Lord　Mountclere　himself；　climbed　up　the　hill
until　it　was　opposite　her　door。　　A　few　notes　from　a　piano　softly
played　reached　his　ear　as　he　descended　from　his　place：　　on　being
shown　in　to　his　betrothed；　he　could　perceive　that　she　had　just　left
the　instrument。　　Moreover；　a　tear　was　visible　in　her　eye　when　she
came　near　him。

They　discoursed　for　several　minutes　in　the　manner　natural　between　a
defenceless　young　widow　and　an　old　widower　in　Lord　Mountclere's
position　to　whom　she　was　plighteda　great　deal　of　formal
considerateness　making　itself　visible　on　her　part；　and　of　extreme
tenderness　on　his。　　While　thus　occupied；　he　turned　to　the　piano；　and
casually　glanced　at　a　piece　of　music　lying　open　upon　it。　　Some　words
of　writing　at　the　top　expressed　that　it　was　the　composer's　original
copy；　presented　by　him；　Christopher　Julian；　to　the　author　of　the
song。　　Seeing　that　he　noticed　the　sheet　somewhat　lengthily；
Ethelberta　remarked　that　it　had　been　an　offering　made　to　her　a　long
time　agoa　melody　written　to　one　of　her　own　poems。

'In　the　writing　of　the　composer；'　observed　Lord　Mountclere；　with
interest。　　'An　offering　from　the　musician　himselfvery　gratifying
and　touching。　　Mr。　Christopher　Julian　is　the　name　I　see　upon　it；　I
believe？　　I　knew　his　father；　Dr。　Julian；　a　Sandbourne　man；　if　I
recollect。'

'Yes；'　said　Ethelberta　placidly。　　But　it　was　really　with　an　effort。
The　song　was　the　identical　one　which　Christopher　sent　up　to　her　from
Sandbourne　when　the　fire　of　her　hope　burnt　high　for　less　material
ends；　and　the　discovery　of　the　sheet　among　her　music　that　day　had
started　eddies　of　emotion　for　some　time　checked。

'I　am　sorry　you　have　been　grieved；'　said　Lord　Mountclere；　with
gloomy　restlessness。

'Grieved？'　said　Ethelberta。

'Did　I　not　see　a　tear　there？　or　did　my　eyes　deceive　me？'

'You　might　have　seen　one。'

'Ah！　a　tear；　and　a　song。　　I　think'

'You　naturally　think　that　a　woman　who　cries　over　a　man's　gift　must
be　in　love　with　the　giver？'　　Ethelberta　looked　him　serenely　in　the
face。

Lord　Mountclere's　jealous　suspicions　were　considerably　shaken。

'Not　at　all；'　he　said　hastily；　as　if　ashamed。　　'One　who　cries　over　a
song　is　much　affected　by　its　sentiment。'

'Do　you　expect　authors　to　cry　over　their　own　words？'　she　inquired；
merging　defence　in　attack。　　'I　am　afraid　they　don't　often　do　that。'

'You　would　make　me　uneasy。'

'On　the　contrary；　I　would　reassure　you。　　Are　you　not　still
doubting？'　she　asked；　with　a　pleasant　smile。

'I　cannot　doubt　you！'

'Swear；　like　a　faithful　knight。'

'I　swear；　my　fair