the hand of ethelberta-第57章

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denied　to　him；　and　resolved　to　be　content　with　it　as　a　possession；
since　it　was　as　much　of　her　as　he　could　decently　maintain。

Wrapped　thus　in　a　humorous　sadness　he　passed　the　afternoon　under
notice；　and　in　the　evening　went　home　to　Faith；　who　still　lived　with
him；　and　showed　no　sign　of　ever　being　likely　to　do　otherwise。　　Their
present　place　and　mode　of　life　suited　her　well。　　She　revived　at
Melchester　like　an　exotic　sent　home　again。　　The　leafy　Close；　the
climbing　buttresses；　the　pondering　ecclesiastics；　the　great　doors；
the　singular　keys；　the　whispered　talk；　echoes　of　lonely　footsteps；
the　sunset　shadow　of　the　tall　steeple；　reaching　further　into　the
town　than　the　good　bishop's　teaching；　and　the　general　complexion　of
a　spot　where　morning　had　the　stillness　of　evening　and　spring　some　of
the　tones　of　autumn；　formed　a　proper　background　to　a　person
constituted　as　Faith；　who；　like　Miss　Hepzibah　Pyncheon's　chicken；
possessed　in　miniature　all　the　antiquity　of　her　progenitors。

After　tea　Christopher　went　into　the　streets；　as　was　frequently　his
custom；　less　to　see　how　the　world　crept　on　there　than　to　walk　up　and
down　for　nothing　at　all。　　It　had　been　market…day；　and　remnants　of
the　rural　population　that　had　visited　the　town　still　lingered　at
corners；　their　toes　hanging　over　the　edge　of　the　pavement；　and　their
eyes　wandering　about　the　street。

The　angle　which　formed　the　turning…point　of　Christopher's　promenade
was　occupied　by　a　jeweller's　shop；　of　a　standing　which　completely
outshone　every　other　shop　in　that　or　any　trade　throughout　the　town。
Indeed；　it　was　a　staple　subject　of　discussion　in　Melchester　how　a
shop　of　such　pretensions　could　find　patronage　sufficient　to　support
its　existence　in　a　place　which；　though　well　populated；　was　not
fashionable。　　It　had　not　long　been　established　there；　and　was　the
enterprise　of　an　incoming　man　whose　whole　course　of　procedure　seemed
to　be　dictated　by　an　intention　to　astonish　the　native　citizens　very
considerably　before　he　had　done。　　Nearly　everything　was　glass　in　the
frontage　of　this　fairy　mart；　and　its　contents　glittered　like　the
hammochrysos　stone。　　The　panes　being　of　plate…glass；　and　the　shop
having　two　fronts；　a　diagonal　view　could　be　had　through　it　from　one
to　the　other　of　the　streets　to　which　it　formed　a　corner。

This　evening；　as　on　all　evenings；　a　flood　of　radiance　spread　from
the　window…lamps　into　the　thick　autumn　air；　so　that　from　a　distance
that　corner　appeared　as　the　glistening　nucleus　of　all　the　light　in
the　town。　　Towards　it　idle　men　and　women　unconsciously　bent　their
steps；　and　closed　in　upon　the　panes　like　night…birds　upon　the
lantern　of　a　lighthouse。

When　Christopher　reached　the　spot　there　stood　close　to　the　pavement
a　plain　close　carriage；　apparently　waiting　for　some　person　who　was
purchasing　inside。　　Christopher　would　hardly　have　noticed　this　had
he　not　also　perceived；　pressed　against　the　glass　of　the　shop　window；
an　unusual　number　of　local　noses　belonging　to　overgrown　working
lads；　tosspots；　an　idiot；　the　ham…smoker's　assistant　with　his
sleeves　rolled　up；　a　scot…and…lot　freeholder；　three　or　four
seamstresses；　the　young　woman　who　brought　home　the　washing；　and　so
on。　　The　interest　of　these　gazers　in　some　proceedings　within；　which
by　reason　of　the　gaslight　were　as　public　as　if　carried　on　in　the
open　air；　was　very　great。

'Yes；　that's　what　he's　a　buying　o'haw；　haw！'　said　one　of　the　young
men；　as　the　shopman　removed　from　the　window　a　gorgeous　blue　velvet
tray　of　wedding…rings；　and　laid　it　on　the　counter。

''Tis　what　you　may　come　to　yerself；　sooner　or　later；　God　have　mercy
upon　ye；　and　as　such　no　scoffing　matter；'　said　an　older　man。
'Faith；　I'd　as　lief　cry　as　laugh　to　see　a　man　in　that　corner。'

'He's　a　gent　getting　up　in　years　too。　　He　must　hev　been　through　it　a
few　times　afore；　seemingly；　to　sit　down　and　buy　the　tools　so　cool　as
that。'

'Well；　no。　　See　what　the　shyest　will　do　at　such　times。　　You　bain't
yerself　then；　no　man　living　is　hisself　then。'

'True；'　said　the　ham…smoker's　man。　　''Tis　a　thought　to　look　at　that
a　chap　will　take　all　this　trouble　to　get　a　woman　into　his　house；　and
a　twelvemonth　after　would　as　soon　hear　it　thunder　as　hear　her　sing！'

The　policeman　standing　near　was　a　humane　man；　through　having　a　young
family　he　could　hardly　keep；　and　he　hesitated　about　telling　them　to
move　on。　　Christopher　had　before　this　time　perceived　that　the
articles　were　laid　down　before　an　old　gentleman　who　was　seated　in
the　shop；　and　that　the　gentleman　was　none　other　than　he　who　had　been
with　Ethelberta　in　the　concert…room。　　The　discovery　was　so　startling
that；　constitutionally　indisposed　as　he　was　to　stand　and　watch；　he
became　as　glued　to　the　spot　as　the　other　idlers。　　Finding　himself
now　for　the　first　time　directly　confronting　the　preliminaries　of
Ethelberta's　marriage　to　a　stranger；　he　was　left　with　far　less
equanimity　than　he　could　have　supposed　possible　to　the　situation。

'So　near　the　time！'　he　said；　and　looked　hard　at　Lord　Mountclere。

Christopher　had　now　a　far　better　opportunity　than　before　for
observing　Ethelberta's　betrothed。　　Apart　from　any　bias　of　jealousy；
disappointment；　or　mortification；　he　was　led　to　judge　that　this　was
not　quite　the　man　to　make　Ethelberta　happy。　　He　had　fancied　her
companion　to　be　a　man　under　fifty；　he　was　now　visibly　sixty　or　more。
And　it　was　not　the　sort　of　sexagenarianism　beside　which　a　young
woman's　happiness　can　sometimes　contrive　to　keep　itself　alive　in　a
quiet　sleepy　way。　　Suddenly　it　occurred　to　him　that　this　was　the　man
whom　he　had　helped　in　the　carriage　accident　on　the　way　to　Knollsea。
He　looked　again。

By　no　means　undignified；　the　face　presented　that　combination　of
slyness　and　jocundity　which　we　are　accustomed　to　imagine　of　the
canonical　jolly…dogs　in　mediaeval　tales。　　The　gamesome　Curate　of
Meudon　might　have　supplied　some　parts　of　the　countenance；　cunning
Friar　Tuck　the　remainder。　　Nothing　but　the　viscount's　constant　habit
of　going　to　church　every　Sunday　morning　when　at　his　country
residence　kept　unholiness　out　of　his　features；　for　though　he　lived
theologically　enough　on　the　Sabbath；　as　it　became　a　man　in　his
position　to　do；　he　was　strikingly　mundane　all　the　rest　of　the　week；
always　preferring　the　devil　to　God　in　his　oaths。　　And　nothing　but
antecedent　good…humour　prevented　the　short　fits　of　crossness
incident　to　his　passing　infirmities　from　becoming　established。　　His
look　was　exceptionally　jovial　now；　and　the　corners　of　his　mouth
twitched　as　the　telegraph…needles　of　a　hundred　little　erotic
messages　from　his　heart　to　his　brain。　　Anybody　could　see　that　he　was
a　merry　man　still；　who　loved　good　company；　warming　drinks；　nymph…
like　shapes；　and　pretty　words；　in　spite　of　the　disagreeable
suggestions　he　received　from　the　pupils　of　his　eyes；　and　the　joints
of　his　lively　limbs；　that　imps　of　mischief　were　busy　sapping　and
mining　in　those　regions；　with　the　view　of　tumbling　him　into　a
certain　cool　cellar　under　the　church　aisle。

In　general；　if　a　lover　can　find　any　ground　at　all　for　serenity　in
the　tide　of　an　elderly　rival's　success；　he　finds　it　in　the　fact
itself　of　that　ancientness。　　The　other　side　seems　less　a　rival　than
a　makeshift。　　But　Christopher　no　longer　felt　this；　and　the
significant　signs　before　his　eyes　of　the　imminence　of　Ethelberta's
union　with　this　old　hero　filled　him　with　restless　dread。　　True；　the
gentleman；　as　he　appeared　illuminated　by　the　jeweller's　gas…jets；
seemed　more　likely　to　injure　Ethelberta　by　indulgence　than　by
severity；　while　her　beauty　lasted；　but　there　was　a　nameless
something　in　him　less　tolerable　than　this。

The　purchaser　having　completed　his　dealings　with　the　goldsmith；　was
conducted　to　the　door　by　the　master　of　the　shop；　and　into　the
carriage；　which　was　at　once　driven　off　up　the　street。

Christopher　now　much　desired　to　know　the　name　of　the　man　whom　a　nice
chain　of　circumstantial　evidence　taught　him　to　regard　as　the　happy
winner　where　scores　had　lost。　　He　was　grieved　that　Ethelberta's
confessed　reserve　should　have　extended　so　far　as　to　limit　her　to
mere　indefinite　hints　of　marriage　when　they　were　talking　almost　on
the　brink　of　the　wedding…day。　　That　the　ceremony　was　to　be　a　private
onewhich　it　probably　would　be　because　of　the　disparity　of　ages
did　not　in　his　opinion　justify　her　secrecy。　　He　had　shown　himself
capable　of　a　transmutation　as　valuable　as　it　is　rare　in　men；　the
change　from　pestering　lover　to　staunch　friend；　and　this　was　all　he
had　got　for　it。　　But　even　an　old　lover　sunk　to　an　indifferentist
might　have　been　tempted　to　spend　an　unoccupied　half…hour　in
discovering　particulars　now；　and　Christopher　had　not　lapsed　nearly
so　far　as　to　absolute　unconcern。

That　evening；　however；　nothing　came　in　his　way　to　enlighten　him。
But　the　next　day；　when　skirting　the　Close　on　his　ordinary　duties；　he
saw　the　same　carriage　standing　at　a　distance；　and　paused　to　behold
the　same　old　gentleman　come　from　a　well…known　office　and　re…enter
the　vehicleLord　Mountclere；　in　fact；　in　earnest　pursuit　of　the
business　of　yesternight；　having　just　pocketed　a　document　in　which
romance；　rashness；　law；　and　gospel　are　so　happily　made　to　work
together　that　it　may　safely　be　regarded　as　the　neatest　compromise
which　has　ever　been　invented　since　Adam　sinned。

This　time　Julian　perceived　that　the　brougham　was　one　belonging　to
the　White　Hart　Hotel；　which　Lord　Mountclere　was　using　partly　from
the　necessities　of　these　hasty　proceedings；　and　also　because；　by　so
doing；　he　escaped　the　notice　that　might　have　been　bestowed　upon　his
own　equipage；　or　men…servants；　the　Mountclere　hammer…cloths　being
known　in　Melchester。　　Christopher　now　walked　towards　the　hotel；
leisurely；　yet　with　anxiety。　　He　inquired　of　a　porter　what　people
were　staying　there　that　day；　and　was　informed　that　they　had　only　one
person　in　the　house；　Lord　Mountclere；　whom　sudden　and　unexpected
business　had　detained　in　Melchester　since　the　previous　day。

Christopher　lingered　to　hear　no　more。　　He　retraced　the　street　much
more　quickly　than　he　had　come；　and　he　only　said；　'Lord　Mountclere
it　must　never　be！'

As　soon　as　he　entered　the　house；　Faith　perceived　that　he　was　greatly
agitated。　　He　at　once　told　her　of　his　discovery；　and　she　exclaimed；
'What　a　brilliant　match！'

'O　Faith；'　said　Christopher；　'you　don't　know！　　You　are　far　from
knowing。　　It　is　as　gloomy　as　midnight。　　Good　God；　can　it　be
possible？'

Faith　blinked　in　alarm；　without　speaking。

'Did　you　never　hear　anything　of　Lord　Mountclere　when　we　lived　at
Sandbourne？'

'I　knew　the　nameno　more。'

'No；　noof　course　you　did　not。　　Well；　though　I　never　saw　his　face；
to　my　knowledge；　till　a　short　time　ago；　I　know　enough　to　say　that；
if　earnest　representations　can　prevent　it；　this　marriage　shall　not
be。　　Father　knew　him；　or　about　him；　very　well；　and　he　once　told　me
what　I　cannot　tell　you。　　Fancy；　I　have　seen　him　three　times
yesterday；　last　night；　and　this　morningbesides　helping　him　on　the
road　some　weeks　ago；　and　never　once　considered　that　he　might　be　Lord
Mountclere。　　He　is　here　almost　in　disguise；　one　may　say；　neither　man
nor　horse　is　with　him；　and　his　object　accounts　for　his　privacy。　　I
see　how　it　isshe　is　doing　this　to　benefit　her　brothers　and
sisters；　if　possible；　but　she　ought　to　know　that　if