the hand of ethelberta-第1节

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The　Hand　of　Ethelberta


by　Thomas　Hardy







PREFACE


This　somewhat　frivolous　narrative　was　produced　as　an　interlude
between　stories　of　a　more　sober　design；　and　it　was　given　the　sub…
title　of　a　comedy　to　indicatethough　not　quite　accuratelythe　aim
of　the　performance。　　A　high　degree　of　probability　was　not　attempted
in　the　arrangement　of　the　incidents；　and　there　was　expected　of　the
reader　a　certain　lightness　of　mood；　which　should　inform　him　with　a
good…natured　willingness　to　accept　the　production　in　the　spirit　in
which　it　was　offered。　　The　characters　themselves；　however；　were
meant　to　be　consistent　and　human。

On　its　first　appearance　the　novel　suffered；　perhaps　deservedly；　for
what　was　involved　in　these　intentionsfor　its　quality　of
unexpectedness　in　particularthat　unforgivable　sin　in　the　critic's
sightthe　immediate　precursor　of　'Ethelberta'　having　been　a　purely
rural　tale。　　Moreover；　in　its　choice　of　medium；　and　line　of
perspective；　it　undertook　a　delicate　task：　　to　excite　interest　in　a
dramaif　such　a　dignified　word　may　be　used　in　the　connection
wherein　servants　were　as　important　as；　or　more　important　than；　their
masters；　wherein　the　drawing…room　was　sketched　in　many　cases　from
the　point　of　view　of　the　servants'　hall。　　Such　a　reversal　of　the
social　foreground　has；　perhaps；　since　grown　more　welcome；　and
readers　even　of　the　finer　crusted　kind　may　now　be　disposed　to　pardon
a　writer　for　presenting　the　sons　and　daughters　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。
Chickerel　as　beings　who　come　within　the　scope　of　a　congenial　regard。


T。　H。

December　1895。







CONTENTS



　1。　　A　STREET　IN　ANGLEBURY　…　A　HEATH　NEAR　IT　…　INSIDE　THE　'RED　LION'　INN
　2。　　CHRISTOPHER'S　HOUSE　…　SANDBOURNE　TOWN　…　SANDBOURNE　MOOR
　3。　　SANDBOURNE　MOOR　（continued）
　4。　　SANDBOURNE　PIER　…　ROAD　TO　WYNDWAY　…　BALLROOM　IN　WYNDWAY　HOUSE
　5。　　AT　THE　WINDOW　…　THE　ROAD　HOME
　6。　　THE　SHORE　BY　WYNDWAY
　7。　　THE　DINING…ROOM　OF　A　TOWN　HOUSE　…　THE　BUTLER'S　PANTRY
　8。　　CHRISTOPHER'S　LODGINGS　…　THE　GROUNDS　ABOUT　ROOKINGTON
　9。　　A　LADY'S　DRAWING…ROOMS　…　ETHELBERTA'S　DRESSING…ROOM
10。　　LADY　PETHERWIN'S　HOUSE
11。　　SANDBOURNE　AND　ITS　NEIGHBOURHOOD　…　SOME　LONDON　STREETS
12。　　ARROWTHORNE　PARK　AND　LODGE
13。　　THE　LODGE　（continued）　…　THE　COPSE　BEHIND
14。　　A　TURNPIKE　ROAD
15。　　AN　INNER　ROOM　AT　THE　LODGE
16。　　A　LARGE　PUBLIC　HALL
17。　　ETHELBERTA'S　HOUSE
18。　　NEAR　SANDBOURNE　…　LONDON　STREETS　…　ETHELBERTA'S
19。　　ETHELBERTA'S　DRAWING…ROOM
20。　　THE　NEIGHBOURHOOD　OF　THE　HALL　…　THE　ROAD　HOME
21。　　A　STREET　…　NEIGH'S　ROOMS　…　CHRISTOPHER'S　ROOMS
22。　　ETHELBERTA'S　HOUSE
23。　　ETHELBERTA'S　HOUSE　（continued）
24。　　ETHELBERTA'S　HOUSE　（continued）　…　THE　BRITISH　MUSEUM
25。　　THE　ROYAL　ACADEMY　…　THE　FARNFIELD　ESTATE
26。　　ETHELBERTA'S　DRAWING…ROOM
27。　　MRS。　BELMAINE'S　…　CRIPPLEGATE　CHURCH
28。　　ETHELBERTA'S　…　MR。　CHICKEREL'S　ROOM
29。　　ETHELBERTA'S　DRESSING…ROOM　…　MR。　DONCASTLE'S　HOUSE
30。　　ON　THE　HOUSETOP
31。　　KNOLLSEA　…　A　LOFTY　DOWN　…　A　RUINED　CASTLE
32。　　A　ROOM　IN　ENCKWORTH　COURT
33。　　THE　ENGLISH　CHANNEL　…　NORMANDY
34。　　THE　HOTEL　BEAU　SEJOUR；　AND　SPOTS　NEAR　IT
35。　　THE　HOTEL　（continued）；　AND　THE　QUAY　IN　FRONT
36。　　THE　HOUSE　IN　TOWN
37。　　KNOLLSEA　…　AN　ORNAMENTAL　VILLA
38。　　ENCKWORTH　COURT
39。　　KNOLLSEA　…　MELCHESTER
40。　　MELCHESTER　（continued）
41。　　WORKSHOPS　…　AN　INN　…　THE　STREET
42。　　THE　DONCASTLES'　RESIDENCE；　AND　OUTSIDE　THE　SAME
43。　　THE　RAILWAY　…　THE　SEA　…　THE　SHORE　BEYOND
44。　　SANDBOURNE　…　A　LONELY　HEATH　…　THE　'RED　LION'　…　THE　HIGHWAY
45。　　KNOLLSEA　…　THE　ROAD　THENCE　…　ENCKWORTH
46。　　ENCKWORTH　（continued）　…　THE　ANGLEBURY　HIGHWAY
47。　　ENCKWORTH　AND　ITS　PRECINCTS　…　MELCHESTER

SEQUEL。　　ANGLEBURY　…　ENCKWORTH　…　SANDBOURNE







The　Hand　of　Ethelberta



1。　A　STREET　IN　ANGLEBURY　…　A　HEATH　NEAR　IT　…　INSIDE　THE　'RED　LION'　INN

Young　Mrs。　Petherwin　stepped　from　the　door　of　an　old　and　well…
appointed　inn　in　a　Wessex　town　to　take　a　country　walk。　　By　her　look
and　carriage　she　appeared　to　belong　to　that　gentle　order　of　society
which　has　no　worldly　sorrow　except　when　its　jewellery　gets　stolen；
but；　as　a　fact　not　generally　known；　her　claim　to　distinction　was
rather　one　of　brains　than　of　blood。　　She　was　the　daughter　of　a
gentleman　who　lived　in　a　large　house　not　his　own；　and　began　life　as
a　baby　christened　Ethelberta　after　an　infant　of　title　who　does　not
come　into　the　story　at　all；　having　merely　furnished　Ethelberta's
mother　with　a　subject　of　contemplation。　　She　became　teacher　in　a
school；　was　praised　by　examiners；　admired　by　gentlemen；　not　admired
by　gentlewomen；　was　touched　up　with　accomplishments　by　masters　who
were　coaxed　into　painstaking　by　her　many　graces；　and；　entering　a
mansion　as　governess　to　the　daughter　thereof；　was　stealthily　married
by　the　son。　　He；　a　minor　like　herself；　died　from　a　chill　caught
during　the　wedding　tour；　and　a　few　weeks　later　was　followed　into　the
grave　by　Sir　Ralph　Petherwin；　his　unforgiving　father；　who　had
bequeathed　his　wealth　to　his　wife　absolutely。

These　calamities　were　a　sufficient　reason　to　Lady　Petherwin　for
pardoning　all　concerned。　　She　took　by　the　hand　the　forlorn
Ethelbertawho　seemed　rather　a　detached　bride　than　a　widowand
finished　her　education　by　placing　her　for　two　or　three　years　in　a
boarding…school　at　Bonn。　　Latterly　she　had　brought　the　girl　to
England　to　live　under　her　roof　as　daughter　and　companion；　the
condition　attached　being　that　Ethelberta　was　never　openly　to
recognize　her　relations；　for　reasons　which　will　hereafter　appear。

The　elegant　young　lady；　as　she　had　a　full　right　to　be　called　if　she
cared　for　the　definition；　arrested　all　the　local　attention　when　she
emerged　into　the　summer…evening　light　with　that　diadem…and…sceptre
bearingmany　people　for　reasons　of　heredity　discovering　such　graces
only　in　those　whose　vestibules　are　lined　with　ancestral　mail；
forgetting　that　a　bear　may　be　taught　to　dance。　　While　this　air　of
hers　lasted；　even　the　inanimate　objects　in　the　street　appeared　to
know　that　she　was　there；　but　from　a　way　she　had　of　carelessly
overthrowing　her　dignity　by　versatile　moods；　one　could　not　calculate
upon　its　presence　to　a　certainty　when　she　was　round　corners　or　in
little　lanes　which　demanded　no　repression　of　animal　spirits。

'Well　to　be　sure！'　exclaimed　a　milkman；　regarding　her。　　'We　should
freeze　in　our　beds　if　'twere　not　for　the　sun；　and；　dang　me！　if　she
isn't　a　pretty　piece。　　A　man　could　make　a　meal　between　them　eyes　and
chineh；　hostler？　　Odd　nation　dang　my　old　sides　if　he　couldn't！'

The　speaker；　who　had　been　carrying　a　pair　of　pails　on　a　yoke；
deposited　them　upon　the　edge　of　the　pavement　in　front　of　the　inn；
and　straightened　his　back　to　an　excruciating　perpendicular。　　His
remarks　had　been　addressed　to　a　rickety　person；　wearing　a　waistcoat
of　that　preternatural　length　from　the　top　to　the　bottom　button　which
prevails　among　men　who　have　to　do　with　horses。　　He　was　sweeping
straws　from　the　carriage…way　beneath　the　stone　arch　that　formed　a
passage　to　the　stables　behind。

'Never　mind　the　cursing　and　swearing；　or　somebody　who's　never　out　of
hearing　may　clap　yer　name　down　in　his　black　book；'　said　the　hostler；
also　pausing；　and　lifting　his　eyes　to　the　mullioned　and　transomed
windows　and　moulded　parapet　above　himnot　to　study　them　as　features
of　ancient　architecture；　but　just　to　give　as　healthful　a　stretch　to
the　eyes　as　his　acquaintance　had　done　to　his　back。　　'Michael；　a　old
man　like　you　ought　to　think　about　other　things；　and　not　be　looking
two　ways　at　your　time　of　life。　　Pouncing　upon　young　flesh　like　a
carrion　crow'tis　a　vile　thing　in　a　old　man。'

''Tis；　and　yet　'tis　not；　for　'tis　a　naterel　taste；'　said　the
milkman；　again　surveying　Ethelberta；　who　had　now　paused　upon　a
bridge　in　full　view；　to　look　down　the　river。　　'Now；　if　a　poor　needy
feller　like　myself　could　only　catch　her　alone　when　she's　dressed　up
to　the　nines　for　some　grand　party；　and　carry　her　off　to　some　lonely
placesakes；　what　a　pot　of　jewels　and　goold　things　I　warrant　he'd
find　about　her！　　'Twould　pay　en　for　his　trouble。'

'I　don't　dispute　the　picter；　but　'tis　sly　and　untimely　to　think　such
roguery。　　Though　I've　had　thoughts　like　it；　'tis　true；　about　high
womenLord　forgive　me　for't。'

'And　that　figure　of　fashion　standing　there　is　a　widow　woman；　so　I
hear？'

'Ladynot　a　penny　less　than　lady。　　Ay；　a　thing　of　twenty…one　or
thereabouts。'

'A　widow　lady　and　twenty…one。　　'Tis　a　backward　age　for　a　body　who's
so　forward　in　her　state　of　life。'

'Well；　be　that　as　'twill；　here's　my　showings　for　her　age。　　She　was
about　the　figure　of　two　or　three…and…twenty　when　a'　got　off　the
carriage　last　night；　tired　out　wi'　boaming　about　the　country；　and
nineteen　this　morning　when　she　came　downstairs　after　a　sleep　round
the　clock　and　a　clane…washed　face：　　so　I　thought　to　myself；　twenty…
one；　I　thought。'

'And　what's　the　young　woman's　name；　make　so　bold；　hostler？'

'Ay；　and　the　house　were　all　in　a　stoor　with　her　and　the　old　woman；
and　their　boxes　and　camp…kettles；　that　they　carry　to　wash　in　because
hand…basons　bain't　big　enough；　and　I　don't　know　what　all；　and
t'other　folk　stopping　here　were　no　more　than　dirt　thencefor'ard。'

'I　suppose　they've　come　out　of　some　noble　city　a　long　way　herefrom？'

'And　there　was　her　hair　up　in　buckle　as　if　she'd　never　s