the hand of ethelberta-第13节

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man's　head　for　operating　against；　advance　uniformly　over　the　whole
field；　and　enfeeble　the　colour　at　all　points　before　absolutely
extinguishing　it　anywhere；　his　nose　was　of　the　knotty　shape　in　the
gristle　and　earthward　tendency　in　the　flesh　which　is　commonly　said
to　carry　sound　judgment　above　it；　his　eyes　were　thoughtful；　and　his
face　was　thina　contour　which；　if　it　at　once　abstracted　from　his
features　that　cheerful　assurance　of　single…minded　honesty　which
adorns　the　exteriors　of　so　many　of　his　brethren；　might　have　raised　a
presumption　in　the　minds　of　some　beholders　that　perhaps　in　this　case
the　quality　might　not　be　altogether　wanting　within。

The　coffee　having　been　served　to　the　people　upstairs；　one　of　the
footmen　rushed　into　his　bedroom　on　the　lower　floor；　and　in　a　few
minutes　emerged　again　in　the　dress　of　a　respectable　clerk　who　had
been　born　for　better　things；　with　the　trifling　exceptions　that　he
wore　a　low…crowned　hat；　and　instead　of　knocking　his　heels　on　the
pavement　walked　with　a　gait　as　delicate　as　a　lady's。　　Going　out　of
the　area…door　with　a　cigar　in　his　mouth；　he　mounted　the　steps
hastily　to　keep　an　appointment　round　the　cornerthe　keeping　of
which　as　a　private　gentleman　necessitated　the　change　of　the　greater
part　of　his　clothes　twice　within　a　quarter　of　an　hourthe　limit　of
his　time　of　absence。　　The　other　footman　was　upstairs；　and　the
butler；　finding　that　he　had　a　few　minutes　to　himself；　sat　down　at
the　table　and　wrote：

'MY　DEAR　ETHELBERTA；I　did　not　intend　to　write　to　you　for　some　few
days　to　come；　but　the　way　in　which　you　have　been　talked　about　here
this　evening　makes　me　anxious　to　send　a　line　or　two　at　once；　though
I　have　very　little　time　to　spare；　as　usual。　　We　have　just　had　a
dinner…partyindeed　the　carriages　have　not　yet　been　brought　round
and　the　talk　at　dinner　was　about　your　verses；　of　course。　　The　thing
was　brought　up　by　a　young　fellow　named　Ladywelldo　you　know　him？
He　is　a　painter　by　profession；　but　he　has　a　pretty　good　private
income　beyond　what　he　gets　by　practising　his　line　of　business　among
the　nobility；　and　that　I　expect　is　not　little；　for　he　is　well　known；
and　encouraged　because　he　is　young；　and　good…looking；　and　so　forth。
His　family　own　a　good　bit　of　land　somewhere　out　Aldbrickham　way。
However；　I　am　before　my　story。　　From　what　they　all　said　it　is　pretty
clear　that　you　are　thought　a　great　deal　of　in　fashionable　society　as
a　poetessbut　perhaps　you　know　this　as　well　as　Imoving　in　it　as
you　do　yourself；　my　dear。

'The　ladies　afterwards　got　very　curious　about　your　age；　so　curious；
in　fact；　and　so　full　of　certainty　that　you　were　thirty…five　and　a
blighted　existence；　if　an　hour；　that　I　felt　inclined　to　rap　out
there　and　then；　and　hang　what　came　of　it：　　〃My　daughter；　ladies；　was
to　my　own　and　her　mother's　certain　knowledge　only　twenty…one　last
birthday；　and　has　as　bright　a　heart　as　anybody　in　London。〃　　One　of
them　actually　said　that　you　must　be　fifty　to　have　got　such　an
experience。　　Her　guess　was　a　very　shrewd　one　in　the　bottom　of　it；
however；　for　it　was　grounded　upon　the　way　you　use　those　strange
experiences　of　mine　in　the　society　that　I　tell　you　of；　and　dress
them　up　as　if　they　were　yours；　and；　as　you　see；　she　hit　off　my　own
age　to　a　year。　　I　thought　it　was　very　sharp　of　her　to　be　so　right；
although　so　wrong。

'I　do　not　want　to　influence　your　plans　in　any　way　about　things　which
your　school　learning　fits　you　to　understand　much　better　than　I；　who
never　had　such　opportunities；　but　I　think　that　if　I　were　in　your
place；　Berta；　I　would　not　let　my　name　be　known　just　yet；　for　people
always　want　what's　kept　from　them；　and　don't　value　what's　given。　　I
am　not　sure；　but　I　think　that　after　the　women　had　gone　upstairs　the
others　turned　their　thoughts　upon　you　again；　what　they　said　about
you　I　don't　know；　for　if　there's　one　thing　I　hate　'tis　hanging　about
the　doors　when　the　men　begin　to　get　moved　by　their　wine；　which　they
did　to　a　large　extent　to…night；　and　spoke　very　loud。　　They　always　do
here；　for　old　Don　is　a　hearty　giver　in　his　way。　　However；　as　you　see
these　people　from　their　own　level　now；　it　is　not　much　that　I　can
tell　you　in　seeing　them　only　from　the　under　side；　though　I　see
strange　things　sometimes；　and　of　course

　　　　　〃What　great　ones　do　the　less　will　prattle　of；〃

as　it　says　in　that　book　of　select　pieces　that　you　gave　me。

'Well；　my　dear　girl；　I　hope　you　will　prosper。　　One　thing　above　all
others　you'll　have　to　mind；　and　it　is　that　folk　must　continually
strain　to　advance　in　order　to　remain　where　they　are：　　and　you
particularly。　　But　as　for　trying　too　hard；　I　wouldn't　do　it。　　Much
lies　in　minding　this；　that　your　best　plan　for　lightness　of　heart　is
to　raise　yourself　a　little　higher　than　your　old　mates；　but　not　so
high　as　to　be　quite　out　of　their　reach。　　All　human　beings　enjoy
themselves　from　the　outside；　and　so　getting　on　A　LITTLE　has　this
good　in　it；　you　still　keep　in　your　old　class　where　your　feelings
are；　and　are　thoughtfully　treated　by　this　class：　　while　by　getting
on　TOO　MUCH　you　are　sneered　at　by　your　new　acquaintance；　who　don't
know　the　skill　of　your　rise；　and　you　are　parted　from　and　forgot　by
the　old　ones　who　do。　　Whatever　happens；　don't　be　too　quick　to　feel。
You　will　surely　get　some　hard　blows　when　you　are　found　out；　for　if
the　great　can　find　no　excuse　for　hitting　with　a　mind；　they'll　do　it
and　say　'twas　in　fun。　　But　you　are　young　and　healthy；　and　youth　and
health　are　power。　　I　wish　I　could　have　a　decent　footman　here　with
me；　but　I　suppose　it　is　no　use　trying。　　It　is　such　men　as　these　that
provoke　the　contempt　we　get。　　Well；　thank　God　a　few　years　will　see
the　end　of　me；　for　I　am　growing　ashamed　of　my　companyso　different
as　they　are　to　the　servants　of　old　times。Your　affectionate　father；
R。　CHICKEREL。

'P。S。Do　not　press　Lady　Petherwin　any　further　to　remove　the　rules
on　which　you　live　with　her。　　She　is　quite　right：　　she　cannot　keep
us；　and　to　recognize　us　would　do　you　no　good；　nor　us　either。　　We　are
content　to　see　you　secretly；　since　it　is　best　for　you。'



8。　CHRISTOPHER'S　LODGINGS　…　THE　GROUNDS　ABOUT　ROOKINGTON

Meanwhile；　in　the　distant　town　of　Sandbourne；　Christopher　Julian　had
recovered　from　the　weariness　produced　by　his　labours　at　the　Wyndway
evening…party　where　Ethelberta　had　been　a　star。　　Instead　of　engaging
his　energies　to　clear　encumbrances　from　the　tangled　way　of　his　life；
he　now　set　about　reading　the　popular　'Metres　by　E。'　with　more
interest　and　assiduity　than　ever；　for　though　Julian　was　a　thinker　by
instinct；　he　was　a　worker　by　effort　only；　and　the　higher　of　these
kinds　being　dependent　upon　the　lower　for　its　exhibition；　there　was
often　a　lamentable　lack　of　evidence　of　his　power　in　either。　　It　is　a
provoking　correlation；　and　has　conduced　to　the　obscurity　of　many　a
genius。

'Kit；'　said　his　sister；　on　reviving　at　the　end　of　the　bad　headache
which　had　followed　the　dance；　'those　poems　seem　to　have　increased　in
value　with　you。　　The　lady；　lofty　as　she　appears　to　be；　would　be
flattered　if　she　only　could　know　how　much　you　study　them。　　Have　you
decided　to　thank　her　for　them？　　Now　let　us　talk　it　overI　like
having　a　chat　about　such　a　pretty　new　subject。'

'I　would　thank　her　in　a　moment　if　I　were　absolutely　certain　that　she
had　anything　to　do　with　sending　them；　or　even　writing　them。　　I　am
not　quite　sure　of　that　yet。'

'How　strange　that　a　woman　could　bring　herself　to　write　those
verses！'

'Not　at　all　strangethey　are　natural　outpourings。'

Faith　looked　critically　at　the　remoter　caverns　of　the　fire。

'Why　strange？'　continued　Christopher。　　'There　is　no　harm　in　them。'

'O　nono　harm。　　But　I　cannot　explain　to　youunless　you　see　it
partly　of　your　own　accordthat　to　write　them　she　must　be　rather　a
fast　ladynot　a　bad　fast　lady；　a　nice　fast　lady；　I　mean；　of　course。
There；　I　have　said　it　now；　and　I　daresay　you　are　vexed　with　me；　for
your　interest　in　her　has　deepened　to　what　it　originally　was；　I
think。　　I　don't　mean　any　absolute　harm　by　〃fast；〃　Kit。'

'Bold；　forward；　you　mean；　I　suppose？'

Faith　tried　to　hit　upon　a　better　definition　which　should　meet　all
views；　and；　on　failing　to　do　so；　looked　concerned　at　her　brother's
somewhat　grieved　appearance；　and　said；　helplessly；　'Yes；　I　suppose　I
do。'

'My　idea　of　her　is　quite　the　reverse。　　A　poetess　must　intrinsically
be　sensitive；　or　she　could　never　feel：　　but　then；　frankness　is　a
rhetorical　necessity　even　with　the　most　modest；　if　their
inspirations　are　to　do　any　good　in　the　world。　　You　will；　for
certain；　not　be　interested　in　something　I　was　going　to　tell　you；
which　I　thought　would　have　pleased　you　immensely；　but　it　is　not
worth　mentioning　now。'

'If　you　will　not　tell　me；　never　mind。　　But　don't　be　crabbed；　Kit！
You　know　how　interested　I　am　in　all　your　affairs。'

'It　is　only　that　I　have　composed　an　air　to　one　of　the　prettiest　of
her　songs；　〃When　tapers　tall〃but　I　am　not　sure　about　the　power　of
it。　　This　is　how　it　beginsI　threw　it　off　in　a　few　minutes；　after
you　had　gone　to　bed。'

He　went　to　the　piano　and　lightly　touched　over　an　air；　the　manuscript
copy　of　which　he　placed　in　front　of　him；　and　listened　to　hear　her
opinion；　having　proved　its　value　frequently；　for　it　was　not　that　of
a　woman　merely；　but　impersonally　human。　　Though