the hand of ethelberta-第19节

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might　be。'

'Mrs。　Petherwin　lives　there；　I　believe？'

'No；　sir。　　Leastwise　unless　she's　but　lately　come。　　I　have　never
heard　of　such　a　woman。'

'She　may　possibly　be　only　visiting　there。'

'Ah；　perhaps　that's　the　shape　o't。　　Well；　now　you　tell　o't；　I　have
seen　a　strange　face　thereabouts　once　or　twice　lately。　　A　young　good…
looking　maid　enough；　seemingly。'

'Yes；　she's　considered　a　very　handsome　lady。'

'I've　heard　the　woodmen　say；　now　that　you　tell　o't；　that　they　meet
her　every　now　and　then；　just　at　the　closing　in　of　the　day；　as　they
come　home　along　with　their　nitches　of　sticks；　ay；　stalking　about
under　the　trees　by　herselfa　tall　black　martel；　so　long…legged　and
awful…like　that　you'd　think　'twas　the　old　feller　himself　a…coming；
they　say。　　Now　a　woman　must　be　a　queer　body　to　my　thinking；　to　roam
about　by　night　so　lonesome　and　that？　　Ay；　now　that　you　tell　o't；
there　is　such　a　woman；　but　'a　never　have　showed　in　the　parish；　sure
I　never　thought　who　the　body　wasno；　not　once　about　her；　nor　where
'a　was　living　and　thatnot　I；　till　you　spoke。　　Well；　there；　sir；
that's　Arr'thorne　Lodge；　do　you　see　they　three　elms？'　　He　pointed
across　the　glade　towards　some　confused　foliage　a　long　way　off。

'I　am　not　sure　about　the　sort　of　tree　you　mean；'　said　Christopher；
'I　see　a　number　of　trees　with　edges　shaped　like　edges　of　clouds。'

'Ay；　ay；　they　be　oaks；　I　mean　the　elms　to　the　left　hand。'

'But　a　man　can　hardly　tell　oaks　from　elms　at　that　distance；　my　good
fellow！'

'That　'a　can　very　wellleastwise；　if　he's　got　the　sense。'

'Well；　I　think　I　see　what　you　mean；'　said　Christopher　　'What　next？'

'When　you　get　there；　you　bear　away　smart　to　nor'…west；　and　you'll
come　straight　as　a　line　to　the　Lodge。'

'How　the　deuce　am　I　to　know　which　is　north…west　in　a　strange　place；
with　no　sun　to　tell　me？'

'What；　not　know　nor…west？　　Well；　I　should　think　a　boy　could　never
live　and　grow　up　to　be　a　man　without　knowing　the　four　quarters。　　I
knowed　'em　when　I　was　a　mossel　of　a　chiel。　　We　be　no　great　scholars
here；　that's　true；　but　there　isn't　a　Tom…rig　or　Jack…straw　in　these
parts　that　don't　know　where　they　lie　as　well　as　I。　　Now　I've　lived；
man　and　boy；　these　eight…and…sixty　years；　and　never　met　a　man　in　my
life　afore　who　hadn't　learnt　such　a　common　thing　as　the　four
quarters。'

Christopher　parted　from　his　companion　and　soon　reached　a　stile；
clambering　over　which　he　entered　a　park。　　Here　he　threaded　his　way；
and　rounding　a　clump　of　aged　trees　the　young　man　came　in　view　of　a
light　and　elegant　country…house　in　the　half…timbered　Gothic　style　of
the　late　revival；　apparently　only　a　few　years　old。　　Surprised　at
finding　himself　so　near；　Christopher's　heart　fluttered　unmanageably
till　he　had　taken　an　abstract　view　of　his　position；　and；　in
impatience　at　his　want　of　nerve；　adopted　a　sombre　train　of　reasoning
to　convince　himself　that；　far　from　indulgence　in　the　passion　of　love
bringing　bliss；　it　was　a　folly；　leading　to　grief　and　disquiet
certainly　one　which　would　do　him　no　good。　　Cooled　down　by　this；　he
stepped　into　the　drive　and　went　up　to　the　house。

'Is　Mrs。　Petherwin　at　home？'　he　said　modestly。

'Who　did　you　say；　sir？'

He　repeated　the　name。

'Don't　know　the　person。'

'The　lady　may　be　a　visitorI　call　on　business。'

'She　is　not　visiting　in　this　house；　sir。'

'Is　not　this　Arrowthorne　Lodge？'

'Certainly　not。'

'Then　where　is　Arrowthorne　Lodge；　please？'

'Well；　it　is　nearly　a　mile　from　here。　　Under　the　trees　by　the　high…
road。　　If　you　go　across　by　that　footpath　it　will　bring　you　out
quicker　than　by　following　the　bend　of　the　drive。'

Christopher　wondered　how　he　could　have　managed　to　get　into　the　wrong
park；　but；　setting　it　down　to　his　ignorance　of　the　difference
between　oak　and　elm；　he　immediately　retraced　his　steps；　passing
across　the　park　again；　through　the　gate　at　the　end　of　the　drive；　and
into　the　turnpike　road。　　No　other　gate；　park；　or　country　seat　of　any
description　was　within　view。

'Can　you　tell　me　the　way　to　Arrowthorne　Lodge？'　he　inquired　of　the
first　person　he　met；　who　was　a　little　girl。

'You　are　just　coming　away　from　it；　sir；'　said　she。　　'I'll　show　you；
I　am　going　that　way。'

They　walked　along　together。　　Getting　abreast　the　entrance　of　the
park　he　had　just　emerged　from；　the　child　said；　'There　it　is；　sir；　I
live　there　too。'

Christopher；　with　a　dazed　countenance；　looked　towards　a　cottage
which　stood　nestling　in　the　shrubbery　and　ivy　like　a　mushroom　among
grass。　　'Is　that　Arrowthorne　Lodge？'　he　repeated。

'Yes；　and　if　you　go　up　the　drive；　you　come　to　Arrowthorne　House。'

'Arrowthorne　Lodgewhere　Mrs。　Petherwin　lives；　I　mean。'

'Yes。　　She　lives　there　along　wi'　mother　and　we。　　But　she　don't　want
anybody　to　know　it；　sir；　cause　she's　celebrate；　and　'twouldn't　do　at
all。'

Christopher　said　no　more；　and　the　little　girl　became　interested　in
the　products　of　the　bank　and　ditch　by　the　wayside。　　He　left　her；
pushed　open　the　heavy　gate；　and　tapped　at　the　Lodge　door。

The　latch　was　lifted。　　'Does　Mrs。　Petherwin；'　he　began；　and；
determined　that　there　should　be　no　mistake；　repeated；　'Does　Mrs。
Ethelberta　Petherwin；　the　poetess；　live　here？'　turning　full　upon　the
person　who　opened　the　door。

'She　does；　sir；'　said　a　faltering　voice；　and　he　found　himself　face
to　face　with　the　pupil…teacher　of　Sandbourne。



13。　THE　LODGE　（continued）　…　THE　COPSE　BEHIND

'This　is　indeed　a　surprise；　Iam　glad　to　see　you！'　Christopher
stammered；　with　a　wire…drawn；　radically　different　smile　from　the　one
he　had　intendeda　smile　not　without　a　tinge　of　ghastliness。

'YesI　am　home　for　the　holidays；'　said　the　blushing　maiden；　and；
after　a　critical　pause；　she　added；　'If　you　wish　to　speak　to　my
sister；　she　is　in　the　plantation　with　the　children。'

'O　nono；　thank　younot　necessary　at　all；'　said　Christopher；　in
haste。　　'I　only　wish　for　an　interview　with　a　lady　called　Mrs。
Petherwin。'

'Yes；　Mrs　Petherwinmy　sister；'　said　Picotee。　　'She　is　in　the
plantation。　　That　little　path　will　take　you　to　her　in　five　minutes。'

The　amazed　Christopher　persuaded　himself　that　this　discovery　was
very　delightful；　and　went　on　persuading　so　long　that　at　last　he　felt
it　to　be　so。　　Unable；　like　many　other　people；　to　enjoy　being
satirized　in　words　because　of　the　irritation　it　caused　him　as　aimed…
at　victim；　he　sometimes　had　philosophy　enough　to　appreciate　a　satire
of　circumstance；　because　nobody　intended　it。　　Pursuing　the　path
indicated；　he　found　himself　in　a　thicket　of　scrubby　undergrowth；
which　covered　an　area　enclosed　from　the　park　proper　by　a　decaying
fence。　　The　boughs　were　so　tangled　that　he　was　obliged　to　screen　his
face　with　his　hands；　to　escape　the　risk　of　having　his　eyes　filliped
out　by　the　twigs　that　impeded　his　progress。　　Thus　slowly　advancing；
his　ear　caught；　between　the　rustles；　the　tones　of　a　voice　in　earnest
declamation；　and；　pushing　round　in　that　direction；　he　beheld　through
some　beech　boughs　an　open　space　about　ten　yards　in　diameter；　floored
at　the　bottom　with　deep　beds　of　curled　old　leaves；　and　cushions　of
furry　moss。　　In　the　middle　of　this　natural　theatre　was　the　stump　of
a　tree　that　had　been　felled　by　a　saw；　and　upon　the　flat　stool　thus
formed　stood　Ethelberta；　whom　Christopher　had　not　beheld　since　the
ball　at　Wyndway　House。

Round　her；　leaning　against　branches　or　prostrate　on　the　ground；　were
five　or　six　individuals。　　Two　were　young　mechanicsone　of　them
evidently　a　carpenter。　　Then　there　was　a　boy　about　thirteen；　and　two
or　three　younger　children。　　Ethelberta's　appearance　answered　as
fully　as　ever　to　that　of　an　English　lady　skilfully　perfected　in
manner；　carriage；　look；　and　accent；　and　the　incongruity　of　her
present　position　among　lives　which　had　had　many　of　Nature's　beauties
stamped　out　of　them；　and　few　of　the　beauties　of　Art　stamped　in；
brought　him；　as　a　second　feeling；　a　pride　in　her　that　almost
equalled　his　first　sentiment　of　surprise。　　Christopher's　attention
was　meanwhile　attracted　from　the　constitution　of　the　group　to　the
words　of　the　speaker　in　the　centre　of　itwords　to　which　her
auditors　were　listening　with　still　attention。

It　appeared　to　Christopher　that　Ethelberta　had　lately　been
undergoing　some　very　extraordinary　experiences。　　What　the　beginning
of　them　had　been　he　could　not　in　the　least　understand；　but　the
portion　she　was　describing　came　distinctly　to　his　ears；　and　he
wondered　more　and　more。

'He　came　forward　till　he；　like　myself；　was　about　twenty　yards　from
the　edge。　　I　instinctively　grasped　my　useless　stiletto。　　How　I
longed　for　the　assistance　which　a　little　earlier　I　had　so　much
despised！　　Reaching　the　block　or　boulder　upon　which　I　had　been
sitting；　he　clasped　his　arms　around　from　behind；　his　hands　closed
upon　the　empty　seat；　and　he　jumped　up　with　an　oath。　　This　method　of
attack　told　me　a　new　thing　with　wretched　distinctness；　he　had；　as　I
suppose；　discovered　my　sex；　male　attire　was　to　serve　my　turn　no
longer。　　The　next　instant；　indeed；　made　it　clear；　for　he　exclaimed；
〃You　don't　escape　me；　masquerading　madam；〃　or　some　such　words；　and
came　on。　　My　only　hope　was　that　in　his　excitement　he　might　forget　to
notice　where　the　grass　terminated　near　the　edge　of　the　cliff；　though
this　could　be　easily　felt　by　a　careful　walker：　　to　make　m