the hand of ethelberta-第24节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


eminent　merit　of　seeming　like　truth。　　A　modern　critic　has　well
observed　of　De　Foe　that　he　had　the　most　amazing　talent　on　record　for
telling　lies；　and　Ethelberta；　in　wishing　her　fiction　to　appear　like
a　real　narrative　of　personal　adventure；　did　wisely　to　make　De　Foe
her　model。　　His　is　a　style　even　better　adapted　for　speaking　than　for
writing；　and　the　peculiarities　of　diction　which　he　adopts　to　give
verisimilitude　to　his　narratives　acquired　enormous　additional　force
when　exhibited　as　viva…voce　mannerisms。　　And　although　these
artifices　were　not；　perhaps；　slavishly　copied　from　that　master　of
feigning；　they　would　undoubtedly　have　reminded　her　hearers　of　him；
had　they　not　mostly　been　drawn　from　an　easeful　section　in　society
which　is　especially　characterized　by　the　mental　condition　of　knowing
nothing　about　any　author　a　week　after　they　have　read　him。　　The　few
there　who　did　remember　De　Foe　were　impressed　by　a　fancy　that　his
words　greeted　them　anew　in　a　winged　auricular　form；　instead　of　by
the　weaker　channels　of　print　and　eyesight。　　The　reader　may　imagine
what　an　effect　this　well…studied　method　must　have　produced　when
intensified　by　a　clear；　living　voice；　animated　action；　and　the
brilliant　and　expressive　eye　of　a　handsome　womanattributes　which
of　themselves　almost　compelled　belief。　　When　she　reached　the　most
telling　passages；　instead　of　adding　exaggerated　action　and　sound；
Ethelberta　would　lapse　to　a　whisper　and　a　sustained　stillness；　which
were　more　striking　than　gesticulation。　　All　that　could　be　done　by
art　was　there；　and　if　inspiration　was　wanting　nobody　missed　it。

It　was　in　performing　this　feat　that　Ethelberta　seemed　first　to
discover　in　herself　the　full　power　of　that　self…command　which
further　onward　in　her　career　more　and　more　impressed　her　as　a
singular　possession；　until　at　last　she　was　tempted　to　make　of　it
many　fantastic　uses；　leading　to　results　that　affected　more
households　than　her　own。　　A　talent　for　demureness　under　difficulties
without　the　cold…bloodedness　which　renders　such　a　bearing　natural
and　easy；　a　face　and　hand　reigning　unmoved　outside　a　heart　by　nature
turbulent　as　a　wave；　is　a　constitutional　arrangement　much　to　be
desired　by　people　in　general；　yet；　had　Ethelberta　been　framed　with
less　of　that　gift　in　her；　her　life　might　have　been　more　comfortable
as　an　experience；　and　brighter　as　an　example；　though　perhaps　duller
as　a　story。

'Ladywell；　how　came　this　Mrs。　Petherwin　to　think　of　such　a　queer
trick　as　telling　romances；　after　doing　so　well　as　a　poet？'　said　a
man　in　the　stalls　to　his　friend；　who　had　been　gazing　at　the　Story…
teller　with　a　rapt　face。

'Whatdon't　you　know？everybody　did；　I　thought；'　said　the　painter。

'A　mistake。　　Indeed；　I　should　not　have　come　here　at　all　had　I　not
heard　the　subject　mentioned　by　accident　yesterday　at　Grey's；　and
then　I　remembered　her　to　be　the　same　woman　I　had　met　at　some　place
Belmaine's　I　think　it　waslast　year；　when　I　thought　her　just
getting　on　for　handsome　and　clever；　not　to　put　it　too　strongly。'

'Ah！　naturally　you　would　not　know　much；'　replied　Ladywell；　in　an
eager　whisper。　　'Perhaps　I　am　judging　others　by　myself　a　little　more
thanbut；　as　you　have　heard；　she　is　an　acquaintance　of　mine。　　I
know　her　very　well；　and；　in　fact；　I　originally　suggested　the　scheme
to　her　as　a　pleasant　way　of　adding　to　her　fame。　　〃Depend　upon　it；
dear　Mrs。　Petherwin；〃　I　said；　during　a　pause　in　one　of　our　dances
together　some　time　ago；　〃any　public　appearance　of　yours　would　be
successful　beyond　description。〃'

'O；　I　had　no　idea　that　you　knew　her　so　well！　　Then　it　is　quite
through　you　that　she　has　adopted　this　course？'

'Well；　not　entirelyI　could　not　say　entirely。　　She　said　that　some
day；　perhaps；　she　might　do　such　a　thing；　and；　in　short；　I　reduced
her　vague　ideas　to　form。'

'I　should　not　mind　knowing　her　betterI　must　get　you　to　throw　us
together　in　some　way；'　said　Neigh；　with　some　interest。　　'I　had　no
idea　that　you　were　such　an　old　friend。　　You　could　do　it；　I　suppose？'

'Really；　I　am　afraidhah…hahmay　not　have　the　opportunity　of
obliging　you。　　I　met　her　at　Wyndway；　you　know；　where　she　was
visiting　with　Lady　Petherwin。　　It　was　some　time　ago；　and　I　cannot
say　that　I　have　ever　met　her　since。'

'Or　before？'　said　Neigh。

'Wellno；　I　never　did。'

'Ladywell；　if　I　had　half　your　power　of　going　to　your　imagination　for
facts；　I　would　be　the　greatest　painter　in　England。'

'Now　Neighthat's　too　badbut　with　regard　to　this　matter；　I　do
speak　with　some　interest；'　said　Ladywell；　with　a　pleased　sense　of
himself。

'In　love　with　her？Smitten　down？Done　for？'

'Now；　now！　　However；　several　other　fellows　chaff　me　about　her。　　It
was　only　yesterday　that　Jones　said'

'Do　you　know　why　she　cares　to　do　this　sort　of　thing？'

'Merely　a　desire　for　fame；　I　suppose。'

'I　should　think　she　has　fame　enough　already。'

'That　I　can　express　no　opinion　upon。　　I　am　thinking　of　getting　her
permission　to　use　her　face　in　a　subject　I　am　preparing。　　It　is　a
fine　face　for　canvas。　　Glorious　contourglorious。　　Ah；　here　she　is
again；　for　the　second　part。'

'Dream　on；　young　fellow。　　You'll　make　a　rare　couple！'　said　Neigh；
with　a　flavour　of　superciliousness　unheeded　by　his　occupied
companion。

Further　back　in　the　room　were　a　pair　of　faces　whose　keen　interest　in
the　performance　contrasted　much　with　the　languidly　permissive　air　of
those　in　front。　　When　the　ten　minutes'　break　occurred；　Christopher
was　the　first　of　the　two　to　speak。　　'Well；　what　do　you　think　of　her；
Faith？'　he　said；　shifting　restlessly　on　his　seat。

'I　like　the　quiet　parts　of　the　tale　best；　I　think〃　replied　the
sister；　'but；　of　course；　I　am　not　a　good　judge　of　these　things。　　How
still　the　people　are　at　times！　　I　continually　take　my　eyes　from　her
to　look　at　the　listeners。　　Did　you　notice　the　fat　old　lady　in　the
second　row；　with　her　cloak　a　little　thrown　back？　　She　was　absolutely
unconscious；　and　stayed　with　her　face　up　and　lips　parted　like　a
little　child　of　six。'

'She　well　may！　the　thing　is　a　triumph。　　That　fellow　Ladywell　is
here；　I　believeyes；　it　is　he；　busily　talking　to　the　man　on　his
right。　　If　I　were　a　woman　I　would　rather　go　donkey…driving　than
stick　myself　up　there；　for　gaping　fops　to　quiz　and　say　what　they
like　about！　　But　she　had　no　choice；　poor　thing；　for　it　was　that　or
nothing　with　her。'

Faith；　who　had　secret　doubts　about　the　absolute　necessity　of
Ethelberta's　appearance　in　public；　said；　with　remote　meanings；
'Perhaps　it　is　not　altogether　a　severe　punishment　to　her　to　be
looked　at　by　well…dressed　men。　　Suppose　she　feels　it　as　a　blessing；
instead　of　an　affliction？'

'She　is　a　different　sort　of　woman；　Faith；　and　so　you　would　say　if
you　knew　her。　　Of　course；　it　is　natural　for　you　to　criticize　her
severely　just　now；　and　I　don't　wish　to　defend　her。'

'I　think　you　do　a　little；　Kit。'

'No；　I　am　indifferent　about　it　all。　　Perhaps　it　would　have　been
better　for　me　if　I　had　never　seen　her；　and　possibly　it　might　have
been　better　for　her　if　she　had　never　seen　me。　　She　has　a　heart；　and
the　heart　is　a　troublesome　encumbrance　when　great　things　have　to　be
done。　　I　wish　you　knew　her：　　I　am　sure　you　would　like　each　other。'

'O　yes；'　said　Faith；　in　a　voice　of　rather　weak　conviction。　　'But；　as
we　live　in　such　a　plain　way；　it　would　be　hardly　desirable　at
present。'



Ethelberta　being　regarded；　in　common　with　the　latest　conjurer；
spirit…medium；　aeronaut；　giant；　dwarf　or　monarch；　as　a　new
sensation；　she　was　duly　criticized　in　the　morning　papers；　and　even
obtained　a　notice　in　some　of　the　weekly　reviews。

'A　handsome　woman；'　said　one　of　these；　'may　have　her　own　reasons　for
causing　the　flesh　of　the　London　public　to　creep　upon　its　bones　by
her　undoubtedly　remarkable　narrative　powers；　but　we　question　if　much
good　can　result　from　such　a　form　of　entertainment。　　Nevertheless；
some　praise　is　due。　　We　have　had　the　novel…writer　among　us　for　some
time；　and　the　novel…reader　has　occasionally　appeared　on　our
platforms；　but　we　believe　that　this　is　the　first　instance　on　record
of　a　Novel…tellerone；　that　is　to　say；　who　relates　professedly　as
fiction　a　romantic　tale　which　has　never　been　printedthe　whole
owing　its　chief　interest　to　the　method　whereby　the　teller　identifies
herself　with　the　leading　character　in　the　story。'

Another　observed：　　'When　once　we　get　away　from　the　magic　influence
of　the　story…teller's　eye　and　tongue；　we　perceive　how　improbable；
even　impossible；　is　the　tissue　of　events　to　which　we　have　been
listening　with　so　great　a　sense　of　reality；　and　we　feel　almost　angry
with　ourselves　at　having　been　the　victims　of　such　utter　illusion。'

'Mrs。　Petherwin's　personal　appearance　is　decidedly　in　her　favour；'
said　another。　　'She　affects　no　unconsciousness　of　the　fact　that　form
and　feature　are　no　mean　vehicles　of　persuasion；　and　she　uses　the
powers　of　each　to　the　utmost。　　There　spreads　upon　her　face　when　in
repose　an　air　of　innocence　which　is　charmingly　belied　by　the
subtlety　we　discover　beneath　it　when　she　begins　her　tale；　and　this
amusing　discrepancy　between　her　physical　presentment　and　the　inner
woman　is　further　illustrated　by　the　misgiving；　which　seizes　us　on
her　entrance；　that　so　impressionable　a　lady　will　never　bear　up　in
the　face　of　so　trying　an　audience。　。