the hand of ethelberta-第37节

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vastly　differed　her　homely　suit　and　unstudied　contourpainfully
unstudied　to　fastidious　eyesfrom　Ethelberta's　well…arranged
draperies；　even　from　Picotee's　clever　bits　of　ribbon；　by　which　she
made　herself　look　pretty　out　of　nothing　at　all。　　Yet　this　negligence
was　his　sister's　essence；　without　it　she　would　have　been　a　spoilt
product。　　She　had　no　outer　world；　and　her　rusty　black　was　as
appropriate　to　Faith's　unseen　courses　as　were　Ethelberta's　correct
lights　and　shades　to　her　more　prominent　career。

'Look；　Kit；'　said　Faith；　as　soon　as　she　knew　who　was　approaching。
'This　is　a　thing　I　never　learnt　before；　this　person　is　really
Sennacherib；　sitting　on　his　throne；　and　these　with　fluted　beards　and
hair　like　plough…furrows；　and　fingers　with　no　bones　in　them；　are　his
warriorsreally　carved　at　the　time；　you　know。　　Only　just　think　that
this　is　not　imagined　of　Assyria；　but　done　in　Assyrian　times　by
Assyrian　hands。　　Don't　you　feel　as　if　you　were　actually　in　Nineveh；
that　as　we　now　walk　between　these　slabs；　so　walked　Ninevites　between
them　once？'

'Yes。　。　。　。　　Faith；　it　is　all　over。　　Ethelberta　and　I　have　parted。'

'Indeed。　　And　so　my　plan　is　to　think　of　verses　in　the　Bible　about
Sennacherib　and　his　doings；　which　resemble　these；　this　verse；　for
instance；　I　remember：　　〃Now　in　the　fourteenth　year　of　King　Hezekiah
did　Sennacherib；　King　of　Assyria；　come　up　against　all　the　fenced
cities　of　Judah　and　took　them。　　And　Hezekiah；　King　of　Judah；　sent　to
the　King　of　Assyria　to　Lachish；〃　and　so　on。　　Well；　there　it　actually
is；　you　see。　　There's　Sennacherib；　and　there's　Lachish。　　Is　it　not
glorious　to　think　that　this　is　a　picture　done　at　the　time　of　those
very　events？'

'Yes。　　We　did　not　quarrel　this　time；　Ethelberta　and　I。　　If　I　may　so
put　it；　it　is　worse　than　quarrelling。　　We　felt　it　was　no　use　going
on　any　longer；　and　soCome；　Faith；　hear　what　I　say；　or　else　tell　me
that　you　won't　hear；　and　that　I　may　as　well　save　my　breath！'

'Yes；　I　will　really　listen；'　she　said；　fluttering　her　eyelids　in　her
concern　at　having　been　so　abstracted；　and　excluding　Sennacherib
there　and　then　from　Christopher's　affairs　by　the　first　settlement　of
her　features　to　a　present…day　aspect；　and　her　eyes　upon　his　face。
'You　said　you　had　seen　Ethelberta。　　Yes；　and　what　did　she　say？'

'Was　there　ever　anybody　so　provoking！　　Why；　I　have　just　told　you！'

'Yes；　yes；　I　remember　now。　　You　have　parted。　　The　subject　is　too
large　for　me　to　know　all　at　once　what　I　think　of　it；　and　you　must
give　me　time；　Kit。　　Speaking　of　Ethelberta　reminds　me　of　what　I　have
done。　　I　just　looked　into　the　Academy　this　morningI　thought　I
would　surprise　you　by　telling　you　about　it。　　And　what　do　you　think　I
saw？　　Ethelbertain　the　picture　painted　by　Mr。　Ladywell。'

'It　is　never　hung？'　said　he；　feeling　that　they　were　at　one　as　to　a
topic　at　last。

'Yes。　　And　the　subject　is　an　Elizabethan　knight　parting　from　a　lady
of　the　same　periodthe　words　explaining　the　picture　being

　　　　　〃Farewell！　thou　art　too　dear　for　my　possessing；
　　　　　　And　like　enough　thou　know'st　thy　estimate。〃

The　lady　is　Ethelberta；　to　the　shade　of　a　hairher　living　face；　and
the　knight　is'

'Not　Ladywell？'

'I　think　so；　I　am　not　sure。'

'No　wonder　I　am　dismissed！　　And　yet　she　hates　him。　　Well；　come
along；　Faith。　　Women　allow　strange　liberties　in　these　days。'



25。　THE　ROYAL　ACADEMY　…　THE　FARNFIELD　ESTATE

Ethelberta　was　a　firm　believer　in　the　kindly　effects　of　artistic
education　upon　the　masses。　　She　held　that　defilement　of　mind　often
arose　from　ignorance　of　eye；　and　her　philanthropy　being；　by　the
simple　force　of　her　situation；　of　that　sort　which　lingers　in　the
neighbourhood　of　home；　she　concentrated　her　efforts　in　this　kind
upon　Sol　and　Dan。　　Accordingly；　the　Academy　exhibition　having　now
just　opened；　she　ordered　the　brothers　to　appear　in　their　best
clothes　at　the　entrance　to　Burlington　House　just　after　noontide　on
the　Saturday　of　the　first　week；　this　being　the　only　day　and　hour　at
which　they　could　attend　without　'losing　a　half'　and　therefore　it　was
necessary　to　put　up　with　the　inconvenience　of　arriving　at　a　crowded
and　enervating　time。

When　Ethelberta　was　set　down　in　the　quadrangle　she　perceived　the
faithful　pair；　big　as　the　Zamzummims　of　old　time；　standing　like
sentinels　in　the　particular　corner　that　she　had　named　to　them：　　for
Sol　and　Dan　would　as　soon　have　attempted　petty　larceny　as　broken
faith　with　their　admired　lady…sister　Ethelberta。　　They　welcomed　her
with　a　painfully　lavish　exhibition　of　large　new　gloves；　and　chests
covered　with　broad　triangular　areas　of　padded　blue　silk；　occupying
the　position　that　the　shirt…front　had　occupied　in　earlier　days；　and
supposed　to　be　lineally　descended　from　the　tie　of　a　neckerchief。

The　dress　of　their　sister　for　to…day　was　exactly　that　of　a
respectable　workman's　relative　who　had　no　particular　ambition　in　the
matter　of　fashiona　black　stuff　gown；　a　plain　bonnet　to　match。　　A
veil　she　wore　for　obvious　reasons：　　her　face　was　getting　well　known
in　London；　and　it　had　already　appeared　at　the　private　view　in　an
uncovered　state；　when　it　was　scrutinized　more　than　the　paintings
around。　　But　now　homely　and　useful　labour　was　her　purpose。

Catalogue　in　hand　she　took　the　two　brothers　through　the　galleries；
teaching　them　in　whispers　as　they　walked；　and　occasionally
correcting　themfirst；　for　too　reverential　a　bearing　towards　the
well…dressed　crowd；　among　whom　they　persisted　in　walking　with　their
hats　in　their　hands　and　with　the　contrite　bearing　of　meek　people　in
church；　and；　secondly；　for　a　tendency　which　they　too　often　showed
towards　straying　from　the　contemplation　of　the　pictures　as　art　to
indulge　in　curious　speculations　on　the　intrinsic　nature　of　the
delineated　subject；　the　gilding　of　the　frames；　the　construction　of
the　skylights　overhead；　or　admiration　for　the　bracelets；　lockets；
and　lofty　eloquence　of　persons　around　them。

'Now；'　said　Ethelberta；　in　a　warning　whisper；　'we　are　coming　near
the　picture　which　was　partly　painted　from　myself。　　And；　Dan；　when
you　see　it；　don't　you　exclaim　〃Hullo！〃　or　〃That's　Berta　to　a　T；〃　or
anything　at　all。　　It　would　not　matter　were　it　not　dangerous　for　me
to　be　noticed　here　to…day。　　I　see　several　people　who　would　recognize
me　on　the　least　provocation。'

'Not　a　word；'　said　Dan。　　'Don't　you　be　afeard　about　that。　　I　feel
that　I　baint　upon　my　own　ground　to…day；　and　wouldn't　do　anything　to
cause　an　upset；　drown　me　if　I　would。　　Would　you；　Sol？'

In　this　temper　they　all　pressed　forward；　and　Ethelberta　could　not
but　be　gratified　at　the　reception　of　Ladywell's　picture；　though　it
was　accorded　by　critics　not　very　profound。　　It　was　an　operation　of
some　minutes　to　get　exactly　opposite；　and　when　side　by　side　the
three　stood　there　they　overheard　the　immediate　reason　of　the
pressure。　　'Farewell；　thou　art　too　dear　for　my　possessing'　had　been
lengthily　discoursed　upon　that　morning　by　the　Coryphaeus　of　popular
opinion；　and　the　spirit　having　once　been　poured　out　sons　and
daughters　could　prophesy。　　But；　in　truth；　Ladywell's　work；　if　not
emphatically　original；　was　happily　centred　on　a　middle　stratum　of
taste；　and　apart　from　this　adventitious　help　commanded；　and　deserved
to　command；　a　wide　area　of　appreciation。

While　they　were　standing　here　in　the　very　heart　of　the　throng
Ethelberta's　ears　were　arrested　by　two　male　voices　behind　her；　whose
words　formed　a　novel　contrast　to　those　of　the　other　speakers　around。

'Some　men；　you　see；　with　extravagant　expectations　of　themselves；
coolly　get　them　gratified；　while　others　hope　rationally　and　are
disappointed。　　Luck；　that's　what　it　is。　　And　the　more　easily　a　man
takes　life　the　more　persistently　does　luck　follow　him。'

'Of　course；　because；　if　he's　industrious　he　does　not　want　luck's
assistance。　　Natural　laws　will　help　him　instead。'

'Well；　if　it　is　true　that　Ladywell　has　painted　a　good　picture　he　has
done　it　by　an　exhaustive　process。　　He　has　painted　every　possible　bad
one　till　nothing　more　of　that　sort　is　left　for　him。　　You　know　what
lady's　face　served　as　the　original　to　this；　I　suppose？'

'Mrs。　Petherwin's；　I　hear。'

'Yes；　Mrs。　Alfred　Neigh　that's　to　be。'

'What；　that　elusive　fellow　caught　at　last？'

'So　it　appears；　but　she　herself　is　hardly　so　well　secured　as　yet；　it
seems；　though　he　takes　the　uncertainty　as　coolly　as　possible。　　I
knew　nothing　about　it　till　he　introduced　the　subject　as　we　were
standing　here　on　Monday；　and　said；　in　an　off…hand　way；　〃I　mean　to
marry　that　lady。〃　　I　asked　him　how。　　〃Easily；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　have
her　if　there　are　a　hundred　at　her　heels。〃　　You　will　understand　that
this　was　quite　in　confidence。'

'Of　course；　of　course。'　　Then　there　was　a　slight　laugh；　and　the
companions　proceeded　to　other　gossip。

Ethelberta；　calm　and　compressed　in　manner；　sidled　along　to　extricate
herself；　not　daring　to　turn　round；　and　Dan　and　Sol　followed；　till
they　were　all　clear　of　the　spot。　　The　brothers；　who　had　heard　the
words　equally　well　with　Ethelberta；　made　no　remark　to　her　upon　them；
assuming　that　they　referred　to　some　peculiar　system　of　courtship
adopted　in　high　life；　with　which　they　had　rightly　no　concern。

Ethelberta　ostensibly　continued　her　business　of　tutoring　the　young
workmen　just　as　before；　thoug