the hand of ethelberta-第38节

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Ethelberta　ostensibly　continued　her　business　of　tutoring　the　young
workmen　just　as　before；　though　every　emotion　in　her　had　been　put　on
the　alert　by　this　discovery。　　She　had　known　that　Neigh　admired　her；
yet　his　presumption　in　uttering　such　a　remark　as　he　was　reported　to
have　uttered；　confidentially　or　otherwise；　nearly　took　away　her
breath。　　Perhaps　it　was　not　altogether　disagreeable　to　have　her
breath　so　taken　away。

'I　mean　to　marry　that　lady。'　　She　whispered　the　words　to　herself
twenty　times　in　the　course　of　the　afternoon。　　Sol　and　Dan　were　left
considerably　longer　to　their　private　perceptions　of　the　false　and
true　in　art　than　they　had　been　earlier　in　the　day。

When　she　reached　home　Ethelberta　was　still　far　removed　in　her
reflections；　and　it　was　noticed　afterwards　that　about　this　time　in
her　career　her　openness　of　manner　entirely　deserted　her。　　She　mostly
was　silent　as　to　her　thoughts；　and　she　wore　an　air　of　unusual
stillness。　　It　was　the　silence　and　stillness　of　a　starry　sky；　where
all　is　force　and　motion。　　This　deep　undecipherable　habit　sometimes
suggested；　though　it　did　not　reveal；　Ethelberta's　busy　brain　to　her
sisters；　and　they　said　to　one　another；　'I　cannot　think　what's　coming
to　Berta：　　she　is　not　so　nice　as　she　used　to　be。'

The　evening　under　notice　was　passed　desultorily　enough　after　the
discovery　of　Neigh's　self…assured　statement。　　Among　other　things
that　she　did　after　dark；　while　still　musingly　examining　the
probabilities　of　the　report　turning　out　true；　was　to　wander　to　the
large　attic　where　the　children　slept；　a　frequent　habit　of　hers　at
night；　to　learn　if　they　were　snug　and　comfortable。　　They　were
talking　now　from　bed　to　bed；　the　person　under　discussion　being
herself。　　Herself　seemed　everywhere　to…day。

'I　know　that　she　is　a　fairy；'　Myrtle　was　insisting；　'because　she
must　be；　to　have　such　pretty　things　in　her　house；　and　wear　silk
dresses　such　as　mother　and　we　and　Picotee　haven't　got；　and　have
money　to　give　us　whenever　we　want　it。'

'Emmeline　says　perhaps　she　knows　the　fairy's　godmother；　and　is　not　a
fairy　herself；　because　Berta　is　too　tall　for　a　real　fairy。'

'She　must　be　one；　for　when　there　was　a　notch　burnt　in　the　hem　of　my
pretty　blue　frock　she　said　it　should　be　gone　in　the　morning　if　I
would　go　to　bed　and　not　cry；　and　in　the　morning　it　was　gone；　and　all
nice　and　straight　as　new。'

Ethelberta　was　recalling　to　mind　how　she　had　sat　up　and　repaired　the
damage　alluded　to　by　cutting　off　half　an　inch　of　the　skirt　all　round
and　hemming　it　anew；　when　the　breathing　of　the　children　became
regular；　and　they　fell　asleep。　　Here　were　bright　little　minds　ready
for　a　training；　which　without　money　and　influence　she　could　never
give　them。　　The　wisdom　which　knowledge　brings；　and　the　power　which
wisdom　may　bring；　she　had　always　assumed　would　be　theirs　in　her
dreams　for　their　social　elevation。　　By　what　means　were　these　things
to　be　ensured　to　them　if　her　skill　in　bread…winning　should　fail　her？
Would　not　a　well…contrived　marriage　be　of　service？　　She　covered　and
tucked　in　one　more　closely；　lifted　another　upon　the　pillow　and
straightened　the　soft　limbs　to　an　easy　position；　then　sat　down　by
the　window　and　looked　out　at　the　flashing　stars。　　Thoughts　of
Neigh's　audacious　statement　returned　again　upon　Ethelberta。　　He　had
said　that　he　meant　to　marry　her。　　Of　what　standing　was　the　man　who
had　uttered　such　an　intention　respecting　one　to　whom　a　politic
marriage　had　become　almost　a　necessity　of　existence？

She　had　often　heard　Neigh　speak　indefinitely　of　some　estate'my
little　place'　he　had　called　itwhich　he　had　purchased　no　very　long
time　ago。　　All　she　knew　was　that　its　name　was　Farnfield；　that　it　lay
thirty　or　forty　miles　out　of　London　in　a　south…westerly　direction；　a
railway　station　in　the　district　bearing　the　same　name；　so　that　there
was　probably　a　village　or　small　town　adjoining。　　Whether　the　dignity
of　this　landed　property　was　that　of　domain；　farmstead；　allotment；　or
garden…plot；　Ethelberta　had　not　the　slightest　conception。　　She　was
almost　certain　that　Neigh　never　lived　there；　but　that　might　signify
nothing。　　The　exact　size　and　value　of　the　estate　would；　she　mused；
be　curious；　interesting；　and　almost　necessary　information　to　her　who
must　become　mistress　of　it　were　she　to　allow　him　to　carry　out　his
singularly　cool　and　crude；　if　tender；　intention。　　Moreover；　its
importance　would　afford　a　very　good　random　sample　of　his　worldly
substance　throughout；　from　which　alone；　after　all；　could　the　true
spirit　and　worth　and　seriousness　of　his　words　be　apprehended。
Impecuniosity　may　revel　in　unqualified　vows　and　brim　over　with
confessions　as　blithely　as　a　bird　of　May；　but　such　careless
pleasures　are　not　for　the　solvent；　whose　very　dreams　are　negotiable；
and　are　expressed　with　due　care　accordingly。

That　Neigh　had　used　the　words　she　had　far　more　than　prima…facie
appearances　for　believing。　　Neigh's　own　conduct　towards　her；　though
peculiar　rather　than　devoted；　found　in　these　words　alone　a
reasonable　key。　　But；　supposing　the　estate　to　be　such　a　verbal
hallucination　as；　for　instance；　hers　had　been　at　Arrowthorne；　when
her　poor；　unprogressive；　hopelessly　impracticable　Christopher　came
there　to　visit　her；　and　was　so　wonderfully　undeceived　about　her
social　standing：　　what　a　fiasco；　and　what　a　cuckoo…cry　would　his
utterances　about　marriage　seem　then。　　Christopher　had　often　told　her
of　his　expectations　from　'Arrowthorne　Lodge；'　and　of　the　blunders
that　had　resulted　in　consequence。　　Had　not　Ethelberta's　affection
for　Christopher　partaken　less　of　lover's　passion　than　of　old…
established　tutelary　tenderness　she　might　have　been　reminded　by　this
reflection　of　the　transcendent　fidelity　he　had　shown　under　that
trialas　severe　a　trial；　considering　the　abnormal；　almost　morbid；
development　of　the　passion　for　position　in　present…day　society；　as
can　be　prepared　for　men　who　move　in　the　ordinary；　unheroic　channels
of　life。

By　the　following　evening　the　consideration　of　this　possibility；　that
Neigh's　position　might　furnish　scope　for　such　a　disillusive
discovery　by　herself　as　hers　had　afforded　to　Christopher；　decoyed
Ethelberta　into　a　curious　little　scheme。　　She　was　piqued　into　a
practical　undertaking　by　the　man　who　could　say　to　his　friend　with
such　sangfroid；　'I　mean　to　marry　that　lady。'

Merely　telling　Picotee　to　prepare　for　an　evening　excursion；　of　which
she　was　to　talk　to　no　one；　Ethelberta　made　ready　likewise；　and　they
left　the　house　in　a　cab　about　half…an…hour　before　sunset；　and　drove
to　the　Waterloo　Station。

With　the　decline　and　departure　of　the　sun　a　fog　gathered　itself　out
of　the　low　meadow…land　that　bordered　the　railway　as　they　went　along
towards　the　west；　stretching　over　it　like　a　placid　lake；　till　at　the
end　of　the　journey；　the　mist　became　generally　pervasive；　though　not
dense。　　Avoiding　observation　as　much　as　they　conveniently　could；　the
two　sisters　walked　from　the　long　wooden　shed　which　formed　the
station　here；　into　the　rheumy　air　and　along　the　road　to　the　open
country。　　Picotee　occasionally　questioned　Ethelberta　on　the　object
of　the　strange　journey：　　she　did　not　question　closely；　being
satisfied　that　in　such　sure　hands　as　Ethelberta's　she　was　safe。

Deeming　it　unwise　to　make　any　inquiry　just　yet　beyond　the　simple　one
of　the　way　to　Farnfield；　Ethelberta　led　her　companion　along　a　newly…
fenced　road　across　a　heath。　　In　due　time　they　came　to　an　ornamental
gate　with　a　curved　sweep　of　wall　on　each　side；　signifying　the
entrance　to　some　enclosed　property　or　other。　　Ethelberta；　being
quite　free　from　any　digested　plan　for　encouraging　Neigh　in　his
resolve　to　wive；　was　startled　to　find　a　hope　in　her　that　this　very
respectable　beginning　before　their　eyes　was　the　entrance　to　the
Farnfield　property：　　that　she　hoped　it　was　nevertheless
unquestionable。　　Just　beyond　lay　a　turnpike…house；　where　was　dimly
visible　a　woman　in　the　act　of　putting　up　a　shutter　to　the　front
window。

Compelled　by　this　time　to　come　to　special　questions；　Ethelberta
instructed　Picotee　to　ask　of　this　person　if　the　place　they　had　just
passed　was　the　entrance　to　Farnfield　Park。　　The　woman　replied　that
it　was。　　Directly　she　had　gone　indoors　Ethelberta　turned　back　again
towards　the　park　gate。

'What　have　we　come　for；　Berta？'　said　Picotee；　as　she　turned　also。

'I'll　tell　you　some　day；'　replied　her　sister。

It　was　now　much　past　eight　o'clock；　and；　from　the　nature　of　the
evening；　dusk。　　The　last　stopping　up…train　was　about　ten；　so　that
half…an…hour　could　well　be　afforded　for　looking　round。　　Ethelberta
went　to　the　gate；　which　was　found　to　be　fastened　by　a　chain　and
padlock。

'Ah；　the　London　season；'　she　murmured。

There　was　a　wicket　at　the　side；　and　they　entered。　　An　avenue　of
young　fir　trees　three　or　four　feet　in　height　extended　from　the　gate
into　the　mist；　and　down　this　they　walked。　　The　drive　was　not　in　very
good　order；　and　the　two　women　were　frequently　obliged　to　walk　on　the
grass　to　avoid　the　rough　stones　in　the　carriage…way。　　The　double
line　of　young　firs　now　abruptly　terminated；　and　the　road　swept
lower；　bending　to　the　right；　immediately　in　front　being　a　large
lake；　calm　and　silent　as　a　second　sky。　　They　could　hear　from
somewhere　on　the　margin　the　purl　of　a　w