the hand of ethelberta-第39节

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lake；　calm　and　silent　as　a　second　sky。　　They　could　hear　from
somewhere　on　the　margin　the　purl　of　a　weir；　and　around　were　clumps
of　shrubs；　araucarias　and　deodars　being　the　commonest。

Ethelberta　could　not　resist　being　charmed　with　the　repose　of　the
spot；　and　hastened　on　with　curiosity　to　reach　the　other　side　of　the
pool；　where；　by　every　law　of　manorial　topography；　the　mansion　would
be　situate。　　The　fog　concealed　all　objects　beyond　a　distance　of
twenty　yards　or　thereabouts；　but　it　was　nearly　full　moon；　and　though
the　orb　was　hidden；　a　pale　diffused　light　enabled　them　to　see
objects　in　the　foreground。　　Reaching　the　other　side　of　the　lake　the
drive　enlarged　itself　most　legitimately　to　a　large　oval；　as　for　a
sweep　before　a　door；　a　pile　of　rockwork　standing　in　the　midst。

But　where　should　have　been　the　front　door　of　a　mansion　was　simply　a
rough　rail　fence；　about　four　feet　high。　　They　drew　near　and　looked
over。

In　the　enclosure；　and　on　the　site　of　the　imaginary　house；　was　an
extraordinary　group。　　It　consisted　of　numerous　horses　in　the　last
stage　of　decrepitude；　the　animals　being　such　mere　skeletons　that　at
first　Ethelberta　hardly　recognized　them　to　be　horses　at　all；　they
seemed　rather　to　be　specimens　of　some　attenuated　heraldic　animal；
scarcely　thick　enough　through　the　body　to　throw　a　shadow：　　or
enlarged　castings　of　the　fire…dog　of　past　times。　　These　poor
creatures　were　endeavouring　to　make　a　meal　from　herbage　so　trodden
and　thin　that　scarcely　a　wholesome　blade　remained；　the　little　that
there　was　consisted　of　the　sourer　sorts　common　on　such　sandy　soils；
mingled　with　tufts　of　heather　and　sprouting　ferns。

'Why　have　we　come　here；　dear　Berta？'　said　Picotee；　shuddering。

'I　hardly　know；'　said　Ethelberta。

Adjoining　this　enclosure　was　another　and　smaller　one；　formed　of　high
boarding；　within　which　appeared　to　be　some　sheds　and　outhouses。
Ethelberta　looked　through　the　crevices；　and　saw　that　in　the　midst　of
the　yard　stood　trunks　of　trees　as　if　they　were　growing；　with
branches　also　extending；　but　these　were　sawn　off　at　the　points　where
they　began　to　be　flexible；　no　twigs　or　boughs　remaining。　　Each　torso
was　not　unlike　a　huge　hat…stand；　and　suspended　to　the　pegs　and
prongs　were　lumps　of　some　substance　which　at　first　she　did　not
recognize；　they　proved　to　be　a　chronological　sequel　to　the　previous
scene。　　Horses'　skulls；　ribs；　quarters；　legs；　and　other　joints　were
hung　thereon；　the　whole　forming　a　huge　open…air　larder　emitting　not
too　sweet　a　smell。

But　what　Stygian　sound　was　this？　　There　had　arisen　at　the　moment
upon　the　mute　and　sleepy　air　a　varied　howling　from　a　hundred
tongues。　　It　had　burst　from　a　spot　close　at　handa　low　wooden
building　by　a　stream　which　fed　the　lakeand　reverberated　for　miles。
No　further　explanation　was　required。

'We　are　close　to　a　kennel　of　hounds；'　said　Ethelberta；　as　Picotee
held　tightly　to　her　arm。　　'They　cannot　get　out；　so　you　need　not
fear。　　They　have　a　horrid　way　of　suddenly　beginning　thus　at
different　hours　of　the　night；　for　no　apparent　reason：　　though
perhaps　they　hear　us。　　These　poor　horses　are　waiting　to　be　killed
for　their　food。'

The　experience　altogether；　from　its　intense　melancholy；　was　very
depressing；　almost　appalling　to　the　two　lone　young　women；　and　they
quickly　retraced　their　footsteps。　　The　pleasant　lake；　the　purl　of
the　weir；　the　rudimentary　lawns；　shrubberies；　and　avenue；　had
changed　their　character　quite。　　Ethelberta　fancied　at　that　moment
that　she　could　not　have　married　Neigh；　even　had　she　loved　him；　so
horrid　did　his　belongings　appear　to　be。　　But　for　many　other　reasons
she　had　been　gradually　feeling　within　this　hour　that　she　would　not
go　out　of　her　way　at　a　beck　from　a　man　whose　interest　was　so
unimpassioned。

Thinking　no　more　of　him　as　a　possible　husband　she　ceased　to　be
afraid　to　make　inquiries　about　the　peculiarities　of　his　possessions。
In　the　high…road　they　came　on　a　local　man；　resting　from　wheeling　a
wheelbarrow；　and　Ethelberta　asked　him；　with　the　air　of　a
countrywoman；　who　owned　the　estate　across　the　road。

'The　man　owning　that　is　one　of　the　name　of　Neigh；'　said　the　native；
wiping　his　face。　　''Tis　a　family　that　have　made　a　very　large　fortune
by　the　knacker　business　and　tanning；　though　they　be　only　sleeping
partners　in　it　now；　and　live　like　lords。　　Mr。　Neigh　was　going　to
pull　down　the　old　huts　here；　and　improve　the　place　and　build　a
mansionin　short；　he　went　so　far　as　to　have　the　grounds　planted；
and　the　roads　marked　out；　and　the　fish…pond　made；　and　the　place
christened　Farnfield　Park；　but　he　did　no　more。　　〃I　shall　never　have
a　wife；〃　he　said；　〃so　why　should　I　want　a　house　to　put　her　in？〃
He's　a　terrible　hater　of　women；　I　hear；　particularly　the　lower
class。'

'Indeed！'

'Yes；　and　since　then　he　has　let　half　the　land　to　the　Honourable　Mr。
Mountclere；　a　brother　of　Lord　Mountclere's。　　Mr。　Mountclere　wanted
the　spot　for　a　kennel；　and　as　the　land　is　too　poor　and　sandy　for
cropping；　Mr。　Neigh　let　him　have　it。　　'Tis　his　hounds　that　you　hear
howling。'

They　passed　on。　　'Berta；　why　did　we　come　down　here？'　said　Picotee。

'To　see　the　nakedness　of　the　land。　　It　was　a　whim　only；　and　as　it
will　end　in　nothing；　it　is　not　worth　while　for　me　to　make　further
explanation。'

It　was　with　a　curious　sense　of　renunciation　that　Ethelberta　went
homeward。　　Neigh　was　handsome；　grim…natured；　rather　wicked；　and　an
indifferentist；　and　these　attractions　interested　her　as　a　woman。
But　the　news　of　this　evening　suggested　to　Ethelberta　that　herself
and　Neigh　were　too　nearly　cattle　of　one　colour　for　a　confession　on
the　matter　of　lineage　to　be　well　received　by　him；　and　without
confidence　of　every　sort　on　the　nature　of　her　situation；　she　was
determined　to　contract　no　union　at　all。　　The　sympathy　of　unlikeness
might　lead　the　scion　of　some　family；　hollow　and　fungous　with
antiquity；　and　as　yet　unmarked　by　a　mesalliance；　to　be　won　over　by
her　story；　but　the　antipathy　of　resemblance　would　be　ineradicable。



26。　ETHELBERTA'S　DRAWING…ROOM

While　Ethelberta　during　the　next　few　days　was　dismissing　that
evening　journey　from　her　consideration；　as　an　incident　altogether
foreign　to　the　organized　course　of　her　existence；　the　hidden　fruit
thereof　was　rounding　to　maturity　in　a　species　unforeseen。

Inferences　unassailable　as　processes；　are；　nevertheless；　to　be
suspected；　from　the　almost　certain　deficiency　of　particulars　on　some
side　or　other。　　The　truth　in　relation　to　Neigh's　supposed　frigidity
was　brought　before　her　at　the　end　of　the　following　week；　when　Dan
and　Sol　had　taken　Picotee；　Cornelia；　and　the　young　children　to　Kew
for　the　afternoon。

Early　that　morning；　hours　before　it　was　necessary；　there　had　been
such　a　chatter　of　preparation　in　the　house　as　was　seldom　heard
there。　　Sunday　hats　and　bonnets　had　been　retrimmed　with　such　cunning
that　it　would　have　taken　a　milliner's　apprentice　at　least　to
discover　that　any　thread　in　them　was　not　quite　new。　　There　was　an
anxious　peep　through　the　blind　at　the　sky　at　daybreak　by　Georgina
and　Myrtle；　and　the　perplexity　of　these　rural　children　was　great　at
the　weather…signs　of　the　town；　where　atmospheric　effects　had　nothing
to　do　with　clouds；　and　fair　days　and　foul　came　apparently　quite　by
chance。　　Punctually　at　the　hour　appointed　two　friendly　human　shadows
descended　across　the　kitchen　window；　followed　by　Sol　and　Dan；　much
to　the　relief　of　the　children's　apprehensions　that　they　might　forget
the　day。

The　brothers　were　by　this　time　acquiring　something　of　the　airs　and
manners　of　London　workmen；　they　were　less　spontaneous　and　more
comparative；　less　genial；　but　smarter；　in　obedience　to　the　usual　law
by　which　the　emotion　that　takes　the　form　of　humour　in　country
workmen　becomes　transmuted　to　irony　among　the　same　order　in　town。
But　the　fixed　and　dogged　fidelity　to　one　another　under　apparent
coolness；　by　which　this　family　was　distinguished；　remained　unshaken
in　these　members　as　in　all　the　rest；　leading　them　to　select　the
children　as　companions　in　their　holiday　in　preference　to　casual
acquaintance。　　At　last　they　were　ready；　and　departed；　and
Ethelberta；　after　chatting　with　her　mother　awhile；　proceeded　to　her
personal　duties。

The　house　was　very　silent　that　day；　Gwendoline　and　Joey　being　the
only　ones　left　below　stairs。　　Ethelberta　was　wishing　that　she　had
thrown　off　her　state　and　gone　to　Kew　to　have　an　hour　of　childhood
over　again　in　a　romp　with　the　others；　when　she　was　startled　by　the
announcement　of　a　male　visitornone　other　than　Mr。　Neigh。

Ethelberta's　attitude　on　receipt　of　this　information　sufficiently
expressed　a　revived　sense　that　the　incidence　of　Mr。　Neigh　on　her
path　might　have　a　meaning　after　all。　　Neigh　had　certainly　said　he
was　going　to　marry　her；　and　now　here　he　was　come　to　her　housejust
as　if　he　meant　to　do　it　forthwith。　　She　had　mentally　discarded　him；
yet　she　felt　a　shock　which　was　scarcely　painful；　and　a　dread　which
was　almost　exhilarating。　　Her　flying　visit　to　Farnfield　she　thought
little　of　at　this　moment。　　From　the　fact　that　the　mind　prefers
imaginings　to　recapitulation；　conjecture　to　history；　Ethelberta　had
dwelt　more　upon　Neigh's　possible　plans　and　anticipations　than　upon
the　incidents　of　her　evening　journey；　and　the　former　assumed　a　mor