the hand of ethelberta-第4节

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more　than　for　her　own。

'I　saw　a　great　cruel　bird　chasing　a　harmless　duck！'　she　exclaimed
innocently。　　'And　I　ran　after　to　see　what　the　end　of　it　would　be
much　further　than　I　had　any　idea　of　going。　　However；　the　duck　came
to　a　pond；　and　in　running　round　it　to　see　the　end　of　the　fight；　I
could　not　remember　which　way　I　had　come。'

'Mercy！'　said　her　mother…in…law；　lifting　her　large　eyelids；　heavy　as
window…shutters；　and　spreading　out　her　fingers　like　the　horns　of　a
snail。　　'You　might　have　sunk　up　to　your　knees　and　got　lost　in　that
swampy　placesuch　a　time　of　night；　too。　　What　a　tomboy　you　are！
And　how　did　you　find　your　way　home　after　all！'

'O；　some　man　showed　me　the　way；　and　then　I　had　no　difficulty；　and
after　that　I　came　along　leisurely。'

'I　thought　you　had　been　running　all　the　way；　you　look　so　warm。'

'It　is　a　warm　evening。　。　。　。　　Yes；　and　I　have　been　thinking　of　old
times　as　I　walked　along；'　she　said；　'and　how　people's　positions　in
life　alter。　　Have　I　not　heard　you　say　that　while　I　was　at　Bonn；　at
school；　some　family　that　we　had　known　had　their　household　broken　up
when　the　father　died；　and　that　the　children　went　away　you　didn't
know　where？'

'Do　you　mean　the　Julians？'

'Yes；　that　was　the　name。'

'Why；　of　course　you　know　it　was　the　Julians。　　Young　Julian　had　a　day
or　two's　fancy　for　you　one　summer；　had　he　not？just　after　you　came
to　us；　at　the　same　time；　or　just　before　it；　that　my　poor　boy　and　you
were　so　desperately　attached　to　each　other。'

'O　yes；　I　recollect；'　said　Ethelberta。　　'And　he　had　a　sister；　I
think。　　I　wonder　where　they　went　to　live　after　the　family　collapse。'

'I　do　not　know；'　said　Lady　Petherwin；　taking　up　another　sheet　of
paper。　　'I　have　a　dim　notion　that　the　son；　who　had　been　brought　up
to　no　profession；　became　a　teacher　of　music　in　some　country　town
music　having　always　been　his　hobby。　　But　the　facts　are　not　very
distinct　in　my　memory。'　　And　she　dipped　her　pen　for　another　letter。

Ethelberta；　with　a　rather　fallen　countenance；　then　left　her　mother…
in…law；　and　went　where　all　ladies　are　supposed　to　go　when　they　want
to　torment　their　minds　in　comfortto　her　own　room。　　Here　she
thoughtfully　sat　down　awhile；　and　some　time　later　she　rang　for　her
maid。

'Menlove；'　she　said；　without　looking　towards　a　rustle　and　half　a
footstep　that　had　just　come　in　at　the　door；　but　leaning　back　in　her
chair　and　speaking　towards　the　corner　of　the　looking…glass；　'will
you　go　down　and　find　out　if　any　gentleman　named　Julian　has　been
staying　in　this　house？　　Get　to　know　it；　I　mean；　Menlove；　not　by
directly　inquiring；　you　have　ways　of　getting　to　know　things；　have
you　not？　　If　the　devoted　George　were　here　now；　he　would　help'

'George　was　nothing　to　me；　ma'am。'

'James；　then。'

'And　I　only　had　James　for　a　week　or　ten　days：　　when　I　found　he　was　a
married　man；　I　encouraged　his　addresses　very　little　indeed。'

'If　you　had　encouraged　him　heart　and　soul；　you　couldn't　have　fumed
more　at　the　loss　of　him。　　But　please　to　go　and　make　that　inquiry；
will　you；　Menlove？'

In　a　few　minutes　Ethelberta's　woman　was　back　again。　　'A　gentleman　of
that　name　stayed　here　last　night；　and　left　this　afternoon。'

'Will　you　find　out　his　address？'

Now　the　lady's…maid　had　already　been　quick…witted　enough　to　find　out
that；　and　indeed　all　about　him；　but　it　chanced　that　a　fashionable
illustrated　weekly　paper　had　just　been　sent　from　the　bookseller's；
and　being　in　want　of　a　little　time　to　look　it　over　before　it　reached
her　mistress's　hands；　Mrs。　Menlove　retired；　as　if　to　go　and　ask　the
questionto　stand　meanwhile　under　the　gas…lamp　in　the　passage；
inspecting　the　fascinating　engravings。　　But　as　time　will　not　wait
for　tire…women；　a　natural　length　of　absence　soon　elapsed；　and　she
returned　again　and　said；

'His　address　is；　Upper　Street；　Sandbourne。'

'Thank　you；　that　will　do；'　replied　her　mistress。

The　hour　grew　later；　and　that　dreamy　period　came　round　when　ladies'
fancies；　that　have　lain　shut　up　close　as　their　fans　during　the　day；
begin　to　assert　themselves　anew。　　At　this　time　a　good　guess　at
Ethelberta's　thoughts　might　have　been　made　from　her　manner　of
passing　the　minutes　away。　　Instead　of　reading；　entering　notes　in　her
diary；　or　doing　any　ordinary　thing；　she　walked　to　and　fro；　curled
her　pretty　nether　lip　within　her　pretty　upper　one　a　great　many
times；　made　a　cradle　of　her　locked　fingers；　and　paused　with　fixed
eyes　where　the　walls　of　the　room　set　limits　upon　her　walk　to　look　at
nothing　but　a　picture　within　her　mind。



2。　CHRISTOPHER'S　HOUSE　…　SANDBOURNE　TOWN　…　SANDBOURNE　MOOR

During　the　wet　autumn　of　the　same　year；　the　postman　passed　one
morning　as　usual　into　a　plain　street　that　ran　through　the　less
fashionable　portion　of　Sandbourne；　a　modern　coast　town　and　watering…
place　not　many　miles　from　the　ancient　Anglebury。　　He　knocked　at　the
door　of　a　flat…faced　brick　house；　and　it　was　opened　by　a　slight；
thoughtful　young　man；　with　his　hat　on；　just　then　coming　out。　　The
postman　put　into　his　hands　a　book　packet；　addressed；　'Christopher
Julian；　Esq。'

Christopher　took　the　package　upstairs；　opened　it　with　curiosity；　and
discovered　within　a　green　volume　of　poems；　by　an　anonymous　writer；
the　title…page　bearing　the　inscription；　'Metres　by　E。'　　The　book　was
new；　though　it　was　cut；　and　it　appeared　to　have　been　looked　into。
The　young　man；　after　turning　it　over　and　wondering　where　it　came
from；　laid　it　on　the　table　and　went　his　way；　being　in　haste　to
fulfil　his　engagements　for　the　day。

In　the　evening；　on　returning　home　from　his　occupations；　he　sat
himself　down　cosily　to　read　the　newly…arrived　volume。　　The　winds　of
this　uncertain　season　were　snarling　in　the　chimneys；　and　drops　of
rain　spat　themselves　into　the　fire；　revealing　plainly　that　the　young
man's　room　was　not　far　enough　from　the　top　of　the　house　to　admit　of
a　twist　in　the　flue；　and　revealing　darkly　a　little　more；　if　that
social　rule…of…three　inverse；　the　higher　in　lodgings　the　lower　in
pocket；　were　applicable　here。　　However；　the　aspect　of　the　room；
though　homely；　was　cheerful；　a　somewhat　contradictory　group　of
furniture　suggesting　that　the　collection　consisted　of　waifs　and
strays　from　a　former　home；　the　grimy　faces　of　the　old　articles
exercising　a　curious　and　subduing　effect　on　the　bright　faces　of　the
new。　　An　oval　mirror　of　rococo　workmanship；　and　a　heavy　cabinet…
piano　with　a　cornice　like　that　of　an　Egyptian　temple；　adjoined　a
harmonium　of　yesterday；　and　a　harp　that　was　almost　as　new。　　Printed
music　of　the　last　century；　and　manuscript　music　of　the　previous
evening；　lay　there　in　such　quantity　as　to　endanger　the　tidiness　of　a
retreat　which　was　indeed　only　saved　from　a　chronic　state　of　litter
by　a　pair　of　hands　that　sometimes　played；　with　the　lightness　of
breezes；　about　the　sewing…machine　standing　in　a　remote　cornerif
any　corner　could　be　called　remote　in　a　room　so　small。

Fire　lights　and　shades　from　the　shaking　flames　struck　in　a　butterfly
flutter　on　the　underparts　of　the　mantelshelf；　and　upon　the　reader's
cheek　as　he　sat。　　Presently；　and　all　at　once；　a　much　greater
intentness　pervaded　his　face：　　he　turned　back　again；　and　read　anew
the　subject　that　had　arrested　his　eyes。　　He　was　a　man　whose
countenance　varied　with　his　mood；　though　it　kept　somewhat　in　the
rear　of　that　mood。　　He　looked　sad　when　he　felt　almost　serene；　and
only　serene　when　he　felt　quite　cheerful。　　It　is　a　habit　people
acquire　who　have　had　repressing　experiences。

A　faint　smile　and　flush　now　lightened　his　face；　and　jumping　up　he
opened　the　door　and　exclaimed；　'Faith！　will　you　come　here　for　a
moment？'

A　prompt　step　was　heard　on　the　stairs；　and　the　young　person
addressed　as　Faith　entered　the　room。　　She　was　small　in　figure；　and
bore　less　in　the　form　of　her　features　than　in　their　shades　when
changing　from　expression　to　expression　the　evidence　that　she　was　his
sister。

'FaithI　want　your　opinion。　　But；　stop；　read　this　first。'　　He　laid
his　finger　upon　a　page　in　the　book；　and　placed　it　in　her　hand。

The　girl　drew　from　her　pocket　a　little　green…leather　sheath；　worn　at
the　edges　to　whity…brown；　and　out　of　that　a　pair　of　spectacles；
unconsciously　looking　round　the　room　for　a　moment　as　she　did　so；　as
if　to　ensure　that　no　stranger　saw　her　in　the　act　of　using　them。
Here　a　weakness　was　uncovered　at　once；　it　was　a　small；　pretty；　and
natural　one；　indeed；　as　weaknesses　go　in　the　great　world；　it　might
almost　have　been　called　a　commendable　trait。　　She　then　began　to
read；　without　sitting　down。

These　'Metres　by　E。'　composed　a　collection　of　soft　and　marvellously
musical　rhymes；　of　a　nature　known　as　the　vers　de　societe。　　The　lines
presented　a　series　of　playful　defences　of　the　supposed　strategy　of
womankind　in　fascination；　courtship；　and　marriagethe　whole　teeming
with　ideas　bright　as　mirrors　and　just　as　unsubstantial；　yet　forming
a　brilliant　argument　to　justify　the　ways　of　girls　to　men。　　The
pervading　characteristic　of　the　mass　was　the　means　of　forcing　into
notice；　by　strangeness　of　contrast；　the　single　mournful　poem　that
the　book　contained。　　It　was　placed　at　the　very　end；　and　under　the
title　of　'Cancelled　Words；'　formed　a　whimsical　and　rather　affecting
love…lament；　somewhat　in　the　tone　of　many　of　Sir　Thomas　Wyatt's
poems。　　This　was