the hand of ethelberta-第45节

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am　going　to　see　him　on　another　matter。'　　And　Ethelberta　sighed。　　'I
am　to　dine　there　on　Thursday；'　she　added。

'To　dine　there；　Berta？　　Well；　that　is　a　strange　thing！　　Why；　father
will　be　close　to　you！'

'Yes；'　said　Ethelberta　quietly。

'How　I　should　like　to　see　you　sitting　at　a　grand　dinner…table；　among
lordly　dishes　and　shining　people；　and　father　about　the　room
unnoticed！　　Berta；　I　have　never　seen　a　dinner…party　in　my　life；　and
father　said　that　I　should　some　day；　he　promised　me　long　ago。'

'How　will　he　be　able　to　carry　out　that；　my　dear　child？'　said
Ethelberta；　drawing　her　sister　gently　to　her　side。

'Father　says　that　for　an　hour　and　a　half　the　guests　are　quite　fixed
in　the　dining…room；　and　as　unlikely　to　move　as　if　they　were　trees
planted　round　the　table。　　Do　let　me　go　and　see　you；　Berta；'　Picotee
added　coaxingly。　　'I　would　give　anything　to　see　how　you　look　in　the
midst　of　elegant　people　talking　and　laughing；　and　you　my　own　sister
all　the　time；　and　me　looking　on　like　puss…in…the…corner。'

Ethelberta　could　hardly　resist　the　entreaty；　in　spite　of　her　recent
resolution。

'We　will　leave　that　to　be　considered　when　I　come　home　to…night；'　she
said。　　'I　must　hear　what　father　says。'

After　dark　the　same　evening　a　woman；　dressed　in　plain　black　and
wearing　a　hood；　went　to　the　servants'　entrance　of　Mr。　Doncastle's
house；　and　inquired　for　Mr。　Chickerel。　　Ethelberta　found　him　in　a
room　by　himself；　and　on　entering　she　closed　the　door　behind　her；　and
unwrapped　her　face。

'Can　you　sit　with　me　a　few　minutes；　father？'　she　said。

'Yes；　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour　or　so；'　said　the　butler。　　'Has
anything　happened？　　I　thought　it　might　be　Picotee。'

'No。　　All's　well　yet。　　But　I　thought　it　best　to　see　you　upon　one　or
two　matters　which　are　harassing　me　a　little　just　now。　　The　first　is；
that　stupid　boy　Joey　has　got　entangled　in　some　way　with　the　lady's…
maid　at　this　house；　a　ridiculous　affair　it　must　be　by　all　account；
but　it　is　too　serious　for　me　to　treat　lightly。　　She　will　worm
everything　out　of　him；　and　a　pretty　business　it　will　be　then。'

'God　bless　my　soul！　why；　the　woman　is　old　enough　to　be　his　mother！
I　have　never　heard　a　sound　of　it　till　now。　　What　do　you　propose　to
do？'

'I　have　hardly　thought：　　I　cannot　tell　at　all。　　But　we　will　consider
that　after　I　have　done。　　The　next　thing　is；　I　am　to　dine　here
Thursdaythat　is；　to…morrow。'

'You　going　to　dine　here；　are　you？'　said　her　father　in　surprise。
'Dear　me；　that's　news。　　We　have　a　dinner…party　to…morrow；　but　I　was
not　aware　that　you　knew　our　people。'

'I　have　accepted　the　invitation；'　said　Ethelberta。　　'But　if　you
think　I　had　better　stay　away；　I　will　get　out　of　it　by　some　means。
Heavens！　what　does　that　meanwill　anybody　come　in？'　she　added；
rapidly　pulling　up　her　hood　and　jumping　from　the　seat　as　the　loud
tones　of　a　bell　clanged　forth　in　startling　proximity。

'O　noit　is　all　safe；'　said　her　father。　　'It　is　the　area　door
nothing　to　do　with　me。　　About　the　dinner：　　I　don't　see　why　you　may
not　come。　　Of　course　you　will　take　no　notice　of　me；　nor　shall　I　of
you。　　It　is　to　be　rather　a　large　party。　　Lord　What's…his…name　is
coming；　and　several　good　people。'

'Yes；　he　is　coming　to　meet　me；　it　appears。　　But；　father；'　she　said
more　softly　and　slowly；　'how　wrong　it　will　be　for　me　to　come　so
close　to　you；　and　never　recognize　you！　　I　don't　like　it。　　I　wish　you
could　have　given　up　service　by　this　time；　it　would　have　been　so　much
less　painful　for　us　all　round。　　I　thought　we　might　have　been　able　to
manage　it　somehow。'

'Nonsense；　nonsense；'　said　Mr。　Chickerel　crossly。　　'There　is　not　the
least　reason　why　I　should　give　up。　　I　want　to　save　a　little　money
first。　　If　you　don't　like　me　as　I　am；　you　must　keep　away　from　me。
Don't　be　uneasy　about　my　comfort；　I　am　right　enough；　thank　God。　　I
can　mind　myself　for　many　a　year　yet。'

Ethelberta　looked　at　him　with　tears　in　her　eyes；　but　she　did　not
speak。　　She　never　could　help　crying　when　she　met　her　father　here。

'I　have　been　in　service　now　for　more　than　seven…and…thirty　years；'
her　father　went　on。　　'It　is　an　honourable　calling；　and　why　should
you　maintain　me　because　you　can　earn　a　few　pounds　by　your　gifts；　and
an　old　woman　left　you　her　house　and　a　few　sticks　of　furniture？　　If
she　had　left　you　any　money　it　would　have　been　a　different　thing；　but
as　you　have　to　work　for　every　penny　you　get；　I　cannot　think　of　it。
Suppose　I　should　agree　to　come　and　live　with　you；　and　then　you
should　be　ill；　or　such　like；　and　I　no　longer　able　to　help　myself？　　O
no；　I'll　stick　where　I　am；　for　here　I　am　safe　as　to　food　and　shelter
at　any　rate。　　Surely；　Ethelberta；　it　is　only　right　that　I；　who　ought
to　keep　you　all；　should　at　least　keep　your　mother　and　myself？　　As　to
our　position；　that　we　cannot　help；　and　I　don't　mind　that　you　are
unable　to　own　me。'

'I　wish　I　could　own　youall　of　you。'

'Well；　you　chose　your　course；　my　dear；　and　you　must　abide　by　it。
Having　put　your　hand　to　the　plough；　it　will　be　foolish　to　turn
back。'

'It　would；　I　suppose。　　Yet　I　wish　I　could　get　a　living　by　some
simple　humble　occupation；　and　drop　the　name　of　Petherwin；　and　be
Berta　Chickerel　again；　and　live　in　a　green　cottage　as　we　used　to　do
when　I　was　small。　　I　am　miserable　to　a　pitiable　degree　sometimes；
and　sink　into　regrets　that　I　ever　fell　into　such　a　groove　as　this。
I　don't　like　covert　deeds；　such　as　coming　here　to…night；　and　many
are　necessary　with　me　from　time　to　time。　　There　is　something　without
which　splendid　energies　are　a　drug；　and　that　is　a　cold　heart。　　There
is　another　thing　necessary　to　energy；　toothe　power　of
distinguishing　your　visions　from　your　reasonable　forecasts　when
looking　into　the　future；　so　as　to　allow　your　energy　to　lay　hold　of
the　forecasts　only。　　I　begin　to　have　a　fear　that　mother　is　right
when　she　implies　that　I　undertook　to　carry　out　visions　and　all。　　But
ten　of　us　are　so　many　to　cope　with。　　If　God　Almighty　had　only　killed
off　three…quarters　of　us　when　we　were　little；　a　body　might　have　done
something　for　the　rest；　but　as　we　are　it　is　hopeless！'

'There　is　no　use　in　your　going　into　high　doctrine　like　that；'　said
Chickerel。　　'As　I　said　before；　you　chose　your　course。　　You　have
begun　to　fly　high；　and　you　had　better　keep　there。'

'And　to　do　that　there　is　only　one　waythat　is；　to　do　it　surely；　so
that　I　have　some　groundwork　to　enable　me　to　keep　up　to　the　mark　in
my　profession。　　That　way　is　marriage。'

'Marriage？　　Who　are　you　going　to　marry？'

'God　knows。　　Perhaps　Lord　Mountclere。　　Stranger　things　have
happened。'

'Yes；　so　they　have；　though　not　many　wretcheder　things。　　I　would
sooner　see　you　in　your　grave；　Ethelberta；　than　Lord　Mountclere's
wife；　or　the　wife　of　anybody　like　him；　great　as　the　honour　would
be。'

'Of　course　that　was　only　something　to　say；　I　don't　know　the　man
even。'

'I　know　his　valet。　　However；　marry　who　you　may；　I　hope　you'll　be
happy；　my　dear　girl。　　You　would　be　still　more　divided　from　us　in
that　event；　but　when　your　mother　and　I　are　dead；　it　will　make　little
difference。'

Ethelberta　placed　her　hand　upon　his　shoulder；　and　smiled　cheerfully。
'Now；　father；　don't　despond。　　All　will　be　well；　and　we　shall　see　no
such　misfortune　as　that　for　many　a　year。　　Leave　all　to　me。　　I　am　a
rare　hand　at　contrivances。'

'You　are　indeed；　Berta。　　It　seems　to　me　quite　wonderful　that　we
should　be　living　so　near　together　and　nobody　suspect　the
relationship；　because　of　the　precautions　you　have　taken。'

'Yet　the　precautions　were　rather　Lady　Petherwin's　than　mine；　as　you
know。　　Consider　how　she　kept　me　abroad。　　My　marriage　being　so　secret
made　it　easy　to　cut　off　all　traces；　unless　anybody　had　made　it　a
special　business　to　search　for　them。　　That　people　should　suspect　as
yet　would　be　by　far　the　more　wonderful　thing　of　the　two。　　But　we
must；　for　one　thing；　have　no　visiting　between　our　girls　and　the
servants　here；　or　they　soon　will　suspect。'

Ethelberta　then　laid　down　a　few　laws　on　the　subject；　and；　explaining
the　other　details　of　her　visit；　told　her　father　soon　that　she　must
leave　him。

He　took　her　along　the　passage　and　into　the　area。　　They　were　standing
at　the　bottom　of　the　steps；　saying　a　few　parting　words　about
Picotee's　visit　to　see　the　dinner；　when　a　female　figure　appeared　by
the　railing　above；　slipped　in　at　the　gate；　and　flew　down　the　steps
past　the　father　and　daughter。　　At　the　moment　of　passing　she
whispered　breathlessly　to　him；　'Is　that　you；　Mr。　Chickerel？'

'Yes；'　said　the　butler。

She　tossed　into　his　arms　a　quantity　of　wearing　apparel；　and　adding；
'Please　take　them　upstairs　for　meI　am　late；'　rushed　into　the
house。

'Good　heavens；　what　does　that　mean？'　said　Ethelberta；　holding　her
father's　arm　in　her　uneasiness。

'That's　the　new　lady's…maid；　just　come　in　from　an　evening　walkthat
young　scamp's　sweetheart；　if　what　you　tell　me　is　true。　　I　don't　yet
know　what　her　character　is；　but　she　runs　neck　and　neck　with　time
closer　than　any　woman　I　ever　met。　　She　stays　out　at　night　like　this
till　the　last　moment；　and　often　throws　off　her　dashing　courting…
clothes　in　this　way；　as　she　runs　down　the　steps；　to　save　a　journey
to　the　top　of　the　house　to　her　room　before　going　to　Mrs。
Doncastle's；　who　is　in　fact　at　this　minute　waiting　for　her。　　Only
look　here。'　　Ch