the hand of ethelberta-第52节

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date　of　his　story；　which　he　told　with　splendid　vigour　when　he　had
warmed　to　his　work；　till　his　narrative；　particularly　in　the
conjectural　and　romantic　parts；　where　it　became　coloured　rather　by
the　speaker's　imagination　than　by　the　pigments　of　history；　gathered
together　the　wandering　thoughts　of　all。　　It　was　easy　for　him　then　to
meet　those　fair　concentred　eyes；　when　the　sunshades　were　thrown
back；　and　complexions　forgotten；　in　the　interest　of　the　history。
The　doctor's　face　was　then　no　longer　criticized　as　a　rugged　boulder；
a　dried　fig；　an　oak　carving；　or　a　walnut　shell；　but　became　blotted
out　like　a　mountain　top　in　a　shining　haze　by　the　nebulous　pictures
conjured　by　his　tale。

Then　the　lecture　ended；　and　questions　were　asked；　and　individuals　of
the　company　wandered　at　will；　the　light　dresses　of　the　ladies
sweeping　over　the　hot　grass　and　brushing　up　thistledown　which　had
hitherto　lain　quiescent；　so　that　it　rose　in　a　flight　from　the　skirts
of　each　like　a　comet's　tail。

Some　of　Lord　Mountclere's　party；　including　himself　and　Ethelberta；
wandered　now　into　a　cool　dungeon；　partly　open　to　the　air　overhead；
where　long　arms　of　ivy　hung　between　their　eyes　and　the　white　sky。
While　they　were　here；　Lady　Jane　Joy　and　some　other　friends　of　the
viscount　told　Ethelberta　that　they　were　probably　coming　on　to
Knollsea。

She　instantly　perceived　that　getting　into　close　quarters　in　that　way
might　be　very　inconvenient；　considering　the　youngsters　she　had　under
her　charge；　and　straightway　decided　upon　a　point　that　she　had
debated　for　several　daysa　visit　to　her　aunt　in　Normandy。　　In
London　it　had　been　a　mere　thought；　but　the　Channel　had　looked　so
tempting　from　its　brink　that　the　journey　was　virtually　fixed　as　soon
as　she　reached　Knollsea；　and　found　that　a　little　pleasure　steamer
crossed　to　Cherbourg　once　a　week　during　the　summer；　so　that　she
would　not　have　to　enter　the　crowded　routes　at　all。

'I　am　afraid　I　shall　not　see　you　in　Knollsea；'　she　said。　　'I　am
about　to　go　to　Cherbourg　and　then　to　Rouen。'

'How　sorry　I　am。　　When　do　you　leave？'

'At　the　beginning　of　next　week；'　said　Ethelberta；　settling　the　time
there　and　then。

'Did　I　hear　you　say　that　you　were　going　to　Cherbourg　and　Rouen？'
Lord　Mountclere　inquired。

'I　think　to　do　so；'　said　Ethelberta。

'I　am　going　to　Normandy　myself；'　said　a　voice　behind　her；　and
without　turning　she　knew　that　Neigh　was　standing　there。

They　next　went　outside；　and　Lord　Mountclere　offered　Ethelberta　his
arm　on　the　ground　of　assisting　her　down　the　burnished　grass　slope。
Ethelberta；　taking　pity　upon　him；　took　it；　but　the　assistance　was
all　on　her　side；　she　stood　like　a　statue　amid　his　slips　and
totterings；　some　of　which　taxed　her　strength　heavily；　and　her
ingenuity　more；　to　appear　as　the　supported　and　not　the　supporter。
The　incident　brought　Neigh　still　further　from　his　retirement；　and
she　learnt　that　he　was　one　of　a　yachting　party　which　had　put　in　at
Knollsea　that　morning；　she　was　greatly　relieved　to　find　that　he　was
just　now　on　his　way　to　London；　whence　he　would　probably　proceed　on
his　journey　abroad。

Ethelberta　adhered　as　well　as　she　could　to　her　resolve　that　Neigh
should　not　speak　with　her　alone；　but　by　dint　of　perseverance　he　did
manage　to　address　her　without　being　overheard。

'Will　you　give　me　an　answer？'　said　Neigh。　　'I　have　come　on　purpose。'

'I　cannot　just　now。　　I　have　been　led　to　doubt　you。'

'Doubt　me？　　What　new　wrong　have　I　done？'

'Spoken　jestingly　of　my　visit　to　Farnfield。'

'Good　…！　　I　did　not　speak　or　think　of　you。　　When　I　told　that
incident　I　had　no　idea　who　the　lady　wasI　did　not　know　it　was　you
till　two　days　later；　and　I　at　once　held　my　tongue。　　I　vow　to　you
upon　my　soul　and　life　that　what　I　say　is　true。　　How　shall　I　prove　my
truth　better　than　by　my　errand　here？'

'Don't　speak　of　this　now。　　I　am　so　occupied　with　other　things。　　I　am
going　to　Rouen；　and　will　think　of　it　on　my　way。'

'I　am　going　there　too。　　When　do　you　go？'

'I　shall　be　in　Rouen　next　Wednesday；　I　hope。'

'May　I　ask　where？'

'Hotel　Beau　Sejour。'

'Will　you　give　me　an　answer　there？　　I　can　easily　call　upon　you。　　It
is　now　a　month　and　more　since　you　first　led　me　to　hope'

'I　did　not　lead　you　to　hopeat　any　rate　clearly。'

'Indirectly　you　did。　　And　although　I　am　willing　to　be　as　considerate
as　any　man　ought　to　be　in　giving　you　time　to　think　over　the
question；　there　is　a　limit　to　my　patience。　　Any　necessary　delay　I
will　put　up　with；　but　I　won't　be　trifled　with。　　I　hate　all　nonsense；
and　can't　stand　it。'

'Indeed。　　Good　morning。'

'But　Mrs。　Petherwinjust　one　word。'

'I　have　nothing　to　say。'

'I　will　meet　you　at　Rouen　for　an　answer。　　I　would　meet　you　in　Hades
for　the　matter　of　that。　　Remember　this：　　next　Wednesday；　if　I　live；
I　shall　call　upon　you　at　Rouen。'

She　did　not　say　nay。

'May　I？'　he　added。

'If　you　will。'

'But　say　it　shall　be　an　appointment？'

'Very　well。'

Lord　Mountclere　was　by　this　time　toddling　towards　them　to　ask　if
they　would　come　on　to　his　house；　Enckworth　Court；　not　very　far
distant；　to　lunch　with　the　rest　of　the　party。　　Neigh；　having　already
arranged　to　go　on　to　town　that　afternoon；　was　obliged　to　decline；
and　Ethelberta　thought　fit　to　do　the　same；　idly　asking　Lord
Mountclere　if　Enckworth　Court　lay　in　the　direction　of　a　gorge　that
was　visible　where　they　stood。

'No；　considerably　to　the　left；'　he　said。　　'The　opening　you　are
looking　at　would　reveal　the　sea　if　it　were　not　for　the　trees　that
block　the　way。　　Ah；　those　trees　have　a　history；　they　are　half…a…
dozen　elms　which　I　planted　myself　when　I　was　a　boy。　　How　time
flies！'

'It　is　unfortunate　they　stand　just　so　as　to　cover　the　blue　bit　of
sea。　　That　addition　would　double　the　value　of　the　view　from　here。'

'You　would　prefer　the　blue　sea　to　the　trees？'

'In　that　particular　spot　I　should；　they　might　have　looked　just　as
well；　and　yet　have　hidden　nothing　worth　seeing。　　The　narrow　slit
would　have　been　invaluable　there。'

'They　shall　fall　before　the　sun　sets；　in　deference　to　your　opinion；'
said　Lord　Mountclere。

'That　would　be　rash　indeed；'　said　Ethelberta；　laughing；　'when　my
opinion　on　such　a　point　may　be　worth　nothing　whatever。'

'Where　no　other　is　acted　upon；　it　is　practically　the　universal　one；'
he　replied　gaily。

And　then　Ethelberta's　elderly　admirer　bade　her　adieu；　and　away　the
whole　party　drove　in　a　long　train　over　the　hills　towards　the　valley
wherein　stood　Enckworth　Court。　　Ethelberta's　carriage　was　supposed
by　her　friends　to　have　been　left　at　the　village　inn；　as　were　many
others；　and　her　retiring　from　view　on　foot　attracted　no　notice。

She　watched　them　out　of　sight；　and　she　also　saw　the　rest　depart
those　who；　their　interest　in　archaeology　having　begun　and　ended　with
this　spot；　had；　like　herself；　declined　the　hospitable　viscount's
invitation；　and　started　to　drive　or　walk　at　once　home　again。
Thereupon　the　castle　was　quite　deserted　except　by　Ethelberta；　the
ass；　and　the　jackdaws；　now　floundering　at　ease　again　in　and　about
the　ivy　of　the　keep。

Not　wishing　to　enter　Knollsea　till　the　evening　shades　were　falling；
she　still　walked　amid　the　ruins；　examining　more　leisurely　some
points　which　the　stress　of　keeping　herself　companionable　would　not
allow　her　to　attend　to　while　the　assemblage　was　present。　　At　the　end
of　the　survey；　being　somewhat　weary　with　her　clambering；　she　sat
down　on　the　slope　commanding　the　gorge　where　the　trees　grew；　to　make
a　pencil　sketch　of　the　landscape　as　it　was　revealed　between　the
ragged　walls。　　Thus　engaged　she　weighed　the　circumstances　of　Lord
Mountclere's　invitation；　and　could　not　be　certain　if　it　were
prudishness　or　simple　propriety　in　herself　which　had　instigated　her
to　refuse。　　She　would　have　liked　the　visit　for　many　reasons；　and　if
Lord　Mountclere　had　been　anybody　but　a　remarkably　attentive　old
widower；　she　would　have　gone。　　As　it　was；　it　had　occurred　to　her
that　there　was　something　in　his　tone　which　should　lead　her　to
hesitate。　　Were　any　among　the　elderly　or　married　ladies　who　had
appeared　upon　the　ground　in　a　detached　form　as　she　had　doneand
many　had　appeared　thusinvited　to　Enckworth；　and　if　not；　why　were
they　not？　　That　Lord　Mountclere　admired　her　there　was　no　doubt；　and
for　this　reason　it　behoved　her　to　be　careful。　　His　disappointment　at
parting　from　her　was；　in　one　aspect；　simply　laughable；　from　its　odd
resemblance　to　the　unfeigned　sorrow　of　a　boy　of　fifteen　at　a　first
parting　from　his　first　love；　in　another　aspect　it　caused　reflection；
and　she　thought　again　of　his　curiosity　about　her　doings　for　the
remainder　of　the　summer。



While　she　sketched　and　thought　thus；　the　shadows　grew　longer；　and
the　sun　low。　　And　then　she　perceived　a　movement　in　the　gorge。　　One
of　the　trees　forming　the　curtain　across　it　began　to　wave　strangely：
it　went　further　to　one　side；　and　fell。　Where　the　tree　had　stood　was
now　a　rent　in　the　foliage；　and　through　the　narrow　rent　could　be　seen
the　distant　sea。

Ethelberta　uttered　a　soft　exclamation。　　It　was　not　caused　by　the
surprise　she　had　felt；　nor　by　the　intrinsic　interest　of　the　sight；
nor　by　want　of　comprehension。　　It　was　a　sudden　realization　of　vague
things　hitherto　dreamed　of　from　a　distance　onlya　sense　of　novel
power　put　into　her　hands　without　r