the hand of ethelberta-第53节

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things　hitherto　dreamed　of　from　a　distance　onlya　sense　of　novel
power　put　into　her　hands　without　request　or　expectation。　　A
landscape　was　to　be　altered　to　suit　her　whim。　　She　had　in　her
lifetime　moved　essentially　larger　mountains；　but　they　had　seemed　of
far　less　splendid　material　than　this；　for　it　was　the　nature　of　the
gratification　rather　than　its　magnitude　which　enchanted　the　fancy　of
a　woman　whose　poetry；　in　spite　of　her　necessities；　was　hardly　yet
extinguished。　　But　there　was　something　more；　with　which　poetry　had
little　to　do。　　Whether　the　opinion　of　any　pretty　woman　in　England
was　of　more　weight　with　Lord　Mountclere　than　memories　of　his
boyhood；　or　whether　that　distinction　was　reserved　for　her　alone；
this　was　a　point　that　she　would　have　liked　to　know。

The　enjoyment　of　power　in　a　new　element；　an　enjoyment　somewhat
resembling　in　kind　that　which　is　given　by　a　first　ride　or　swim；　held
Ethelberta　to　the　spot；　and　she　waited；　but　sketched　no　more。
Another　tree…top　swayed　and　vanished　as　before；　and　the　slit　of　sea
was　larger　still。　　Her　mind　and　eye　were　so　occupied　with　this
matter　that；　sitting　in　her　nook；　she　did　not　observe　a　thin　young
man；　his　boots　white　with　the　dust　of　a　long　journey　on　foot；　who
arrived　at　the　castle　by　the　valley…road　from　Knollsea。　　He　looked
awhile　at　the　ruin；　and；　skirting　its　flank　instead　of　entering　by
the　great　gateway；　climbed　up　the　scarp　and　walked　in　through　a
breach。　　After　standing　for　a　moment　among　the　walls；　now　silent　and
apparently　empty；　with　a　disappointed　look　he　descended　the　slope；
and　proceeded　along　on　his　way。

Ethelberta；　who　was　in　quite　another　part　of　the　castle；　saw　the
black　spot　diminishing　to　the　size　of　a　fly　as　he　receded　along　the
dusty　road；　and　soon　after　she　descended　on　the　other　side；　where
she　remounted　the　ass；　and　ambled　homeward　as　she　had　come；　in　no
bright　mood。　　What；　seeing　the　precariousness　of　her　state；　was　the
day's　triumph　worth　after　all；　unless；　before　her　beauty　abated；　she
could　ensure　her　position　against　the　attacks　of　chance？

　　　　　　　　　　'To　be　thus　is　nothing；
　　　　　　But　to　be　safely　thus。'

she　said　it　more　than　once　on　her　journey　that　day。

On　entering　the　sitting…room　of　their　cot　up　the　hill　she　found　it
empty；　and　from　a　change　perceptible　in　the　position　of　small
articles　of　furniture；　something　unusual　seemed　to　have　taken　place
in　her　absence。　　The　dwelling　being　of　that　sort　in　which　whatever
goes　on　in　one　room　is　audible　through　all　the　rest；　Picotee；　who
was　upstairs；　heard　the　arrival　and　came　down。　　Picotee's　face　was
rosed　over　with　the　brilliance　of　some　excitement。　　'What　do　you
think　I　have　to　tell　you；　Berta？'　she　said。

'I　have　no　idea；'　said　her　sister。　　'Surely；'　she　added；　her　face
intensifying　to　a　wan　sadness；　'Mr。　Julian　has　not　been　here？'

'Yes；'　said　Picotee。　　'And　we　went　down　to　the　sandshe；　and
Myrtle；　and　Georgina；　and　Emmeline；　and　Iand　Cornelia　came　down
when　she　had　put　away　the　dinner。　　And　then　we　dug　wriggles　out　of
the　sand　with　Myrtle's　spade：　　we　got　such　a　lot；　and　had　such　fun；
they　are　in　a　dish　in　the　kitchen。　　Mr。　Julian　came　to　see　you；　but
at　last　he　could　wait　no　longer；　and　when　I　told　him　you　were　at　the
meeting　in　the　castle　ruins　he　said　he　would　try　to　find　you　there
on　his　way　home；　if　he　could　get　there　before　the　meeting　broke　up。'

'Then　it　was　he　I　saw　far　away　on　the　roadyes；　it　must　have　been。'
She　remained　in　gloomy　reverie　a　few　moments；　and　then　said；　'Very
welllet　it　be。　　Picotee；　get　me　some　tea：　　I　do　not　want　dinner。'

But　the　news　of　Christopher's　visit　seemed　to　have　taken　away　her
appetite　for　tea　also；　and　after　sitting　a　little　while　she　flung
herself　down　upon　the　couch；　and　told　Picotee　that　she　had　settled
to　go　and　see　their　aunt　Charlotte。

'I　am　going　to　write　to　Sol　and　Dan　to　ask　them　to　meet　me　there；'
she　added。　　'I　want　them；　if　possible；　to　see　Paris。　　It　will
improve　them　greatly　in　their　trades；　I　am　thinking；　if　they　can　see
the　kinds　of　joinery　and　decoration　practised　in　France。　　They
agreed　to　go；　if　I　should　wish　it；　before　we　left　London。　　You；　of
course；　will　go　as　my　maid。'

Picotee　gazed　upon　the　sea　with　a　crestfallen　look；　as　if　she　would
rather　not　cross　it　in　any　capacity　just　then。

'It　would　scarcely　be　worth　going　to　the　expense　of　taking　me；　would
it？'　she　said。

The　cause　of　Picotee's　sudden　sense　of　economy　was　so　plain　that　her
sister　smiled；　but　young　love；　however　foolish；　is　to　a　thinking
person　far　too　tragic　a　power　for　ridicule；　and　Ethelberta　forbore；
going　on　as　if　Picotee　had　not　spoken：　　'I　must　have　you　with　me。　　I
may　be　seen　there：　　so　many　are　passing　through　Rouen　at　this　time
of　the　year。　　Cornelia　can　take　excellent　care　of　the　children　while
we　are　gone。　　I　want　to　get　out　of　England；　and　I　will　get　out　of
England。　　There　is　nothing　but　vanity　and　vexation　here。'

'I　am　sorry　you　were　away　when　he　called；'　said　Picotee　gently。

'O；　I　don't　mean　that。　　I　wish　there　were　no　different　ranks　in　the
world；　and　that　contrivance　were　not　a　necessary　faculty　to　have　at
all。　　Well；　we　are　going　to　cross　by　the　little　steamer　that　puts　in
here；　and　we　are　going　on　Monday。'　　She　added　in　another　minute；
'What　had　Mr。　Julian　to　tell　us　that　he　came　here？　　How　did　he　find
us　out？'

'I　mentioned　that　we　were　coming　here　in　my　letter　to　Faith。　　Mr。
Julian　says　that　perhaps　he　and　his　sister　may　also　come　for　a　few
days　before　the　season　is　over。　　I　should　like　to　see　Miss　Julian
again。　　She　is　such　a　nice　girl。'

'Yes。'　　Ethelberta　played　with　her　hair；　and　looked　at　the　ceiling
as　she　reclined。　　'I　have　decided　after　all；'　she　said；　'that　it
will　be　better　to　take　Cornelia　as　my　maid；　and　leave　you　here　with
the　children。　　Cornelia　is　stronger　as　a　companion　than　you；　and　she
will　be　delighted　to　go。　　Do　you　think　you　are　competent　to　keep
Myrtle　and　Georgina　out　of　harm's　way？'

'O　yesI　will　be　exceedingly　careful；'　said　Picotee；　with　great
vivacity。　　'And　if　there　is　time　I　can　go　on　teaching　them　a
little。'　　Then　Picotee　caught　Ethelberta's　eye；　and　colouring　red；
sank　down　beside　her　sister；　whispering；　'I　know　why　it　is！　　But　if
you　would　rather　have　me　with　you　I　will　go；　and　not　once　wish　to
stay。'

Ethelberta　looked　as　if　she　knew　all　about　that；　and　said；　'Of
course　there　will　be　no　necessity　to　tell　the　Julians　about　my
departure　until　they　have　fixed　the　time　for　coming；　and　cannot
alter　their　minds。'

The　sound　of　the　children　with　Cornelia；　and　their　appearance
outside　the　window；　pushing　between　the　fuchsia　bushes　which
overhung　the　path；　put　an　end　to　this　dialogue；　they　entered　armed
with　buckets　and　spades；　a　very　moist　and　sandy　aspect　pervading
them　as　far　up　as　the　high…water　mark　of　their　clothing；　and　began
to　tell　Ethelberta　of　the　wonders　of　the　deep。



32。　A　ROOM　IN　ENCKWORTH　COURT

'Are　you　sure　the　report　is　true？'

'I　am　sure　that　what　I　say　is　true；　my　lord；　but　it　is　hardly　to　be
called　a　report。　　It　is　a　secret；　known　at　present　to　nobody　but
myself　and　Mrs。　Doncastle's　maid。'

The　speaker　was　Lord　Mountclere's　trusty　valet；　and　the　conversation
was　between　him　and　the　viscount　in　a　dressing…room　at　Enckworth
Court；　on　the　evening　after　the　meeting　of　archaeologists　at
Corvsgate　Castle。

'H'm…h'm；　the　daughter　of　a　butler。　　Does　Mrs。　Doncastle　know　of
this　yet；　or　Mr。　Neigh；　or　any　of　their　friends？'

'No；　my　lord。'

'You　are　quite　positive？'

'Quite　positive。　　I　was；　by　accident；　the　first　that　Mrs。　Menlove
named　the　matter　to；　and　I　told　her　it　might　be　much　to　her
advantage　if　she　took　particular　care　it　should　go　no　further。'

'Mrs。　Menlove！　　Who's　she？'

'The　lady's…maid　at　Mrs。　Doncastle's；　my　lord。'

'O；　ahof　course。　　You　may　leave　me　now；　Tipman。'　　Lord　Mountclere
remained　in　thought　for　a　moment。　　'A　clever　little　puss；　to
hoodwink　us　all　like　thishee…hee！'　he　murmured。　　'Her　education
how　finished；　and　her　beautyso　seldom　that　I　meet　with　such　a
woman。　　Cut　down　my　elms　to　please　a　butler's　daughterwhat　a　joke…
…certainly　a　good　joke！　　To　interest　me　in　her　on　the　right　side
instead　of　the　wrong　was　strange。　　But　it　can　be　made　to　change
sideshee…hee！it　can　be　made　to　change　sides！　　Tipman！'

Tipman　came　forward　from　the　doorway。

'Will　you　take　care　that　that　piece　of　gossip　you　mentioned　to　me　is
not　repeated　in　this　house？　　I　strongly　disapprove　of　talebearing　of
any　sort；　and　wish　to　hear　no　more　of　this。　　Such　stories　are　never
true。　　Answer　medo　you　hear？　　Such　stories　are　never　true。'

'I　beg　pardon；　but　I　think　your　lordship　will　find　this　one　true；'
said　the　valet　quietly。

'Then　where　did　she　get　her　manners　and　education？　　Do　you　know？'

'I　do　not；　my　lord。　　I　suppose　she　picked　'em　up　by　her　wits。'

'Never　mind　what　you　suppose；'　said　the　old　man　impatiently。
'Whenever　I　ask　a　question　of　you　tell　me　what　you　know；　and　no
more。'

'Quite　so；　my　lord。　　I　beg　your　lordship's　pardon　for　supposing。'

'H'm…h'm。　　Have　the　fashion…books　and　plates　arrived　yet？'

'Le　Follet　has；　my　lord；　but　not　the　others。'

'Let　me　have　it　at　once。　　Always　bring　it　to　me　at　once。　　Are　there
any　handsome　ones　this　tim