the hand of ethelberta-第58节

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'I　should　like　to　go　round　to　the　other　side　of　the　parapet　for　a
few　moments；'　she　said；　with　decisive　quickness。　　'Come　with　me；
Lord　Mountclere。'

They　went　round　to　the　other　side。　　Here　she　kept　the　viscount　and
their　suisse　until　she　deemed　it　probable　that　Neigh　had　passed　by；
when　she　returned　with　her　companions　and　descended　to　the　bottom。
They　emerged　into　the　Rue　Saint…Romain；　whereupon　a　woman　called
from　the　opposite　side　of　the　way　to　their　guide；　stating　that　she
had　told　the　other　English　gentleman　that　the　English　lady　had　gone
into　the　fleche。

Ethelberta　turned　and　looked　up。　　She　could　just　discern　Neigh's
form　upon　the　steps　of　the　fleche　above；　ascending　toilsomely　in
search　of　her。

'What　English　gentleman　could　that　have　been？'　said　Lord　Mountclere；
after　paying　the　man。　　He　spoke　in　a　way　which　showed　he　had　not
overlooked　her　confusion。　　'It　seems　that　he　must　have　been
searching　for　us；　or　rather　for　you？'

'Only　Mr。　Neigh；'　said　Ethelberta。　　'He　told　me　he　was　coming　here。
I　believe　he　is　waiting　for　an　interview　with　me。'

'H'm；'　said　Lord　Mountclere。

'Businessonly　business；'　said　she。

'Shall　I　leave　you？　　Perhaps　the　business　is　importantmost
important。'

'Unfortunately　it　is。'

'You　must　forgive　me　this　once：　　I　cannot　helpwill　you　give　me
permission　to　make　a　difficult　remark？'　said　Lord　Mountclere；　in　an
impatient　voice。

'With　pleasure。'

'Well；　then；　the　business　I　meant　wasan　engagement　to　be　married。'

Had　it　been　possible　for　a　woman　to　be　perpetually　on　the　alert　she
might　now　have　supposed　that　Lord　Mountclere　knew　all　about　her；　a
mechanical　deference　must　have　restrained　such　an　illusion　had　he
seen　her　in　any　other　light　than　that　of　a　distracting　slave。　　But
she　answered　quietly；　'So　did　I。'

'But　how　does　he　knowdear　me；　dear　me！　　I　beg　pardon；'　said　the
viscount。

She　looked　at　him　curiously；　as　if　to　imply　that　he　was　seriously
out　of　his　reckoning　in　respect　of　her　if　he　supposed　that　he　would
be　allowed　to　continue　this　little　play　at　love…making　as　long　as　he
chose；　when　she　was　offered　the　position　of　wife　by　a　man　so　good　as
Neigh。

They　stood　in　silence　side　by　side　till；　much　to　her　ease；　Cornelia
appeared　at　the　corner　waiting。　　At　the　last　moment　he　said；　in
somewhat　agitated　tones；　and　with　what　appeared　to　be　a　renewal　of
the　respect　which　had　been　imperceptibly　dropped　since　they　crossed
the　Channel；　'I　was　not　aware　of　your　engagement　to　Mr。　Neigh。　　I
fear　I　have　been　acting　mistakenly　on　that　account。'

'There　is　no　engagement　as　yet；'　said　she。

Lord　Mountclere　brightened　like　a　child。　　'Then　may　I　have　a　few
words　in　private'

'Not　nownot　to…day；'　said　Ethelberta；　with　a　certain　irritation　at
she　knew　not　what。　　'Believe　me；　Lord　Mountclere；　you　are　mistaken
in　many　things。　　I　mean；　you　think　more　of　me　than　you　ought。　　A
time　will　come　when　you　will　despise　me　for　this　day's　work；　and　it
is　madness　in　you　to　go　further。'

Lord　Mountclere；　knowing　what　he　did　know；　may　have　imagined　what
she　referred　to；　but　Ethelberta　was　without　the　least　proof　that　he
had　the　key　to　her　humour。　　'Well；　well；　I'll　be　responsible　for　the
madness；'　he　said。　　'I　know　you　to　bea　famous　woman；　at　all
events；　and　that's　enough。　　I　would　say　more；　but　I　cannot　here。
May　I　call　upon　you？'

'Not　now。'

'When　shall　I？'

'If　you　must；　let　it　be　a　month　hence　at　my　house　in　town；'　she　said
indifferently；　the　Hamlet　mood　being　still　upon　her。　　'Yes；　call
upon　us　then；　and　I　will　tell　you　everything　that　may　remain　to　be
told；　if　you　should　be　inclined　to　listen。　　A　rumour　is　afloat　which
will　undeceive　you　in　much；　and　depress　me　to　death。　　And　now　I　will
walk　back：　　pray　excuse　me。'　　She　entered　the　street；　and　joined
Cornelia。

Lord　Mountclere　paced　irregularly　along；　turned　the　corner；　and　went
towards　his　inn；　nearing　which　his　tread　grew　lighter；　till　he
scarcely　seemed　to　touch　the　ground。　　He　became　gleeful；　and　said　to
himself；　nervously　palming　his　hip　with　his　left　hand；　as　if
previous　to　plunging　it　into　hot　water　for　some　prize：　　'Upon　my
life　I've　a　good　mind！　　Upon　my　life　I　have！。　。　。　。　　I　must　make　a
straightforward　thing　of　it；　and　at　once；　or　he　will　have　her。　　But
he　shall　not；　and　I　willhee…hee！'

The　fascinated　man；　screaming　inwardly　with　the　excitement；　glee；
and　agony　of　his　position；　entered　the　hotel；　wrote　a　hasty　note　to
Ethelberta　and　despatched　it　by　hand；　looked　to　his　dress　and
appearance；　ordered　a　carriage；　and　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour　was
being　driven　towards　the　Hotel　Beau　Sejour；　whither　his　note　had
preceded　him。



35。　THE　HOTEL　（continued）；　AND　THE　QUAY　IN　FRONT

Ethelberta；　having　arrived　there　some　time　earlier；　had　gone
straight　to　her　aunt；　whom　she　found　sitting　behind　a　large　ledger
in　the　office；　making　up　the　accounts　with　her　husband；　a　well…
framed　reflective　man　with　a　grey　beard。　　M。　Moulin　bustled；　waited
for　her　remarks　and　replies；　and　made　much　of　her　in　a　general　way；
when　Ethelberta　said；　what　she　had　wanted　to　say　instantly；　'Has　a
gentleman　called　Mr。　Neigh　been　here？'

'O　yesI　think　it　is　Neighthere's　a　card　upstairs；'　replied　her
aunt。　　'I　told　him　you　were　alone　at　the　cathedral；　and　I　believe　he
walked　that　way。　　Besides　that　one；　another　has　come　for　youa　Mr。
Ladywell；　and　he　is　waiting。'

'Not　for　me？'

'Yes；　indeed。　　I　thought　he　seemed　so　anxious；　under　a　sort　of
assumed　calmness；　that　I　recommended　him　to　remain　till　you　came
in。'

'Goodness；　aunt；　why　did　you？'　Ethelberta　said；　and　thought　how　much
her　mother's　sister　resembled　her　mother　in　doings　of　that　sort。

'I　thought　he　had　some　good　reason　for　seeing　you。　　Are　these　men
intruders；　then？'

'O　noa　woman　who　attempts　a　public　career　must　expect　to　be
treated　as　public　property：　　what　would　be　an　intrusion　on　a
domiciled　gentlewoman　is　a　tribute　to　me。　　You　cannot　have　celebrity
and　sex…privilege　both。'　　Thus　Ethelberta　laughed　off　the　awkward
conjuncture；　inwardly　deploring　the　unconscionable　maternal　meddling
which　had　led　to　this；　though　not　resentfully；　for　she　had　too　much
staunchness　of　heart　to　decry　a　parent's　misdirected　zeal。　　Had　the
clanship　feeling　been　universally　as　strong　as　in　the　Chickerel
family；　the　fable　of　the　well…bonded　fagot　might　have　remained
unwritten。

Ladywell　had　sent　her　a　letter　about　getting　his　picture　of　herself
engraved　for　an　illustrated　paper；　and　she　had　not　replied；
considering　that　she　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　matter；　her　form　and
feature　having　been　given　in　the　painting　as　no　portrait　at　all；　but
as　those　of　an　ideal。　　To　see　him　now　would　be　vexatious；　and　yet　it
was　chilly　and　formal　to　an　ungenerous　degree　to　keep　aloof　from
him；　sitting　lonely　in　the　same　house。　　'A　few　weeks　hence；'　she
thought；　'when　Menlove's　disclosures　make　me　ridiculous；　he　may
slight　me　as　a　lackey's　girl；　an　upstart；　an　adventuress；　and　hardly
return　my　bow　in　the　street。　　Then　I　may　wish　I　had　given　him　no
personal　cause　for　additional　bitterness。'　　So；　putting　off　the　fine
lady；　Ethelberta　thought　she　would　see　Ladywell　at　once。

Ladywell　was　unaffectedly　glad　to　meet　her；　so　glad；　that　Ethelberta
wished　heartily；　for　his　sake；　there　could　be　warm　friendship
between　herself　and　him；　as　well　as　all　her　lovers；　without　that
insistent　courtship…and…marriage　question；　which　sent　them　all
scattering　like　leaves　in　a　pestilent　blast；　at　enmity　with　one
another。　　She　was　less　pleased　when　she　found　that　Ladywell；　after
saying　all　there　was　to　say　about　his　painting；　gently　signified
that　he　had　been　misinformed；　as　he　believed；　concerning　her　future
intentions；　which　had　led　to　his　absenting　himself　entirely　from
her；　the　remark　being　of　course；　a　natural　product　of　her　mother's
injudicious　message　to　him。

She　cut　him　short　with　terse　candour。　　'Yes；'　she　said；　'a　false
report　is　in　circulation。　　I　am　not　yet　engaged　to　be　married　to　any
one；　if　that　is　your　meaning。'

Ladywell　looked　cheerful　at　this　frank　answer；　and　said　tentatively；
'Am　I　forgotten？'

'No；　you　are　exactly　as　you　always　were　in　my　mind。'

'Then　I　have　been　cruelly　deceived。　　I　was　guided　too　much　by
appearances；　and　they　were　very　delusive。　　I　am　beyond　measure　glad
I　came　here　to…day。　　I　called　at　your　house　and　learnt　that　you　were
here；　and　as　I　was　going　out　of　town；　in　any　indefinite　direction；　I
settled　then　to　come　this　way。　　What　a　happy　idea　it　was！　　To　think
of　you　nowand　I　may　be　permitted　to'

'Assuredly　you　may　not。　　How　many　times　I　have　told　you　that！'

'But　I　do　not　wish　for　any　formal　engagement；'　said　Ladywell
quickly；　fearing　she　might　commit　herself　to　some　expression　of
positive　denial；　which　he　could　never　surmount。　　'I'll　waitI'll
wait　any　length　of　time。　　Remember；　you　have　never　absolutely
forbidden　myfriendship。　　Will　you　delay　your　answer　till　some　time
hence；　when　you　have　thoroughly　considered；　since　I　fear　it　may　be　a
hasty　one　now？'

'Yes；　indeed；　it　may　be　hasty。'

'You　will　delay　it？'

'Yes。'

'When　shall　it　be？'

'Say　a　month　hence。　　I　suggest　that；　because　by　that　time　you　will
have　found　an　answer　in　your　own　mind：　　strange　things　may　happen
befor