the hand of ethelberta-第60节

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one　beneath。　　Neigh's　letter　was　simply　a　pleading　of　a　sudden　call
away　which　prevented　his　waiting　till　she　should　return；　Ladywell's；
though　stating　the　same　reason　for　leaving；　was　more　of　an
upbraiding　nature；　and　might　almost　have　told　its　reader；　were　she
to　take　the　trouble　to　guess；　that　he　knew　of　the　business　of　Lord
Mountclere　with　her　to…day。

'Now；　let　us　get　out　of　this　place；'　said　Neigh。　　He　proceeded　at
once　down　the　stairs；　followed　by　Ladywell；　whosettling　his
account　at　the　bureau　without　calling　for　a　bill；　and　directing　his
portmanteau　to　be　sent　to　the　Right…bank　railway　stationwent　with
Neigh　into　the　street。

They　had　not　walked　fifty　yards　up　the　quay　when　two　British
workmen；　in　holiday　costume；　who　had　just　turned　the　corner　of　the
Rue　Jeanne　d'Arc；　approached　them。　　Seeing　him　to　be　an　Englishman；
one　of　the　two　addressed　Neigh；　saying；　'Can　you　tell　us　the　way；
sir；　to　the　Hotel　Bold　Soldier？'

Neigh　pointed　out　the　place　he　had　just　come　from　to　the　tall　young
men；　and　continued　his　walk　with　Ladywell。

Ladywell　was　the　first　to　break　silence。　　'I　have　been　considerably
misled；　Neigh；'　he　said；　'and　I　imagine　from　what　has　just　happened
that　you　have　been　misled　too。'

'Just　a　little；'　said　Neigh；　bringing　abstracted　lines　of　meditation
into　his　face。　　'But　it　was　my　own　fault：　　for　I　ought　to　have　known
that　these　stage　and　platform　women　have　what　they　are　pleased　to
call　Bohemianism　so　thoroughly　engrained　with　their　natures　that
they　are　no　more　constant　to　usage　in　their　sentiments　than　they　are
in　their　way　of　living。　　Good　Lord；　to　think　she　has　caught　old
Mountclere！　　She　is　sure　to　have　him　if　she　does　not　dally　with　him
so　long　that　he　gets　cool　again。'

'A　beautiful　creature　like　her　to　think　of　marrying　such　an
infatuated　idiot　as　he！'

'He　can　give　her　a　title　as　well　as　younger　men。　　It　will　not　be　the
first　time　that　such　matches　have　been　made。'

'I　can't　believe　it；'　said　Ladywell　vehemently。　　'She　has　too　much
poetry　in　hertoo　much　good　sense；　her　nature　is　the　essence　of　all
that's　romantic。　　I　can't　help　saying　it；　though　she　has　treated　me
cruelly。'

'She　has　good　looks；　certainly。　　I'll　own　to　that。　　As　for　her
romance　and　good…feeling；　that　I　leave　to　you。　　I　think　she　has
treated　you　no　more　cruelly；　as　you　call　it；　than　she　has　me；　come
to　that。'

'She　told　me　she　would　give　me　an　answer　in　a　month；'　said　Ladywell
emotionally。

'So　she　told　me；'　said　Neigh。

'And　so　she　told　him；'　said　Ladywell。

'And　I　have　no　doubt　she　will　keep　her　word　to　him　in　her　usual
precise　manner。'

'But　see　what　she　implied　to　me！　　I　distinctly　understood　from　her
that　the　answer　would　be　favourable。'

'So　did　I。'

'So　does　he。'

'And　he　is　sure　to　be　the　one　who　gets　it；　since　only　one　of　us　can。
Well；　I　wouldn't　marry　her　for　love；　money；　nor'

'Offspring。'

'Exactly：　　I　would　not。　　〃I'll　give　you　an　answer　in　a　month　〃to
all　three　of　us！　　For　God's　sake　let's　sit　down　here　and　have
something　to　drink。'

They　drew　up　a　couple　of　chairs　to　one　of　the　tables　of　a　wine…shop
close　by；　and　shouted　to　the　waiter　with　the　vigour　of　persons　going
to　the　dogs。　　Here；　behind　the　horizontal…headed　trees　that　dotted
this　part　of　the　quay；　they　sat　over　their　bottles　denouncing
womankind　till　the　sun　got　low　down　upon　the　river；　and　the　houses
on　the　further　side　began　to　be　toned　by　a　blue　mist。　　At　last　they
rose　from　their　seats　and　departed；　Neigh　to　dine　and　consider　his
route；　and　Ladywell　to　take　the　train　for　Dieppe。

While　these　incidents　had　been　in　progress　the　two　workmen　had　found
their　way　into　the　hotel　where　Ethelberta　was　staying。　　Passing
through　the　entrance；　they　stood　at　gaze　in　the　court；　much
perplexed　as　to　the　door　to　be　made　for；　the　difficulty　was　solved
by　the　appearance　of　Cornelia；　who　in　expectation　of　them　had　been
for　the　last　half…hour　leaning　over　the　sill　of　her　bed…room　window；
which　looked　into　the　interior；　amusing　herself　by　watching　the
movements　to　and　fro　in　the　court　beneath。

After　conversing　awhile　in　undertones　as　if　they　had　no　real　right
there　at　all；　Cornelia　told　them　she　would　call　their　sister；　if　an
old　gentleman　who　had　been　to　see　her　were　gone　again。　　Cornelia
then　ran　away；　and　Sol　and　Dan　stood　aloof；　till　they　had　seen　the
old　gentleman　alluded　to　go　to　the　door　and　drive　off；　shortly　after
which　Ethelberta　ran　down　to　meet　them。

'Whatever　have　you　got　as　your　luggage？'　she　said；　after　hearing　a
few　words　about　their　journey；　and　looking　at　a　curious　object　like
a　huge　extended　accordion　with　bellows　of　gorgeous…patterned
carpeting。

'Well；　I　thought　to　myself；'　said　Sol；　''tis　a　terrible　bother　about
carrying　our　things。　　So　what　did　I　do　but　turn　to　and　make　a
carpet…bag　that　would　hold　all　mine　and　Dan's　too。　　This；　you　see；
Berta；　is　a　deal　top　and　bottom　out　of　three…quarter　stuff；　stained
and　varnished。　　Well；　then　you　see　I've　got　carpet　sides　tacked　on
with　these　brass　nails；　which　make　it　look　very　handsome；　and　so
when　my　bag　is　empty　'twill　shut　up　and　be　only　a　couple　of　boards
under　yer　arm；　and　when　'tis　open　it　will　hold　a'most　anything　you
like　to　put　in　it。　　That　portmantle　didn't　cost　more　than　three
half…crowns　altogether；　and　ten　pound　wouldn't　ha'　got　anything　so
strong　from　a　portmantle　maker；　would　it；　Dan？'

'Well；　no。'

'And　then　you　see；　Berta；'　Sol　continued　in　the　same　earnest　tone；
and　further　exhibiting　the　article；　'I've　made　this　trap…door　in　the
top　with　hinges　and　padlock　complete；　so　that'

'I　am　afraid　it　is　tiring　you　after　your　journey　to　explain　all　this
to　me；'　said　Ethelberta　gently；　noticing　that　a　few　Gallic　smilers
were　gathering　round。　　'Aunt　has　found　a　nice　room　for　you　at　the
top　of　the　staircase　in　that　corner〃Escalier　D〃　you'll　see　painted
at　the　bottomand　when　you　have　been　up　come　across　to　me　at　number
thirty…four　on　this　side；　and　we'll　talk　about　everything。'

'Look　here；　Sol；'　said　Dan；　who　had　left　his　brother　and　gone　on　to
the　stairs。　　'What　a　rum　staircasethe　treads　all　in　little　blocks；
and　painted　chocolate；　as　I　am　alive！'

'I　am　afraid　I　shall　not　be　able　to　go　on　to　Paris　with　you；　after
all；'　Ethelberta　continued　to　Sol。　　'Something　has　just　happened
which　makes　it　desirable　for　me　to　return　at　once　to　England。　　But　I
will　write　a　list　of　all　you　are　to　see；　and　where　you　are　to　go；　so
that　it　will　make　little　difference；　I　hope。'

Ten　minutes　before　this　time　Ethelberta　had　been　frankly　and
earnestly　asked　by　Lord　Mountclere　to　become　his　bride；　not　only　so；
but　he　pressed　her　to　consent　to　have　the　ceremony　performed　before
they　returned　to　England。　　Ethelberta　had　unquestionably　been　much
surprised；　and；　barring　the　fact　that　the　viscount　was　somewhat
ancient　in　comparison　with　herself；　the　temptation　to　close　with　his
offer　was　strong；　and　would　have　been　felt　as　such　by　any　woman　in
the　position　of　Ethelberta；　now　a　little　reckless　by　stress　of
circumstances；　and　tinged　with　a　bitterness　of　spirit　against
herself　and　the　world　generally。　　But　she　was　experienced　enough　to
know　what　heaviness　might　result　from　a　hasty　marriage；　entered　into
with　a　mind　full　of　concealments　and　suppressions　which；　if　told；
were　likely　to　stop　the　marriage　altogether；　and　after　trying　to
bring　herself　to　speak　of　her　family　and　situation　to　Lord
Mountclere　as　he　stood；　a　certain　caution　triumphed；　and　she
concluded　that　it　would　be　better　to　postpone　her　reply　till　she
could　consider　which　of　two　courses　it　would　be　advisable　to　adopt；
to　write　and　explain　to　him；　or　to　explain　nothing　and　refuse　him。
The　third　course；　to　explain　nothing　and　hasten　the　wedding；　she
rejected　without　hesitation。　　With　a　pervading　sense　of　her　own
obligations　in　forming　this　compact　it　did　not　occur　to　her　to　ask
if　Lord　Mountclere　might　not　have　duties　of　explanation　equally　with
herself；　though　bearing　rather　on　the　moral　than　the　social　aspects
of　the　case。

Her　resolution　not　to　go　on　to　Paris　was　formed　simply　because　Lord
Mountclere　himself　was　proceeding　in　that　direction；　which　might
lead　to　other　unseemly　rencounters　with　him　had　she；　too；　persevered
in　her　journey。　　She　accordingly　gave　Sol　and　Dan　directions　for
their　guidance　to　Paris　and　back；　starting　herself　with　Cornelia　the
next　day　to　return　again　to　Knollsea；　and　to　decide　finally　and　for
ever　what　to　do　in　the　vexed　question　at　present　agitating　her。

Never　before　in　her　life　had　she　treated　marriage　in　such　a　terribly
cool　and　cynical　spirit　as　she　had　done　that　day；　she　was　almost
frightened　at　herself　in　thinking　of　it。　　How　far　any　known　system
of　ethics　might　excuse　her　on　the　score　of　those　curious　pressures
which　had　been　brought　to　bear　upon　her　life；　or　whether　it　could
excuse　her　at　all；　she　had　no　spirit　to　inquire。　　English　society
appeared　a　gloomy　concretion　enough　to　abide　in　as　she　contemplated
it　on　this　journey　home；　yet；　since　its　gloominess　was　less　an
essential　quality　than　an　accident　of　her　point　of　view；　that　point
of　view　she　had　determined　to　change。

There　lay　open　to　her　two　directions　in　which　to　move。　　She　might
annex　herself　to　the　easy…goin