the hand of ethelberta-第66节

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that　Christopher　dwelt　at　that　place；　and　was　about　to　test　her
concerning　him。

'Why　does　it　mean　no　marriage？'　said　he。

'My　father　might；　and　almost　certainly　would；　object　to　it。
Although　he　cannot　control　me；　he　might　entreat　me。'

'Why　would　he　object？'　said　Lord　Mountclere　uneasily；　and　somewhat
haughtily。

'I　don't　know。'

'But　you　will　be　my　wifesay　again　that　you　will。'

'I　will。'

He　breathed。　　'He　will　not　objecthee…hee！'　he　said。　　'O　noI
think　you　will　be　mine　now。'

'I　have　said　so。　　But　look　to　me　all　the　same。'

'You　malign　yourself；　dear　one。　　But　you　will　meet　me　at　Anglebury；
as　I　wish；　and　go　on　to　Melchester　with　me？'

'I　shall　be　pleased　toif　my　sister　may　accompany　me。'

'Ahyour　sister。　　Yes；　of　course。'

They　settled　the　time　of　the　journey；　and　when　the　visit　had　been
stretched　out　as　long　as　it　reasonably　could　be　with　propriety；　Lord
Mountclere　took　his　leave。

When　he　was　again　seated　on　the　driving…phaeton　which　he　had　brought
that　day；　Lord　Mountclere　looked　gleeful；　and　shrewd　enough　in　his
own　opinion　to　outwit　Mephistopheles。　　As　soon　as　they　were
ascending　a　hill；　and　he　could　find　time　to　free　his　hand；　he　pulled
off　his　glove；　and　drawing　from　his　pocket　a　programme　of　the
Melchester　concert　referred　to；　contemplated　therein　the　name　of　one
of　the　intended　performers。　　The　name　was　that　of　Mr。　C。　Julian。
Replacing　it　again；　he　looked　ahead；　and　some　time　after　murmured
with　wily　mirth；　'An　excellent　testa　lucky　thought！'

Nothing　of　importance　occurred　during　the　intervening　days。　　At　two
o'clock　on　the　appointed　afternoon　Ethelberta　stepped　from　the　train
at　Melchester　with　the　viscount；　who　had　met　her　as　proposed；　she
was　followed　behind　by　Picotee。

The　concert　was　to　be　held　at　the　Town…hall　half…an…hour　later。
They　entered　a　fly　in　waiting；　and　secure　from　recognition；　were
driven　leisurely　in　that　direction；　Picotee　silent　and　absorbed　with
her　own　thoughts。

'There's　the　Cathedral；'　said　Lord　Mountclere　humorously；　as　they
caught　a　view　of　one　of　its　towers　through　a　street　leading　into　the
Close。

'Yes。'

'It　boasts　of　a　very　fine　organ。'

'Ah。'

'And　the　organist　is　a　clever　young　man。'

'Oh。'

Lord　Mountclere　paused　a　moment　or　two。　　'By　the　way；　you　may
remember　that　he　is　the　Mr。　Julian　who　set　your　song　to　music！'

'I　recollect　it　quite　well。'　　Her　heart　was　horrified　and　she
thought　Lord　Mountclere　must　be　developing　into　an　inquisitor；　which
perhaps　he　was。　　But　none　of　this　reached　her　face。

They　turned　in　the　direction　of　the　Hall；　were　set　down；　and
entered。

The　large　assembly…room　set　apart　for　the　concert　was　upstairs；　and
it　was　possible　to　enter　it　in　two　ways：　　by　the　large　doorway　in
front　of　the　landing；　or　by　turning　down　a　side　passage　leading　to
council…rooms　and　subsidiary　apartments　of　small　size；　which　were
allotted　to　performers　in　any　exhibition；　thus　they　could　enter　from
one　of　these　directly　upon　the　platform；　without　passing　through　the
audience。

'Will　you　seat　yourselves　here？'　said　Lord　Mountclere；　who；　instead
of　entering　by　the　direct　door；　had　brought　the　young　women　round
into　this　green…room；　as　it　may　be　called。　　'You　see　we　have　come　in
privately　enough；　when　the　musicians　arrive　we　can　pass　through
behind　them；　and　step　down　to　our　seats　from　the　front。'

The　players　could　soon　be　heard　tuning　in　the　next　room。　　Then　one
came　through　the　passage…room　where　the　three　waited；　and　went　in；
then　another；　then　another。　　Last　of　all　came　Julian。

Ethelberta　sat　facing　the　door；　but　Christopher；　never　in　the　least
expecting　her　there；　did　not　recognize　her　till　he　was　quite　inside。
When　he　had　really　perceived　her　to　be　the　one　who　had　troubled　his
soul　so　many　times　and　long；　the　blood　in　his　facenever　very　much…
…passed　off　and　left　it；　like　the　shade　of　a　cloud。　　Between　them
stood　a　table　covered　with　green　baize；　which；　reflecting　upwards　a
band　of　sunlight　shining　across　the　chamber；　flung　upon　his　already
white　features　the　virescent　hues　of　death。　　The　poor　musician；
whose　person；　much　to　his　own　inconvenience；　constituted　a　complete
breviary　of　the　gentle　emotions；　looked　as　if　he　were　going　to　fall
down　in　a　faint。

Ethelberta　flung　at　Lord　Mountclere　a　look　which　clipped　him　like
pincers：　　he　never　forgot　it　as　long　as　he　lived。

'This　is　your　pretty　jealous　schemeI　see　it！'　she　hissed　to　him；
and　without　being　able　to　control　herself　went　across　to　Julian。

But　a　slight　gasp　came　from　behind　the　door　where　Picotee　had　been
sitting。　　Ethelberta　and　Lord　Mountclere　looked　that　way：　　and
behold；　Picotee　had　nearly　swooned。

Ethelberta's　show　of　passion　went　as　quickly　as　it　had　come；　for　she
felt　that　a　splendid　triumph　had　been　put　into　her　hands。　　'Now　do
you　see　the　truth？'　she　whispered　to　Lord　Mountclere　without　a
drachm　of　feeling；　pointing　to　Christopher　and　then　to　Picoteeas
like　as　two　snowdrops　now。

'I　do；　I　do；'　murmured　the　viscount　hastily。

They　both　went　forward　to　help　Christopher　in　restoring　the　fragile
Picotee：　　he　had　set　himself　to　that　task　as　suddenly　as　he　possibly
could　to　cover　his　own　near　approach　to　the　same　condition。　　Not
much　help　was　required；　the　little　girl's　indisposition　being　quite
momentary；　and　she　sat　up　in　the　chair　again。

'Are　you　better？'　said　Ethelberta　to　Christopher。

'Quite　wellquite；'　he　said；　smiling　faintly。　　'I　am　glad　to　see
you。　　I　must；　I　think；　go　into　the　next　room　now。'　　He　bowed　and
walked　out　awkwardly。

'Are　you　better；　too？'　she　said　to　Picotee。

'Quite　well；'　said　Picotee。

'You　are　quite　sure　you　know　between　whom　the　love　lies　noweh？'
Ethelberta　asked　in　a　sarcastic　whisper　of　Lord　Mountclere。

'I　ambeyond　a　doubt；'　murmured　the　anxious　nobleman；　he　feared
that　look　of　hers；　which　was　not　less　dominant　than　irresistible。

Some　additional　moments　given　to　thought　on　the　circumstances
rendered　Ethelberta　still　more　indignant　and　intractable。　　She　went
out　at　the　door　by　which　they　had　entered；　along　the　passage；　and
down　the　stairs。　　A　shuffling　footstep　followed；　but　she　did　not
turn　her　head。　　When　they　reached　the　bottom　of　the　stairs　the
carriage　had　gone；　their　exit　not　being　expected　till　two　hours
later。　　Ethelberta；　nothing　daunted；　swept　along　the　pavement　and
down　the　street　in　a　turbulent　prance；　Lord　Mountclere　trotting
behind　with　a　jowl　reduced　to　a　mere　nothing　by　his　concern　at　the
discourtesy　into　which　he　had　been　lured　by　jealous　whisperings。

'My　dearestforgive　me；　I　confess　I　doubted　youbut　I　was　beside
myself；'　came　to　her　ears　from　over　her　shoulder。　　But　Ethelberta
walked　on　as　before。

Lord　Mountclere　sighed　like　a　poet　over　a　ledger。　　'An　old　manwho
is　not　very　oldnaturally　torments　himself　with　fears　of　losing
no；　noit　was　an　innocent　jest　of　mineyou　will　forgive　a　joke
hee…hee？'　he　said　again；　on　getting　no　reply。

'You　had　no　right　to　mistrust　me！'

'I　do　notyou　did　not　blench。　　You　should　have　told　me　before　that
it　was　your　sister　and　not　yourself　who　was　entangled　with　him。'

'You　brought　me　to　Melchester　on　purpose　to　confront　him！'

'Yes；　I　did。'

'Are　you　not　ashamed？'

'I　am　satisfied。　　It　is　better　to　know　the　truth　by　any　means　than
to　die　of　suspense；　better　for　us　bothsurely　you　see　that？'

They　had　by　this　time　got　to　the　end　of　a　long　street；　and　into　a
deserted　side　road　by　which　the　station　could　be　indirectly　reached。
Picotee　appeared　in　the　distance　as　a　mere　distracted　speck　of
girlhood；　following　them　because　not　knowing　what　else　to　do　in　her
sickness　of　body　and　mind。　　Once　out　of　sight　here；　Ethelberta　began
to　cry。

'Ethelberta；'　said　Lord　Mountclere；　in　an　agony　of　trouble；　'don't
be　vexed！　　It　was　an　inconsiderate　trickI　own　it。　　Do　what　you
will；　but　do　not　desert　me　now！　　I　could　not　bear　ityou　would　kill
me　if　you　were　to　leave　me。　　Anything；　but　be　mine。'

Ethelberta　continued　her　way；　and　drying　her　eyes　entered　the
station；　where；　on　searching　the　time…tables；　she　found　there　would
be　no　train　for　Anglebury　for　the　next　two　hours。　　Then　more　slowly
she　turned　towards　the　town　again；　meeting　Picotee　and　keeping　in
her　company。

Lord　Mountclere　gave　up　the　chase；　but　as　he　wished　to　get　into　the
town　again；　he　followed　in　the　same　direction。　　When　Ethelberta　had
proceeded　as　far　as　the　Red　Lion　Hotel；　she　turned　towards　it　with
her　companion；　and　being　shown　to　a　room；　the　two　sisters　shut
themselves　in。　　Lord　Mountclere　paused　and　entered　the　White　Hart；
the　rival　hotel　to　the　Red　Lion；　which　stood　in　an　adjoining　street。

Having　secluded　himself　in　an　apartment　here；　walked　from　window　to
window　awhile；　and　made　himself　generally　uncomfortable；　he　sat　down
to　the　writing　materials　on　the　table；　and　concocted　a　note：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'WHITE　HART　HOTEL。

'MY　DEAR　MRS。　PETHERWIN；You　do　not　mean　to　be　so　cruel　as　to　break
your　plighted　word　to　me？　　Remember；　there　is　no　love　without　much
jealousy；　and　lovers　are　ever　full　of　sighs　and　misgiving。　　I　have
owned　to　as　much　contrition　as　can　reasonably　be　expected。　　I　could
not　endure　the　suspicion　that　you　loved　another。Yours　always；