the hand of ethelberta-第67节

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not　endure　the　suspicion　that　you　loved　another。Yours　always；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'MOUNTCLERE。'

This　he　sent；　watching　from　the　window　its　progress　along　the
street。　　He　awaited　anxiously　for　an　answer；　and　waited　long。　　It
was　nearly　twenty　minutes　before　he　could　hear　a　messenger
approaching　the　door。　　Yesshe　had　actually　sent　a　reply；　he　prized
it　as　if　it　had　been　the　first　encouragement　he　had　ever　in　his　life
received　from　woman：

'MY　LORD'　（wrote　Ethelberta）；'I　am　not　prepared　at　present　to
enter　into　the　question　of　marriage　at　all。　The　incident　which　has
occurred　affords　me　every　excuse　for　withdrawing　my　promise；　since
it　was　given　under　misapprehensions　on　a　point　that　materially
affects　my　happiness。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'E。　PETHERWIN。'

'Ho…ho…hoMiss　Hoity…toity！'　said　Lord　Mountclere；　trotting　up　and
down。　　But；　remembering　it　was　her　June　against　his　November；　this
did　not　last　long；　and　he　frantically　replied：

'MY　DARLING；I　cannot　release　youI　must　do　anything　to　keep　my
treasure。　　Will　you　not　see　me　for　a　few　minutes；　and　let　bygones　go
to　the　winds？'

Was　ever　a　thrush　so　safe　in　a　cherry　net　before！

The　messenger　came　back　with　the　information　that　Mrs。　Petherwin　had
taken　a　walk　to　the　Close；　her　companion　alone　remaining　at　the
hotel。　　There　being　nothing　else　left　for　the　viscount　to　do；　he　put
on　his　hat；　and　went　out　on　foot　in　the　same　direction。　　He　had　not
walked　far　when　he　saw　Ethelberta　moving　slowly　along　the　High
Street　before　him。

Ethelberta　was　at　this　hour　wandering　without　any　fixed　intention
beyond　that　of　consuming　time。　　She　was　very　wretched；　and　very
indifferent：　　the　former　when　thinking　of　her　past；　the　latter　when
thinking　of　the　days　to　come。　　While　she　walked　thus　unconscious　of
the　streets；　and　their　groups　of　other　wayfarers；　she　saw
Christopher　emerge　from　a　door　not　many　paces　in　advance；　and　close
it　behind　him：　　he　stood　for　a　moment　on　the　step　before　descending
into　the　road。

She　could　not；　even　had　she　wished　it；　easily　check　her　progress
without　rendering　the　chance　of　his　perceiving　her　still　more
certain。　　But　she　did　not　wish　any　such　thing；　and　it　made　little
difference；　for　he　had　already　seen　her　in　taking　his　survey　round；
and　came　down　from　the　door　to　her　side。　　It　was　impossible　for
anything　formal　to　pass　between　them　now。

'You　are　not　at　the　concert；　Mr。　Julian？'　she　said。　　'I　am　glad　to
have　a　better　opportunity　of　speaking　to　you；　and　of　asking　for　your
sister。　　Unfortunately　there　is　not　time　for　us　to　call　upon　her　to…
day。'

'Thank　you；　but　it　makes　no　difference；'　said　Julian；　with　somewhat
sad　reserve。　　'I　will　tell　her　I　have　met　you；　she　is　away　from　home
just　at　present。'　　And　finding　that　Ethelberta　did　not　rejoin
immediately　he　observed；　'The　chief　organist；　old　Dr。　Breeve；　has
taken　my　place　at　the　concert；　as　it　was　arranged　he　should　do　after
the　opening　part。　　I　am　now　going　to　the　Cathedral　for　the　afternoon
service。　　You　are　going　there　too？'

'I　thought　of　looking　at　the　interior　for　a　moment。'

So　they　went　on　side　by　side；　saying　little；　for　it　was　a　situation
in　which　scarcely　any　appropriate　thing　could　be　spoken。　　Ethelberta
was　the　less　reluctant　to　walk　in　his　company　because　of　the
provocation　to　skittishness　that　Lord　Mountclere　had　given；　a
provocation　which　she　still　resented。　　But　she　was　far　from　wishing
to　increase　his　jealousy；　and　yet　this　was　what　she　was　doing；　Lord
Mountclere　being　a　perturbed　witness　from　behind　of　all　that　was
passing　now。

They　turned　the　corner　of　the　short　street　of　connection　which　led
under　an　archway　to　the　Cathedral　Close；　the　old　peer　dogging　them
still。　　Christopher　seemed　to　warm　up　a　little；　and　repeated　the
invitation。　　'You　will　come　with　your　sister　to　see　us　before　you
leave？'　he　said。　　'We　have　tea　at　six。'

'We　shall　have　left　Melchester　before　that　time。　　I　am　now　only
waiting　for　the　train。'

'You　two　have　not　come　all　the　way　from　Knollsea　alone？'

'Part　of　the　way；'　said　Ethelberta　evasively。

'And　going　back　alone？'

'No。　　Only　for　the　last　five　miles。　　At　least　that　was　the
arrangementI　am　not　quite　sure　if　it　holds　good。'

'You　don't　wish　me　to　see　you　safely　in　the　train？'

'It　is　not　necessary：　　thank　you　very　much。　　We　are　well　used　to
getting　about　the　world　alone；　and　from　Melchester　to　Knollsea　is　no
serious　journey；　late　or　early。　。　。　。　　Yet　I　think　I　ought；　in
honesty；　to　tell　you　that　we　are　not　entirely　by　ourselves　in
Melchester　to…day。'

'I　remember　I　saw　your　friendrelativein　the　room　at　the　Town…
hall。　　It　did　not　occur　to　my　mind　for　the　moment　that　he　was　any
other　than　a　stranger　standing　there。'

'He　is　not　a　relative；'　she　said；　with　perplexity。　　'I　hardly　know；
Christopher；　how　to　explain　to　you　my　position　here　to…day；　because
of　some　difficulties　that　have　arisen　since　we　have　been　in　the
town；　which　may　alter　it　entirely。　　On　that　account　I　will　be　less
frank　with　you　than　I　should　like　to　be；　considering　how　long　we
have　known　each　other。　　It　would　be　wrong；　however；　if　I　were　not　to
tell　you　that　there　has　been　a　possibility　of　my　marriage　with　him。'

'The　elderly　gentleman？'

'Yes。　　And　I　came　here　in　his　company；　intending　to　return　with　him。
But　you　shall　know　all　soon。　　Picotee　shall　write　to　Faith。'

'I　always　think　the　Cathedral　looks　better　from　this　point　than　from
the　point　usually　chosen　by　artists；'　he　said；　with　nervous
quickness；　directing　her　glance　upwards　to　the　silent　structure；　now
misty　and　unrelieved　by　either　high　light　or　deep　shade。　　'We　get
the　grouping　of　the　chapels　and　choir…aisles　more　clearly　shownand
the　whole　culminates　to　a　more　perfect　pyramid　from　this　spotdo
you　think　so？'

'Yes。　　I　do。'

A　little　further；　and　Christopher　stopped　to　enter；　when　Ethelberta
bade　him　farewell。　　'I　thought　at　one　time　that　our　futures　might
have　been　different　from　what　they　are　apparently　becoming；'　he　said
then；　regarding　her　as　a　stall…reader　regards　the　brilliant　book　he
cannot　afford　to　buy。　　'But　one　gets　weary　of　repining　about　that。
I　wish　Picotee　and　yourself　could　see　us　oftener；　I　am　as　confirmed
a　bachelor　now　as　Faith　is　an　old　maid。　　I　wonder　ifshould　the
event　you　contemplate　occuryou　and　he　will　ever　visit　us；　or　we
shall　ever　visit　you！'

Christopher　was　evidently　imagining　the　elderly　gentleman　to　be　some
retired　farmer；　or　professional　man　already　so　intermixed　with　the
metamorphic　classes　of　society　as　not　to　be　surprised　or
inconvenienced　by　her　beginnings；　one　who　wished　to　secure
Ethelberta　as　an　ornament　to　his　parlour　fire　in　a　quiet　spirit；　and
in　no　intoxicated　mood　regardless　of　issues。　　She　could　scarcely
reply　to　his　supposition；　and　the　parting　was　what　might　have　been
predicted　from　a　conversation　so　carefully　controlled。

Ethelberta；　as　she　had　intended；　now　went　on　further；　and　entering
the　nave　began　to　inspect　the　sallow　monuments　which　lined　the
grizzled　pile。　　She　did　not　perceive　amid　the　shadows　an　old
gentleman　who　had　crept　into　the　mouldy　place　as　stealthily　as　a
worm　into　a　skull；　and　was　keeping　himself　carefully　beyond　her
observation。　　She　continued　to　regard　feature　after　feature　till　the
choristers　had　filed　in　from　the　south　side；　and　peals　broke　forth
from　the　organ　on　the　black　oaken　mass　at　the　junction　of　nave　and
choir；　shaking　every　cobweb　in　the　dusky　vaults；　and　Ethelberta's
heart　no　less。　　She　knew　the　fingers　that　were　pressing　out　those
rolling　sounds；　and　knowing　them；　became　absorbed　in　tracing　their
progress。　　To　go　towards　the　organ…loft　was　an　act　of
unconsciousness；　and　she　did　not　pause　till　she　stood　almost　beneath
it。

Ethelberta　was　awakened　from　vague　imaginings　by　the　close　approach
of　the　old　gentleman　alluded　to；　who　spoke　with　a　great　deal　of
agitation。

'I　have　been　trying　to　meet　with　you；'　said　Lord　Mountclere。　　'Come；
let　us　be　friends　again！Ethelberta；　I　MUST　not　lose　you！　　You
cannot　mean　that　the　engagement　shall　be　broken　off？'　　He　was　far
too　desirous　to　possess　her　at　any　price　now　to　run　a　second　risk　of
exasperating　her；　and　forbore　to　make　any　allusion　to　the　recent
pantomime　between　herself　and　Christopher　that　he　had　beheld；　though
it　might　reasonably　have　filled　him　with　dread　and　petulance。

'I　do　not　mean　anything　beyond　this；'　said　she；　'that　I　entirely
withdraw　from　it　on　the　faintest　sign　that　you　have　not　abandoned
such　miserable　jealous　proceedings　as　those　you　adopted　to…day。'

'I　have　quite　abandoned　them。　　Will　you　come　a　little　further　this
way；　and　walk　in　the　aisle？　　You　do　still　agree　to　be　mine？'

'If　it　gives　you　any　pleasure；　I　do。'

'Yes；　yes。　　I　implore　that　the　marriage　may　be　soonvery　soon。'
The　viscount　spoke　hastily；　for　the　notes　of　the　organ　which　were
plunging　into　their　ears　ever　and　anon　from　the　hands　of　his　young
rival　seemed　inconveniently　and　solemnly　in　the　way　of　his　suit。

'Well；　Lord　Mountclere？'

'Say　in　a　few　days？it　is　the　only　thing　that　will　satisfy　me。'

'I　am　absolutely　indifferent　as　to　the　day。　　If　it　pleases　you　to
have　it　early　I　am　willing。'

'Dare　I　ask　that　it