the hand of ethelberta-第68节

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

'Dare　I　ask　that　it　may　be　this　week？'　said　the　delighted　old　man。

'I　could　not　say　that。'

'But　you　can　name　the　earliest　day？'

'I　cannot　now。　　We　had　better　be　going　from　here；　I　think。'

The　Cathedral　was　filling　with　shadows；　and　cold　breathings　came
round　the　piers；　for　it　was　November；　when　night　very　soon　succeeds
noon　in　spots　where　noon　is　sobered　to　the　pallor　of　eve。　　But　the
service　was　not　yet　over；　and　before　quite　leaving　the　building
Ethelberta　cast　one　other　glance　towards　the　organ　and　thought　of
him　behind　it。　　At　this　moment　her　attention　was　arrested　by　the
form　of　her　sister　Picotee；　who　came　in　at　the　north　door；　closed
the　lobby…wicket　softly；　and　went　lightly　forward　to　the　choir。
When　within　a　few　yards　of　it　she　paused　by　a　pillar；　and　lingered
there　looking　up　at　the　organ　as　Ethelberta　had　done。　　No　sound　was
coming　from　the　ponderous　mass　of　tubes　just　then；　but　in　a　short
space　a　whole　crowd　of　tones　spread　from　the　instrument　to　accompany
the　words　of　a　response。　　Picotee　started　at　the　burst　of　music　as
if　taken　in　a　dishonest　action；　and　moved　on　in　a　manner　intended　to
efface　the　lover's　loiter　of　the　preceding　moments　from　her　own
consciousness　no　less　than　from　other　people's　eyes。

'Do　you　see　that？'　said　Ethelberta。　　'That　little　figure　is　my
dearest　sister。　　Could　you　but　ensure　a　marriage　between　her　and　him
she　listens　to；　I　would　do　anything　you　wish！'

'That　is　indeed　a　gracious　promise；'　said　Lord　Mountclere。　　'And
would　you　agree　to　what　I　asked　just　now？'

'Yes。'

'When？'　　A　gleeful　spark　accompanied　this。

'As　you　requested。'

'This　week？　　The　day　after　to…morrow？'

'If　you　will。　　But　remember　what　lies　on　your　side　of　the　contract。
I　fancy　I　have　given　you　a　task　beyond　your　powers。'

'Well；　darling；　we　are　at　one　at　last；'　said　Lord　Mountclere；
rubbing　his　hand　against　his　side。　　'And　if　my　task　is　heavy　and　I
cannot　guarantee　the　result；　I　can　make　it　very　probable。　　Marry　me
on　Fridaythe　day　after　to…morrowand　I　will　do　all　that　money　and
influence　can　effect　to　bring　about　their　union。'

'You　solemnly　promise？　　You　will　never　cease　to　give　me　all　the　aid
in　your　power　until　the　thing　is　done？'

'I　do　solemnly　promiseon　the　conditions　named。'

'Very　good。　　You　will　have　ensured　my　fulfilment　of　my　promise
before　I　can　ensure　yours；　but　I　take　your　word。'

'You　will　marry　me　on　Friday！　　Give　me　your　hand　upon　it。'

She　gave　him　her　hand。

'Is　it　a　covenant？'　he　asked。

'It　is；'　said　she。

Lord　Mountclere　warmed　from　surface　to　centre　as　if　he　had　drunk　of
hippocras；　and；　after　holding　her　hand　for　some　moments；　raised　it
gently　to　his　lips。

'Two　days　and　you　are　mine；'　he　said。

'That　I　believe　I　never　shall　be。'

'Never　shall　be？　　Why；　darling？'

'I　don't　know。　　Some　catastrophe　will　prevent　it。　　I　shall　be　dead
perhaps。'

'You　distress　me。　　Ah；you　meant　meyou　meant　that　I　should　be
dead；　because　you　think　I　am　old！　　But　that　is　a　mistakeI　am　not
very　old！'

'I　thought　only　of　myselfnothing　of　you。'

'Yes；　I　know。　　Dearest；　it　is　dismal　and　chilling　herelet　us　go。'

Ethelberta　mechanically　moved　with　him；　and　felt　there　was　no
retreating　now。　　In　the　meantime　the　young　ladykin　whom　the　solemn
vowing　concerned　had　lingered　round　the　choir　screen；　as　if　fearing
to　enter；　yet　loth　to　go　away。　　The　service　terminated；　the　heavy
books　were　closed；　doors　were　opened；　and　the　feet　of　the　few
persons　who　had　attended　evensong　began　pattering　down　the　paved
alleys。　　Not　wishing　Picotee　to　know　that　the　object　of　her　secret
excursion　had　been　discovered；　Ethelberta　now　stepped　out　of　the
west　doorway　with　the　viscount　before　Picotee　had　emerged　from　the
other；　and　they　walked　along　the　path　together　until　she　overtook
them。

'I　fear　it　becomes　necessary　for　me　to　stay　in　Melchester　to…night；'
said　Lord　Mountclere。　　'I　have　a　few　matters　to　attend　to　here；　as
the　result　of　our　arrangements。　　But　I　will　first　accompany　you　as
far　as　Anglebury；　and　see　you　safely　into　a　carriage　there　that
shall　take　you　home。　　To…morrow　I　will　drive　to　Knollsea；　when　we
will　make　the　final　preparations。'

Ethelberta　would　not　have　him　go　so　far　and　back　again；　merely　to
attend　upon　her；　hence　they　parted　at　the　railway；　with　due　and
correct　tenderness；　and　when　the　train　had　gone；　Lord　Mountclere
returned　into　the　town　on　the　special　business　he　had　mentioned；　for
which　there　remained　only　the　present　evening　and　the　following
morning；　if　he　were　to　call　upon　her　in　the　afternoon　of　the　next
daythe　day　before　the　weddingnow　so　recklessly　hastened　on　his
part；　and　so　coolly　assented　to　on　hers。

By　the　time　that　the　two　young　people　had　started　it　was　nearly
dark。　　Some　portions　of　the　railway　stretched　through　little　copses
and　plantations　where；　the　leaf…shedding　season　being　now　at　its
height；　red　and　golden　patches　of　fallen　foliage　lay　on　either　side
of　the　rails；　and　as　the　travellers　passed；　all　these　death…stricken
bodies　boiled　up　in　the　whirlwind　created　by　the　velocity；　and　were
sent　flying　right　and　left　of　them　in　myriads；　a　clean…fanned　track
being　left　behind。

Picotee　was　called　from　the　observation　of　these　phenomena　by　a
remark　from　her　sister：　　'Picotee；　the　marriage　is　to　be　very　early
indeed。　　It　is　to　be　the　day　after　to…morrowif　it　can。
Nevertheless　I　don't　believe　in　the　factI　cannot。'

'Did　you　arrange　it　so？　　Nobody　can　make　you　marry　so　soon。'

'I　agreed　to　the　day；'　murmured　Ethelberta　languidly。

'How　can　it　be？　　The　gay　dresses　and　the　preparations　and　the
peoplehow　can　they　be　collected　in　the　time；　Berta？　　And　so　much
more　of　that　will　be　required　for　a　lord　of　the　land　than　for　a
common　man。　　O；　I　can't　think　it　possible　for　a　sister　of　mine　to
marry　a　lord！'

'And　yet　it　has　been　possible　any　time　this　last　month　or　two；
strange　as　it　seems　to　you。　。　。　。　　It　is　to　be　not　only　a　plain　and
simple　wedding；　without　any　lofty　appliances；　but　a　secret　oneas
secret　as　if　I　were　some　under…age　heiress　to　an　Indian　fortune；　and
he　a　young　man　of　nothing　a　year。'

'Has　Lord　Mountclere　said　it　must　be　so　private？　　I　suppose　it　is　on
account　of　his　family。'

'No。　　I　say　so；　and　it　is　on　account　of　my　family。　　Father　might
object　to　the　wedding；　I　imagine；　from　what　he　once　said；　or　he
might　be　much　disturbed　about　it；　so　I　think　it　better　that　he　and
the　rest　should　know　nothing　till　all　is　over。　　You　must　dress　again
as　my　sister　to…morrow；　dear。　　Lord　Mountclere　is　going　to　pay　us　an
early　visit　to　conclude　necessary　arrangements。'

'O；　the　life　as　a　lady　at　Enckworth　Court！　　The　flowers；　the　woods；
the　rooms；　the　pictures；　the　plate；　and　the　jewels！　　Horses　and
carriages　rattling　and　prancing；　seneschals　and　pages；　footmen
hopping　up　and　hopping　down。　　It　will　be　glory　then！'

'We　might　hire　our　father　as　one　of　my　retainers；　to　increase　it；'
said　Ethelberta　drily。

Picotee's　countenance　fell。　　'How　shall　we　manage　all　about　that？
'Tis　terrible；　really！'

'The　marriage　granted；　those　things　will　right　themselves　by　time
and　weight　of　circumstances。　　You　take　a　wrong　view　in　thinking　of
glories　of　that　sort。　　My　only　hope　is　that　my　life　will　be　quite
private　and　simple；　as　will　best　become　my　inferiority　and　Lord
Mountclere's　staidness。　　Such　a　splendid　library　as　there　is　at
Enckworth；　Picoteequartos；　folios；　history；　verse；　Elzevirs；
Caxtonsall　that　has　been　done　in　literature　from　Moses　down　to
Scottwith　such　companions　I　can　do　without　all　other　sorts　of
happiness。'

'And　you　will　not　go　to　town　from　Easter　to　Lammastide；　as　other
noble　ladies　do？'　asked　the　younger　girl；　rather　disappointed　at
this　aspect　of　a　viscountess's　life。

'I　don't　know。'

'But　you　will　give　dinners；　and　travel；　and　go　to　see　his　friends；
and　have　them　to　see　you？'

'I　don't　know。'

'Will　you　not　be；　then；　as　any　other　peeress；　and　shall　not　I　be　as
any　other　peeress's　sister？'

'That；　too；　I　do　not　know。　　All　is　mystery。　　Nor　do　I　even　know　that
the　marriage　will　take　place。　　I　feel　that　it　may　not；　and　perhaps
so　much　the　better；　since　the　man　is　a　stranger　to　me。　　I　know
nothing　whatever　of　his　nature；　and　he　knows　nothing　of　mine。'



40。　MELCHESTER　（continued）

The　commotion　wrought　in　Julian's　mind　by　the　abrupt　incursion　of
Ethelberta　into　his　quiet　sphere　was　thorough　and　protracted。　　The
witchery　of　her　presence　he　had　grown　strong　enough　to　withstand　in
part；　but　her　composed　announcement　that　she　had　intended　to　marry
another；　and；　as　far　as　he　could　understand；　was　intending　it　still；
added　a　new　chill　to　the　old　shade　of　disappointment　which　custom
was　day　by　day　enabling　him　to　endure。　　During　the　whole　interval　in
which　he　had　produced　those　diapason　blasts；　heard　with　such
inharmonious　feelings　by　the　three　auditors　outside　the　screen；　his
thoughts　had　wandered　wider　than　his　notes　in　conjectures　on　the
character　and　position　of　the　gentleman　seen　in　Ethelberta's
company。　　Owing　to　his　assumption　that　Lord　Mountclere　was　but　a
stranger　who　had　accidentally　come　in　at　the　side　door；　Christo