the hand of ethelberta-第69节

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stranger　who　had　accidentally　come　in　at　the　side　door；　Christopher
had　barely　cast　a　glance　upon　him；　and　the　wide　difference　between
the　years　of　the　viscount　and　those　of　his　betrothed　was　not　so
particularly　observed　as　to　raise　that　point　to　an　item　in　his
objections　now。　　Lord　Mountclere　was　dressed　with　all　the　cunning
that　could　be　drawn　from　the　metropolis　by　money　and　reiterated
dissatisfaction；　he　prided　himself　on　his　upright　carriage；　his
stick　was　so　thin　that　the　most　malevolent　could　not　insinuate　that
it　was　of　any　possible　use　in　walking；　his　teeth　had　put　on　all　the
vigour　and　freshness　of　a　second　spring。　　Hence　his　look　was　the
slowest　of　possible　clocks　in　respect　of　his　age；　and　his　manner　was
equally　as　much　in　the　rear　of　his　appearance。

Christopher　was　now　over　five…and…twenty。　　He　was　getting　so　well
accustomed　to　the　spectacle　of　a　world　passing　him　by　and　splashing
him　with　its　wheels　that　he　wondered　why　he　had　ever　minded　it。　　His
habit　of　dreaming　instead　of　doing　had　led　him　up　to　a　curious
discovery。　　It　is　no　new　thing　for　a　man　to　fathom　profundities　by
indulging　humours：　　the　active；　the　rapid；　the　people　of　splendid
momentum；　have　been　surprised　to　behold　what　results　attend　the
lives　of　those　whose　usual　plan　for　discharging　their　active　labours
has　been　to　postpone　them　indefinitely。　　Certainly；　the　immediate
result　in　the　present　case　was；　to　all　but　himself；　small　and
invisible；　but　it　was　of　the　nature　of　highest　things。　　What　he　had
learnt　was　that　a　woman　who　has　once　made　a　permanent　impression
upon　a　man　cannot　altogether　deny　him　her　image　by　denying　him　her
company；　and　that　by　sedulously　cultivating　the　acquaintance　of　this
Creature　of　Contemplation　she　becomes　to　him　almost　a　living　soul。
Hence　a　sublimated　Ethelberta　accompanied　him　everywhereone　who
never　teased　him；　eluded　him；　or　disappointed　him：　　when　he　smiled
she　smiled；　when　he　was　sad　she　sorrowed。　　He　may　be　said　to　have
become　the　literal　duplicate　of　that　whimsical　unknown　rhapsodist
who　wrote　of　his　own　similar　situation

　　　　　'By　absence　this　good　means　I　gain；
　　　　　　　　　　That　I　can　catch　her；
　　　　　　　　　　Where　none　can　watch　her；
　　　　　　In　some　close　corner　of　my　brain：
　　　　　　　　　　There　I　embrace　and　kiss　her；
　　　　　　　　　　And　so　I　both　enjoy　and　miss　her。'

This　frame　of　mind　naturally　induced　an　amazing　abstraction　in　the
organist；　never　very　vigilant　at　the　best　of　times。　　He　would　stand
and　look　fixedly　at　a　frog　in　a　shady　pool；　and　never　once　think　of
batrachians；　or　pause　by　a　green　bank　to　split　some　tall　blade　of
grass　into　filaments　without　removing　it　from　its　stalk；　passing　on
ignorant　that　he　had　made　a　cat…o'…nine…tails　of　a　graceful　slip　of
vegetation。　　He　would　hear　the　cathedral　clock　strike　one；　and　go
the　next　minute　to　see　what　time　it　was。　　'I　never　seed　such　a　man
as　Mr。　Julian　is；'　said　the　head　blower。　　'He'll　meet　me　anywhere
out…of…doors；　and　never　wink　or　nod。　　You'd　hardly　expect　it。　　I
don't　find　fault；　but　you'd　hardly　expect　it；　seeing　how　I　play　the
same　instrument　as　he　do　himself；　and　have　done　it　for　so　many　years
longer　than　he。　　How　I　have　indulged　that　man；　too！　　If　'tis　Pedals
for　two　martel　hours　of　practice　I　never　complain；　and　he　has　plenty
of　vagaries。　　When　'tis　hot　summer　weather　there's　nothing　will　do
for　him　but　Choir；　Great；　and　Swell　altogether；　till　yer　face　is　in
a　vapour；　and　on　a　frosty　winter　night　he'll　keep　me　there　while　he
tweedles　upon　the　Twelfth　and　Sixteenth　till　my　arms　be　scrammed　for
want　of　motion。　　And　never　speak　a　word　out…of…doors。'　　Somebody
suggested　that　perhaps　Christopher　did　not　notice　his　coadjutor's
presence　in　the　street；　and　time　proved　to　the　organ…blower　that　the
remark　was　just。

Whenever　Christopher　caught　himself　at　these　vacuous　tricks　he　would
be　struck　with　admiration　of　Ethelberta's　wisdom；　foresight；　and
self…command　in　refusing　to　wed　such　an　incapable　man：　　he　felt　that
he　ought　to　be　thankful　that　a　bright　memory　of　her　was　not　also
denied　to　him；　and　resolved　to　be　content　with　it　as　a　possession；
since　it　was　as　much　of　her　as　he　could　decently　maintain。

Wrapped　thus　in　a　humorous　sadness　he　passed　the　afternoon　under
notice；　and　in　the　evening　went　home　to　Faith；　who　still　lived　with
him；　and　showed　no　sign　of　ever　being　likely　to　do　otherwise。　　Their
present　place　and　mode　of　life　suited　her　well。　　She　revived　at
Melchester　like　an　exotic　sent　home　again。　　The　leafy　Close；　the
climbing　buttresses；　the　pondering　ecclesiastics；　the　great　doors；
the　singular　keys；　the　whispered　talk；　echoes　of　lonely　footsteps；
the　sunset　shadow　of　the　tall　steeple；　reaching　further　into　the
town　than　the　good　bishop's　teaching；　and　the　general　complexion　of
a　spot　where　morning　had　the　stillness　of　evening　and　spring　some　of
the　tones　of　autumn；　formed　a　proper　background　to　a　person
constituted　as　Faith；　who；　like　Miss　Hepzibah　Pyncheon's　chicken；
possessed　in　miniature　all　the　antiquity　of　her　progenitors。

After　tea　Christopher　went　into　the　streets；　as　was　frequently　his
custom；　less　to　see　how　the　world　crept　on　there　than　to　walk　up　and
down　for　nothing　at　all。　　It　had　been　market…day；　and　remnants　of
the　rural　population　that　had　visited　the　town　still　lingered　at
corners；　their　toes　hanging　over　the　edge　of　the　pavement；　and　their
eyes　wandering　about　the　street。

The　angle　which　formed　the　turning…point　of　Christopher's　promenade
was　occupied　by　a　jeweller's　shop；　of　a　standing　which　completely
outshone　every　other　shop　in　that　or　any　trade　throughout　the　town。
Indeed；　it　was　a　staple　subject　of　discussion　in　Melchester　how　a
shop　of　such　pretensions　could　find　patronage　sufficient　to　support
its　existence　in　a　place　which；　though　well　populated；　was　not
fashionable。　　It　had　not　long　been　established　there；　and　was　the
enterprise　of　an　incoming　man　whose　whole　course　of　procedure　seemed
to　be　dictated　by　an　intention　to　astonish　the　native　citizens　very
considerably　before　he　had　done。　　Nearly　everything　was　glass　in　the
frontage　of　this　fairy　mart；　and　its　contents　glittered　like　the
hammochrysos　stone。　　The　panes　being　of　plate…glass；　and　the　shop
having　two　fronts；　a　diagonal　view　could　be　had　through　it　from　one
to　the　other　of　the　streets　to　which　it　formed　a　corner。

This　evening；　as　on　all　evenings；　a　flood　of　radiance　spread　from
the　window…lamps　into　the　thick　autumn　air；　so　that　from　a　distance
that　corner　appeared　as　the　glistening　nucleus　of　all　the　light　in
the　town。　　Towards　it　idle　men　and　women　unconsciously　bent　their
steps；　and　closed　in　upon　the　panes　like　night…birds　upon　the
lantern　of　a　lighthouse。

When　Christopher　reached　the　spot　there　stood　close　to　the　pavement
a　plain　close　carriage；　apparently　waiting　for　some　person　who　was
purchasing　inside。　　Christopher　would　hardly　have　noticed　this　had
he　not　also　perceived；　pressed　against　the　glass　of　the　shop　window；
an　unusual　number　of　local　noses　belonging　to　overgrown　working
lads；　tosspots；　an　idiot；　the　ham…smoker's　assistant　with　his
sleeves　rolled　up；　a　scot…and…lot　freeholder；　three　or　four
seamstresses；　the　young　woman　who　brought　home　the　washing；　and　so
on。　　The　interest　of　these　gazers　in　some　proceedings　within；　which
by　reason　of　the　gaslight　were　as　public　as　if　carried　on　in　the
open　air；　was　very　great。

'Yes；　that's　what　he's　a　buying　o'haw；　haw！'　said　one　of　the　young
men；　as　the　shopman　removed　from　the　window　a　gorgeous　blue　velvet
tray　of　wedding…rings；　and　laid　it　on　the　counter。

''Tis　what　you　may　come　to　yerself；　sooner　or　later；　God　have　mercy
upon　ye；　and　as　such　no　scoffing　matter；'　said　an　older　man。
'Faith；　I'd　as　lief　cry　as　laugh　to　see　a　man　in　that　corner。'

'He's　a　gent　getting　up　in　years　too。　　He　must　hev　been　through　it　a
few　times　afore；　seemingly；　to　sit　down　and　buy　the　tools　so　cool　as
that。'

'Well；　no。　　See　what　the　shyest　will　do　at　such　times。　　You　bain't
yerself　then；　no　man　living　is　hisself　then。'

'True；'　said　the　ham…smoker's　man。　　''Tis　a　thought　to　look　at　that
a　chap　will　take　all　this　trouble　to　get　a　woman　into　his　house；　and
a　twelvemonth　after　would　as　soon　hear　it　thunder　as　hear　her　sing！'

The　policeman　standing　near　was　a　humane　man；　through　having　a　young
family　he　could　hardly　keep；　and　he　hesitated　about　telling　them　to
move　on。　　Christopher　had　before　this　time　perceived　that　the
articles　were　laid　down　before　an　old　gentleman　who　was　seated　in
the　shop；　and　that　the　gentleman　was　none　other　than　he　who　had　been
with　Ethelberta　in　the　concert…room。　　The　discovery　was　so　startling
that；　constitutionally　indisposed　as　he　was　to　stand　and　watch；　he
became　as　glued　to　the　spot　as　the　other　idlers。　　Finding　himself
now　for　the　first　time　directly　confronting　the　preliminaries　of
Ethelberta's　marriage　to　a　stranger；　he　was　left　with　far　less
equanimity　than　he　could　have　supposed　possible　to　the　situation。

'So　near　the　time！'　he　said；　and　looked　hard　at　Lord　Mountclere。

Christopher　had　now　a　far　better　opportunity　than　before　for
observing　Ethelberta's　betrothed。　　Apart　from　any　bias　of　jealousy；
disappointment；　or　mortification；　he　was　led　to　judge　t