the hand of ethelberta-第7节

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stirring　the　fire　with　a　stick：　　all　three　appeared　to　be　pretty
well　wetted。

One　of　the　gentlemen；　by　way　of　varying　the　not　very　exhilarating
study　of　four　brick　walls　within　microscopic　distance　of　his　eye；
turned　to　a　small　square　hole　which　admitted　light　and　air　to　the
hut；　and　looked　out　upon　the　dreary　prospect　before　him。　　The　wide
concave　of　cloud；　of　the　monotonous　hue　of　dull　pewter；　formed　an
unbroken　hood　over　the　level　from　horizon　to　horizon；　beneath　it；
reflecting　its　wan　lustre；　was　the　glazed　high…road　which　stretched；
hedgeless　and　ditchless；　past　a　directing…post　where　another　road
joined　it；　and　on　to　the　less　regular　ground　beyond；　lying　like　a
riband　unrolled　across　the　scene；　till　it　vanished　over　the
furthermost　undulation。　　Beside　the　pools　were　occasional　tall
sheaves　of　flags　and　sedge；　and　about　the　plain　a　few　bushes；　these
forming　the　only　obstructions　to　a　view　otherwise　unbroken。

The　sportsman's　attention　was　attracted　by　a　figure　in　a　state　of
gradual　enlargement　as　it　approached　along　the　road。

'I　should　think　that　if　pleasure　can't　tempt　a　native　out　of　doors
to…day；　business　will　never　force　him　out；'　he　observed。　　'There　is；
for　the　first　time；　somebody　coming　along　the　road。'

'If　business　don't　drag　him　out　pleasure'll　never　tempt　en；　is　more
like　our　nater　in　these　parts；　sir；'　said　the　man；　who　was　looking
into　the　fire。

The　conversation　showed　no　vitality；　and　down　it　dropped　dead　as
before；　the　man　who　was　standing　up　continuing　to　gaze　into　the
moisture。　　What　had　at　first　appeared　as　an　epicene　shape　the
decreasing　space　resolved　into　a　cloaked　female　under　an　umbrella：
she　now　relaxed　her　pace；　till；　reaching　the　directing…post　where
the　road　branched　into　two；　she　paused　and　looked　about　her。
Instead　of　coming　further　she　slowly　retraced　her　steps　for　about　a
hundred　yards。

'That's　an　appointment；'　said　the　first　speaker；　as　he　removed　the
cigar　from　his　lips；　'and　by　the　lords；　what　a　day　and　place　for　an
appointment　with　a　woman！'

'What's　an　appointment？'　inquired　his　friend；　a　town　young　man；　with
a　Tussaud　complexion　and　well…pencilled　brows　half　way　up　his
forehead；　so　that　his　upper　eyelids　appeared　to　possess　the　uncommon
quality　of　tallness。

'Look　out　here；　and　you'll　see。　　By　that　directing…post；　where　the
two　roads　meet。　　As　a　man　devoted　to　art；　Ladywell；　who　has　had　the
honour　of　being　hung　higher　up　on　the　Academy　walls　than　any　other
living　painter；　you　should　take　out　your　sketch…book　and　dash　off
the　scene。'

Where　nothing　particular　is　going　on；　one　incident　makes　a　drama；
and；　interested　in　that　proportion；　the　art…sportsman　puts　up　his
eyeglass　（a　form　he　adhered　to　before　firing　at　game　that　had　risen；
by　which　merciful　arrangement　the　bird　got　safe　off）；　placed　his
face　beside　his　companion's；　and　also　peered　through　the　opening。
The　young　pupil…teacherfor　she　was　the　object　of　their　scrutiny
re…approached　the　spot　whereon　she　had　been　accustomed　for　the　last
many　weeks　of　her　journey　home　to　meet　Christopher；　now　for　the
first　time　missing；　and　again　she　seemed　reluctant　to　pass　the　hand…
post；　for　that　marked　the　point　where　the　chance　of　seeing　him
ended。　　She　glided　backwards　as　before；　this　time　keeping　her　face
still　to　the　front；　as　if　trying　to　persuade　the　world　at　large；　and
her　own　shamefacedness；　that　she　had　not　yet　approached　the　place　at
all。

'Query；　how　long　will　she　wait　for　him　（for　it　is　a　man　to　a
certainty）？'　resumed　the　elder　of　the　smokers；　at　the　end　of　several
minutes　of　silence；　when；　full　of　vacillation　and　doubt；　she　became
lost　to　view　behind　some　bushes。　　'Will　she　reappear？'　　The　smoking
went　on；　and　up　she　came　into　open　ground　as　before；　and　walked　by。

'I　wonder　who　the　girl　is；　to　come　to　such　a　place　in　this　weather？
There　she　is　again；'　said　the　young　man　called　Ladywell。

'Some　cottage　lass；　not　yet　old　enough　to　make　the　most　of　the　value
set　on　her　by　her　follower；　small　as　that　appears　to　be。　　Now　we　may
get　an　idea　of　the　hour　named　by　the　fellow　for　the　appointment；
for；　depend　upon　it；　the　time　when　she　first　cameabout　five
minutes　agowas　the　time　he　should　have　been　there。　　It　is　now
getting　on　towards　fivehalf…past　four　was　doubtless　the　time
mentioned。'

'She's　not　come　o'　purpose：　　'tis　her　way　home　from　school　every
day；'　said　the　waterman。

'An　experiment　on　woman's　endurance　and　patience　under　neglect。　　Two
to　one　against　her　staying　a　quarter　of　an　hour。'

'The　same　odds　against　her　not　staying　till　five　would　be　nearer
probability。　　What's　half…an…hour　to　a　girl　in　love？'

'On　a　moorland　in　wet　weather　it　is　thirty　perceptible　minutes　to
any　fireside　man；　woman；　or　beast　in　Christendomminutes　that　can
be　felt；　like　the　Egyptian　plague　of　darkness。　　Now；　little　girl；　go
home：　　he　is　not　worth　it。'

Twenty　minutes　passed；　and　the　girl　returned　miserably　to　the　hand…
post；　still　to　wander　back　to　her　retreat　behind　the　sedge；　and　lead
any　chance　comer　from　the　opposite　quarter　to　believe　that　she　had
not　yet　reached　this　ultimate　point　beyond　which　a　meeting　with
Christopher　was　impossible。

'Now　you'll　find　that　she　means　to　wait　the　complete　half…hour；　and
then　off　she　goes　with　a　broken　heart。'

All　three　now　looked　through　the　hole　to　test　the　truth　of　the
prognostication。　　The　hour　of　five　completed　itself　on　their
watches；　the　girl　again　came　forward。　　And　then　the　three　in
ambuscade　could　see　her　pull　out　her　handkerchief　and　place　it　to
her　eyes。

'She's　grieving　now　because　he　has　not　come。　　Poor　little　woman；
what　a　brute　he　must　be；　for　a　broken　heart　in　a　woman　means　a
broken　vow　in　a　man；　as　I　infer　from　a　thousand　instances　in
experience；　romance；　and　history。　　Don't　open　the　door　till　she　is
gone；　Ladywell；　it　will　only　disturb　her。'

As　they　had　guessed；　the　pupil…teacher；　hearing　the　distant　town…
clock　strike　the　hour；　gave　way　to　her　fancy　no　longer；　and　launched
into　the　diverging　path。　　This　lingering　for　Christopher's　arrival
had；　as　is　known；　been　founded　on　nothing　more　of　the　nature　of　an
assignation　than　lay　in　his　regular　walk　along　the　plain　at　that
time　every　Monday；　Wednesday；　and　Friday　of　the　six　previous　weeks。
It　must　be　said　that　he　was　very　far　indeed　from　divining　that　his
injudicious　peace…offering　of　the　flowers　had　stirred　into　life　such
a　wearing；　anxious；　hopeful；　despairing　solicitude　as　this；　which
had　been　latent　for　some　time　during　his　constant　meetings　with　the
little　stranger。

She　vanished　in　the　mist　towards　the　left；　and　the　loiterers　in　the
hut　began　to　move　and　open　the　door；　remarking；　'Now　then　for
Wyndway　House；　a　change　of　clothes；　and　a　dinner。'



4。　SANDBOURNE　PIER　…　ROAD　TO　WYNDWAY　…　BALL…ROOM　IN　WYNDWAY　HOUSE

The　last　light　of　a　winter　day　had　gone　down　behind　the　houses　of
Sandbourne；　and　night　was　shut　close　over　all。　　Christopher；　about
eight　o'clock；　was　standing　at　the　end　of　the　pier　with　his　back
towards　the　open　sea；　whence　the　waves　were　pushing　to　the　shore　in
frills　and　coils　that　were　just　rendered　visible　in　all　their　bleak
instability　by　the　row　of　lights　along　the　sides　of　the　jetty；　the
rapid　motion　landward　of　the　wavetips　producing　upon　his　eye　an
apparent　progress　of　the　pier　out　to　sea。　　This　pier…head　was　a　spot
which　Christopher　enjoyed　visiting　on　such　moaning　and　sighing
nights　as　the　present；　when　the　sportive　and　variegated　throng　that
haunted　the　pier　on　autumn　days　was　no　longer　there；　and　he　seemed
alone　with　weather　and　the　invincible　sea。

Somebody　came　towards　him　along　the　deserted　footway；　and　rays　from
the　nearest　lamp　streaked　the　face　of　his　sister　Faith。

'O　Christopher；　I　knew　you　were　here；'　she　said　eagerly。　　'You　are
wanted；　there's　a　servant　come　from　Wyndway　House　for　you。　　He　is
sent　to　ask　if　you　can　come　immediately　to　play　at　a　little　dance
they　have　resolved　upon　this　eveningquite　suddenly　it　seems。　　If
you　can　come；　you　must　bring　with　you　any　assistant　you　can　lay　your
hands　upon　at　a　moment's　notice；　he　says。'

'Wyndway　House；　why　should　the　people　send　for　me　above　all　other
musicians　in　the　town？'

Faith　did　not　know。　　'If　you　really　decide　to　go；'　she　said；　as　they
walked　homeward；　'you　might　take　me　as　your　assistant。　　I　should
answer　the　purpose；　should　I　not；　Kit？　since　it　is　only　a　dance　or
two　they　seem　to　want。'

'And　your　harp　I　suppose　you　mean。　　Yes；　you　might　be　competent　to
take　a　part。　　It　cannot　be　a　regular　ball；　they　would　have　had　the
quadrille　band　for　anything　of　that　sort。　　Faithwe'll　go。
However；　let　us　see　the　man　first；　and　inquire　particulars。'

Reaching　home；　Christopher　found　at　his　door　a　horse　and　wagonette
in　charge　of　a　man…servant　in　livery；　who　repeated　what　Faith　had
told　her　brother。　　Wyndway　House　was　a　well…known　country…seat　three
or　four　miles　out　of　the　town；　and　the　coachman　mentioned　that　if
they　were　going　it　would　be　well　that　they　should　get　ready　to　start
as　soon　as　they　conveniently　could；　since　he　had　been　told　to　return
by　ten　if　possible。　　Christopher　quickly　prepared　himself；　and　put　a
new　string　or　two　into　Faith's　harp；　by　which　time　she　also　was
dressed；　and；　wrappi