the hand of ethelberta-第74节

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their　differences；　reached　the　point　of　railway　at　which　the　branch
to　Sandbourne　left　the　main　line。　　They　had　taken　tickets　for
Sandbourne；　intending　to　go　thence　to　Knollsea　by　the　steamer　that
plied　between　the　two　places　during　the　summer　monthsmaking　this　a
short　and　direct　route。　　But　it　occurred　to　Mountclere　on　the　way
that；　summer　being　over；　the　steamer　might　possibly　have　left　off
running；　the　wind　might　be　too　high　for　a　small　boat；　and　no　large
one　might　be　at　hand　for　hire：　　therefore　it　would　be　safer　to　go　by
train　to　Anglebury；　and　the　remaining　sixteen　miles　by　driving　over
the　hills；　even　at　a　great　loss　of　time。

Accident；　however；　determined　otherwise。　　They　were　in　the　station
at　the　junction；　inquiring　of　an　official　if　the　Speedwell　had
ceased　to　sail；　when　a　countryman　who　had　just　come　up　from
Sandbourne　stated　that；　though　the　Speedwell　had　left　off　for　the
year；　there　was　that　day　another　steamer　at　Sandbourne。　　This
steamer　would　of　necessity　return　to　Knollsea　that　evening；　partly
because　several　people　from　that　place　had　been　on　board；　and　also
because　the　Knollsea　folk　were　waiting　for　groceries　and　draperies
from　London：　　there　was　not　an　ounce　of　tea　or　a　hundredweight　of
coal　in　the　village；　owing　to　the　recent　winds；　which　had　detained
the　provision　parcels　at　Sandbourne；　and　kept　the　colliers　up…
channel　until　the　change　of　weather　this　day。　　To　introduce
necessaries　by　a　roundabout　land　journey　was　not　easy　when　they　had
been　ordered　by　the　other　and　habitual　route。　　The　boat　returned　at
six　o'clock。

So　on　they　went　to　Sandbourne；　driving　off　to　the　pier　directly　they
reached　that　place；　for　it　was　getting　towards　night。　　The　steamer
was　there；　as　the　man　had　told　them；　much　to　the　relief　of　Sol；　who；
being　extremely　anxious　to　enter　Knollsea　before　a　late　hour；　had
known　that　this　was　the　only　way　in　which　it　could　be　done。

Some　unforeseen　incident　delayed　the　boat；　and　they　walked　up　and
down　the　pier　to　wait。　　The　prospect　was　gloomy　enough。　　The　wind
was　north…east；　the　sea　along　shore　was　a　chalky…green；　though
comparatively　calm；　this　part　of　the　coast　forming　a　shelter　from
wind　in　its　present　quarter。　　The　clouds　had　different　velocities；
and　some　of　them　shone　with　a　coppery　glare；　produced　by　rays　from
the　west　which　did　not　enter　the　inferior　atmosphere　at　all。　　It　was
reflected　on　the　distant　waves　in　patches；　with　an　effect　as　if　the
waters　were　at　those　particular　spots　stained　with　blood。　　This
departed；　and　what　daylight　was　left　to　the　earth　came　from　strange
and　unusual　quarters　of　the　heavens。　　The　zenith　would　be　bright；　as
if　that　were　the　place　of　the　sun；　then　all　overhead　would　close；
and　a　whiteness　in　the　east　would　give　the　appearance　of　morning；
while　a　bank　as　thick　as　a　wall　barricaded　the　west；　which　looked　as
if　it　had　no　acquaintance　with　sunsets；　and　would　blush　red　no　more。

'Any　other　passengers？'　shouted　the　master　of　the　steamboat。　　'We
must　be　off：　　it　may　be　a　dirty　night。'

Sol　and　Mountclere　went　on　board；　and　the　pier　receded　in　the　dusk。

'Shall　we　have　any　difficulty　in　getting　into　Knollsea　Bay？'　said
Mountclere。

'Not　if　the　wind　keeps　where　it　is　for　another　hour　or　two。'

'I　fancy　it　is　shifting　to　the　east'ard；'　said　Sol。

The　captain　looked　as　if　he　had　thought　the　same　thing。

'I　hope　I　shall　be　able　to　get　home　to…night；'　said　a　Knollsea
woman。　　'My　little　children　be　left　alone。　　Your　mis'ess　is　in　a　bad
way；　tooisn't　she；　skipper？'

'Yes。'

'And　you've　got　the　doctor　from　Sandbourne　aboard；　to　tend　her？'

'Yes。'

'Then　you'll　be　sure　to　put　into　Knollsea；　if　you　can？'

'Yes。　　Don't　be　alarmed；　ma'am。　　We'll　do　what　we　can。　　But　no　one
must　boast。'

The　skipper's　remark　was　the　result　of　an　observation　that　the　wind
had　at　last　flown　to　the　east；　the　single　point　of　the　compass
whence　it　could　affect　Knollsea　Bay。　　The　result　of　this　change　was
soon　perceptible。　　About　midway　in　their　transit　the　land　elbowed
out　to　a　bold　chalk　promontory；　beyond　this　stretched　a　vertical
wall　of　the　same　cliff；　in　a　line　parallel　with　their　course。　　In
fair　weather　it　was　possible　and　customary　to　steer　close　along
under　this　hoary　facade　for　the　distance　of　a　mile；　there　being　six
fathoms　of　water　within　a　few　boats'　lengths　of　the　precipice。　　But
it　was　an　ugly　spot　at　the　best　of　times；　landward　no　less　than
seaward；　the　cliff　rounding　off　at　the　top　in　vegetation；　like　a
forehead　with　low…grown　hair；　no　defined　edge　being　provided　as　a
warning　to　unwary　pedestrians　on　the　downs　above。

As　the　wind　sprung　up　stronger；　white　clots　could　be　discerned　at
the　water　level　of　the　cliff；　rising　and　falling　against　the　black
band　of　shaggy　weed　that　formed　a　sort　of　skirting　to　the　base　of
the　wall。　　They　were　the　first…fruits　of　the　new　east　blast；　which
shaved　the　face　of　the　cliff　like　a　razorgatherings　of　foam　in　the
shape　of　heads；　shoulders；　and　arms　of　snowy　whiteness；　apparently
struggling　to　rise　from　the　deeps；　and　ever　sinking　back　to　their
old　levels　again。　　They　reminded　an　observer　of　a　drowning　scene　in
a　picture　of　the　Deluge。　　At　some　points　the　face　of　rock　was
hollowed　into　gaping　caverns；　and　the　water　began　to　thunder　into
these　with　a　leap　that　was　only　topped　by　the　rebound　seaward　again。
The　vessel's　head　was　kept　a　little　further　to　sea；　but　beyond　that
everything　went　on　as　usual。

The　precipice　was　still　in　view；　and　before　it　several　huge　columns
of　rock　appeared；　detached　from　the　mass　behind。　　Two　of　these　were
particularly　noticeable　in　the　grey　airone　vertical；　stout　and
square；　the　other　slender　and　tapering。　　They　were　individualized　as
husband　and　wife　by　the　coast　men。　　The　waves　leapt　up　their　sides
like　a　pack　of　hounds；　this；　however；　though　fearful　in　its
boisterousness；　was　nothing　to　the　terrible　games　that　sometimes
went　on　round　the　knees　of　those　giants　in　stone。　　Yet　it　was
sufficient　to　cause　the　course　of　the　frail　steamboat　to　be　altered
yet　a　little　morefrom　south…west…by…south　to　south…by…westto
give　the　breakers　a　still　wider　berth。

'I　wish　we　had　gone　by　land；　sir；　'twould　have　been　surer　play；'
said　Sol　to　Mountclere；　a　cat…and…dog　friendship　having　arisen
between　them。

'Yes；'　said　Mountclere。　　'Knollsea　is　an　abominable　place　to　get
into　with　an　east　wind　blowing；　they　say。'

Another　circumstance　conspired　to　make　their　landing　more　difficult；
which　Mountclere　knew　nothing　of。　　With　the　wind　easterly；　the
highest　sea　prevailed　in　Knollsea　Bay　from　the　slackening　of　flood…
tide　to　the　first　hour　of　ebb。　　At　that　time　the　water　outside　stood
without　a　current；　and　ridges　and　hollows　chased　each　other　towards
the　beach　unchecked。　　When　the　tide　was　setting　strong　up　or　down
Channel　its　flow　across　the　mouth　of　the　bay　thrust　aside；　to　some
extent；　the　landward　plunge　of　the　waves。

We　glance　for　a　moment　at　the　state　of　affairs　on　the　land　they　were
nearing。

This　was　the　time　of　year　to　know　the　truth　about　the　inner　nature
and　character　of　Knollsea；　for　to　see　Knollsea　smiling　to　the　summer
sun　was　to　see　a　courtier　before　a　king；　Knollsea　was　not　to　be
known　by　such　simple　means。　　The　half…dozen　detached　villas　used　as
lodging…houses　in　the　summer；　standing　aloof　from　the　cots　of　the
permanent　race；　rose　in　the　dusk　of　this　gusty　evening；　empty；
silent；　damp；　and　dark　as　tombs。　　The　gravel　walks　leading　to　them
were　invaded　by　leaves　and　tufts　of　grass。　　As　the　darkness
thickened　the　wind　increased；　and　each　blast　raked　the　iron　railings
before　the　houses　till　they　hummed　as　if　in　a　song　of　derision。
Certainly　it　seemed　absurd　at　this　time　of　year　that　human　beings
should　expect　comfort　in　a　spot　capable　of　such　moods　as　these。

However；　one　of　the　houses　looked　cheerful；　and　that　was　the
dwelling　to　which　Ethelberta　had　gone。　　Its　gay　external　colours
might　as　well　have　been　black　for　anything　that　could　be　seen　of
them　now；　but　an　unblinded　window　revealed　inside　it　a　room　bright
and　warm。　　It　was　illuminated　by　firelight　only。　　Within；　Ethelberta
appeared　against　the　curtains；　close　to　the　glass。　　She　was　watching
through　a　binocular　a　faint　light　which　had　become　visible　in　the
direction　of　the　bluff　far　away　over　the　bay。

'Here　is　the　Spruce　at　last；　I　think；'　she　said　to　her　sister；　who
was　by　the　fire。　　'I　hope　they　will　be　able　to　land　the　things　I
have　ordered。　　They　are　on　board　I　know。'

The　wind　continued　to　rise　till　at　length　something　from　the　lungs
of　the　gale　alighted　like　a　feather　upon　the　pane；　and　remained
there　sticking。　　Seeing　the　substance；　Ethelberta　opened　the　window
to　secure　it。　　The　fire　roared　and　the　pictures　kicked　the　walls；
she　closed　the　sash；　and　brought　to　the　light　a　crisp　fragment　of
foam。

'How　suddenly　the　sea　must　have　risen；'　said　Picotee。

The　servant　entered　the　room。　　'Please；　mis'ess　says　she　is　afraid
you　won't　have　your　things　to…night；　'm。　　They　say　the　steamer　can't
land；　and　mis'ess　wants　to　know　if　she　can　do　anything？'

'It　is　of　no　consequence；'　said　Ethelberta。　　'They　will　come　some
time；　unless　they　go　to　the　bottom。'

The　girl　left　the　room。　　'Shall　we　go　down　to　the　shore