the hand of ethelberta-第75节

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time；　unless　they　go　to　the　bottom。'

The　girl　left　the　room。　　'Shall　we　go　down　to　the　shore　and　see　what
the　night　is　like？'　said　Ethelberta。　　'This　is　the　last　opportunity
I　shall　have。'

'Is　it　right　for　us　to　go；　considering　you　are　to　be　married　to…
morrow？'　said　Picotee；　who　had　small　affection　for　nature　in　this
mood。

Her　sister　laughed。　　'Let　us　put　on　our　cloaksnobody　will　know　us。
I　am　sorry　to　leave　this　grim　and　primitive　place；　even　for
Enckworth　Court。'

They　wrapped　themselves　up；　and　descended　the　hill。

On　drawing　near　the　battling　line　of　breakers　which　marked　the
meeting　of　sea　and　land　they　could　perceive　within　the　nearly
invisible　horizon　an　equilateral　triangle　of　lights。　　It　was　formed
of　three　stars；　a　red　on　the　one　side；　a　green　on　the　other；　and　a
white　on　the　summit。　　This；　composed　of　mast…head　and　side　lamps；
was　all　that　was　visible　of　the　Spruce；　which　now　faced　end…on　about
half…a…mile　distant；　and　was　still　nearing　the　pier。　　The　girls　went
further；　and　stood　on　the　foreshore；　listening　to　the　din。　　Seaward
appeared　nothing　distinct　save　a　black　horizontal　band　embodying
itself　out　of　the　grey　water；　strengthening　its　blackness；　and
enlarging　till　it　looked　like　a　nearing　wall。　　It　was　the　concave
face　of　a　coming　wave。　　On　its　summit　a　white　edging　arose　with　the
aspect　of　a　lace　frill；　it　broadened；　and　fell　over　the　front　with　a
terrible　concussion。　　Then　all　before　them　was　a　sheet　of　whiteness；
which　spread　with　amazing　rapidity；　till　they　found　themselves
standing　in　the　midst　of　it；　as　in　a　field　of　snow。　　Both　felt　an
insidious　chill　encircling　their　ankles；　and　they　rapidly　ran　up　the
beach。

'You　girls；　come　away　there；　or　you'll　be　washed　off：　　what　need
have　ye　for　going　so　near？'

Ethelberta　recognized　the　stentorian　voice　as　that　of　Captain
Flower；　who；　with　a　party　of　boatmen；　was　discovered　to　be　standing
near；　under　the　shelter　of　a　wall。　　He　did　not　know　them　in　the
gloom；　and　they　took　care　that　he　should　not。　　They　retreated
further　up　the　beach；　when　the　hissing　fleece　of　froth　slid　again
down　the　shingle；　dragging　the　pebbles　under　it　with　a　rattle　as　of
a　beast　gnawing　bones。

The　spot　whereon　the　men　stood　was　called　'Down…under…wall；'　it　was
a　nook　commanding　a　full　view　of　the　bay；　and　hither　the　nautical
portion　of　the　village　unconsciously　gravitated　on　windy　afternoons
and　nights；　to　discuss　past　disasters　in　the　reticent　spirit　induced
by　a　sense　that　they　might　at　any　moment　be　repeated。　　The　stranger
who　should　walk　the　shore　on　roaring　and　sobbing　November　eves　when
there　was　not　light　sufficient　to　guide　his　footsteps；　and　muse　on
the　absoluteness　of　the　solitude；　would　be　surprised　by　a　smart
'Good…night'　being　returned　from　this　corner　in　company　with　the
echo　of　his　tread。　　In　summer　the　six　or　eight　perennial　figures
stood　on　the　breezy　side　of　the　wallin　winter　and　in　rain　to
leeward；　but　no　weather　was　known　to　dislodge　them。

'I　had　no　sooner　come　ashore　than　the　wind　began　to　fly　round；'　said
the　previous　speaker；　'and　it　must　have　been　about　the　time　they
were　off　Old…Harry　Point。　　〃She'll　put　back　for　certain；〃　I　said；
and　I　had　no　more　thought　o'　seeing　her　than　John's　set…net　that　was
carried　round　the　point　o'　Monday。'

'Poor　feller：　　his　wife　being　in　such　a　state　makes　him　anxious　to
land　if　'a　can：　　that's　what　'tis；　plain　enough。'

'Why　that？'　said　Flower。

'The　doctor's　aboard；　'a　believe：　　〃I'll　have　the　most　understanding
man　in　Sandbourne；　cost　me　little　or　much；〃　he　said。'

''Tis　all　over　and　she's　better；'　said　the　other。　　'I　called　half…
an…hour　afore　dark。'

Flower；　being　an　experienced　man；　knew　how　the　judgment　of　a　ship's
master　was　liable　to　be　warped　by　family　anxieties；　many　instances
of　the　same　having　occurred　in　the　history　of　navigation。　　He　felt
uneasy；　for　he　knew　the　deceit　and　guile　of　this　bay　far　better　than
did　the　master　of　the　Spruce；　who；　till　within　a　few　recent　months；
had　been　a　stranger　to　the　place。　　Indeed；　it　was　the　bay　which　had
made　Flower　what　he　was；　instead　of　a　man　in　thriving　retirement。
The　two　great　ventures　of　his　life　had　been　blown　ashore　and　broken
up　within　that　very　semicircle。　　The　sturdy　sailor　now　stood　with
his　eyes　fixed　on　the　triangle　of　lights　which　showed　that　the
steamer　had　not　relinquished　her　intention　of　bringing　up　inside　the
pier　if　possible；　his　right　hand　was　in　his　pocket；　where　it　played
with　a　large　key　which　lay　there。　　It　was　the　key　of　the　lifeboat
shed；　and　Flower　was　coxswain。　　His　musing　was　on　the　possibility　of
a　use　for　it　this　night。

It　appeared　that　the　captain　of　the　Spruce　was　aiming　to　pass　in
under　the　lee　of　the　pier；　but　a　strong　current　of　four　or　five
knots　was　running　between　the　piles；　drifting　the　steamer　away　at
every　attempt　as　soon　as　she　slowed。　　To　come　in　on　the　other　side
was　dangerous；　the　hull　of　the　vessel　being　likely　to　crash　against
and　overthrow　the　fragile　erection；　with　damage　to　herself　also。
Flower；　who　had　disappeared　for　a　few　minutes；　now　came　back。

'It　is　just　possible　I　can　make　'em　hear　with　the　trumpet；　now　they
be　to　leeward；'　he　said；　and　proceeded　with　two　or　three　others　to
grope　his　way　out　upon　the　pier；　which　consisted　simply　of　a　row　of
rotten　piles　covered　with　rotten　planking；　no　balustrade　of　any　kind
existing　to　keep　the　unwary　from　tumbling　off。　　At　the　water　level
the　piles　were　eaten　away　by　the　action　of　the　sea　to　about　the　size
of　a　man's　wrist；　and　at　every　fresh　influx　the　whole　structure
trembled　like　a　spider's　web。　　In　this　lay　the　danger　of　making
fast；　for　a　strong　pull　from　a　headfast　rope　might　drag　the　erection
completely　over。　　Flower　arrived　at　the　end；　where　a　lantern　hung。

'Spruce　ahoy！'　he　blared　through　the　speaking　trumpet　two　or　three
times。

There　seemed　to　be　a　reply　of　some　sort　from　the　steamer。

'Tuesday's　gale　hev　loosened　the　pier；　Cap'n　Ounce；　the　bollards　be
too　weak　to　make　fast　to：　　must　land　in　boats　if　ye　will　land；　but
dangerous；　yer　wife　is　out　of　danger；　and　'tis　a　boy…y…y…y！'

Ethelberta　and　Picotee　were　at　this　time　standing　on　the　beach　a
hundred　and　fifty　yards　off。　　Whether　or　not　the　master　of　the
steamer　received　the　information　volunteered　by　Flower；　the　two
girls　saw　the　triangle　of　lamps　get　narrow　at　its　base；　reduce
themselves　to　two　in　a　vertical　line；　then　to　one；　then　to　darkness。
The　Spruce　had　turned　her　head　from　Knollsea。

'They　have　gone　back；　and　I　shall　not　have　my　wedding　things　after
all！'　said　Ethelberta。　　'Well；　I　must　do　without　them。'

'You　see；　'twas　best　to　play　sure；'　said　Flower　to　his　comrades；　in
a　tone　of　complacency。　　'They　might　have　been　able　to　do　it；　but
'twas　risky。　　The　shop…folk　be　out　of　stock；　I　hear；　and　the
visiting　lady　up　the　hill　is　terribly　in　want　of　clothes；　so　'tis
said。　　But　what's　that？　　Ounce　ought　to　have　put　back　afore。'

Then　the　lantern　which　hung　at　the　end　of　the　jetty　was　taken　down；
and　the　darkness　enfolded　all　around　from　view。　　The　bay　became
nothing　but　a　voice；　the　foam　an　occasional　touch　upon　the　face；　the
Spruce　an　imagination；　the　pier　a　memory。　　Everything　lessened　upon
the　senses　but　one；　that　was　the　wind。　　It　mauled　their　persons　like
a　hand；　and　caused　every　scrap　of　their　raiment　to　tug　westward。　　To
stand　with　the　face　to　sea　brought　semi…suffocation；　from　the
intense　pressure　of　air。

The　boatmen　retired　to　their　position　under　the　wall；　to　lounge
again　in　silence。　　Conversation　was　not　considered　necessary：　　their
sense　of　each　other's　presence　formed　a　kind　of　conversation。
Meanwhile　Picotee　and　Ethelberta　went　up　the　hill。

'If　your　wedding　were　going　to　be　a　public　one；　what　a　misfortune
this　delay　of　the　packages　would　be；'　said　Picotee。

'Yes；'　replied　the　elder。

'I　think　the　bracelet　the　prettiest　of　all　the　presents　he　brought
to…daydo　you？'

'It　is　the　most　valuable。'

'Lord　Mountclere　is　very　kind；　is　he　not？　　I　like　him　a　great　deal
better　than　I　diddo　you；　Berta？'

'Yes；　very　much　better；'　said　Ethelberta；　warming　a　little。　　'If　he
were　not　so　suspicious　at　odd　moments　I　should　like　him　exceedingly。
But　I　must　cure　him　of　that　by　a　regular　course　of　treatment；　and
then　he'll　be　very　nice。'

'For　an　old　man。　　He　likes　you　better　than　any　young　man　would　take
the　trouble　to　do。　　I　wish　somebody　else　were　old　too。'

'He　will　be　some　day。'

'Yes；　but'

'Never　mind：　　time　will　straighten　many　crooked　things。'

'Do　you　think　Lord　Mountclere　has　reached　home　by　this　time？'

'I　should　think　so：　　though　I　believe　he　had　to　call　at　the
parsonage　before　leaving　Knollsea。'

'Had　he？　　What　for？'

'Why；　of　course　somebody　must'

'O　yes。　　Do　you　think　anybody　in　Knollsea　knows　it　is　going　to　be
except　us　and　the　parson？'

'I　suppose　the　clerk　knows。'

'I　wonder　if　a　lord　has　ever　been　married　so　privately　before。'

'Frequently：　　when　he　marries　far　beneath　him；　as　in　this　case。　　But
even　if　I　could　have　had　it；　I　should　not　have　liked　a　showy
wedding。　　I　have　had　no　experience　as　a　bride　except　in　the　private
form　of　the　ceremony。'

'Berta；　I　am　sometimes　uneasy　about　you　even　now　and　I　want　to　ask
you　one　t