the hand of ethelberta-第76节

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form　of　the　ceremony。'

'Berta；　I　am　sometimes　uneasy　about　you　even　now　and　I　want　to　ask
you　one　thing；　if　I　may。　　Are　you　doing　this　for　my　sake？　　Would　you
have　married　Mr。　Julian　if　it　had　not　been　for　me？'

'It　is　difficult　to　say　exactly。　　It　is　possible　that　if　I　had　had
no　relations　at　all；　I　might　have　married　him。　　And　I　might　not。'

'I　don't　intend　to　marry。'

'In　that　case　you　will　live　with　me　at　Enckworth。　　However；　we　will
leave　such　details　till　the　ground…work　is　confirmed。　　When　we　get
indoors　will　you　see　if　the　boxes　have　been　properly　corded；　and　are
quite　ready　to　be　sent　for？　　Then　come　in　and　sit　by　the　fire；　and
I'll　sing　some　songs　to　you。'

'Sad　ones；　you　mean。'

'No；　they　shall　not　be　sad。'

'Perhaps　they　may　be　the　last　you　will　ever　sing　to　me。'

'They　may　be。　　Such　a　thing　has　occurred。'

'But　we　will　not　think　so。　　We'll　suppose　you　are　to　sing　many　to　me
yet。'

'Yes。　　There's　good　sense　in　that；　Picotee。　　In　a　world　where　the
blind　only　are　cheerful　we　should　all　do　well　to　put　out　our　eyes。
There；　I　did　not　mean　to　get　into　this　state：　　forgive　me；　Picotee。
It　is　because　I　have　had　a　thoughtwhy　I　cannot　tellthat　as　much
as　this　man　brings　to　me　in　rank　and　gifts　he　may　take　out　of　me　in
tears。'

'Berta！'

'But　there's　no　reason　in　itnot　any；　for　not　in　a　single　matter
does　what　has　been　supply　us　with　any　certain　ground　for　knowing
what　will　be　in　the　world。　　I　have　seen　marriages　where　happiness
might　have　been　said　to　be　ensured；　and　they　have　been　all　sadness
afterwards；　and　I　have　seen　those　in　which　the　prospect　was　black　as
night；　and　they　have　led　on　to　a　time　of　sweetness　and　comfort。　　And
I　have　seen　marriages　neither　joyful　nor　sorry；　that　have　become
either　as　accident　forced　them　to　become；　the　persons　having　no
voice　in　it　at　all。　　Well；　then；　why　should　I　be　afraid　to　make　a
plunge　when　chance　is　as　trustworthy　as　calculation？'

'If　you　don't　like　him　well　enough；　don't　have　him；　Berta。　　There's
time　enough　to　put　it　off　even　now。'

'O　no。　　I　would　not　upset　a　well…considered　course　on　the　haste　of
an　impulse。　　Our　will　should　withstand　our　misgivings。　　Now　let　us
see　if　all　has　been　packed；　and　then　we'll　sing。'

That　evening；　while　the　wind　was　wheeling　round　and　round　the
dwelling；　and　the　calm　eye　of　the　lighthouse　afar　was　the　single
speck　perceptible　of　the　outside　world　from　the　door　of　Ethelberta's
temporary　home；　the　music　of　songs　mingled　with　the　stroke　of　the
wind　across　the　iron　railings；　and　was　swept　on　in　the　general　tide
of　the　gale；　and　the　noise　of　the　rolling　sea；　till　not　the　echo　of
a　tone　remained。

An　hour　before　this　singing；　an　old　gentleman　might　have　been　seen
to　alight　from　a　little　one…horse　brougham；　and　enter　the　door　of
Knollsea　parsonage。　　He　was　bent　upon　obtaining　an　entrance　to　the
vicar's　study　without　giving　his　name。

But　it　happened　that　the　vicar's　wife　was　sitting　in　the　front　room；
making　a　pillow…case　for　the　children's　bed　out　of　an　old　surplice
which　had　been　excommunicated　the　previous　Easter；　she　heard　the
newcomer's　voice　through　the　partition；　started；　and　went　quickly　to
her　husband；　who　was　where　he　ought　to　have　been；　in　his　study。　　At
her　entry　he　looked　up　with　an　abstracted　gaze；　having　been　lost　in
meditation　over　a　little　schooner　which　he　was　attempting　to　rig　for
their　youngest　boy。　　At　a　word　from　his　wife　on　the　suspected　name
of　the　visitor；　he　resumed　his　earlier　occupation　of　inserting　a　few
strong　sentences；　full　of　the　observation　of　maturer　life；　between
the　lines　of　a　sermon　written　during　his　first　years　of　ordination；
in　order　to　make　it　available　for　the　coming　Sunday。　　His　wife　then
vanished　with　the　little　ship　in　her　hand；　and　the　visitor　appeared。
A　talk　went　on　in　low　tones。

After　a　ten　minutes'　stay　he　departed　as　secretly　as　he　had　come。
His　errand　was　the　cause　of　much　whispered　discussion　between　the
vicar　and　his　wife　during　the　evening；　but　nothing　was　said
concerning　it　to　the　outside　world。



44。　SANDBOURNE　…　A　LONELY　HEATH　…　THE　'RED　LION'　…　THE　HIGHWAY

It　was　half…past　eleven　before　the　Spruce；　with　Mountclere　and　Sol
Chickerel　on　board；　had　steamed　back　again　to　Sandbourne。　　The
direction　and　increase　of　the　wind　had　made　it　necessary　to　keep　the
vessel　still　further　to　sea　on　their　return　than　in　going；　that　they
might　clear　without　risk　the　windy；　sousing；　thwacking；　basting；
scourging　Jack　Ketch　of　a　corner　called　Old…Harry　Point；　which　lay
about　halfway　along　their　track；　and　stood；　with　its　detached　posts
and　stumps　of　white　rock；　like　a　skeleton's　lower　jaw；　grinning　at
British　navigation。　　Here　strong　currents　and　cross　currents　were
beginning　to　interweave　their　scrolls　and　meshes；　the　water　rising
behind　them　in　tumultuous　heaps；　and　slamming　against　the　fronts　and
angles　of　cliff；　whence　it　flew　into　the　air　like　clouds　of　flour。
Who　could　now　believe　that　this　roaring　abode　of　chaos　smiled　in　the
sun　as　gently　as　an　infant　during　the　summer　days　not　long　gone　by；
every　pinnacle；　crag；　and　cave　returning　a　doubled　image　across　the
glassy　sea？

They　were　now　again　at　Sandbourne；　a　point　in　their　journey　reached
more　than　four　hours　ago。　　It　became　necessary　to　consider　anew　how
to　accomplish　the　difficult　remainder。　　The　wind　was　not　blowing
much　beyond　what　seamen　call　half　a　gale；　but　there　had　been　enough
unpleasantness　afloat　to　make　landsmen　glad　to　get　ashore；　and　this
dissipated　in　a　slight　measure　their　vexation　at　having　failed　in
their　purpose。　　Still；　Mountclere　loudly　cursed　their　confidence　in
that　treacherously　short　route；　and　Sol　abused　the　unknown
Sandbourne　man　who　had　brought　the　news　of　the　steamer's　arrival　to
them　at　the　junction。　　The　only　course　left　open　to　them　now；　short
of　giving　up　the　undertaking；　was　to　go　by　the　road　along　the　shore；
which；　curving　round　the　various　little　creeks　and　inland　seas
between　their　present　position　and　Knollsea；　was　of　no　less　length
than　thirty　miles。　　There　was　no　train　back　to　the　junction　till　the
next　morning；　and　Sol's　proposition　that　they　should　drive　thither
in　hope　of　meeting　the　mail…train；　was　overruled　by　Mountclere。

'We　will　have　nothing　more　to　do　with　chance；'　he　said。　　'We　may
miss　the　train；　and　then　we　shall　have　gone　out　of　the　way　for
nothing。　　More　than　that；　the　down　mail　does　not　stop　till　it　gets
several　miles　beyond　the　nearest　station　for　Knollsea；　so　it　is
hopeless。'

'If　there　had　only　been　a　telegraph　to　the　confounded　place！'

'Telegraphwe　might　as　well　telegraph　to　the　devil　as　to　an　old
booby　and　a　damned　scheming　young　widow。　　I　very　much　question　if　we
shall　do　anything　in　the　matter；　even　if　we　get　there。　　But　I
suppose　we　had　better　go　on　now？'

'You　can　do　as　you　like。　　I　shall　go　on；　if　I　have　to　walk　every
step　o't。'

'That's　not　necessary。　　I　think　the　best　posting…house　at　this　end
of　the　town　is　Tempett'swe　must　knock　them　up　at　once。　　Which　will
you　doattempt　supper　here；　or　break　the　back　of　our　journey　first；
and　get　on　to　Anglebury？　　We　may　rest　an　hour　or　two　there；　unless
you　feel　really　in　want　of　a　meal。'

'No。　　I'll　leave　eating　to　merrier　men；　who　have　no　sister　in　the
hands　of　a　cursed　old　Vandal。'

'Very　well；'　said　Mountclere。　　'We'll　go　on　at　once。'

An　additional　half…hour　elapsed　before　they　were　fairly　started；　the
lateness　and　abruptness　of　their　arrival　causing　delay　in　getting　a
conveyance　ready：　　the　tempestuous　night　had　apparently　driven　the
whole　town；　gentle　and　simple；　early　to　their　beds。　　And　when　at
length　the　travellers　were　on　their　way　the　aspect　of　the　weather
grew　yet　more　forbidding。　　The　rain　came　down　unmercifully；　the
booming　wind　caught　it；　bore　it　across　the　plain；　whizzed　it　against
the　carriage　like　a　sower　sowing　his　seed。　　It　was　precisely　such
weather；　and　almost　at　the　same　season；　as　when　Picotee　traversed
the　same　moor；　stricken　with　her　great　disappointment　at　not　meeting
Christopher　Julian。

Further　on　for　several　miles　the　drive　lay　through　an　open　heath；
dotted　occasionally　with　fir　plantations；　the　trees　of　which　told
the　tale　of　their　species　without　help　from　outline　or　colour；　they
spoke　in　those　melancholy　moans　and　sobs　which　give　to　their　sound　a
solemn　sadness　surpassing　even　that　of　the　sea。　　From　each　carriage…
lamp　the　long　rays　stretched　like　feelers　into　the　air；　and　somewhat
cheered　the　way；　until　the　insidious　damp　that　pervaded　all　things
above；　around；　and　underneath；　overpowered　one　of　them；　and　rendered
every　attempt　to　rekindle　it　ineffectual。　　Even　had　the　two　men's
dislike　to　each　other's　society　been　less；　the　general　din　of　the
night　would　have　prevented　much　talking；　as　it　was；　they　sat　in　a
rigid　reticence　that　was　almost　a　third　personality。　　The　roads　were
laid　hereabouts　with　a　light　sandy　gravel；　which；　though　not
clogging；　was　soft　and　friable。　　It　speedily　became　saturated；　and
the　wheels　ground　heavily　and　deeply　into　its　substance。

At　length；　after　crossing　from　ten　to　twelve　miles　of　these　eternal
heaths　under　the　eternally　drumming　storm；　they　could　discern
eyelets　of　light　winking　to　them　in　the　distance　from　under　a
neb