the hand of ethelberta-第82节

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like　to　see　me；　and　I'll　go　up　there　to　that　little　fir　plantation；
and　walk　up　and　down　behind　it　for　exactly　half…an…hour。　　She　can
come　out　to　me　there。'　　Sol　had　pointed　as　he　spoke　to　a　knot　of
young　trees　that　hooded　a　knoll　a　little　way　off。

'I'll　go　and　tell　her；'　said　Picotee。

'I　suppose　they　will　be　off　somewhere；　and　she　is　busy　getting
ready？'

'O　no。　　They　are　not　going　to　travel　till　next　year。　　Ethelberta
does　not　want　to　go　anywhere；　and　Lord　Mountclere　cannot　endure　this
changeable　weather　in　any　place　but　his　own　house。'

'Poor　fellow！'

'Then　you　will　wait　for　her　by　the　firs？　　I'll　tell　her　at　once。'

Picotee　left　him；　and　Sol　went　across　the　glade。



46。　ENCKWORTH　（continued）　…　THE　ANGLEBURY　HIGHWAY

He　had　not　paced　behind　the　firs　more　than　ten　minutes　when
Ethelberta　appeared　from　the　opposite　side。　　At　great　inconvenience
to　herself；　she　had　complied　with　his　request。

Ethelberta　was　trembling。　　She　took　her　brother's　hand；　and　said；
'Is　father；　then；　gone？'

'Yes；'　said　Sol。　　'I　should　have　been　gone　likewise；　but　I　thought
you　wanted　to　see　me。'

'Of　course　I　did；　and　him　too。　　Why　did　you　come　so　mysteriously；
and；　I　must　say；　unbecomingly？　　I　am　afraid　I　did　wrong　in　not
informing　you　of　my　intention。'

'To　yourself　you　may　have。　　Father　would　have　liked　a　word　with　you
beforeyou　did　it。'

'You　both　looked　so　forbidding　that　I　did　not　like　to　stop　the
carriage　when　we　passed　you。　　I　want　to　see　him　on　an　important
matterhis　leaving　Mrs。　Doncastle's　service　at　once。　　I　am　going　to
write　and　beg　her　to　dispense　with　a　notice；　which　I　have　no　doubt
she　will　do。'

'He's　very　much　upset　about　you。'

'My　secrecy　was　perhaps　an　error　of　judgment；'　she　said　sadly。　　'But
I　had　reasons。　　Why　did　you　and　my　father　come　here　at　all　if　you
did　not　want　to　see　me？'

'We　did　want　to　see　you　up　to　a　certain　time。'

'You　did　not　come　to　prevent　my　marriage？'

'We　wished　to　see　you　before　the　marriageI　can't　say　more。'

'I　thought　you　might　not　approve　of　what　I　had　done；'　said
Ethelberta　mournfully。　　'But　a　time　may　come　when　you　will　approve。'

'Never。'

'Don't　be　harsh；　Sol。　　A　coronet　covers　a　multitude　of　sins。'

'A　coronet：　　good　Lordand　you　my　sister！　　Look　at　my　hand。'　　Sol
extended　his　hand。　　'Look　how　my　thumb　stands　out　at　the　root；　as　if
it　were　out　of　joint；　and　that　hard　place　inside　there。　　Did　you
ever　see　anything　so　ugly　as　that　handa　misshaped　monster；　isn't
he？　　That　comes　from　the　jackplane；　and　my　pushing　against　it　day
after　day　and　year　after　year。　　If　I　were　found　drowned　or　buried；
dressed　or　undressed；　in　fustian　or　in　broadcloth；　folk　would　look
at　my　hand　and　say；　〃That　man's　a　carpenter。〃　　Well　now；　how　can　a
man；　branded　with　work　as　I　be；　be　brother　to　a　viscountess　without
something　being　wrong？　　Of　course　there's　something　wrong　in　it；　or
he　wouldn't　have　married　yousomething　which　won't　be　righted
without　terrible　suffering。'

'No；　no；'　said　she。　　'You　are　mistaken。　　There　is　no　such　wonderful
quality　in　a　title　in　these　days。　　What　I　really　am　is　second　wife
to　a　quiet　old　country　nobleman；　who　has　given　up　society。　　What
more　commonplace？　　My　life　will　be　as　simple；　even　more　simple；　than
it　was　before。'

'Berta；　you　have　worked　to　false　lines。　　A　creeping　up　among　the
useless　lumber　of　our　nation　that'll　be　the　first　to　burn　if　there
comes　a　flare。　　I　never　see　such　a　deserter　of　your　own　lot　as　you
be！　　But　you　were　always　like　it；　Berta；　and　I　am　ashamed　of　ye。
More　than　that；　a　good　woman　never　marries　twice。'

'You　are　too　hard；　Sol；'　said　the　poor　viscountess；　almost　crying。
'I've　done　it　all　for　you！　　Even　if　I　have　made　a　mistake；　and　given
my　ambition　an　ignoble　turn；　don't　tell　me　so　now；　or　you　may　do
more　harm　in　a　minute　than　you　will　cure　in　a　lifetime。　　It　is
absurd　to　let　republican　passions　so　blind　you　to　fact。　　A　family
which　can　be　honourably　traced　through　history　for　five　hundred
years；　does　affect　the　heart　of　a　person　not　entirely　hardened
against　romance。　　Whether　you　like　the　peerage　or　no；　they　appeal　to
our　historical　sense　and　love　of　old　associations。'

'I　don't　care　for　history。　　Prophecy　is　the　only　thing　can　do　poor
men　any　good。　　When　you　were　a　girl；　you　wouldn't　drop　a　curtsey　to
'em；　historical　or　otherwise；　and　there　you　were　right。　　But；
instead　of　sticking　to　such　principles；　you　must　needs　push　up；　so
as　to　get　girls　such　as　you　were　once　to　curtsey　to　you；　not　even
thinking　marriage　with　a　bad　man　too　great　a　price　to　pay　for't。'

'A　bad　man？　　What　do　you　mean　by　that？　　Lord　Mountclere　is　rather
old；　but　he's　worthy。　　What　did　you　mean；　Sol？'

'Nothinga　mere　sommat　to　say。'

At　that　moment　Picotee　emerged　from　behind　a　tree；　and　told　her
sister　that　Lord　Mountclere　was　looking　for　her。

'Well；　Sol；　I　cannot　explain　all　to　you　now；'　she　said。　　'I　will
send　for　you　in　London。'　　She　wished　him　goodbye；　and　they
separated；　Picotee　accompanying　Sol　a　little　on　his　way。

Ethelberta　was　greatly　perturbed　by　this　meeting。　　After　retracing
her　steps　a　short　distance；　she　still　felt　so　distressed　and
unpresentable　that　she　resolved　not　to　allow　Lord　Mountclere　to　see
her　till　the　clouds　had　somewhat　passed　off；　it　was　but　a　bare　act
of　justice　to　him　to　hide　from　his　sight　such　a　bridal　mood　as　this。
It　was　better　to　keep　him　waiting　than　to　make　him　positively
unhappy。　　She　turned　aside；　and　went　up　the　valley；　where　the　park
merged　in　miles　of　wood　and　copse。

She　opened　an　iron　gate　and　entered　the　wood；　casually　interested　in
the　vast　variety　of　colours　that　the　half…fallen　leaves　of　the
season　wore：　　more；　much　more；　occupied　with　personal　thought。　　The
path　she　pursued　became　gradually　involved　in　bushes　as　well　as
trees；　giving　to　the　spot　the　character　rather　of　a　coppice　than　a
wood。　　Perceiving　that　she　had　gone　far　enough；　Ethelberta　turned
back　by　a　path　which　at　this　point　intersected　that　by　which　she　had
approached；　and　promised　a　more　direct　return　towards　the　Court。
She　had　not　gone　many　steps　among　the　hazels；　which　here　formed　a
perfect　thicket；　when　she　observed　a　belt　of　holly…bushes　in　their
midst；　towards　the　outskirts　of　these　an　opening　on　her　left　hand
directly　led；　thence　winding　round　into　a　clear　space　of　greensward；
which　they　completely　enclosed。　　On　this　isolated　and　mewed…up　bit
of　lawn　stood　a　timber…built　cottage；　having　ornamental　barge…
boards；　balconettes；　and　porch。　　It　was　an　erection　interesting
enough　as　an　experiment；　and　grand　as　a　toy；　but　as　a　building
contemptible。

A　blue　gauze　of　smoke　floated　over　the　chimney；　as　if　somebody　was
living　there；　round　towards　the　side　some　empty　hen…coops　were　piled
away；　while　under　the　hollies　were　divers　frameworks　of　wire　netting
and　sticks；　showing　that　birds　were　kept　here　at　some　seasons　of　the
year。

Being　lady　of　all　she　surveyed；　Ethelberta　crossed　the　leafy　sward；
and　knocked　at　the　door。　　She　was　interested　in　knowing　the　purpose
of　the　peculiar　little　edifice。

The　door　was　opened　by　a　woman　wearing　a　clean　apron　upon　a　not　very
clean　gown。　　Ethelberta　asked　who　lived　in　so　pretty　a　place。

'Miss　Gruchette；'　the　servant　replied。　　'But　she　is　not　here　now。'

'Does　she　live　here　alone？'

'Yesexcepting　myself　and　a　fellow…servant。'

'Oh。'

'She　lives　here　to　attend　to　the　pheasants　and　poultry；　because　she
is　so　clever　in　managing　them。　　They　are　brought　here　from　the
keeper's　over　the　hill。　　Her　father　was　a　fancier。'

'Miss　Gruchette　attends　to　the　birds；　and　two　servants　attend　to
Miss　Gruchette？'

'Well；　to　tell　the　truth；　m'm；　the　servants　do　almost　all　of　it。
Still；　that's　what　Miss　Gruchette　is　here　for。　　Would　you　like　to
see　the　house？　　It　is　pretty。'　　The　woman　spoke　with　hesitation；　as
if　in　doubt　between　the　desire　of　earning　a　shilling　and　the　fear
that　Ethelberta　was　not　a　stranger。　　That　Ethelberta　was　Lady
Mountclere　she　plainly　did　not　dream。

'I　fear　I　can　scarcely　stay　long　enough；　yet　I　will　just　look　in；'
said　Ethelberta。　　And　as　soon　as　they　had　crossed　the　threshold　she
was　glad　of　having　done　so。

The　cottage　internally　may　be　described　as　a　sort　of　boudoir
extracted　from　the　bulk　of　a　mansion　and　deposited　in　a　wood。　　The
front　room　was　filled　with　nicknacks；　curious　work…tables；　filigree
baskets；　twisted　brackets　supporting　statuettes；　in　which　the
grotesque　in　every　case　ruled　the　design；　love…birds；　in　gilt　cages；
French　bronzes；　wonderful　boxes；　needlework　of　strange　patterns；　and
other　attractive　objects。　　The　apartment　was　one　of　those　which　seem
to　laugh　in　a　visitor's　face　and　on　closer　examination　express
frivolity　more　distinctly　than　by　words。

'Miss　Gruchette　is　here　to　keep　the　fowls？'　said　Ethelberta；　in　a
puzzled　tone；　after　a　survey。

'Yes。　　But　they　don't　keep　her。'

Ethelberta　did　not　attempt　to　understand；　and　ceased　to　occupy　her
mind　with　the　matter。　　They　came　from　the　cottage　to　the　door；　where
she　gave　the　woman　a　trifling　sum；　and　turned　to　leave。　　But
footsteps　were　at　that　moment　to　be　heard　beating　among　the　leaves
on　the　other　side　of　the　hollies；　and　Ethelberta　waited　till　the
walkers　should　have　passed。　　The　vo