the hand of ethelberta-第84节

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what　it　seems　like。　　Sol；　listen　to　me；　and　do　exactly　what　I　say。
Go　to　Anglebury；　hire　a　brougham；　bring　it　on　as　far　as　Little
Enckworth：　　you　will　have　to　meet　me　with　it　at　one　of　the　park
gates　later　in　the　eveningprobably　the　west；　at　half…past　seven。
Leave　it　at　the　village　with　the　man；　come　on　here　on　foot；　and　stay
under　the　trees　till　just　before　six：　　it　will　then　be　quite　dark；
and　you　must　stand　under　the　projecting　balustrade　a　little　further
on　than　the　door　you　came　in　by。　　I　will　just　step　upon　the　balcony
over　it；　and　tell　you　more　exactly　than　I　can　now　the　precise　time
that　I　shall　be　able　to　slip　out；　and　where　the　carriage　is　to　be
waiting。　　But　it　may　not　be　safe　to　speak　on　account　of　his
closeness　to　meI　will　hand　down　a　note。　　I　find　it　is　impossible
to　leave　the　house　by　daylightI　am　certain　to　be　pursuedhe
already　suspects　something。　　Now　I　must　be　going；　or　he　will　be
here；　for　he　watches　my　movements　because　of　some　accidental　words
that　escaped　me。'

'Berta；　I　shan't　have　anything　to　do　with　this；'　said　Sol。　　'It　is
not　right！'

'I　am　only　going　to　Rouen；　to　Aunt　Charlotte！'　she　implored。　　'I
want　to　get　to　Southampton；　to　be　in　time　for　the　midnight　steamer。
When　I　am　at　Rouen　I　can　negotiate　with　Lord　Mountclere　the　terms　on
which　I　will　return　to　him。　　It　is　the　only　chance　I　have　of　rooting
out　a　scandal　and　a　disgrace　which　threatens　the　beginning　of　my
life　here！　　My　letters　to　him；　and　his　to　me；　can　be　forwarded
through　you　or　through　father；　and　he　will　not　know　where　I　am。　　Any
woman　is　justified　in　adopting　such　a　course　to　bring　her　husband　to
a　sense　of　her　dignity。　　If　I　don't　go　away　now；　it　will　end　in　a
permanent　separation。　　If　I　leave　at　once；　and　stipulate　that　he
gets　rid　of　her；　we　may　be　reconciled。'

'I　can't　help　you：　　you　must　stick　to　your　husband。　　I　don't　like
them；　or　any　of　their　sort；　barring　about　three　or　four；　for　the
reason　that　they　despise　me　and　all　my　sort。　　But；　Ethelberta；　for
all　that　I'll　play　fair　with　them。　　No　half…and…half　trimming
business。　　You　have　joined　'em；　and　'rayed　yourself　against　us；　and
there　you'd　better　bide。　　You　have　married　your　man；　and　your　duty
is　towards　him。　　I　know　what　he　is　and　so　does　father；　but　if　I　were
to　help　you　to　run　away　now；　I　should　scorn　myself　more　than　I　scorn
him。'

'I　don't　care　for　that；　or　for　any　such　politics！　　The　Mountclere
line　is　noble；　and　how　was　I　to　know　that　this　member　was　not　noble；
too？　　As　the　representative　of　an　illustrious　family　I　was　taken
with　him；　but　as　a　manI　must　shun　him。'

'How　can　you　shun　him？　　You　have　married　him！'

'Nevertheless；　I　won't　stay！　　Neither　law　nor　gospel　demands　it　of
me　after　what　I　have　learnt。　　And　if　law　and　gospel　did　demand　it；　I
would　not　stay。　　And　if　you　will　not　help　me　to　escape；　I　go　alone。'

'You　had　better　not　try　any　such　wild　thing。'

The　creaking　of　a　door　was　heard。　'O　Sol；'　she　said　appealingly；
'don't　go　into　the　question　whether　I　am　right　or　wrongonly
remember　that　I　am　very　unhappy。　　Do　help　meI　have　no　other　person
in　the　world　to　ask！　　Be　under　the　balcony　at　six　o'clock。　　Say　you
willI　must　gosay　you　will！'

'I'll　think；'　said　Sol；　very　much　disturbed。　　'There；　don't　cry；
I'll　try　to　be　under　the　balcony；　at　any　rate。　　I　cannot　promise
more；　but　I'll　try　to　be　there。'

She　opened　in　the　panelling　one　of　the　old…fashioned　concealed　modes
of　exit　known　as　jib…doors；　which　it　was　once　the　custom　to
construct　without　architraves　in　the　walls　of　large　apartments；　so
as　not　to　interfere　with　the　general　design　of　the　room。　　Sol　found
himself　in　a　narrow　passage；　running　down　the　whole　length　of　the
ball…room；　and　at　the　same　time　he　heard　Lord　Mountclere's　voice
within；　talking　to　Ethelberta。　　Sol's　escape　had　been　marvellous：
as　it　was　the　viscount　might　have　seen　her　tears。　　He　passed　down
some　steps；　along　an　area　from　which　he　could　see　into　a　row　of
servants'　offices；　among　them　a　kitchen　with　a　fireplace　flaming
like　an　altar　of　sacrifice。　　Nobody　seemed　to　be　concerned　about
him；　there　were　workmen　upon　the　premises；　and　he　nearly　matched
them。　　At　last　he　got　again　into　the　shrubberies　and　to　the　side　of
the　park　by　which　he　had　entered。

On　reaching　Corvsgate　he　found　Picotee　in　the　parlour　of　the　little
inn；　as　he　had　directed。　　Mr。　Julian；　she　said；　had　walked　up　to　the
ruins；　and　would　be　back　again　in　a　few　minutes。　　Sol　ordered　the
horse　to　be　put　in；　and　by　the　time　it　was　ready　Christopher　came
down　from　the　hill。　　Room　was　made　for　Sol　by　opening　the　flap　of
the　dogcart；　and　Christopher　drove　on。

He　was　anxious　to　know　the　trouble；　and　Sol　was　not　reluctant　to
share　the　burden　of　it　with　one　whom　he　believed　to　be　a　friend。　　He
told；　scrap　by　scrap；　the　strange　request　of　Ethelberta。
Christopher；　though　ignorant　of　Ethelberta's　experience　that
morning；　instantly　assumed　that　the　discovery　of　some　concealed
spectre　had　led　to　this　precipitancy。

'When　does　she　wish　you　to　meet　her　with　the　carriage？'

'Probably　at　half…past　seven；　at　the　west　lodge；　but　that　is　to　be
finally　fixed　by　a　note　she　will　hand　down　to　me　from　the　balcony。'

'Which　balcony？'

'The　nearest　to　the　yew…tree。'

'At　what　time　will　she　hand　the　note？'

'As　the　Court　clock　strikes　six；　she　says。　　And　if　I　am　not　there　to
take　her　instructions　of　course　she　will　give　up　the　idea；　which　is
just　what　I　want　her　to　do。'

Christopher　begged　Sol　to　go。　　Whether　Ethelberta　was　right　or
wrong；　he　did　not　stop　to　inquire。　　She　was　in　trouble；　she　was　too
clear…headed　to　be　in　trouble　without　good　reason；　and　she　wanted
assistance　out　of　it。　　But　such　was　Sol's　nature　that　the　more　he
reflected　the　more　determined　was　he　in　not　giving　way　to　her
entreaty。　　By　the　time　that　they　reached　Anglebury　he　repented
having　given　way　so　far　as　to　withhold　a　direct　refusal。

'It　can　do　no　good；'　he　said　mournfully。　　'It　is　better　to　nip　her
notion　in　its　beginning。　　She　says　she　wants　to　fly　to　Rouen；　and
from　there　arrange　terms　with　him。　　But　it　can't　be　doneshe　should
have　thought　of　terms　before。'

Christopher　made　no　further　reply。　　Leaving　word　at　the　'Red　Lion'
that　a　man　was　to　be　sent　to　take　the　horse　of　him；　he　drove
directly　onwards　to　the　station。

'Then　you　don't　mean　to　help　her？'　said　Julian；　when　Sol　took　the
ticketsone　for　himself　and　one　for　Picotee。

'I　serve　her　best　by　leaving　her　alone！'　said　Sol。

'I　don't　think　so。'

'She　has　married　him。'

'She　is　in　distress。'

'She　has　married　him。'

Sol　and　Picotee　took　their　seats；　Picotee　upbraiding　her　brother。
'I　can　go　by　myself！'　she　said；　in　tears。　　'Do　go　back　for　Berta；
Sol。　　She　said　I　was　to　go　home　alone；　and　I　can　do　it！'

'You　must　not。　　It　is　not　right　for　you　to　be　hiring　cabs　and
driving　across　London　at　midnight。　　Berta　should　have　known　better
than　propose　it。'

'She　was　flurried。　　Go；　Sol！'

But　her　entreaty　was　fruitless。

'Have　you　got　your　ticket；　Mr。　Julian？'　said　Sol。　　'I　suppose　we
shall　go　together　till　we　get　near　Melchester？'

'I　have　not　got　my　ticket　yetI'll　be　back　in　two　minutes。'

The　minutes　went　by；　and　Christopher　did　not　reappear。　　The　train
moved　off：　　Christopher　was　seen　running　up　the　platform；　as　if　in　a
vain　hope　to　catch　it。

'He　has　missed　the　train；'　said　Sol。　　Picotee　looked　disappointed；
and　said　nothing。　　They　were　soon　out　of　sight。

'God　forgive　me　for　such　a　hollow　pretence！'　said　Christopher　to
himself。　　'But　he　would　have　been　uneasy　had　he　known　I　wished　to
stay　behind。　　I　cannot　leave　her　in　trouble　like　this！'

He　went　back　to　the　'Red　Lion'　with　the　manner　and　movement　of　a　man
who　after　a　lifetime　of　desultoriness　had　at　last　found　something　to
do。　　It　was　now　getting　late　in　the　afternoon。　　Christopher　ordered
a　one…horse　brougham　at　the　inn；　and　entering　it　was　driven　out　of
the　town　towards　Enckworth　as　the　evening　shades　were　beginning　to
fall。　　They　passed　into　the　hamlet　of　Little　Enckworth　at　half…past
five；　and　drew　up　at　a　beer…house　at　the　end。　　Jumping　out　here；
Julian　told　the　man　to　wait　till　he　should　return。

Thus　far　he　had　exactly　obeyed　her　orders　to　Sol。　　He　hoped　to　be
able　to　obey　them　throughout；　and　supply　her　with　the　aid　her
brother　refused。　　He　also　hoped　that　the　change　in　the　personality
of　her　confederate　would　make　no　difference　to　her　intention。　　That
he　was　putting　himself　in　a　wrong　position　he　allowed；　but　time　and
attention　were　requisite　for　such　analysis：　　meanwhile　Ethelberta
was　in　trouble。　　On　the　one　hand　was　she　waiting　hopefully　for　Sol；
on　the　other　was　Sol　many　miles　on　his　way　to　town；　between　them　was
himself。

He　ran　with　all　his　might　towards　Enckworth　Park；　mounted　the　lofty
stone　steps　by　the　lodge；　saw　the　dark　bronze　figures　on　the　piers
through　the　twilight；　and　then　proceeded　to　thread　the　trees。　　Among
these　he　struck　a　light　for　a　moment：　　it　was　ten　minutes　to　six。
In　another　five　minutes　he　was　panting　beneath　the　walls　of　her
house。

Enckworth　Court　was　not　unknown　to　Christopher；　for　he　had
frequently　explored　that　spot　in　his　Sandbourne　days。　　He　perceived
now　why　she　had　selected　that　particular　balcony　for　handi