the hand of ethelberta-第87节

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'Perhaps　he's　nervous　now　he's　living　in　the　cottage　again。　　I
thought　that　fancy　was　over。　　Well；　I'm　glad　'tis　a　young　wife　he's
brought　us。　　She'll　have　her　routs　and　her　rackets　as　well　as　the
high…born　ones；　you'll　see；　as　soon　as　she　gets　used　to　the　place。'

'She　must　be　a　queer　Christian　to　pick　up　with　him。'

'Well；　if　she've　charity　'tis　enough　for　we　poor　men；　her　faith　and
hope　may　be　as　please　God。　　Now　I　be　for　on…along　homeward。'

As　soon　as　they　had　gone　Christopher　moved　from　his　hiding；　and；
avoiding　the　gravel…walk；　returned　to　his　coachman；　telling　him　to
drive　at　once　to　Anglebury。

Julian　was　so　impatient　of　the　futility　of　his　adventure　that　he
wished　to　annihilate　its　existence。　　On　reaching　Anglebury　he
determined　to　get　on　at　once　to　Melchester；　that　the　event　of　the
night　might　be　summarily　ended；　to　be　still　in　the　neighbourhood　was
to　be　still　engaged　in　it。　　He　reached　home　before　midnight。

Walking　into　their　house　in　a　quiet　street；　as　dissatisfied　with
himself　as　a　man　well　could　be　who　still　retained　health　and　an
occupation；　he　found　Faith　sitting　up　as　usual。　　His　news　was
simple：　　the　marriage　had　taken　place　before　he　could　get　there；　and
he　had　seen　nothing　of　either　ceremony　or　viscountess。　　The
remainder　he　reserved　for　a　more　convenient　season。

Edith　looked　anxiously　at　him　as　he　ate　supper；　smiling　now　and
then。

'Well；　I　am　tired　of　this　life；'　said　Christopher。

'So　am　I；'　said　Faith。　　'Ah；　if　we　were　only　rich！'

'Ah；　yes。'

'Or　if　we　were　not　rich；'　she　said；　turning　her　eyes　to　the　fire。
'If　we　were　only　slightly　provided　for；　it　would　be　better　than
nothing。　　How　much　would　you　be　content　with；　Kit？'

'As　much　as　I　could　get。'

'Would　you　be　content　with　a　thousand　a　year　for　both　of　us？'

'I　daresay　I　should；'　he　murmured；　breaking　his　bread。

'Or　five　hundred　for　both？'

'Or　five　hundred。'

'Or　even　three　hundred？'

'Bother　three　hundred。　　Less　than　double　the　sum　would　not　satisfy
me。　　We　may　as　well　imagine　much　as　little。'

Faith's　countenance　had　fallen。　　'O　Kit；'　she　said；　'you　always
disappoint　me。'

'I　do。　　How　do　I　disappoint　you　this　time？'

'By　not　caring　for　three　hundred　a　yeara　hundred　and　fifty　each
when　that　is　all　I　have　to　offer　you。'

'Faith！'　said　he；　looking　up　for　the　first　time。　　'Ahof　course！
Lucy's　will。　　I　had　forgotten。'

'It　is　true；　and　I　had　prepared　such　a　pleasant　surprise　for　you；
and　now　you　don't　care！　　Our　cousin　Lucy　did　leave　us　something
after　all。　　I　don't　understand　the　exact　total　sum；　but　it　comes　to
a　hundred　and　fifty　a　year　eachmore　than　I　expected；　though　not　so
much　as　you　deserved。　　Here's　the　letter。　　I　have　been　dwelling　upon
it　all　day；　and　thinking　what　a　pleasure　it　would　be；　and　it　is　not
after　all！'

'Good　gracious；　Faith；　I　was　only　supposing。　　The　real　thing　is
another　matter　altogether。　　Well；　the　idea　of　Lucy's　will　containing
our　names！　　I　am　sure　I　would　have　gone　to　the　funeral　had　I　known。'

'I　wish　it　were　a　thousand。'

'O　noit　doesn't　matter　at　all。　　But；　certainly；　three　hundred　for
two　is　a　tantalizing　sum：　　not　enough　to　enable　us　to　change　our
condition；　and　enough　to　make　us　dissatisfied　with　going　on　as　we
are。'

'We　must　forget　we　have　it；　and　let　it　increase。'

'It　isn't　enough　to　increase　much。　　We　may　as　well　use　it。　　But　how？
Take　a　bigger　housewhat's　the　use？　　Give　up　the　organ？then　I
shall　be　rather　worse　off　than　I　am　at　present。　　Positively；　it　is
the　most　provoking　amount　anybody　could　have　invented　had　they　tried
ever　so　long。　　Poor　Lucy；　to　do　that；　and　not　even　to　come　near　us
when　father　died。　。　。　。　　Ah；　I　know　what　we'll　do。　　We'll　go　abroad…
…we'll　live　in　Italy。'



SEQUEL。　ANGLEBURY　…　ENCKWORTH　…　SANDBOURNE

Two　years　and　a　half　after　the　marriage　of　Ethelberta　and　the
evening　adventures　which　followed　it；　a　man　young　in　years；　though
considerably　older　in　mood　and　expression；　walked　up　to　the　'Red
Lion'　Inn　at　Anglebury。　　The　anachronism　sat　not　unbecomingly　upon
him；　and　the　voice　was　precisely　that　of　the　Christopher　Julian　of
heretofore。　　His　way　of　entering　the　inn　and　calling　for　a
conveyance　was　more　off…hand　than　formerly；　he　was　much　less　afraid
of　the　sound　of　his　own　voice　now　than　when　he　had　gone　through　the
same　performance　on　a　certain　chill　evening　the　last　time　that　he
visited　the　spot。　　He　wanted　to　be　taken　to　Knollsea　to　meet　the
steamer　there；　and　was　not　coming　back　by　the　same　vehicle。

It　was　a　very　different　day　from　that　of　his　previous　journey　along
the　same　road；　different　in　season；　different　in　weather；　and　the
humour　of　the　observer　differed　yet　more　widely　from　its　condition
then　than　did　the　landscape　from　its　former　hues。　　In　due　time　they
reached　a　commanding　situation　upon　the　road；　from　which　were
visible　knots　and　plantations　of　trees　on　the　Enckworth　manor。
Christopher　broke　the　silence。

'Lord　Mountclere　is　still　alive　and　well；　I　am　told？'

'O　ay。　　He'll　live　to　be　a　hundred。　　Never　such　a　change　as　has　come
over　the　man　of　late　years。'

'Indeed！'

'O；　'tis　my　lady。　　She's　a　one　to　put　up　with！　　Still；　'tis　said
here　and　there　that　marrying　her　was　the　best　day's　work　that　he
ever　did　in　his　life；　although　she's　got　to　be　my　lord　and　my　lady
both。'

'Is　she　happy　with　him？'

'She　is　very　sharp　with　the　pore　manabout　happy　I　don't　know。　　He
was　a　good…natured　old　man；　for　all　his　sins；　and　would　sooner　any
day　lay　out　money　in　new　presents　than　pay　it　in　old　debts。　　But
'tis　altered　now。　　'Tisn't　the　same　place。　　Ah；　in　the　old　times　I
have　seen　the　floor　of　the　servants'　hall　over　the　vamp　of　your　boot
in　solid　beer　that　we　had　poured　aside　from　the　horns　because　we
couldn't　see　straight　enough　to　pour　it　in。　　See？　　No；　we　couldn't
see　a　hole　in　a　ladder！　　And　now；　even　at　Christmas　or　Whitsuntide；
when　a　man；　if　ever　he　desires　to　be　overcome　with　a　drop；　would
naturally　wish　it　to　be；　you　can　walk　out　of　Enckworth　as　straight
as　you　walked　in。　　All　her　doings。'

'Then　she　holds　the　reins？'

'She　do！　　There　was　a　little　tussle　at　first；　but　how　could　a　old
man　hold　his　own　against　such　a　spry　young　body　as　that！　　She
threatened　to　run　away　from　him；　and　kicked　up　Bob's…a…dying；　and　I
don't　know　what　all；　and　being　the　woman；　of　course　she　was　sure　to
beat　in　the　long　run。　　Pore　old　nobleman；　she　marches　him　off　to
church　every　Sunday　as　regular　as　a　clock；　makes　him　read　family
prayers　that　haven't　been　read　in　Enckworth　for　the　last　thirty
years　to　my　certain　knowledge；　and　keeps　him　down　to　three　glasses
of　wine　a　day；　strict；　so　that　you　never　see　him　any　the　more
generous　for　liquor　or　a　bit　elevated　at　all；　as　it　used　to　be。
There；　'tis　true；　it　has　done　him　good　in　one　sense；　for　they　say
he'd　have　been　dead　in　five　years　if　he　had　gone　on　as　he　was
going。'

'So　that　she's　a　good　wife　to　him；　after　all。'

'Well；　if　she　had　been　a　little　worse　'twould　have　been　a　little
better　for　him　in　one　sense；　for　he　would　have　had　his　own　way　more。
But　he　was　a　curious　feller　at　one　time；　as　we　all　know　and　I
suppose　'tis　as　much　as　he　can　expect；　but　'tis　a　strange　reverse
for　him。　　It　is　said　that　when　he's　asked　out　to　dine；　or　to
anything　in　the　way　of　a　jaunt；　his　eye　flies　across　to　hers　afore
he　answers：　　and　if　her　eye　says　yes；　he　says　yes：　　and　if　her　eye
says　no；　he　says　no。　　'Tis　a　sad　condition　for　one　who　ruled
womankind　as　he；　that　a　woman　should　lead　him　in　a　string　whether　he
will　or　no。'

'Sad　indeed！'

'She's　steward；　and　agent；　and　everything。　　She　has　got　a　room
called　〃my　lady's　office；〃　and　great　ledgers　and　cash…books　you
never　see　the　like。　　In　old　times　there　were　bailiffs　to　look　after
the　workfolk；　foremen　to　look　after　the　tradesmen；　a　building…
steward　to　look　after　the　foremen；　a　land…steward　to　look　after　the
building…steward；　and　a　dashing　grand　agent　to　look　after　the　land…
steward：　　fine　times　they　had　then；　I　assure　ye。　　My　lady　said　they
were　eating　out　the　property　like　a　honeycomb；　and　then　there　was　a
terrible　row。　　Half　of　'em　were　sent　flying；　and　now　there's　only
the　agent；　and　the　viscountess；　and　a　sort　of　surveyor　man；　and　of
the　three　she　does　most　work　so　'tis　said。　　She　marks　the　trees　to
be　felled；　settles　what　horses　are　to　be　sold　and　bought；　and　is　out
in　all　winds　and　weathers。　　There；　if　somebody　hadn't　looked　into
things　'twould　soon　have　been　all　up　with　his　lordship；　he　was　so
very　extravagant。　　In　one　sense　'twas　lucky　for　him　that　she　was
born　in　humble　life；　because　owing　to　it　she　knows　the　ins　and　outs
of　contriving；　which　he　never　did。'

'Then　a　man　on　the　verge　of　bankruptcy　will　do　better　to　marry　a
poor　and　sensible　wife　than　a　rich　and　stupid　one。　　Well；　here　we
are　at　the　tenth　milestone。　　I　will　walk　the　remainder　of　the
distance　to　Knollsea；　as　there　is　ample　time　for　meeting　the　last
steamboat。'

When　the　man　was　gone　Christopher　proceeded　slowly　on　foot　down　the
hill；　and　reached　that　part　of　the　highway　at　which　he　had　stopped
in　the　cold　November　breeze　waiting　for　a　woman　who　never　came。　　He
was　older　now；　and　he　had　ceased　to　wish　that　he　had　not　been
disappointed。　　There　was　the　lodge；