the hand of ethelberta-第29部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

about　him。　　Next　morning　she　looked　all　hope。　　He　did　not　come　that
day　either；　and　Ethelberta　began　to　look　pale　with　fear。

'Why　don't　you　go　out？'　said　Picotee　timidly。

'I　can　hardly　tell：　　I　have　been　expecting　some　one。'

'When　she　comes　I　must　run　up　to　mother　at　once；　must　I　not？'　said
clever　Picotee。

'It　is　not　a　lady；'　said　Ethelberta　blandly。　　She　came　then　and
stood　by　Picotee；　and　looked　musingly　out　of　the　window。　　'I　may　as
well　tell　you；　perhaps；'　she　continued。　　'It　is　Mr。　Julian。　　He　is
I　supposemy　lover；　in　plain　English。'

'Ah！'　said　Picotee。

'Whom　I　am　not　going　to　marry　until　he　gets　rich。'

'Ahhow　strange！　　If　I　had　himsuch　a　lover；　I　meanI　would　marry
him　if　he　continued　poor。'

'I　don't　doubt　it；　Picotee；　just　as　you　come　to　London　without
caring　about　consequences；　or　would　do　any　other　crazy　thing　and　not
mind　in　the　least　what　came　of　it。　　But　somebody　in　the　family　must
take　a　practical　view　of　affairs；　or　we　should　all　go　to　the　dogs。'

Picotee　recovered　from　the　snubbing　which　she　felt　that　she
deserved；　and　charged　gallantly　by　saying；　with　delicate　showings　of
indifference；　'Do　you　love　this　Mr。　What's…his…name　of　yours？'

'Mr。　Julian？　　O；　he's　a　very　gentlemanly　man。　　That　is；　except　when
he　is　rude；　and　ill…uses　me；　and　will　not　come　and　apologize！'

'If　I　had　hima　lover；　I　would　ask　him　to　come　if　I　wanted　him　to。'

Ethelberta　did　not　give　her　mind　to　this　remark；　but；　drawing　a　long
breath；　said；　with　a　pouting　laugh；　which　presaged　unreality；　'The
idea　of　his　getting　indifferent　now！　　I　have　been　intending　to　keep
him　on　until　I　got　tired　of　his　attentions；　and　then　put　an　end　to
them　by　marrying　him；　but　here　is　he；　before　he　has　hardly　declared
himself；　forgetting　my　existence　as　much　as　if　he　had　vowed　to　love
and　cherish　me　for　life。　　'Tis　an　unnatural　inversion　of　the　manners
of　society。'

'When　did　you　first　get　to　care　for　him；　dear　Berta？'

'Owhen　I　had　seen　him　once　or　twice。'

'Goodnesshow　quick　you　were！'

'Yesif　I　am　in　the　mind　for　loving　I　am　not　to　be　hindered　by
shortness　of　acquaintanceship。'

'Nor　I　neither！'　sighed　Picotee。

'Nor　any　other　woman。　　We　don't　need　to　know　a　man　well　in　order　to
love　him。　　That's　only　necessary　when　we　want　to　leave　off。'

'O　Bertayou　don't　believe　that！'

'If　a　woman　did　not　invariably　form　an　opinion　of　her　choice　before
she　has　half　seen　him；　and　love　him　before　she　has　half　formed　an
opinion；　there　would　be　no　tears　and　pining　in　the　whole　feminine
world；　and　poets　would　starve　for　want　of　a　topic。　　I　don't　believe
it；　do　you　say？　　Ah；　well；　we　shall　see。'

Picotee　did　not　know　what　to　say　to　this；　and　Ethelberta　left　the
room　to　see　about　her　duties　as　public　story…teller；　in　which
capacity　she　had　undertaken　to　appear　again　this　very　evening。



20。　THE　NEIGHBOURHOOD　OF　THE　HALL　…　THE　ROAD　HOME

London　was　illuminated　by　the　broad　full　moon。　　The　pavements　looked
white　as　if　mantled　with　snow；　ordinary　houses　were　sublimated　to
the　rank　of　public　buildings；　public　buildings　to　palaces；　and　the
faces　of　women　walking　the　streets　to　those　of　calendared　saints　and
guardian…angels；　by　the　pure　bleaching　light　from　the　sky。

In　the　quiet　little　street　where　opened　the　private　door　of　the　Hall
chosen　by　Ethelberta　for　her　story…telling；　a　brougham　was　waiting。
The　time　was　about　eleven　o'clock；　and　presently　a　lady　came　out
from　the　building；　the　moonbeams　forthwith　flooding　her　face；　which
they　showed　to　be　that　of　the　Story…teller　herself。　　She　hastened
across　to　the　carriage；　when　a　second　thought　arrested　her　motion：
telling　the　man…servant　and　a　woman　inside　the　brougham　to　wait　for
her；　she　wrapped　up　her　features　and　glided　round　to　the　front　of
the　house；　where　she　paused　to　observe　the　carriages　and　cabs
driving　up　to　receive　the　fashionable　crowd　stepping　down　from　the
doors。　　Standing　here　in　the　throng　which　her　own　talent　and
ingenuity　had　drawn　together；　she　appeared　to　enjoy　herself　by
listening　for　a　minute　or　two　to　the　names　of　several　persons　of
more　or　less　distinction　as　they　were　called　out；　and　then　regarded
attentively　the　faces　of　others　of　lesser　degree：　　to　scrutinize　the
latter　was；　as　the　event　proved；　the　real　object　of　the　journey　from
round　the　corner。　　When　nearly　every　one　had　left　the　doors；　she
turned　back　disappointed。　　Ethelberta　had　been　fancying　that　her
alienated　lover　Christopher　was　in　the　back　rows　to…night；　but；　as
far　as　could　now　be　observed；　the　hopeful　supposition　was　a　false
one。

When　she　got　round　to　the　back　again；　a　man　came　forward。　　It　was
Ladywell；　whom　she　had　spoken　to　already　that　evening。　　'Allow　me　to
bring　you　your　note…book；　Mrs。　Petherwin：　　I　think　you　had　forgotten
it；'　he　said。　　'I　assure　you　that　nobody　has　handled　it　but　myself。'

Ethelberta　thanked　him；　and　took　the　book。　　'I　use　it　to　look　into
between　the　parts；　in　case　my　memory　should　fail　me；'　she　explained。
'I　remember　that　I　did　lay　it　down；　now　you　remind　me。'

Ladywell　had　apparently　more　to　say；　and　moved　by　her　side　towards
the　carriage；　but　she　declined　the　arm　he　offered；　and　said　not
another　word　till　he　went　on；　haltingly：

'Your　triumph　to…night　was　very　great；　and　it　was　as　much　a　triumph
to　me　as　to　you；　I　cannot　express　my　feelingI　cannot　say　half　that
I　would。　　If　I　might　only'

'Thank　you　much；'　said　Ethelberta；　with　dignity。　　'Thank　you　for
bringing　my　book；　but　I　must　go　home　now。　　I　know　that　you　will　see
that　it　is　not　necessary　for　us　to　be　talking　here。'

'Yesyou　are　quite　right；'　said　the　repressed　young　painter；　struck
by　her　seriousness。　　'Blame　me；　I　ought　to　have　known　better。　　But
perhaps　a　manwell；　I　will　say　ita　lover　without　indiscretion　is
no　lover　at　all。　　Circumspection　and　devotion　are　a　contradiction　in
terms。　　I　saw　that；　and　hoped　that　I　might　speak　without　real　harm。'

'You　calculated　how　to　be　uncalculating；　and　are　natural　by　art！'
she　said；　with　the　slightest　accent　of　sarcasm。　　'But　pray　do　not
attend　me　furtherit　is　not　at　all　necessary　or　desirable。　　My　maid
is　in　the　carriage。'　　She　bowed；　turned；　and　entered　the　vehicle；
seating　herself　beside　Picotee。

'It　was　harsh！'　said　Ladywell　to　himself；　as　he　looked　after　the
retreating　carriage。　　'I　was　a　fool；　but　it　was　harsh。　　Yet　what　man
on　earth　likes　a　woman　to　show　too　great　a　readiness　at　first？　　She
is　right：　　she　would　be　nothing　without　repulse！'　　And　he　moved　away
in　an　opposite　direction。

'What　man　was　that？'　said　Picotee；　as　they　drove　along。

'Oa　mere　Mr。　Ladywell：　　a　painter　of　good　family；　to　whom　I　have
been　sitting　for　what　he　calls　an　Idealization。　　He　is　a　dreadful
simpleton。'

'Why　did　you　choose　him？'

'I　did　not：　　he　chose　me。　　But　his　silliness　of　behaviour　is　a
hopeful　sign　for　the　picture。　　I　have　seldom　known　a　man　cunning
with　his　brush　who　was　not　simple　with　his　tongue；　or；　indeed；　any
skill　in　particular　that　was　not　allied　to　general　stupidity。'

'Your　own　skill　is　not　like　that；　is　it；　Berta？'

'In　menin　men。　　I　don't　mean　in　women。　　How　childish　you　are！'

The　slight　depression　at　finding　that　Christopher　was　not　present；
which　had　followed　Ethelberta's　public　triumph　that　evening；　was
covered　over；　if　not　removed；　by　Ladywell's　declaration；　and　she
reached　home　serene　in　spirit。　　That　she　had　not　the　slightest
notion　of　accepting　the　impulsive　painter　made　little　difference；　a
lover's　arguments　being　apt　to　affect　a　lady's　mood　as　much　by
measure　as　by　weight。　　A　useless　declaration　like　a　rare　china
teacup　with　a　hole　in　it；　has　its　ornamental　value　in　enlarging　a
collection。

No　sooner　had　they　entered　the　house　than　Mr。　Julian's　card　was
discovered；　and　Joey　informed　them　that　he　had　come　particularly　to
speak　with　Ethelberta；　quite　forgetting　that　it　was　her　evening　for
tale…telling。

This　was　real　delight；　for　between　her　excitements　Ethelberta　had
been　seriously　sick…hearted　at　the　horrible　possibility　of　his　never
calling　again。　　But　alas！　for　Christopher。　　There　being　nothing　like
a　dead　silence　for　getting　one's　off…hand　sweetheart　into　a　corner；
there　is　nothing　like　prematurely　ending　it　for　getting　into　that
corner　one's　self。

'Now　won't　I　punish　him　for　daring　to　stay　away　so　long！'　she
exclaimed　as　soon　as　she　got　upstairs。　　'It　is　as　bad　to　show
constancy　in　your　manners　as　fickleness　in　your　heart　at　such　a　time
as　this。'

'But　I　thought　honesty　was　the　best　policy？'　said　Picotee。

'So　it　is；　for　the　man's　purpose。　　But　don't　you　go　believing　in
sayings；　Picotee：　　they　are　all　made　by　men；　for　their　own
advantages。　　Women　who　use　public　proverbs　as　a　guide　through　events
are　those　who　have　not　ingenuity　enough　to　make　private　ones　as　each
event　occurs。'

She　sat　down；　and　rapidly　wrote　a　line　to　Mr。　Julian：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'EXONBURY　CRESCENT。

'I　return　from　Mayfair　Hall　to　find　you　have　called。　　You　will；　I
know；　be　good　enough　to　forgive　my　saying　what　seems　an　unfriendly
thing；　when　I　assure　you　that　the　circumstances　of　my　peculiar
situation　make　it　desirable；　if　not　necessary。　　It　is　that　I　beg　you
not　to　give　me　the　pleasure　of　a　visit　from　you　for　some　lit