the man between-第24章

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rn　to　America。　But　as　this　suggestion　did　not　bring　from　any　member　of　the　Rawdon　family　the　invitation　hoped　for；　it　was　not　acted　upon。　He　told　himself　the　expense　would　be　great；　and　the　Hall；　in　spite　of　all　he　could　do　in　the　interim；　would　look　poor　and　shabby　compared　with　Rawdon　Court；　so　he　put　aside　the　proposal　on　the　ground　that　he　could　not　persuade　his　aunt　to　do　the　entertaining　necessary。　And　for　all　the　irritation　and　humiliations　centering　round　his　loss　of　Rawdon　and　his　inabilities　with　regard　to　Dora　he　blamed　Ethel。　He　was　sure　if　he　had　been　more　lovable　and　encouraging　he　could　have　married　her；　and　thus　finally　reached　Rawdon　Court；　and　then；　with　all　the　unreason　imaginable；　nursed　a　hearty　dislike　to　her　because　she　would　not　understand　his　desires；　and　provide　means　for　their　satisfaction。　The　bright；　joyous　girl　with　her　loving　heart；　her　abounding　vitality；　and　constant　cheerfulness；　made　him　angry。　In　none　of　her　excellencies　he　had　any　share；　consequently　he　hated　her。

He　would　have　quickly　returned　to　London；　but　Dora　and　her　husband　were　staying　with　the　Stanhopes；　and　her　letters　from　Stanhope　Castle　were　lachrymose　complaints　of　the　utter　weariness　and　dreariness　of　life　there　the　preaching　and　reading　aloud；　the　regular　walking　and　drivingall　the　innocent　method　of　lives　which　recognized　they　were　here　for　some　higher　purpose　than　mere　physical　enjoyment。　And　it　angered　Mostyn　that　neither　Ruth　nor　Ethel　felt　any　sympathy　for　Dora's　ennui；　and　proposed　no　means　of　releasing　her　from　it。　He　considered　them　both　disgustingly　selfish　and　ill…　natured；　and　was　certain　that　all　their　reluctance　at　Dora's　presence　arose　from　their　jealousy　of　her　beauty　and　her　enchanting　grace。

On　the　afternoon　of　the　day　preceding　the　intended　entertainment　Ruth；　Ethel；　and　the　Squire　were　in　the　great　dining…room　superintending　its　decoration。　They　were　merrily　laughing　and　chatting；　and　were　not　aware　of　the　arrival　of　any　visitors　until　Mrs。　Nicholas　Rawdon's　rosy；　good…natured　face　appeared　at　the　open　door。　Everyone　welcomed　her　gladly；　and　the　Squire　offered　her　a　seat。

〃Nay；　Squire；〃　she　said；　〃I'm　come　to　ask　a　favor；　and　I　won't　sit　till　I　know　whether　I　get　it　or　not；　for　if　I　don't　get　it；　I　shall　say　good…by　as　quickly　as　I　can。　Our　John　Thomas　came　home　this　morning　and　his　friend　with　him；　and　I　want　invitations　for　the　young　men；　both　of　them。　My　great　pleasure　lies　that　wayif　you'll　give　it　to　me。〃

〃Most　gladly；〃　answered　the　Squire；　and　Ethel　immediately　went　for　the　necessary　passports。　When　she　returned　she　found　Mrs。　Nicholas　helping　Ruth　and　the　Squire　to　arrange　the　large　silver　and　cut　crystal　on　the　sideboard；　and　talking　at　the　same　time　with　unabated　vivacity。

〃Yes；〃　she　was　saying；　〃the　lads　would　have　been　here　two　days　ago；　but　they　stayed　in　London　to　see　some　American　lady　married。　John　Thomas's　friend　knew　her。　She　was　married　at　the　Ambassador's　house。　A　fine　affair　enough；　but　it　bewilders　me　this　taking　up　marriage　without　priest　or　book。　It's　a　new　commission。　The　Church's　warrant；　it　seems；　is　out　of　date。　It　may　be　right'　it　may　be　legal；　but　I　told　John　Thomas　if　he　ever　got　himself　married　in　that　kind　of　a　way；　he　wouldn't　have　father　or　me　for　witnesses。〃

〃I　am　glad；〃　said　the　Squire；　〃that　the　young　men　are　home　in　time　for　our　dance。　The　young　like　such　things。〃

〃To　be　sure　they　do。　John　Thomas　wouldn't　give　me　a　moment's　rest　till　I　came　here。　I　didn't　want　to　come。　I　thought　John　Thomas　should　come　himself；　and　I　told　him　plainly　that　I　was　ready　to　do　anyone　a　favor　if　I　could；　but　if　he　wanted　me　to　come　because　he　was　afraid　to　come　himself；　I　was　just　as　ready　to　shirk　the　journey。　And　he　laughed　and　said　he　was　not　feared　for　any　woman　living；　but　he　did　want　to　make　his　first　appearance　in　his　best　clothesand　that　was　natural；　wasn't　it？　So　I　came　for　the　two　lads。〃　Then　she　looked　at　the　girls　with　a　smile；　and　said　in　a　comfortable　kind　of　way：　〃You'll　find　them　very　nice　lads；　indeed。　I　can　speak　for　John　Thomas；　I　have　taken　his　measure　long　since；　and　as　far　as　I　can　judge　his　friend；　Nature　went　about　some　full　work　when　she　made　a　man　of　him。　He's　got　a　sweet　temper；　and　a　strong　mind；　and　a　straight　judgment；　if　I　know　anything　about　menwhich　Nicholas　sometimes　makes　me　think　I　don't。　But　Nicholas　isn't　an　ordinary　man；　he's　what　you　call　‘an　exception。'〃　Then　shaking　her　head　at　Ethel；　she　continued　reprovingly：　〃You　were　neither　of　you　in　church　Sunday。　I　know　some　young　women　who　went　to　the　parish　churchMethodists　they　arespecially　to　see　your　new　hats。　There's　some　talk　about　them；　I　can　tell　you；　and　the　village　milliner　is　pestered　to　copy　them。　She　keeps　her　eyes　open　for　you。　You　disappointed　a　lot　of　people。　You　ought　to　go　to　church　in　the　country。　It's　the　most　respectable　thing　you　can　do。〃

〃We　were　both　very　tired；〃　said　Ruth；　〃and　the　sun　was　hot；　and　we　had　a　good　Sabbath　at　home。　Ethel　read　the　Psalms；　Epistle　and　Gospel　for　the　day；　and　the　Squire　gave　us　some　of　the　grandest　organ　music　I　ever　heard。〃

〃Well；　well！　Everyone　knows　the　Squire　is　a　grand　player。　I　don't　suppose　there　is　another　to　match　him　in　the　whole　world；　and　the　old　feeling　about　church…going　is　getting　slack　among　the　young　people。　They　serve　God　now　very　much　at　their　ease。〃

〃Is　not　that　better　than　serving　Him　on　compulsion？〃　asked　Ruth。

〃I　dare　say。　I'm　no　bigot。　I　was　brought　up　an　Independent；　and　went　to　their　chapel　until　I　married　Nicholas　Rawdon。　My　fa…　ther　was　a　broad…thinking　man。　He　never　taught　me　to　locate　God　in　any　building；　and　I'm　sure　I　don't　believe　our　parish　church　is　His　dwelling…place。　If　it　is；　they　ought　to　mend　the　roof　and　put　a　new　carpet　down　and　make　things　cleaner　and　more　respectable。　Well；　Squire；　you　have　silver　enough　to　tempt　all　the　rogues　in　Yorkshire；　and　there's　a　lot　of　them。　But　now　I've　seen　it；　I'll　go　home　with　these　bits　of　paper。　I　shall　be　a　very　important　woman　to…night。　Them　two　lads　won't　know　how　to　fleech　and　flatter　me　enough。　I'll　be　waited　on　hand　and　foot。　And　Nicholas　will　get　a　bit　of　a　set…down。　He　was　bragging　about　Miss　Ethel　bringing　his　invitation　to　his　hand　and　promising　to　dance　with　him。　I　wouldn't　do　it　if　I　were　Miss　Ethel。　She'll　find　out；　if　she　does；　what　it　means　to　dance　with　a　man　that　weighs　twenty　stone；　and　who　has　never　turned　hand　nor　foot　to　anything　but　money…making　for　thirty　years。〃

She　went　away　with　a　sweep　and　a　rustle　of　her　shimmering　silk　skirt；　and　left　behind　her　such　an　atmosphere　of　hearty　good…nature　as　made　the　last　rush　and　crowd　of　preparations　easily　ordered　and　quickly　accomplished。　Before　her　arrival　there　had　been　some　doubt　as　to　the　weather。　She　brought　the　shining　sun　with　her；　and　when　he　set；　he　left　them　with　the　promise　of　a　splendid　to…morrowa　promise　amply　redeemed　when　the　next　day　dawned。　Indeed；　the　sunshine　was　so　brilliant；　the　garden　so　gay　and　sweet；　the　lawn　so　green　and　firm；　the　avenues　so　shady　and　full　of　wandering　songs；　that　it　was　resolved　to　hold　the　preliminary　reception　out　of　doors。　Ethel　and　Ruth　were　to　receive　on　the　lawn；　and　at　the　open　hall　door　the　Squire　would　wait　to　welcome　his　guests。

Soon　after　five　o'clock　there　was　a　brilliant　crowd　wandering　and　resting　in　the　pleasant　spaces；　and　Ethel；　wearing　a　diaphanously　white　robe　and　carrying　a　rush　basket　full　of　white　carnations；　was　moving　among　them　distributing　the　flowers。　She　was　thus　the　center　of　a　little　laughing；　bantering　group　when　the　Nicholas　Rawdon　party　arrived。　Nicholas　remained　with　the　Squire；　Mrs。　Rawdon　and　the　young　men　went　toward　Ethel。　Mrs。　Rawdon　made　a　very　handsome　appearance〃an　aristocratic　Britannia　in　white　liberty　silk　and　old　lace；〃　whispered　Ruth；　and　Ethel　looked　up　quickly；　to　meet　her　merry　eyes　full　of　some　unexplained　triumph。　In　truth；　the　proud　mother　was　anticipating　a　great　pleasure；　not　only　in　the　presentation　of　her　adored　son；　but　also　in　the　curiosity　and　astonishment　she　felt　sure　would　be　evoked　by　his　friend。　So；　with　the　boldness　of　one　who　brings　happy　tidings；　she　pressed　forward。　Ethel　saw　her　approach；　and　went　to　meet　her。　Suddenly　her　steps　were　arrested。　An　extraordinary　thing　was　going　t