the hand of ethelberta-第15章

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


these　people　from　their　own　level　now；　it　is　not　much　that　I　can
tell　you　in　seeing　them　only　from　the　under　side；　though　I　see
strange　things　sometimes；　and　of　course

　　　　　〃What　great　ones　do　the　less　will　prattle　of；〃

as　it　says　in　that　book　of　select　pieces　that　you　gave　me。

'Well；　my　dear　girl；　I　hope　you　will　prosper。　　One　thing　above　all
others　you'll　have　to　mind；　and　it　is　that　folk　must　continually
strain　to　advance　in　order　to　remain　where　they　are：　　and　you
particularly。　　But　as　for　trying　too　hard；　I　wouldn't　do　it。　　Much
lies　in　minding　this；　that　your　best　plan　for　lightness　of　heart　is
to　raise　yourself　a　little　higher　than　your　old　mates；　but　not　so
high　as　to　be　quite　out　of　their　reach。　　All　human　beings　enjoy
themselves　from　the　outside；　and　so　getting　on　A　LITTLE　has　this
good　in　it；　you　still　keep　in　your　old　class　where　your　feelings
are；　and　are　thoughtfully　treated　by　this　class：　　while　by　getting
on　TOO　MUCH　you　are　sneered　at　by　your　new　acquaintance；　who　don't
know　the　skill　of　your　rise；　and　you　are　parted　from　and　forgot　by
the　old　ones　who　do。　　Whatever　happens；　don't　be　too　quick　to　feel。
You　will　surely　get　some　hard　blows　when　you　are　found　out；　for　if
the　great　can　find　no　excuse　for　hitting　with　a　mind；　they'll　do　it
and　say　'twas　in　fun。　　But　you　are　young　and　healthy；　and　youth　and
health　are　power。　　I　wish　I　could　have　a　decent　footman　here　with
me；　but　I　suppose　it　is　no　use　trying。　　It　is　such　men　as　these　that
provoke　the　contempt　we　get。　　Well；　thank　God　a　few　years　will　see
the　end　of　me；　for　I　am　growing　ashamed　of　my　companyso　different
as　they　are　to　the　servants　of　old　times。Your　affectionate　father；
R。　CHICKEREL。

'P。S。Do　not　press　Lady　Petherwin　any　further　to　remove　the　rules
on　which　you　live　with　her。　　She　is　quite　right：　　she　cannot　keep
us；　and　to　recognize　us　would　do　you　no　good；　nor　us　either。　　We　are
content　to　see　you　secretly；　since　it　is　best　for　you。'



8。　CHRISTOPHER'S　LODGINGS　…　THE　GROUNDS　ABOUT　ROOKINGTON

Meanwhile；　in　the　distant　town　of　Sandbourne；　Christopher　Julian　had
recovered　from　the　weariness　produced　by　his　labours　at　the　Wyndway
evening…party　where　Ethelberta　had　been　a　star。　　Instead　of　engaging
his　energies　to　clear　encumbrances　from　the　tangled　way　of　his　life；
he　now　set　about　reading　the　popular　'Metres　by　E。'　with　more
interest　and　assiduity　than　ever；　for　though　Julian　was　a　thinker　by
instinct；　he　was　a　worker　by　effort　only；　and　the　higher　of　these
kinds　being　dependent　upon　the　lower　for　its　exhibition；　there　was
often　a　lamentable　lack　of　evidence　of　his　power　in　either。　　It　is　a
provoking　correlation；　and　has　conduced　to　the　obscurity　of　many　a
genius。

'Kit；'　said　his　sister；　on　reviving　at　the　end　of　the　bad　headache
which　had　followed　the　dance；　'those　poems　seem　to　have　increased　in
value　with　you。　　The　lady；　lofty　as　she　appears　to　be；　would　be
flattered　if　she　only　could　know　how　much　you　study　them。　　Have　you
decided　to　thank　her　for　them？　　Now　let　us　talk　it　overI　like
having　a　chat　about　such　a　pretty　new　subject。'

'I　would　thank　her　in　a　moment　if　I　were　absolutely　certain　that　she
had　anything　to　do　with　sending　them；　or　even　writing　them。　　I　am
not　quite　sure　of　that　yet。'

'How　strange　that　a　woman　could　bring　herself　to　write　those
verses！'

'Not　at　all　strangethey　are　natural　outpourings。'

Faith　looked　critically　at　the　remoter　caverns　of　the　fire。

'Why　strange？'　continued　Christopher。　　'There　is　no　harm　in　them。'

'O　nono　harm。　　But　I　cannot　explain　to　youunless　you　see　it
partly　of　your　own　accordthat　to　write　them　she　must　be　rather　a
fast　ladynot　a　bad　fast　lady；　a　nice　fast　lady；　I　mean；　of　course。
There；　I　have　said　it　now；　and　I　daresay　you　are　vexed　with　me；　for
your　interest　in　her　has　deepened　to　what　it　originally　was；　I
think。　　I　don't　mean　any　absolute　harm　by　〃fast；〃　Kit。'

'Bold；　forward；　you　mean；　I　suppose？'

Faith　tried　to　hit　upon　a　better　definition　which　should　meet　all
views；　and；　on　failing　to　do　so；　looked　concerned　at　her　brother's
somewhat　grieved　appearance；　and　said；　helplessly；　'Yes；　I　suppose　I
do。'

'My　idea　of　her　is　quite　the　reverse。　　A　poetess　must　intrinsically
be　sensitive；　or　she　could　never　feel：　　but　then；　frankness　is　a
rhetorical　necessity　even　with　the　most　modest；　if　their
inspirations　are　to　do　any　good　in　the　world。　　You　will；　for
certain；　not　be　interested　in　something　I　was　going　to　tell　you；
which　I　thought　would　have　pleased　you　immensely；　but　it　is　not
worth　mentioning　now。'

'If　you　will　not　tell　me；　never　mind。　　But　don't　be　crabbed；　Kit！
You　know　how　interested　I　am　in　all　your　affairs。'

'It　is　only　that　I　have　composed　an　air　to　one　of　the　prettiest　of
her　songs；　〃When　tapers　tall〃but　I　am　not　sure　about　the　power　of
it。　　This　is　how　it　beginsI　threw　it　off　in　a　few　minutes；　after
you　had　gone　to　bed。'

He　went　to　the　piano　and　lightly　touched　over　an　air；　the　manuscript
copy　of　which　he　placed　in　front　of　him；　and　listened　to　hear　her
opinion；　having　proved　its　value　frequently；　for　it　was　not　that　of
a　woman　merely；　but　impersonally　human。　　Though　she　was　unknown　to
fame；　this　was　a　great　gift　in　Faith；　since　to　have　an　unsexed
judgment　is　as　precious　as　to　be　an　unsexed　being　is　deplorable。

'It　is　very　fair　indeed；'　said　the　sister；　scarcely　moving　her　lips
in　her　great　attention。　　'Now　again；　and　again；　and　again。　　How
could　you　do　it　in　the　time！'

Kit　knew　that　she　admired　his　performance：　　passive　assent　was　her
usual　praise；　and　she　seldom　insisted　vigorously　upon　any　view　of
his　compositions　unless　for　purposes　of　emendation。

'I　was　thinking　that；　as　I　cannot　very　well　write　to　her；　I　may　as
well　send　her　this；'　said　Christopher；　with　lightened　spirits；　voice
to　correspond；　and　eyes　likewise；　'there　can　be　no　objection　to　it；
for　such　things　are　done　continually。　　Consider　while　I　am　gone；
Faith。　　I　shall　be　out　this　evening　for　an　hour　or　two。'

When　Christopher　left　the　house　shortly　after；　instead　of　going　into
the　town　on　some　errand；　as　was　customary　whenever　he　went　from　home
after　dark；　he　ascended　a　back　street；　passed　over　the　hills　behind；
and　walked　at　a　brisk　pace　inland　along　the　road　to　Rookington　Park；
where；　as　he　had　learnt；　Ethelberta　and　Lady　Petherwin　were　staying
for　a　time；　the　day　or　two　which　they　spent　at　Wyndway　having　formed
a　short　break　in　the　middle　of　this　visit。　　The　moon　was　shining　to…
night；　and　Christopher　sped　onwards　over　the　pallid　high…road　as
readily　as　he　could　have　done　at　noonday。　　In　three…quarters　of　an
hour　he　reached　the　park　gates；　and　entering　now　upon　a　tract　which
he　had　never　before　explored；　he　went　along　more　cautiously　and　with
some　uncertainty　as　to　the　precise　direction　that　the　road　would
take。　　A　frosted　expanse　of　even　grass；　on　which　the　shadow　of　his
head　appeared　with　an　opal　halo　round　it；　soon　allowed　the　house　to
be　discovered　beyond；　the　other　portions　of　the　park　abounding　with
timber　older　and　finer　than　that　of　any　other　spot　in　the
neighbourhood。　　Christopher　withdrew　into　the　shade；　and　wheeled
round　to　the　front　of　the　building　that　contained　his　old　love。
Here　he　gazed　and　idled；　as　many　a　man　has　done　before　him
wondering　which　room　the　fair　poetess　occupied；　waiting　till　lights
began　to　appear　in　the　upper　windowswhich　they　did　as　uncertainly
as　glow…worms　blinking　up　at　eventideand　warming　with　currents　of
revived　feeling　in　perhaps　the　sweetest　of　all　conditions。　　New　love
is　brightest；　and　long　love　is　greatest；　but　revived　love　is　the
tenderest　thing　known　upon　earth。

Occupied　thus；　Christopher　was　greatly　surprised　to　see；　on　casually
glancing　to　one　side；　another　man　standing　close　to　the　shadowy
trunk　of　another　tree；　in　a　similar　attitude　to　his　own；　gazing；
with　arms　folded；　as　blankly　at　the　windows　of　the　house　as
Christopher　himself　had　been　gazing。　　Not　willing　to　be　discovered；
Christopher　stuck　closer　to　his　tree。　　While　he　waited　thus；　the
stranger　began　murmuring　words；　in　a　slow　soft　voice。　　Christopher
listened　till　he　heard　the　following：

　　　　　'Pale　was　the　day　and　rayless；　love；
　　　　　　　　　　　That　had　an　eve