the hand of ethelberta-第16章

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listened　till　he　heard　the　following：

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

Two　well…known　lines　from　one　of　Ethelberta's　poems。

Jealousy　is　a　familiar　kind　of　heat　which　disfigures；　licks
playfully；　clouds；　blackens；　and　boils　a　man　as　a　fire　does　a　pot；
and　on　recognizing　these　pilferings　from　what　he　had　grown　to　regard
as　his　own　treasury；　Christopher's　fingers　began　to　nestle　with
great　vigour　in　the　palms　of　his　hands。　　Three　or　four　minutes
passed；　when　the　unknown　rival　gave　a　last　glance　at　the　windows；
and　walked　away。　　Christopher　did　not　like　the　look　of　that　walk　at
allthere　was　grace　enough　in　it　to　suggest　that　his　antagonist　had
no　mean　chance　of　finding　favour　in　a　woman's　eyes。　　A　sigh；　too；
seemed　to　proceed　from　the　stranger's　breast；　but　as　their　distance
apart　was　too　great　for　any　such　sound　to　be　heard　by　any
possibility；　Christopher　set　down　that　to　imagination；　or　to　the
brushing　of　the　wind　over　the　trees。

The　lighted　windows　went　out　one　by　one；　and　all　the　house　was　in
darkness。　　Julian　then　walked　off　himself；　with　a　vigour　that　was
spasmodic　only；　and　with　much　less　brightness　of　mind　than　he　had
experienced　on　his　journey　hither。　　The　stranger　had　gone　another
way；　and　Christopher　saw　no　more　of　him。　　When　he　reached
Sandbourne；　Faith　was　still　sitting　up。

'But　I　told　you　I　was　going　to　take　a　long　walk；'　he　said。

'No；　Christopher：　　really　you　did　not。　　How　tired　and　sad　you　do
lookthough　I　always　know　beforehand　when　you　are　in　that　state：
one　of　your　feet　has　a　drag　about　it　as　you　pass　along　the　pavement
outside　the　window。'

'Yes；　I　forgot　that　I　did　not　tell　you。'

He　could　not　begin　to　describe　his　pilgrimage：　　it　was　too　silly　a
thing　even　for　her　to　hear　of。

'It　does　not　matter　at　all　about　my　staying　up；'　said　Faith
assuringly；　'that　is；　if　exercise　benefits　you。　　Walking　up　and　down
the　lane；　I　suppose？'

'No；　not　walking　up　and　down　the　lane。'

'The　turnpike…road　to　Rookington　is　pleasant。'

'Faith；　that　is　really　where　I　have　been。　　How　came　you　to　know？'

'I　only　guessed。　　Verses　and　an　accidental　meeting　produce　a　special
journey。'

'Ethelberta　is　a　fine　woman；　physically　and　mentally；　both。　　I
wonder　people　do　not　talk　about　her　twice　as　much　as　they　do。'

'Then　surely　you　are　getting　attached　to　her　again。　　You　think　you
discover　in　her　more　than　anybody　else　does；　and　love　begins　with　a
sense　of　superior　discernment。'

'No；　no。　　That　is　only　nonsense；'　he　said　hurriedly。　　'However；　love
her　or　love　her　not；　I　can　keep　a　corner　of　my　heart　for　you；　Faith。
There　is　another　brute　after　her　too；　it　seems。'

'Of　course　there　is：　　I　expect　there　are　many。　　Her　position　in
society　is　above　ours；　so　that　it　is　an　unwise　course　to　go
troubling　yourself　more　about　her。'

'No。　　If　a　needy　man　must　be　so　foolish　as　to　fall　in　love；　it　is
best　to　do　so　where　he　cannot　double　his　foolishness　by　marrying　the
woman。'

'I　don't　like　to　hear　you　talk　so　slightingly　of　what　poor　father
did。'

Christopher　fixed　his　attention　on　the　supper。　　That　night；　late　as
it　was；　when　Faith　was　in　bed　and　sleeping；　he　sat　before　a　sheet　of
music…paper；　neatly　copying　his　composition　upon　it。　　The　manuscript
was　intended　as　an　offering　to　Ethelberta　at　the　first　convenient
opportunity。



'Well；　after　all　my　trouble　to　find　out　about　Ethelberta；　here　comes
the　clue　unasked　for；'　said　the　musician　to　his　sister　a　few　days
later。

She　turned　and　saw　that　he　was　reading　the　Wessex　Reflector。

'What　is　it？'　asked　Faith。

'The　secret　of　the　true　authorship　of　the　book　is　out　at　last；　and
it　is　Ethelberta　of　course。　　I　am　so　glad　to　have　it　proved　hers。'

'But　can　we　believe？'

'O　yes。　　Just　hear　what　〃Our　London　Correspondent〃　says。　　It　is　one
of　the　nicest　bits　of　gossip　that　he　has　furnished　us　with　for　a
long　time。'

'Yes：　　now　read　it；　do。'

'〃The　author　of　'Metres　by　E。'〃'　Christopher　began；　'〃a　book　of
which　so　much　has　been　said　and　conjectured；　and　one；　in　fact；　that
has　been　the　chief　talk　for　several　weeks　past　of　the　literary
circles　to　which　I　belong；　is　a　young　lady　who　was　a　widow　before
she　reached　the　age　of　eighteen；　and　is　now　not　far　beyond　her
fourth　lustrum。　　I　was　additionally　informed　by　a　friend　whom　I　met
yesterday　on　his　way　to　the　House　of　Lords；　that　her　name　is　Mrs。
PetherwinChristian　name　Ethelberta；　and　that　she　resides　with　her
mother…in…law　at　their　house　in　Exonbury　Crescent。　　She　is；
moreover；　the　daughter　of　the　late　Bishop　of　Silchester　（if　report
may　be　believed）；　whose　active　benevolence；　as　your　readers　know；
left　his　family　in　comparatively　straitened　circumstances　at　his
death。　　The　marriage　was　a　secret　one；　and　much　against　the　wish　of
her　husband's　friends；　who　are　wealthy　people　on　all　sides。　　The
death　of　the　bridegroom　two　or　three　weeks　after　the　wedding　led　to
a　reconciliation；　and　the　young　poetess　was　taken　to　the　home　which
she　still　occupies；　devoted　to　the　composition　of　such　brilliant
effusions　as　those　the　world　has　lately　been　favoured　with　from　her
pen。〃'

'If　you　want　to　send　her　your　music；　you　can　do　so　now；'　said　Faith。

'I　might　have　sent　it　before；　but　I　wanted　to　deliver　it　personally。
However；　it　is　all　the　same　now；　I　suppose；　whether　I　send　it　or
not。　　I　always　knew　that　our　destinies　would　lie　apart；　though　she
was　once　temporarily　under　a　cloud。　　Her　momentary　inspiration　to
write　that　〃Cancelled　Words〃　was　the　worst　possible　omen　for　me。　　It
showed　that；　thinking　me　no　longer　useful　as　a　practical　chance；　she
would　make　me　ornamental　as　a　poetical　regret。　　But　I'll　send　the
manuscript　of　the　song。'

'In　the　way　of　business；　as　a　composer　only；　and　you　must　say　to
yourself；　〃Ethelberta；　as　thou　art　but　woman；　I　dare；　but　as　widow　I
fear　thee。〃'

Notwithstanding　Christopher's　affected　carelessness；　that　evening
saw　a　great　deal　of　nicety　bestowed　upon　the　operation　of　wrapping
up　and　sending　off　the　song。　　He　dropped　it　into　the　box　and　heard
it　fall；　and　with　the　curious　power　which　he　possessed　of　setting
his　wisdom　to　watch　any　particular　folly　in　himself　that　it　could
not　hinder；　speculated　as　he　walked　on　the　result　of　this　first
tangible　step　of　return　to　his　old　position　as　Ethelberta's　lover。



9。　A　LADY'S　DRAWING…ROOMS　…　ETHELBERTA'S　DRESSING…ROOM

It　was　a　house　on　the　north　side　of　Hyde　Park；　between　ten　and
eleven　in　the　evening；　and　several　intelligent　and　courteous　people
had　assembled　there　to　enjoy　themselves　as　far　as　it　was　possible　to
do　so　in　a　neutral　wayall　carefully　keeping　every　variety　of
feeling　in　a　state　of　solution；　in　spite　of　any　attempt　such
feelings　made　from　time　to　time　to　crystallize　on　interesting
subjects　in　hand。

'Neigh；　who　is　that　charming　woman　with　her　head　built　up　in　a　novel
way　even　for　hair　architecturethe　one　with　her　back　towards　us？'
said　a　man　whose　coat　fitted　doubtfully　to　a　friend　whose　coat
fitted　well。

'Just　going　to　ask　for　the　same　information；'　said　Mr。　Neigh；
determining　the　very　longest　hair　in　his　beard　to　an　infinitesimal
nicety　by　drawing　its　lower　portion　through　his　fingers。　　'I　have
quite　forgottencannot　keep　people's　names　in　my　head　at　all；　nor
could　my　father　eithernor　any　of　my　familya　very　odd　thing。　　But
my　old　friend　Mrs。　Napper　knows　for　certain。'　　And　he　turned　to　one
of　a　small　group　of　middle…aged　persons　near；　who；　instead　of
skimming　the　surface　of　things　in　general；　like　the　rest　of　the
company；　were　going　into　the　very　depths　of　them。

'Othat　is　the　celebrated　Mrs。　Petherwin；　the　woman　who　makes
rhymes　and　prints　'em；'　said　Mrs。　Napper；　in　a　detached　sentence；
and　then　continued　talking　again　to　those　on　the　other　side　of　her。

The　two　loungers　went　on　with　their　observations　of　Ethelberta's
headdress；　which；　though　not　extraordinary　or　eccentric；　did
certainly　convey　an　idea　of　indefinable　novelty。　　Observers　were
sometimes　half　inclined　to　think　that　her　cuts　and　modes　were
acquired　by　some　secret　communication　with　the　mysterious　clique
which　orders　the　livery　of　the　fashionable　world；　forand　it
affords　a　parallel　to　cases　in　which　clever　think