the hand of ethelberta-第33章

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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　little
time；　for　unhappily　the　frequency　of　your　kind　calls　has　been
noticed；　and　I　am　now　in　fear　that　we　may　be　talked　about
invidiouslyto　the　injury　of　us　both。　　The　town；　or　a　section　of
it；　has　turned　its　bull's…eye　upon　me　with　a　brightness　which　I　did
not　in　the　least　anticipate；　and　you　will；　I　am　sure；　perceive　how
indispensable　it　is　that　I　should　be　circumspect。Yours　sincerely；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　E。　PETHERWIN。'



21。　A　STREET　…　NEIGH'S　ROOMS　…　CHRISTOPHER'S　ROOMS

As　soon　as　Ethelberta　had　driven　off　from　the　Hall；　Ladywell　turned
back　again；　and；　passing　the　front　entrance；　overtook　his
acquaintance　Mr。　Neigh；　who　had　been　one　of　the　last　to　emerge。　　The
two　were　going　in　the　same　direction；　and　they　walked　a　short
distance　together。

'Has　anything　serious　happened？'　said　Neigh；　noticing　an　abstraction
in　his　companion。　　'You　don't　seem　in　your　usual　mood　to…night。'

'O；　it　is　only　that　affair　between　us；'　said　Ladywell。

'Affair？　　Between　you　and　whom？'

'Her　and　myself；　of　course。　　It　will　be　in　every　fellow's　mouth　now；
I　suppose！'

'Butnot　anything　between　yourself　and　Mrs。　Petherwin？'

'A　mere　nothing。　　But　surely　you　started；　Neigh；　when　you　suspected
it　just　this　moment？'

'Noyou　merely　fancied　that。'

'Did　she　not　speak　well　to…night！　　You　were　in　the　room；　I　believe？'

'Yes；　I　just　turned　in　for　half…an…hour：　　it　seems　that　everybody
does；　so　I　thought　I　must。　　But　I　had　no　idea　that　you　were　feeble
that　way。'

'It　is　very　kind　of　you；　Neighupon　my　word　it　isvery　kind；　and
of　course　I　appreciate　the　delicacy　whichwhich'

'What's　kind？'

'I　mean　your　well…intentioned　plan　for　making　me　believe　that
nothing　is　known　of　this。　　But　stories　will　of　course　get　wind；　and
if　our　attachment　has　made　more　noise　in　the　world　than　I　intended
it　should；　and　causes　any　public　interest；　whyha…ha！it　must。
There　is　some　little　romance　in　it　perhaps；　and　people　will　talk　of
matters　of　that　sort　between　individuals　of　any　reputelittle　as
that　is　with　one　of　the　pair。'

'Of　course　they　willof　course。　　You　are　a　rising　man；　remember；
whom　some　day　the　world　will　delight　to　honour。'

'Thank　you　for　that；　Neigh。　　Thank　you　sincerely。'

'Not　at　all。　　It　is　merely　justice　to　say　it；　and　one　must　he
generous　to　deserve　thanks。'

'Ha…ha！that's　very　nicely　put；　and　undeserved　I　am　sure。　　And　yet
I　need　a　word　of　that　sort　sometimes！'

'Genius　is　proverbially　modest。'

'Pray　don't；　NeighI　don't　deserve　it；　indeed。　　Of　course　it　is
well　meant　in　you　to　recognize　any　slight　powers；　but　I　don't
deserve　it。　　Certainly；　my　self…assurance　was　never　too　great。　　'Tis
the　misfortune　of　all　children　of　art　that　they　should　be　so
dependent　upon　any　scraps　of　praise　they　can　pick　up　to　help　them
along。'

'And　when　that　child　gets　so　deep　in　love　that　you　can　only　see　the
whites　of　his　eyes'

'Ahnow；　Neighdon't；　I　say！'

'But　why　did'

'Why　did　I　love　her？'

'Yes；　why　did　you　love　h