the hand of ethelberta-第47章

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It　was　a　bright　hope…inspiring　afternoon　in　this　mid…May　time　when
the　carriage　containing　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Belmaine；　Mrs。　Doncastle；　and
Ethelberta；　crept　along　the　encumbered　streets　towards　Barbican；
till　turning　out　of　that　thoroughfare　into　Redcross　Street　they
beheld　the　bold　shape　of　the　old　tower　they　sought；　clothed　in　every
neutral　shade；　standing　clear　against　the　sky；　dusky　and　grim　in　its
upper　stage；　and　hoary　grey　below；　where　every　corner　of　every　stone
was　completely　rounded　off　by　the　waves　of　wind　and　storm。

All　people　were　busy　here：　　our　visitors　seemed　to　be　the　only　idle
persons　the　city　contained；　and　there　was　no　dissonancethere　never
isbetween　antiquity　and　such　beehive　industry；　for　pure　industry；
in　failing　to　observe　its　own　existence　and　aspect；　partakes　of　the
unobtrusive　nature　of　material　things。　　This　intra…mural　stir　was　a
flywheel　transparent　by　excessive　motion；　through　which　Milton　and
his　day　could　be　seen　as　if　nothing　intervened。　　Had　there　been
ostensibly　harmonious　accessories；　a　crowd　of　observing　people　in
search　of　the　poetical；　conscious　of　the　place　and　the　scene；　what　a
discord　would　have　arisen　there！　　But　everybody　passed　by　Milton's
grave　except　Ethelberta　and　her　friends；　and　for　the　moment　the
city's　less　invidious　conduct　appeared　to　her　more　respectful　as　a
practice　than　her　own。

But　she　was　brought　out　of　this　rumination　by　the　halt　at　the　church
door；　and　completely　reminded　of　the　present　by　finding　the　church
open；　and　Neighthe；　till　yesterday；　unimpassioned　Neighwaiting
in　the　vestibule　to　receive　them；　just　as　if　he　lived　there。
Ladywell　had　not　arrived。　　It　was　a　long　time　before　Ethelberta
could　get　back　to　Milton　again；　for　Neigh　was　continuing　to　impend
over　her　future　more　and　more　visibly。　　The　objects　along　the
journey　had　distracted　her　mind　from　him；　but　the　moment　now　was　as
a　direct　renewal　and　prolongation　of　the　declaration…time　yesterday；
and　as　if　in　furtherance　of　the　conclusion　of　the　episode。

They　all　alighted　and　went　in；　the　coachman　being　told　to　take　the
carriage　to　a　quiet　nook　further　on；　and　return　in　half…an…hour。
Mrs。　Belmaine　and　her　carriage　some　years　before　had　accidentally
got　jammed　crosswise　in　Cheapside　through　the　clumsiness　of　the　man
in　turning　up　a　side　street；　blocking　that　great　artery　of　the
civilized　world　for　the　space　of　a　minute　and　a　half；　when　they　were
pounced　upon　by　half…a…dozen　policemen　and　forced　to　back
ignominiously　up　a　little　slit　between　the　houses　where　they　did　not
mean　to　go；　amid　the　shouts　of　the　hindered　drivers；　and　it　was　her
nervous　recollection　of　that　event　which　caused　Mrs。　Belmaine　to　be
so　precise　in　her　directions　now。

By　the　time　that　they　were　grouped　around　the　tomb　the　visit　had
assumed　a　much　more　solemn　complexion　than　any　one　among　them　had
anticipated。　　Ashamed　of　the　influence　that　she　discovered　Neigh　to
be　exercising　over　her；　and　opposing　it　steadily；　Ethelberta　drew
from　her　pocket　a　small　edition　of　Milton；　and　proposed　that　she
should　read　a　few　lines　from　'Paradise　Lost。'　　The　responsibility　of
producing　a　successful　afternoon　was　upon　her　shoulders；　she　was；
moreover；　the　only　one　present　who　could　properly　manage　blank
verse；　and　this　was　sufficient　to　justify　the　proposal。

She　stood　with　her　head　against　the　marble　slab　just　below　the　bust；
and　began　a　selected　piece；　Neigh　standing　a　few　yards　off　on　her
right　looking　into　his　hat　in　order　to　listen　accurately；　Mr。　and
Mrs。　Belmaine　and　Mrs。　Doncastle　seating　themselves　in　a　pew
directly　facing　the　monument。　　The　ripe　warm　colours　of　afternoon
came　in　upon　them　from　the　west；　upon　the　sallow　piers　and　arches；
and　the　infinitely　deep　brown　pews　beneath；　the　aisle　over
Ethelberta's　head　being　in　misty　shade　through　which　glowed　a　lurid
light　from　a　dark…stained　window　behind。　　The　sentences　fell　from
her　lips　in　a　rhythmical　cadence　one　by　one；　and　she　could　be
fancied　a　priestess　of　him　before　whose　image　she　stood；　when　with　a
vivid　suggestiveness　she　delivered　here；　not　many　yards　from　the
central　money…mill　of　the　world；　yet　out　from　the　very　tomb　of　their
author；　the　passage　containing　the　words：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'Mammon　led　them　on；
　　　　　　Mammon；　the　least　erected　spirit　that　fell
　　　　　　From　heaven。'

When　she　finished　reading　Ethelberta　left　the　monument；　and　then
each　one　present　strayed　independently　about　the　building；
Ethelberta　turning　to　the　left　along　the　passage　to　the　south　door。
Neighfrom　whose　usually　apathetic　face　and　eyes　there　had
proceeded　a　secret　smouldering　light　as　he　listened　and　regarded
herfollowed　in　the　same　direction　and　vanished　at　her　heels　into
the　churchyard；　whither　she　had　now　gone。　　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Belmaine
exchanged　glances；　and　instead　of　following　the　pair　they　went　with
Mrs。　Doncastle　into　the　vestry　to　inquire　of　the　person　in　charge
for　the　register　of　the　marriage　of　Oliver　Cromwell；　which　was
solemnized　here。　　The　church　was　now　quite　empty；　and　its　stillness
was　as　a　vacuum　into　which　an　occasional　noise　from　the　street
overflowed　and　became　rarefied　away　to　nothing。

Something　like　five　minutes　had　passed　when　a　hansom　stopped　outside
the　door；　and　Ladywell　entered　the　porch。　　He　stood　still；　and；
looking　inquiringly　round　for　a　minute　or　two；　sat　down　in　one　of
the　high　pews；　as　if　under　the　impression　that　the　others　had　not
yet　arrived。

While　he　sat　here　Neigh　reappeared　at　the　south　door　opposite；　and
came　slowly　in。　　Ladywell；　in　rising　to　go　to　him；　saw　that　Neigh's
attention　was　engrossed　by　something　he　held　in　his　hand。　　It　was
his　pocket…book；　and　Neigh　was　looking　at　a　few　loose　flower…petals
which　had　been　placed　between　the　pages。　　When　Ladywell　came　forward
Neigh　looked　up；　started；　and　closed　the　book　quickly；　so　that　some
of　the　petals　fluttered　to　the　ground　between　the　two　men。　　They
were　striped；　red　and　white；　and　appeared　to　be　leaves　of　the
Harlequin　rose。

'Ah！　here　you　are；　Ladywell；'　he　said；　recovering　himself。　　'We　had
given　you　up：　　my　aunt　said　that　you　would　not　care　to　come。　　They
are　all　in　the　vestry。'　　How　it　came　to　pass　that　Neigh　designated
those　in　the　vestry　as　'all；'　when　there　was　one　in　the　churchyard；
was　a　thing　that　he　himself　could　hardly　have　explained；　so　much
more　had　it　to　do　with　instinct　than　with　calculation。

'Never　mind　themdon't　interrupt　them；'　said　Ladywell。　　'The　plain
truth　is　that　I　have　been　very　greatly　disturbed　in　mind；　and　I
could　not　appear　earlier　by　reason　of　it。　　I　had　some　doubt　about
coming　at　all。'

'I　am　sorry　to　hear　that。'

'NeighI　may　as　well　tell　you　and　have　done　with　it。　　I　have　found
that　a　lady　of　my　acquaintance　has　two　strings　to　her　bow；　or　I　am
very　much　in　error。'

'WhatMrs。　Petherwin？'　said　Neigh　uneasily。　　'But　I　thought　that
that　fancy　was　over　with　you　long　ago。　　Even　your　acquaintance　with
her　was　at　an　end；　I　thought。'

'In　a　measure　it　is　at　an　end。　　But　let　me　tell　you　that　what　you
call　a　fancy　has　been　anything　but　a　fancy　with　me；　to　be　over　like
a　spring　shower。　　To　speak　plainly；　Neigh；　I　consider　myself　badly
used　by　that　woman；　damn　badly　used。'

'Badly　used？'　said　Neigh　mechanically；　and　wondering　all　the　time　if
Ladywell　had　been　informed　that　Ethelberta　was　to　be　one　of　the
party　to…day。

'Well；　I　ought　not　to　talk　like　that；'　said　Ladywell；　adopting　a
lighter　tone。　　'All　is　fair　in　courtship；　I　suppose；　now　as　ever。
Indeed；　I　mean　to　put　a　good　face　upon　it：　　if　I　am　beaten；　I　am。
But　it　is　very　provoking；　after　supposing　matters　to　be　going　on
smoothly；　to　find　out　that　you　are　quite　mistaken。'

'I　told　you　you　were　quite　mistaken　in　supposing　she　cared　for　you。'

'That　is　just　the　point　I　was　not　mistaken　in；'　said　Ladywell
warmly。　　'She　did　care　for　me；　and　I　stood　as　well　with　her　as　any
man　could　stand　until　this　fellow　came；　whoever　he　is。　　I　sometimes
feel　so　disturbed　about　it　that　I　have　a　good　mind　to　call　upon　her
and　ask　his　name。　　Wouldn't　you；　Neigh？　　Will　you　accompany　me？'

'I　would　in　a　moment；　but；　but　I　strongly　advise　you　not　to　go；'
said　Neigh　earnestly。　　'It　would　be　rash；　you　know；　and　rather
unmannerly；　and