the hand of ethelberta-第5章

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Christopher　took　the　package　upstairs；　opened　it　with　curiosity；　and
discovered　within　a　green　volume　of　poems；　by　an　anonymous　writer；
the　title…page　bearing　the　inscription；　'Metres　by　E。'　　The　book　was
new；　though　it　was　cut；　and　it　appeared　to　have　been　looked　into。
The　young　man；　after　turning　it　over　and　wondering　where　it　came
from；　laid　it　on　the　table　and　went　his　way；　being　in　haste　to
fulfil　his　engagements　for　the　day。

In　the　evening；　on　returning　home　from　his　occupations；　he　sat
himself　down　cosily　to　read　the　newly…arrived　volume。　　The　winds　of
this　uncertain　season　were　snarling　in　the　chimneys；　and　drops　of
rain　spat　themselves　into　the　fire；　revealing　plainly　that　the　young
man's　room　was　not　far　enough　from　the　top　of　the　house　to　admit　of
a　twist　in　the　flue；　and　revealing　darkly　a　little　more；　if　that
social　rule…of…three　inverse；　the　higher　in　lodgings　the　lower　in
pocket；　were　applicable　here。　　However；　the　aspect　of　the　room；
though　homely；　was　cheerful；　a　somewhat　contradictory　group　of
furniture　suggesting　that　the　collection　consisted　of　waifs　and
strays　from　a　former　home；　the　grimy　faces　of　the　old　articles
exercising　a　curious　and　subduing　effect　on　the　bright　faces　of　the
new。　　An　oval　mirror　of　rococo　workmanship；　and　a　heavy　cabinet…
piano　with　a　cornice　like　that　of　an　Egyptian　temple；　adjoined　a
harmonium　of　yesterday；　and　a　harp　that　was　almost　as　new。　　Printed
music　of　the　last　century；　and　manuscript　music　of　the　previous
evening；　lay　there　in　such　quantity　as　to　endanger　the　tidiness　of　a
retreat　which　was　indeed　only　saved　from　a　chronic　state　of　litter
by　a　pair　of　hands　that　sometimes　played；　with　the　lightness　of
breezes；　about　the　sewing…machine　standing　in　a　remote　cornerif
any　corner　could　be　called　remote　in　a　room　so　small。

Fire　lights　and　shades　from　the　shaking　flames　struck　in　a　butterfly
flutter　on　the　underparts　of　the　mantelshelf；　and　upon　the　reader's
cheek　as　he　sat。　　Presently；　and　all　at　once；　a　much　greater
intentness　pervaded　his　face：　　he　turned　back　again；　and　read　anew
the　subject　that　had　arrested　his　eyes。　　He　was　a　man　whose
countenance　varied　with　his　mood；　though　it　kept　somewhat　in　the
rear　of　that　mood。　　He　looked　sad　when　he　felt　almost　serene；　and
only　serene　when　he　felt　quite　cheerful。　　It　is　a　habit　people
acquire　who　have　had　repressing　experiences。

A　faint　smile　and　flush　now　lightened　his　face；　and　jumping　up　he
opened　the　door　and　exclaimed；　'Faith！　will　you　come　here　for　a
moment？'

A　prompt　step　was　heard　on　the　stairs；　and　the　young　person
addressed　as　Faith　entered　the　room。　　She　was　small　in　figure；　and
bore　less　in　the　form　of　her　features　than　in　their　shades　when
changing　from　expression　to　expression　the　evidence　that　she　was　his
sister。

'FaithI　want　your　opinion。　　But；　stop；　read　this　first。'　　He　laid
his　finger　upon　a　page　in　the　book；　and　placed　it　in　her　hand。

The　girl　drew　from　her　pocket　a　little　green…leather　sheath；　worn　at
the　edges　to　whity…brown；　and　out　of　that　a　pair　of　spectacles；
unconsciously　looking　round　the　room　for　a　moment　as　she　did　so；　as
if　to　ensure　that　no　stranger　saw　her　in　the　act　of　using　them。
Here　a　weakness　was　uncovered　at　once；　it　was　a　small；　pretty；　and
natural　one；　indeed；　as　weaknesses　go　in　the　great　world；　it　might
almost　have　been　called　a　commendable　trait。　　She　then　began　to
read；　without　sitting　down。

These　'Metres　by　E。'　composed　a　collection　of　soft　and　marvellously
musical　rhymes；　of　a　nature　known　as　the　vers　de　societe。　　The　lines
presented　a　series　of　playful　defences　of　the　supposed　strategy　of
womankind　in　fascination；　courtship；　and　marriagethe　whole　teeming
with　ideas　bright　as　mirrors　and　just　as　unsubstantial；　yet　forming
a　brilliant　argument　to　justify　the　ways　of　girls　to　men。　　The
pervading　characteristic　of　the　mass　was　the　means　of　forcing　into
notice；　by　strangeness　of　contrast；　the　single　mournful　poem　that
the　book　contained。　　It　was　placed　at　the　very　end；　and　under　the
title　of　'Cancelled　Words；'　formed　a　whimsical　and　rather　affecting
love…lament；　somewhat　in　the　tone　of　many　of　Sir　Thomas　Wyatt's
poems。　　This　was　the　piece　which　had　arrested　Christopher's
attention；　and　had　been　pointed　out　by　him　to　his　sister　Faith。

'It　is　very　touching；'　she　said；　looking　up。

'What　do　you　think　I　suspect　about　itthat　the　poem　is　addressed　to
me！　　Do　you　remember；　when　father　was　alive　and　we　were　at　Solentsea
that　season；　about　a　governess　who　came　there　with　a　Sir　Ralph
Petherwin　and　his　wife；　people　with　a　sickly　little　daughter　and　a
grown…up　son？'

'I　never　saw　any　of　them。　　I　think　I　remember　your　knowing　something
about　a　young　man　of　that　name。'

'Yes；　that　was　the　family。　　Well；　the　governess　there　was　a　very
attractive　woman；　and　somehow　or　other　I　got　more　interested　in　her
than　I　ought　to　have　done　（this　is　necessary　to　the　history）；　and　we
used　to　meet　in　romantic　placesandand　that　kind　of　thing；　you
know。　　The　end　of　it　was；　she　jilted　me　and　married　the　son。'

'You　were　anxious　to　get　away　from　Solentsea。'

'Was　I？　　Then　that　was　chiefly　the　reason。　　Well；　I　decided　to　think
no　more　of　her；　and　I　was　helped　to　do　it　by　the　troubles　that　came
upon　us　shortly　afterwards；　it　is　a　blessed　arrangement　that　one
does　not　feel　a　sentimental　grief　at　all　when　additional　grief　comes
in　the　shape　of　practical　misfortune。　　However；　on　the　first
afternoon　of　the　little　holiday　I　took　for　my　walking　tour　last
summer；　I　came　to　Anglebury；　and　stayed　about　the　neighbourhood　for
a　day　or　two　to　see　what　it　was　like；　thinking　we　might　settle　there
if　this　place　failed　us。　　The　next　evening　I　left；　and　walked　across
the　heath　to　Flychettthat's　a　village　about　five　miles　further　on…
…so　as　to　be　that　distance　on　my　way　for　next　morning；　and　while　I
was　crossing　the　heath　there　I　met　this　very　woman。　　We　talked　a
little；　because　we　couldn't　help　ityou　may　imagine　the　kind　of
talk　it　wasand　parted　as　coolly　as　we　had　met。　　Now　this　strange
book　comes　to　me；　and　I　have　a　strong　conviction　that　she　is　the
writer　of　it；　for　that　poem　sketches　a　similar　sceneor　rather
suggests　it；　and　the　tone　generally　seems　the　kind　of　thing　she
would　writenot　that　she　was　a　sad　woman；　either。'

'She　seems　to　be　a　warm…hearted；　impulsive　woman；　to　judge　from
these　tender　verses。'

'People　who　print　very　warm　words　have　sometimes　very　cold　manners。
I　wonder　if　it　is　really　her　writing；　and　if　she　has　sent　it　to　me！'

'Would　it　not　be　a　singular　thing　for　a　married　woman　to　do？　　Though
of　course'（she　removed　her　spectacles　as　if　they　hindered　her　from
thinking；　and　hid　them　under　the　timepiece　till　she　should　go　on
reading）'of　course　poets　have　morals　and　manners　of　their　own；　and
custom　is　no　argument　with　them。　　I　am　sure　I　would　not　have　sent　it
to　a　man　for　the　world！'

'I　do　not　see　any　absolute　harm　in　her　sending　it。　　Perhaps　she
thinks　that；　since　it　is　all　over；　we　may　as　well　die　friends。'

'If　I　were　her　husband　I　should　have　doubts　about　the　dying。　　And
〃all　over〃　may　not　be　so　plain　to　other　people　as　it　is　to　you。'

'Perhaps　not。　　And　when　a　man　checks　all　a　woman's　finer　sentiments
towards　him　by　marrying　her；　it　is　only　natural　that　it　should　find
a　vent　somewhere。　　However；　she　probably　does　not　know　of　my
downfall　since　father's　death。　　I　hardly　think　she　would　have　cared
to　do　it　had　she　known　that。　　（I　am　assuming　that　it　is　Ethelberta
Mrs。　Petherwinwho　sends　it：　　of　course　I　am　not　sure。）　　We　must
remember　that　when　I　knew　her　I　was　a　gentleman　at　ease；　who　had　not
the　least　notion　that　I　should　have　to　work　for　a　living；　and　not
only　so；　but　should　have　first　to　invent　a　profession　to　work　at　out
of　my　old　tastes。'

'Kit；　you　have　made　two　mistakes　in　your　thoughts　of　that　lady。
Even　though　I　don't　know　her；　I　can　show　you　that。　　Now　I'll　tell
you！　the　first　is　in　thinking　that　a　married　lady　would　send　the
book　with　that　poem　in　it　without　at　any　rate　a　slight　doubt　as　to
its　propriety：　　the　second　is　in　supposing　that；　had　she　wished　to
do　it；　she　would　have　given　the　thing　up　because　of　our　misfortunes。
With　a　true　woman　the　second　reason　woul