the hand of ethelberta-第58章

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being　ashamed　of　the　ass；　she　said　in　her　heart；　'My　God；　what　a
thing　am　I！'

They　then　all　moved　on　to　another　part　of　the　castle；　the　viscount
busying　himself　round　and　round　her　person　like　the　head　scraper　at
a　pig…killing；　and　as　they　went　indiscriminately　mingled；　jesting
lightly　or　talking　in　earnest；　she　beheld　ahead　of　her　the　form　of
Neigh　among　the　rest。

Now；　there　could　only　be　one　reason　on　earth　for　Neigh's　presence
her　remark　that　she　might　attendfor　Neigh　took　no　more　interest　in
antiquities　than　in　the　back　of　the　moon。　　Ethelberta　was　a　little
flurried；　perhaps　he　had　come　to　scold　her；　or　to　treat　her　badly　in
that　indefinable　way　of　his　by　which　he　could　make　a　woman　feel　as
nothing　without　any　direct　act　at　all。　　She　was　afraid　of　him；　and；
determining　to　shun　him；　was　thankful　that　Lord　Mountclere　was　near；
to　take　off　the　edge　of　Neigh's　manner　towards　her　if　he　approached。

'Do　you　know　in　what　part　of　the　ruins　the　lecture　is　to　be　given？'
she　said　to　the　viscount。

'Wherever　you　like；'　he　replied　gallantly。　　'Do　you　propose　a　place；
and　I　will　get　Dr。　Yore　to　adopt　it。　　Say；　shall　it　be　here；　or
where　they　are　standing？'

How　could　Ethelberta　refrain　from　exercising　a　little　power　when　it
was　put　into　her　hands　in　this　way？

'Let　it　be　here；'　she　said；　'if　it　makes　no　difference　to　the
meeting。'

'It　shall　be；'　said　Lord　Mountclere。

And　then　the　lively　old　nobleman　skipped　like　a　roe　to　the　President
and　to　Dr。　Yore；　who　was　to　read　the　paper　on　the　castle；　and　they
soon　appeared　coming　back　to　where　the　viscount's　party　and
Ethelberta　were　beginning　to　seat　themselves。　　The　bulk　of　the
company　followed；　and　Dr。　　Yore　began。

He　must　have　had　a　countenance　of　leatheras；　indeed；　from　his
colour　he　appeared　to　haveto　stand　unmoved　in　his　position；　and
read；　and　look　up　to　give　explanations；　without　a　change　of　muscle；
under　the　dozens　of　bright　eyes　that　were　there　converged　upon　him；
like　the　sticks　of　a　fan；　from　the　ladies　who　sat　round　him　in　a
semicircle　upon　the　grass。　　However；　he　went　on　calmly；　and　the
women　sheltered　themselves　from　the　heat　with　their　umbrellas　and
sunshades；　their　ears　lulled　by　the　hum　of　insects；　and　by　the　drone
of　the　doctor's　voice。　　The　reader　buzzed　on　with　the　history　of　the
castle；　tracing　its　development　from　a　mound　with　a　few　earthworks
to　its　condition　in　Norman　times；　he　related　monkish　marvels
connected　with　the　spot；　its　resistance　under　Matilda　to　Stephen；
its　probable　shape　while　a　residence　of　King　John；　and　the　sad　story
of　the　Damsel　of　Brittany；　sister　of　his　victim　Arthur；　who　was
confined　here　in　company　with　the　two　daughters　of　Alexander；　king
of　Scotland。　　He　went　on　to　recount　the　confinement　of　Edward　II。
herein；　previous　to　his　murder　at　Berkeley；　the　gay　doings　in　the
reign　of　Elizabeth；　and　so　downward　through　time　to　the　final
overthrow　of　the　stern　old　pile。　　As　he　proceeded；　the　lecturer
pointed　with　his　finger　at　the　various　features　appertaining　to　the
date　of　his　story；　which　he　told　with　splendid　vigour　when　he　had
warmed　to　his　work；　till　his　narrative；　particularly　in　the
conjectural　and　romantic　parts；　where　it　became　coloured　rather　by
the　speaker's　imagination　than　by　the　pigments　of　history；　gathered
together　the　wandering　thoughts　of　all。　　It　was　easy　for　him　then　to
meet　those　fair　concentred　eyes；　when　the　sunshades　were　thrown
back；　and　complexions　forgotten；　in　the　interest　of　the　history。
The　doctor's　face　was　then　no　longer　criticized　as　a　rugged　boulder；
a　dried　fig；　an　oak　carving；　or　a　walnut　shell；　but　became　blotted
out　like　a　mountain　top　in　a　shining　haze　by　the　nebulous　pictures
conjured　by　his　tale。

Then　the　lecture　ended；　and　questions　were　asked；　and　individuals　of
the　company　wandered　at　will；　the　light　dresses　of　the　ladies
sweeping　over　the　hot　grass　and　brushing　up　thistledown　which　had
hitherto　lain　quiescent；　so　that　it　rose　in　a　flight　from　the　skirts
of　each　like　a　comet's　tail。

Some　of　Lord　Mountclere's　party；　including　himself　and　Ethelberta；
wandered　now　into　a　cool　dungeon；　partly　open　to　the　air　overhead；
where　long　arms　of　ivy　hung　between　their　eyes　and　the　white　sky。
While　they　were　here；　Lady　Jane　Joy　and　some　other　friends　of　the
viscount　told　Ethelberta　that　they　were　probably　coming　on　to
Knollsea。

She　instantly　perceived　that　getting　into　close　quarters　in　that　way
might　be　very　inconvenient；　considering　the　youngsters　she　had　under
her　charge；　and　straightway　decided　upon　a　point　that　she　had
debated　for　several　daysa　visit　to　her　aunt　in　Normandy。　　In
London　it　had　been　a　mere　thought；　but　the　Channel　had　looked　so
tempting　from　its　brink　that　the　journey　was　virtually　fixed　as　soon
as　she　reached　Knollsea；　and　found　that　a　little　pleasure　steamer
crossed　to　Cherbourg　once　a　week　during　the　summer；　so　that　she
would　not　have　to　enter　the　crowded　routes　at　all。

'I　am　afraid　I　shall　not　see　you　in　Knollsea；'　she　said。　　'I　am
about　to　go　to　Cherbourg　and　then　to　Rouen。'

'How　sorry　I　am。　　When　do　you　leave？'

'At　the　beginning　of　next　week；'　said　Ethelberta；　settling　the　time
there　and　then。

'Did　I　hear　you　say　that　you　were　going　to　Cherbourg　and　Rouen？'
Lord　Mountclere　inquired。

'I　think　to　do　so；'　said　Ethelberta。

'I　am　going　to　Normandy　myself；'　said　a　voice　behind　her；　and
without　turning　she　knew　that　Neigh　was　standing　there。

They　next　went　outside；　and　Lord　Mountclere　offered　Ethelberta　his
arm　on　the　ground　of　assisting　her　down　the　burnished　grass　slope。
Ethelberta；　taking　pity　upon　him；　took　it；　but　the　assistance　was
all　on　her　side；　she　stood　like　a　statue　amid　his　slips　and
totterings；　some　of　which　taxed　her　strength　heavily；　and　her
ingenuity　more；　to　appear　as　the　supported　and　not　the　supporter。
The　incident　brought　Neigh　still　further　from　his　retirement；　and
she　learnt　that　he　was　one　of　a　yachting　party　which　had　put　in　at
Knollsea　that　morning；　she　was　greatly　relieved　to　find　that　he　was
just　now　on　his　way　to　London；　whence　he　would　probably　proceed　on
his　journey　abroad。

Ethelberta　adhered　as　well　as　she　could　to　her　resolve　that　Neigh
should　not　speak　with　her　alone；　but　by　dint　of　perseverance　he　did
manage　to　address　her　without　being　overheard。

'Will　you　give　me　an　answer？'　said　Neigh。　　'I　have　come　on　purpose。'

'I　cannot　just　now。　　I　have　been　led　to　doubt　you。'

'Doubt　me？　　What　new　wrong　have　I　done？'

'Spoken　jestingly　of　my　visit　to　Farnfield。'

'Good　…！　　I　did　not　speak　or　think　of　you。　　When　I　told　that
incident　I　had　no　idea　who　the　lady　wasI　did　not　know　it　was　you
till　two　days　later；　and　I　at　once　held　my　tongue。　　I　vow　to　you
upon　my　soul　and　life　that　what　I　say　is　true。　　How　shall　I　prove　my
truth　better　than　by　my　errand　here？'

'Don't　speak　of　this　now。　　I　am　so　occupied　with　other　things。　　I　am
going　to　Rouen；　and　will　think　of　it　on　my　way。'

'I　am　going　there　too。　　When　do　you　go？'

'I　shall　be　in　Rouen　next　Wednesday；　I　hope。'

'May　I　ask　where？'

'Hotel　Beau　Sejour。'

'Will　you　give　me　an　answer　there？　　I　can　easily　call　upon　you。　　It
is　now　a　month　and　more　since　you　first　led　me　to　hope'

'I　did　not　lead　you　to　hopeat　any　rate　clearly。'

'Indirectly　you　did。　　And　although　I　am　willing　to　be　as　considerate
as　any　man　ought　to　be　in　giving　you　time　to　think　over　the
question；　there　is　a　limit　to　my　patience。　　Any　necessary　delay　I
will　put　up　with；　but　I　won't　be　trifled　with。　　I　hate　all　nonsense；
and　can't　stand　it。'

'Indeed。　　Good　morning。'

'But　Mrs。　Petherwinjust　one　word。'

'I　have　nothing　to　say。'

'I　will　meet　you　at　Rouen　for　an　answer。　　I　would　meet　you　in　Hades
for　the　matter　of　that。　　Remember　this：　　next　Wednesday；　if　I　live；
I　shall　call　upon　you　at　Rouen。'

She　did　not　say　nay。

'May　I？'　he　added。

'If　you　will。'

'But　say　it　shall　be　an　appointment？'

'Very　well。'

Lord　Mountclere　was　by　this　time　toddling　towards　them　to　ask　if
they　would　come　on　to　his　house；　Enckworth　Court；　not　very　far
distant；　to　lunch　with　the　rest　of　the　party。　　Neigh；　having　already
arranged　to　go　on　to　town　that　afternoon；　was　obliged　to　decline；
and　Ethelberta　t