the hand of ethelberta-第76章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


cannot　afford　to　buy。　　'But　one　gets　weary　of　repining　about　that。
I　wish　Picotee　and　yourself　could　see　us　oftener；　I　am　as　confirmed
a　bachelor　now　as　Faith　is　an　old　maid。　　I　wonder　ifshould　the
event　you　contemplate　occuryou　and　he　will　ever　visit　us；　or　we
shall　ever　visit　you！'

Christopher　was　evidently　imagining　the　elderly　gentleman　to　be　some
retired　farmer；　or　professional　man　already　so　intermixed　with　the
metamorphic　classes　of　society　as　not　to　be　surprised　or
inconvenienced　by　her　beginnings；　one　who　wished　to　secure
Ethelberta　as　an　ornament　to　his　parlour　fire　in　a　quiet　spirit；　and
in　no　intoxicated　mood　regardless　of　issues。　　She　could　scarcely
reply　to　his　supposition；　and　the　parting　was　what　might　have　been
predicted　from　a　conversation　so　carefully　controlled。

Ethelberta；　as　she　had　intended；　now　went　on　further；　and　entering
the　nave　began　to　inspect　the　sallow　monuments　which　lined　the
grizzled　pile。　　She　did　not　perceive　amid　the　shadows　an　old
gentleman　who　had　crept　into　the　mouldy　place　as　stealthily　as　a
worm　into　a　skull；　and　was　keeping　himself　carefully　beyond　her
observation。　　She　continued　to　regard　feature　after　feature　till　the
choristers　had　filed　in　from　the　south　side；　and　peals　broke　forth
from　the　organ　on　the　black　oaken　mass　at　the　junction　of　nave　and
choir；　shaking　every　cobweb　in　the　dusky　vaults；　and　Ethelberta's
heart　no　less。　　She　knew　the　fingers　that　were　pressing　out　those
rolling　sounds；　and　knowing　them；　became　absorbed　in　tracing　their
progress。　　To　go　towards　the　organ…loft　was　an　act　of
unconsciousness；　and　she　did　not　pause　till　she　stood　almost　beneath
it。

Ethelberta　was　awakened　from　vague　imaginings　by　the　close　approach
of　the　old　gentleman　alluded　to；　who　spoke　with　a　great　deal　of
agitation。

'I　have　been　trying　to　meet　with　you；'　said　Lord　Mountclere。　　'Come；
let　us　be　friends　again！Ethelberta；　I　MUST　not　lose　you！　　You
cannot　mean　that　the　engagement　shall　be　broken　off？'　　He　was　far
too　desirous　to　possess　her　at　any　price　now　to　run　a　second　risk　of
exasperating　her；　and　forbore　to　make　any　allusion　to　the　recent
pantomime　between　herself　and　Christopher　that　he　had　beheld；　though
it　might　reasonably　have　filled　him　with　dread　and　petulance。

'I　do　not　mean　anything　beyond　this；'　said　she；　'that　I　entirely
withdraw　from　it　on　the　faintest　sign　that　you　have　not　abandoned
such　miserable　jealous　proceedings　as　those　you　adopted　to…day。'

'I　have　quite　abandoned　them。　　Will　you　come　a　little　further　this
way；　and　walk　in　the　aisle？　　You　do　still　agree　to　be　mine？'

'If　it　gives　you　any　pleasure；　I　do。'

'Yes；　yes。　　I　implore　that　the　marriage　may　be　soonvery　soon。'
The　viscount　spoke　hastily；　for　the　notes　of　the　organ　which　were
plunging　into　their　ears　ever　and　anon　from　the　hands　of　his　young
rival　seemed　inconveniently　and　solemnly　in　the　way　of　his　suit。

'Well；　Lord　Mountclere？'

'Say　in　a　few　days？it　is　the　only　thing　that　will　satisfy　me。'

'I　am　absolutely　indifferent　as　to　the　day。　　If　it　pleases　you　to
have　it　early　I　am　willing。'

'Dare　I　ask　that　it　may　be　this　week？'　said　the　delighted　old　man。

'I　could　not　say　that。'

'But　you　can　name　the　earliest　day？'

'I　cannot　now。　　We　had　better　be　going　from　here；　I　think。'

The　Cathedral　was　filling　with　shadows；　and　cold　breathings　came
round　the　piers；　for　it　was　November；　when　night　very　soon　succeeds
noon　in　spots　where　noon　is　sobered　to　the　pallor　of　eve。　　But　the
service　was　not　yet　over；　and　before　quite　leaving　the　building
Ethelberta　cast　one　other　glance　towards　the　organ　and　thought　of
him　behind　it。　　At　this　moment　her　attention　was　arrested　by　the
form　of　her　sister　Picotee；　who　came　in　at　the　north　door；　closed
the　lobby…wicket　softly；　and　went　lightly　forward　to　the　choir。
When　within　a　few　yards　of　it　she　paused　by　a　pillar；　and　lingered
there　looking　up　at　the　organ　as　Ethelberta　had　done。　　No　sound　was
coming　from　the　ponderous　mass　of　tubes　just　then；　but　in　a　short
space　a　whole　crowd　of　tones　spread　from　the　instrument　to　accompany
the　words　of　a　response。　　Picotee　started　at　the　burst　of　music　as
if　taken　in　a　dishonest　action；　and　moved　on　in　a　manner　intended　to
efface　the　lover's　loiter　of　the　preceding　moments　from　her　own
consciousness　no　less　than　from　other　people's　eyes。

'Do　you　see　that？'　said　Ethelberta。　　'That　little　figure　is　my
dearest　sister。　　Could　you　but　ensure　a　marriage　between　her　and　him
she　listens　to；　I　would　do　anything　you　wish！'

'That　is　indeed　a　gracious　promise；'　said　Lord　Mountclere。　　'And
would　you　agree　to　what　I　asked　just　now？'

'Yes。'

'When？'　　A　gleeful　spark　accompanied　this。

'As　you　requested。'

'This　week？　　The　day　after　to…morrow？'

'If　you　will。　　But　remember　what　lies　on　your　side　of　the　contract。
I　fancy　I　have　given　you　a　task　beyond　your　powers。'

'Well；　darling；　we　are　at　one　at　last；'　said　Lord　Mountclere；
rubbing　his　hand　against　his　side。　　'And　if　my　task　is　heavy　and　I
cannot　guarantee　the　result；　I　can　make　it　very　probable。　　Marry　me
on　Fridaythe　day　after　to…morrowand　I　will　do　all　that　money　and
influence　can　effect　to　bring　about　their　union。'

'You　solemnly　promise？　　You　will　never　cease　to　give　me　all　the　aid
in　your　power　until　the　thing　is　done？'

'I　do　solemnly　promiseon　the　conditions　named。'

'Very　good。　　You　will　have　ensured　my　fulfilment　of　my　promise
before　I　can　ensure　yours；　but　I　take　your　word。'

'You　will　marry　me　on　Friday！　　Give　me　your　hand　upon　it。'

She　gave　him　her　hand。

'Is　it　a　covenant？'　he　asked。

'It　is；'　said　she。

Lord　Mountclere　warmed　from　surface　to　centre　as　if　he　had　drunk　of
hippocras；　and；　after　holding　her　hand　for　some　moments；　raised　it
gently　to　his　lips。

'Two　days　and　you　are　mine；'　he　said。

'That　I　believe　I　never　shall　be。'

'Never　shall　be？　　Why；　darling？'

'I　don't　know。　　Some　catastrophe　will　prevent　it。　　I　shall　be　dead
perhaps。'

'You　distress　me。　　Ah；you　meant　meyou　meant　that　I　should　be
dead；　because　you　think　I　am　old！　　But　that　is　a　mistakeI　am　not
very　old！'

'I　thought　only　of　myselfnothing　of　you。'

'Yes；　I　know。　　Dearest；　it　is　dismal　and　chilling　herelet　us　go。'

Ethelberta　mechanically　moved　with　him；　and　felt　there　was　no
retreating　now。　　In　the　meantime　the　young　ladykin　whom　the　solemn
vowing　concerned　had　lingered　round　the　choir　screen；　as　if　fearing
to　enter；　yet　loth　to　go　away。　　The　service　terminated；　the　heavy
books　were　closed；　doors　were　opened；　and　the　feet　of　the　few
persons　who　had　attended　evensong　began　pattering　down　the　paved
alleys。　　Not　wishing　Picotee　to　know　that　the　object　of　her　secret
excursion　had　been　discovered；　Ethelberta　now　stepped　out　of　the
west　doorway　with　the　viscount　before　Picotee　had　emerged　from　the
other；　and　they　walked　along　the　path　together　until　she　overtook
them。

'I　fear　it　becomes　necessary　for　me　to　stay　in　Melchester　to…night；'
said　Lord　Mountclere。　　'I　have　a　few　matters　to　attend　to　here；　as
the　result　of　our　arrangements。　　But　I　will　first　accompany　you　as
far　as　Anglebury；　and　see　you　safely　into　a　carriage　there　that
shall　take　you　home。　　To…morrow　I　will　drive　to　Knollsea；　when　we
will　make　the　final　preparations。'

Ethelberta　would　not　have　him　go　so　far　and　back　again；　merely　to
attend　upon　her；　hence　they　parted　at　the　railway；　with　due　and
correct　tenderness；　and　when　the　train　had　gone；　Lord　Mountclere
returned　into　the　town　on　the　special　business　he　had　mentioned；　for
which　there　remained　only　the　present　evening　and　the　following
morning；　if　he　were　to　call　upon　her　in　the　afternoon　of　the　next
daythe　day　before　the　weddingnow　so　recklessly　hastened　on　his
part；　and　so　coolly　assented　to　on　hers。

By　the　time　that　the　two　young　people　had　started　it　was　nearly
dark。　　Some　portions　of　the　railway　stretched　through　little　copses
and　plantations　where；　the　leaf…shedding　season　being　now　at　its
height；　red　and　golden　patches　of　fallen　foliage　lay　on　either　side
of　the　rails；　and　as　the　travellers　passed；　all　these　death…stricken
bodies　boiled　up　in　the　whirlwind　created　by　the　velocity；　and　were
sent　flying　right　and　left　of　them　i