the hand of ethelberta- 第14部分

'Scarcely；'　replied　the　other　man。　　'Established　writers　of　music　do
not　expend　their　energies　upon　new　verse　until　they　find　that　such
verse　is　likely　to　endure；　for　should　the　poet　be　soon　forgotten；
their　labour　is　in　some　degree　lost。'

'Artful　dogswho　would　have　thought　it？'　said　Neigh；　just　as　an
exercise　in　words；　and　they　drew　nearer　to　the　piano；　less　to　become
listeners　to　the　singing　than　to　be　spectators　of　the　scene　in　that
quarter。　　But　among　some　others　the　interest　in　the　songs　seemed　to
be　very　great；　and　it　was　unanimously　wished　that　the　young　lady　who
had　practised　the　different　pieces　of　music　privately　would　sing
some　of　them　now　in　the　order　of　their　composers'　reputations。　　The
musical　persons　in　the　room　unconsciously　resolved　themselves　into　a
committee　of　taste。

One　and　another　had　been　tried；　when；　at　the　end　of　the　third；　a
lady　spoke　to　Ethelberta。

'Now；　Mrs。　Petherwin；'　she　said；　gracefully　throwing　back　her　face；
'your　opinion　is　by　far　the　most　valuable。　　In　which　of　the　cases　do
you　consider　the　marriage　of　verse　and　tune　to　have　been　most
successful？'

Ethelberta；　finding　these　and　other　unexpected　calls　made　upon
herself；　came　to　the　front　without　flinching。

'The　sweetest　and　the　best　that　I　like　by　far；'　she　said；　'is　none
of　these。　　It　is　one　which　reached　me　by　post　only　this　morning　from
a　place　in　Wessex；　and　is　written　by　an　unheard…of　man　who　lives
somewhere　down　therea　man　who　will　be；　nevertheless；　heard　a　great
deal　of　some　day；　I　hopethink。　　I　have　only　practised　it　this
afternoon；　but；　if　one's　own　judgment　is　worth　anything；　it　is　the
best。'

'Let　us　have　your　favourite；　by　all　means；'　said　another　friend　of
Ethelberta's　who　was　presentMrs。　Doncastle。

'I　am　so　sorry　that　I　cannot　oblige　you；　since　you　wish　to　hear　it；'
replied　the　poetess　regretfully；　'but　the　music　is　at　home。　　I　had
not　received　it　when　I　lent　the　others　to　Miss　Belmaine；　and　it　is
only　in　manuscript　like　the　rest。'

'Could　it　not　be　sent　for？'　suggested　an　enthusiast　who　knew　that
Ethelberta　lived　only　in　the　next　street；　appealing　by　a　look　to
her；　and　then　to　the　mistress　of　the　house。

'Certainly；　let　us　send　for　it；'　said　that　lady。　　A　footman　was　at
once　quietly　despatched　with　precise　directions　as　to　where
Christopher's　sweet　production　might　be　found。

'Whatis　there　going　to　be　something　interesting？'　asked　a　young
married　friend　of　Mrs。　Napper；　who　had　returned　to　her　original
spot。

'Yesthe　best　song　she　has　written　is　to　be　sung　in　the　best　manner
to　the　best　air　that　has　been　composed　for　it。　　I　should　not　wonder
if　she　were　going　to　sing　it　herself。'

'Did　you　know　anything　of　Mrs。　Petherwin　until　her　name　leaked　out
in　connection　with　these　ballads？'

'No；　but　I　think　I　recollect　seeing　her　once　before。　　She　is　one　of
those　people　who　are　known；　as　one　may　say；　by　subscription：
everybody　knows　a　little；　till　she　is　astonishingly　well　known
altogether；　but　nobody　knows　her　entirely。　　She　was　the　orphan　child
of　some　clergyman；　I　believe。　　Lady　Petherwin；　her　mother…in…law；
has　been　taking　her　about　a　great　deal　latterly。'

'She　has　apparently　a　very　good　prospect。'

'Yes；　and　it　is　through　her　being　of　that　curious　undefined
character　which　interprets　itself　to　each　admirer　as　whatever　he
would　like　to　have　it。　　Old　men　like　her　because　she　is　so　girlish；
youths　because　she　is　womanly；　wicked　men　because　she　is　good　in
their　eyes；　good　men　because　she　is　wicked　in　theirs。'

'She　must　be　a　very　anomalous　sort　of　woman；　at　that　rate。'

'Yes。　　Like　the　British　Constitution；　she　owes　her　success　in
practice　to　her　inconsistencies　in　principle。'

'These　poems　must　have　set　her　up。　　She　appears　to　be　quite　the
correct　spectacle。　　Happy　Mrs。　Petherwin！'

The　subject　of　their　dialogue　was　engaged　in　a　conversation　with
Mrs。　Belmaine　upon　the　management　of　householdsa　theme　provoked　by
a　discussion　that　was　in　progress　in　the　pages　of　some　periodical　of
the　time。　　Mrs。　Belmaine　was　very　full　of　the　argument；　and　went　on
from　point　to　point　till　she　came　to　servants。

The　face　of　Ethelberta　showed　caution　at　once。

'I　consider　that　Lady　Plamby　pets　her　servants　by　far　too　much；'
said　Mrs。　Belmaine。　　'O；　you　do　not　know　her？　　Well；　she　is　a　woman
with　theories；　and　she　lends　her　maids　and　men　books　of　the　wrong
kind　for　their　station；　and　sends　them　to　picture　exhibitions　which
they　don't　in　the　least　understandall　for　the　improvement　of　their
taste；　and　morals；　and　nobody　knows　what　besides。　　It　only　makes
them　dissatisfied。'

The　face　of　Ethelberta　showed　venturesomeness。　　'Yes；　and　dreadfully
ambitious！'　she　said。

'Yes；　indeed。　　What　a　turn　the　times　have　taken！　　People　of　that
sort　push　on；　and　get　into　business；　and　get　great　warehouses；　until
at　last；　without　ancestors；　or　family；　or　name；　or　estate'

'Or　the　merest　scrap　of　heirloom　or　family　jewel。'

'Or　heirlooms；　or　family　jewels；　they　are　thought　as　much　of　as　if
their　forefathers　had　glided　unobtrusively　through　the　peerage'

'Ever　since　the　first　edition。'

'Yes。'　　Mrs。　Belmaine；　who　really　sprang　from　a　good　old　family；　had
been　going　to　say；　'for　the　last　seven　hundred　years；'　but　fancying
from　Ethelberta's　addendum　that　she　might　not　date　back　more　than　a
trifling　century　or　so；　adopted　the　suggestion　with　her　usual　well…
known　courtesy；　and　blushed　down　to　her　locket　at　the　thought　of　the
mistake　that　she　might　have　made。　　This　sensitiveness　was　a　trait　in
her　character　which　gave　great　gratification　to　her　husband；　and；
indeed；　to　all　who　knew　her。

'And　have　you　any　theory　on　the　vexed　question　of　servant…
government？'　continued　Mrs。　Belmaine；　smiling。　　'But　nothe　subject
is　of　far　too　practical　a　nature　for　one　of　your　bent；　of　course。'

'O　noit　is　not　at　all　too　practical。　　I　have　thought　of　the　matter
often；'　said　Ethelberta。　　'I　think　the　best　plan　would　be　for
somebody　to　write　a　pamphlet；　〃The　Shortest　Way　with　the　Servants；〃
just　as　there　was　once　written　a　terribly　stinging　one；　〃The
Shortest　Way　with　the　Dissenters；〃　which　had　a　great　effect。'

'I　have　always　understood　that　that　was　written　by　a　dissenter　as　a
satire　upon　the　Church？'

'Ahso　it　was：　　but　the　example　will　do　to　illustrate　my　meaning。'

'Quite　soI　understandso　it　will；'　said　Mrs。　Belmaine；　with
clouded　faculties。

Meanwhile　Christopher's　music　had　arrived。　　An　accomplished
gentleman　who　had　every　musical　talent　except　that　of　creation；
scanned　the　notes　carefully　from　top　to　bottom；　and　sat　down　to
accompany　the　singer。　　There　was　no　lady　present　of　sufficient
confidence　or　skill　to　venture　into　a　song　she　had　never　seen
before；　and　the　only　one　who　had　seen　it　was　Ethelberta　herself；　she
did　not　deny　having　practised　it　the　greater　part　of　the　afternoon；
and　was　very　willing　to　sing　it　now　if　anybody　would　derive　pleasure
from　the　performance。　　Then　she　began；　and　the　sweetness　of　her
singing　was　such　that　even　the　most　unsympathetic　honoured　her　by
looking　as　if　they　would　be　willing　to　listen　to　every　note　the　song
contained　if　it　were　not　quite　so　much　trouble　to　do　so。　　Some　were
so　interested　that；　instead　of　continuing　their　conversation；　they
remained　in　silent　consideration　of　how　they　would　continue　it　when
she　had　finished；　while　the　particularly　civil　people　arranged　their
countenances　into　every　attentive　form　that　the　mind　could　devise。
One　emotional　gentleman　looked　at　the　corner　of　a　chair　as　if；　till
that　moment；　such　an　object　had　never　crossed　his　vision　before；　the
movement　of　his　finger　to　the　imagined　tune　was；　for　a　deaf　old
clergyman；　a　perfect　mine　of　interest；　whilst　a　young　man　from　the
country　was　powerless　to　put　an　end　to　an　enchanted　gaze　at　nothing
at　all　in　the　exact　middle　of　the　room　before　him。　　Neigh；　and　the
general　phalanx　of　cool　men　and　celebrated　club　yawners；　were　so
much　affected　that　they　raised　their　chronic　look　of　great　objection
to　things；　to　an　expression　of　scarcely　any　objection　at　all。

'What　makes　it　so　interesting；'　said　Mrs。　Doncastle　to　Ethelberta；
when　the　song　was　over　and　she　had　retired　from　the　focus　of　the
company；　'is；　that　it　is　played　from　the　composer's　own　copy；　which
has　never　met　the　public　eye；　or　any　other　than　his　own　before　to…
day。　　And　I　see　that　he　has　actually　sketched　in　the　lines　by　hand；
instead　of　having　ruled　paperjust　as　the　great　old　composers　used
to　do。　　You　must　have　been　as　pleased　to　get　it　fresh　from　the
stocks　like　that　as　he　probably　was　pleased　to　get　your　thanks。'

Ethelberta　became　reflective。　　She　had　not　thanked　Christopher；
moreover；　she　had　decided；　after　some　consideration；　that　she　ought
not　to　thank　him。　　What　new　thoughts　were　suggested　by　that　remark
of　Mrs。　Doncastle's；　and　what　new　inclination　resulted　from　the
public　presentation　of　his　tune　and　her　words　as　parts　of　one
organic　whole；　are　best　explained　by　describing　her　doings　at　a
later　hour；　when；　having　left　her　friends　somewhat　early；　she　had
reached　home　and　retired　from　public　view　for　that　evening。

Ethelberta　went　to　her　room；　sent　away　the　maid　who　did　double　duty
for　herself　and　Lady　Petherwin；　walked　in　circles　about　the　carpet
till　the　fire　had　grown　haggard　and　cavernous；　sighed；　took　a　sheet
of　paper　and　wrote：

'DEAR　MR。　JULIAN；I　have　said　I　would　not　write：　　I　have　said　it
twice；　but　discretion；　under　some　circumstances；　is　only　another
name　for　unkindness。　　Before　thanking　you　for　your　sweet　gift；　let
me　tell　you　in　a　few　words　of　something　which　may　materially　change
an　aspect　of　affairs　under　which　I　appear　to　you　to　deserve　it。

'With　regard　to　my　history　and　origin　you　are　altogether　mistaken；
and　how　can　I　tell　whether　your　bitterness　at　my　previous　silence　on
those　points　may　not　cause　you　to　withdraw　your　act　of　courtesy　now？
But　the　gratification　of　having　at　last　been　honest　with　you　may
compensate　even　for　the　loss　of　your　respect。

'The　matter　is　a　small　one　to　tell；　after　all。　　What　will　you　say　on
learning　that　I　am　not　the　trodden…down　〃lady　by　birth〃　that　you
have　supposed　me？　　That　my　father　is　not　dead；　as　you　probably
imagine；　that　he　is　working　for　his　living　as　one　among　a　pecu