the hand of ethelberta- 第23部分

'No；　I　should　like　it　very　much。'

The　decorations　tended　towards　the　artistic　gymnastics　prevalent　in
some　quarters　at　the　present　day。　　Upon　a　general　flat　tint　of
duck's…egg　green　appeared　quaint　patterns　of　conventional　foliage；
and　birds；　done　in　bright　auburn；　several　shades　nearer　to
redbreast…red　than　was　Ethelberta's　hair；　which　was　thus　thrust
further　towards　brown　by　such　juxtapositiona　possible　reason　for
the　choice　of　tint。　　Upon　the　glazed　tiles　within　the　chimney…piece
were　the　forms　of　owls；　bats；　snakes；　frogs；　mice；　spiders　in　their
webs；　moles；　and　other　objects　of　aversion　and　darkness；　shaped　in
black　and　burnt　in　after　the　approved　fashion。

'My　brothers　Sol　and　Dan　did　most　of　the　actual　work；'　said
Ethelberta；　'though　I　drew　the　outlines；　and　designed　the　tiles
round　the　fire。　　The　flowers；　mice；　and　spiders　are　done　very
simply；　you　know：　　you　only　press　a　real　flower；　mouse；　or　spider
out　flat　under　a　piece　of　glass；　and　then　copy　it；　adding　a　little
more　emaciation　and　angularity　at　pleasure。'

'In　that　〃at　pleasure〃　is　where　all　the　art　lies；'　said　he。

'Well；　yesthat　is　the　case；'　said　Ethelberta　thoughtfully；　and
preceding　him　upstairs；　she　threw　open　a　door　on　one　of　the　floors；
disclosing　Dan　in　person；　engaged　upon　a　similar　treatment　of　this
floor　also。　　Sol　appeared　bulging　from　the　door　of　a　closet；　a
little　further　on；　where　he　was　fixing　some　shelves；　and　both　wore
workmen's　blouses。　　At　once　coming　down　from　the　short　ladder　he　was
standing　upon；　Dan　shook　Christopher's　hand　with　some　velocity。

'We　do　a　little　at　a　time；　you　see；'　he　said；　'because　Colonel　down
below；　and　Mrs。　Petherwin's　visitors；　shan't　smell　the　turpentine。'

'We　be　pushing　on　to…day　to　get　it　out　of　the　way；'　said　Sol；　also
coming　forward　and　greeting　their　visitor；　but　more　reluctantly　than
his　brother　had　done。　　'Now　I'll　tell　ye　whatyou　two；'　he　added；
after　an　uneasy　pause；　turning　from　Christopher　to　Ethelberta　and
back　again　in　great　earnestness；　'you'd　better　not　bide　here；
talking　to　we　rough　ones；　you　know；　for　folks　might　find　out　that
there's　something　closer　between　us　than　workmen　and　employer　and
employer's　friend。　　So　Berta　and　Mr。　Julian；　if　you'll　go　on　and
take　no　more　notice　o'　us；　in　case　of　visitors；　it　would　be　wiser
else；　perhaps；　if　we　should　be　found　out　intimate　with　ye；　and　bring
down　your　gentility；　you'll　blame　us　for　it。　　I　get　as　nervous　as　a
cat　when　I　think　I　may　be　the　cause　of　any　disgrace　to　ye。'

'Don't　be　so　silly；　Sol；'　said　Ethelberta；　laughing。

'Ah；　that's　all　very　well；'　said　Sol；　with　an　unbelieving　smile；
'but　if　we　bain't　company　for　you　out　of　doors；　you　bain't　company
for　we　withinnot　that　I　find　fault　with　ye　or　mind　it；　and　shan't
take　anything　for　painting　your　house；　nor　will　Dan　neither；　any
more　for　thatno；　not　a　penny；　in　fact；　we　are　glad　to　do　it　for
'ee。　　At　the　same　time；　you　keep　to　your　class；　and　we'll　keep　to
ours。　　And　so；　good　afternoon；　Berta；　when　you　like　to　go；　and　the
same　to　you；　Mr。　Julian。　　Dan；　is　that　your　mind？'

'I　can　but　own　it；'　said　Dan。

The　two　brothers　then　turned　their　backs　upon　their　visitors；　and
went　on　working；　and　Ethelberta　and　her　lover　left　the　room。　　'My
brothers；　you　perceive；'　said　she；　'represent　the　respectable
British　workman　in　his　entirety；　and　a　touchy　individual　he　is；　I
assure　you；　on　points　of　dignity；　after　imbibing　a　few　town　ideas
from　his　leaders。　　They　are　painfully　off…hand　with　me；　absolutely
refusing　to　be　intimate；　from　a　mistaken　notion　that　I　am　ashamed　of
their　dress　and　manners；　which；　of　course；　is　absurd。'

'Which；　of　course；　is　absurd；'　said　Christopher。

'Of　course　it　is　absurd！'　she　repeated　with　warmth；　and　looking
keenly　at　him。　　But；　finding　no　harm　in　his　face；　she　continued　as
before：　　'Yet；　all　the　time；　they　will　do　anything　under　the　sun
that　they　think　will　advance　my　interests。　　In　our　hearts　we　are
one。　　All　they　ask　me　to　do　is　to　leave　them　to　themselves；　and
therefore　I　do　so。　　Now；　would　you　like　to　see　some　more　of　your
acquaintance？'

She　introduced　him　to　a　large　attic；　where　he　found　himself　in　the
society　of　two　or　three　persons　considerably　below　the　middle
height；　whose　manners　were　of　that　gushing　kind　sometimes　called
Continental；　their　ages　ranging　from　five　years　to　eight。　　These
were　the　youngest　children；　presided　over　by　Emmeline；　as　professor
of　letters；　capital　and　small。

'I　am　giving　them　the　rudiments　of　education　here；'　said　Ethelberta；
'but　I　foresee　several　difficulties　in　the　way　of　keeping　them　here；
which　I　must　get　over　as　best　I　can。　　One　trouble　is；　that　they
don't　get　enough　air　and　exercise。'

'Is　Mrs。　Chickerel　living　here　as　well？'　Christopher　ventured　to
inquire；　when　they　were　downstairs　again。

'Yes；　but　confined　to　her　room　as　usual；　I　regret　to　say。　　Two　more
sisters　of　mine；　whom　you　have　never　seen　at　all；　are　also　here。
They　are　older　than　any　of　the　rest　of　us；　and　had；　broadly
speaking；　no　education　at　all；　poor　girls。　　The　eldest；　Gwendoline；
is　my　cook；　and　Cornelia　is　my　housemaid。　　I　suffer　much　sadness；
and　almost　misery　sometimes；　in　reflecting　that　here　are　we；　ten
brothers　and　sisters；　born　of　one　father　and　mother；　who　might　have
mixed　together　and　shared　all　in　the　same　scenes；　and　been　properly
happy；　if　it　were　not　for　the　strange　accidents　that　have　split　us
up　into　sections　as　you　see；　cutting　me　off　from　them　without　the
compensation　of　joining　me　to　any　others。　　They　are　all　true　as
steel　in　keeping　the　secret　of　our　kin；　certainly；　but　that　brings
little　joy；　though　some　satisfaction　perhaps。'

'You　might　be　less　despondent；　I　think。　　The　tale…telling　has　been
one　of　the　successes　of　the　season。'

'Yes；　I　might；　but　I　may　observe　that　you　scarcely　set　the　example
of　blitheness。'

'Ahthat's　not　because　I　don't　recognize　the　pleasure　of　being
here。　　It　is　from　a　more　general　cause：　　simply　an　underfeeling　I
have　that　at　the　most　propitious　moment　the　distance　to　the
possibility　of　sorrow　is　so　short　that　a　man's　spirits　must　not　rise
higher　than　mere　cheerfulness　out　of　bare　respect　to　his　insight。

　　　　　　　　　　〃As　long　as　skies　are　blue；　and　fields　are　green；
　　　　　　　　　　　Evening　must　usher　night；　night　urge　the　morrow；
　　　　　Month　follow　month　with　woe；　and　year　wake　year　to　sorrow。〃'

Ethelberta　bowed　uncertainly；　the　remark　might　refer　to　her　past
conduct　or　it　might　not。　　'My　great　cause　of　uneasiness　is　the
children；'　she　presently　said；　as　a　new　page　of　matter。　　'It　is　my
duty；　at　all　risk　and　all　sacrifice　of　sentiment；　to　educate　and
provide　for　them。　　The　grown…up　ones；　older　than　myself；　I　cannot
help　much；　but　the　little　ones　I　can。　　I　keep　my　two　French　lodgers
for　the　sake　of　them。'

'The　lodgers；　of　course；　don't　know　the　relationship　between
yourself　and　the　rest　of　the　people　in　the　house？'

'O　no！nor　will　they　ever。　　My　mother　is　supposed　to　let　the　ground
and　first　floors　to　mea　strange　ladyas　she　does　the　second　and
third　floors　to　them。　　Still；　I　may　be　discovered。'

'Wellif　you　are？'

'Let　me　be。　　Life　is　a　battle；　they　say；　but　it　is　only　so　in　the
sense　that　a　game　of　chess　is　a　battlethere　is　no　seriousness　in
it；　it　may　be　put　an　end　to　at　any　inconvenient　moment　by　owning
yourself　beaten；　with　a　careless　〃Ha…ha！〃　and　sweeping　your　pieces
into　the　box。　　Experimentally；　I　care　to　succeed　in　society；　but　at
the　bottom　of　my　heart；　I　don't　care。'

'For　that　very　reason　you　are　likely　to　do　it。　　My　idea　is；　make
ambition　your　business　and　indifference　your　relaxation；　and　you
will　fail；　but　make　indifference　your　business　and　ambition　your
relaxation；　and　you　will　succeed。　　So　impish　are　the　ways　of　the
gods。'

'I　hope　that　you　at　any　rate　will　succeed；'　she　said；　at　the　end　of
a　silence。

'I　never　canif　success　means　getting　what　one　wants。'

'Why　should　you　not　get　that？'

'It　has　been　forbidden　to　me。'

Her　complexion　changed　just　enough　to　show　that　she　knew　what　he
meant。　　'If　you　were　as　bold　as　you　are　subtle；　you　would　take　a
more　cheerful　view　of　the　matter；'　she　said；　with　a　look　signifying
innermost　things。

'I　will　instantly！　　Shall　I　test　the　truth　of　my　cheerful　view　by　a
word　of　question？'

'I　deny　that　you　are　capable　of　taking　that　view；　and　until　you
prove　that　you　are；　no　question　is　allowed；'　she　said；　laughing；　and
still　warmer　in　the　face　and　neck。　　'Nothing　but　melancholy；　gentle
melancholy；　now　as　in　old　times　when　there　was　nothing　to　cause　it。'

'Ahyou　only　tease。'

'You　will　not　throw　aside　that　bitter　medicine　of　distrust；　for　the
world。　　You　have　grown　so　used　to　it；　that　you　take　it　as　food；　as
some　invalids　do　their　mixtures。'

'Ethelberta；　you　have　my　heartmy　whole　heart。　　You　have　had　it
ever　since　I　first　saw　you。　　Now　you　understand　me；　and　no
pretending　that　you　don't；　mind；　this　second　time。'

'I　understood　you　long　ago；　you　have　not　understood　me。'

'You　are　mysterious；'　he　said　lightly；　'and　perhaps　if　I　disentangle
your　mystery　I　shall　find　it　to　coverindifference。　　I　hope　it
doesfor　your　sake。'

'How　can　you　say　so！'　she　exclaimed　reproachfully。　　'Yet　I　wish　it
did　tooI　wish　it　did　cover　indifferencefor　yours。　　But　you　have
all　of　me　that　you　care　to　have；　and　may　keep　it　for　life　if　you
wish　to。　　Listen；　surely　there　was　a　knock　at　the　door？　　Let　us　go
inside　the　room：　　I　am　always　uneasy　when　anybody　comes；　lest　any
awkward　discovery　should　be　made　by　a　visitor　of　my　miserable
contrivances　for　keeping　up　the　establishment。'

Joey　met　them　before　they　had　left　the　landing。

'Please；　Berta；'　he　whispered；　'Mr。　Ladywell　has　called；　and　I've
showed　him　into　the　liberry。　　You　know；　Berta；　this　is　how　it　was；
you　know：　　I　thought　you　and　Mr。　Julian　were　in　the　drawing…room；
and　wouldn't　want　him　to　see　ye　together；　and　so　I　asked　him　to　step
into　the　liberry　a　minute。'

'You　must　improve　your　way　of　speaking；'　she　said；　with　quick
embarrassment；　whether　at　the　mention　of　Ladywell's　name　before
Julian；　or　at　the　way　Joey　coupled　herself　with　Christopher；　was
quite　uncertain。　　'Will　you　excuse　me　for　a　few　moments？'　she　said；
turning　to　Christopher。　　'Pray　sit　down；　I　shall　not　be