anything at all。 It would not matter were it not dangerous for me
to be noticed here to…day。 I see several people who would recognize
me on the least provocation。'
'Not a word；' said Dan。 'Don't you be afeard about that。 I feel
that I baint upon my own ground to…day； and wouldn't do anything to
cause an upset； drown me if I would。 Would you； Sol？'
In this temper they all pressed forward； and Ethelberta could not
but be gratified at the reception of Ladywell's picture； though it
was accorded by critics not very profound。 It was an operation of
some minutes to get exactly opposite； and when side by side the
three stood there they overheard the immediate reason of the
pressure。 'Farewell； thou art too dear for my possessing' had been
lengthily discoursed upon that morning by the Coryphaeus of popular
opinion； and the spirit having once been poured out sons and
daughters could prophesy。 But； in truth； Ladywell's work； if not
emphatically original； was happily centred on a middle stratum of
taste； and apart from this adventitious help commanded； and deserved
to command； a wide area of appreciation。
While they were standing here in the very heart of the throng
Ethelberta's ears were arrested by two male voices behind her； whose
words formed a novel contrast to those of the other speakers around。
'Some men； you see； with extravagant expectations of themselves；
coolly get them gratified； while others hope rationally and are
disappointed。 Luck； that's what it is。 And the more easily a man
takes life the more persistently does luck follow him。'
'Of course； because； if he's industrious he does not want luck's
assistance。 Natural laws will help him instead。'
'Well； if it is true that Ladywell has painted a good picture he has
done it by an exhaustive process。 He has painted every possible bad
one till nothing more of that sort is left for him。 You know what
lady's face served as the original to this； I suppose？'
'Mrs。 Petherwin's； I hear。'
'Yes； Mrs。 Alfred Neigh that's to be。'
'What； that elusive fellow caught at last？'
'So it appears； but she herself is hardly so well secured as yet； it
seems； though he takes the uncertainty as coolly as possible。 I
knew nothing about it till he introduced the subject as we were
standing here on Monday； and said； in an off…hand way； 〃I mean to
marry that lady。〃 I asked him how。 〃Easily；〃 he said； 〃I will have
her if there are a hundred at her heels。〃 You will understand that
this was quite in confidence。'
'Of course； of course。' Then there was a slight laugh； and the
companions proceeded to other gossip。
Ethelberta； calm and compressed in manner； sidled along to extricate
herself； not daring to turn round； and Dan and Sol followed； till
they were all clear of the spot。 The brothers； who had heard the
words equally well with Ethelberta； made no remark to her upon them；
assuming that they referred to some peculiar system of courtship
adopted in high life； with which they had rightly no concern。
Ethelberta ostensibly continued her business of tutoring the young
workmen just as before； though every emotion in her had been put on
the alert by this discovery。 She had known that Neigh admired her；
yet his presumption in uttering such a remark as he was reported to
have uttered； confidentially or otherwise； nearly took away her
breath。 Perhaps it was not altogether disagreeable to have her
breath so taken away。
'I mean to marry that lady。' She whispered the words to herself
twenty times in the course of the afternoon。 Sol and Dan were left
considerably longer to their private perceptions of the false and
true in art than they had been earlier in the day。
When she reached home Ethelberta was still far removed in her
reflections； and it was noticed afterwards that about this time in
her career her openness of manner entirely deserted her。 She mostly
was silent as to her thoughts； and she wore an air of unusual
stillness。 It was the silence and stillness of a starry sky； where
all is force and motion。 This deep undecipherable habit sometimes
suggested； though it did not reveal； Ethelberta's busy brain to her
sisters； and they said to one another； 'I cannot think what's coming
to Berta： she is not so nice as she used to be。'
The evening under notice was passed desultorily enough after the
discovery of Neigh's self…assured statement。 Among other things
that she did after dark； while still musingly examining the
probabilities of the report turning out true； was to wander to the
large attic where the children slept； a frequent habit of hers at
night； to learn if they were snug and comfortable。 They were
talking now from bed to bed； the person under discussion being
herself。 Herself seemed everywhere to…day。
'I know that she is a fairy；' Myrtle was insisting； 'because she
must be； to have such pretty things in her house； and wear silk
dresses such as mother and we and Picotee haven't got； and have
money to give us whenever we want it。'
'Emmeline says perhaps she knows the fairy's godmother； and is not a
fairy herself； because Berta is too tall for a real fairy。'
'She must be one； for when there was a notch burnt in the hem of my
pretty blue frock she said it should be gone in the morning if I
would go to bed and not cry； and in the morning it was gone； and all
nice and straight as new。'
Ethelberta was recalling to mind how she had sat up and repaired the
damage alluded to by cutting off half an inch of the skirt all round
and hemming it anew； when the breathing of the children became
regular； and they fell asleep。 Here were bright little minds ready
for a training； which without money and influence she could never
give them。 The wisdom which knowledge brings； and the power which
wisdom may bring； she had always assumed would be theirs in her
dreams for their social elevation。 By what means were these things
to be ensured to them if her skill in bread…winning should fail her？
Would not a well…contrived marriage be of service？ She covered and
tucked in one more closely； lifted another upon the pillow and
straightened the soft limbs to an easy position； then sat down by
the window and looked out at the flashing stars。 Thoughts of
Neigh's audacious statement returned again upon Ethelberta。 He had
said that he meant to marry her。 Of what standing was the man who
had uttered such an intention respecting one to whom a politic
marriage had become almost a necessity of existence？
She had often heard Neigh speak indefinitely of some estate'my
little place' he had called itwhich he had purchased no very long
time ago。 All she knew was that its name was Farnfield； that it lay
thirty or forty miles out of London in a south…westerly direction； a
railway station in the district bearing the same name； so that there
was probably a village or small town adjoining。 Whether the dignity
of this landed property was that of domain； farmstead； allotment； or
garden…plot； Ethelberta had not the slightest conception。 She was
almost certain that Neigh never lived there； but that might signify
nothing。 The exact size and value of the estate would； she mused；
be curious； interesting； and almost necessary information to her who
must become mistress of it were she to allow him to carry out his
singularly cool and crude； if tender； intention。 Moreover； its
importance would afford a very good random sample of his worldly
substance throughout； from which alone； after all； could the true
spirit and worth and seriousness of his words be apprehended。
Impecuniosity may revel in unqualified vows and brim over with
confessions as blithely as a bird of May； but such careless
pleasures are not for the solvent； whose very dreams are negotiable；
and are expressed with due care accordingly。
That Neigh had used the words she had far more than prima…facie
appearances for believing。 Neigh's own conduct towards her； though
peculiar rather than devoted； found in these words alone a
reasonable key。 But； supposing the estate to be such a verbal
hallucination as； for instance； hers had been at Arrowthorne； when
her poor； unprogressive； hopelessly impracticable Christopher came
there to visit her； and was so wonderfully undeceived about her
social standing： what a fiasco； and what a cuckoo…cry would his
utterances about marriage seem then。 Christopher had often told her
of his expectations from 'Arrowthorne Lodge；' and of the blunders
that had resulted in consequence。 Had not Ethelberta's affection
for Christopher partaken less of lover's passion than of old…
established tutelary tenderness she might have been reminded by this
reflection of the transcendent fidelity he had shown under that
trialas severe a trial； considering the abnormal； almost morbid；
development of the passion for position in present…day society； as
can be prepared for men who move in the ordinary； unheroic channels
of life。
By the following evening the consideration of this possibility； that
Neigh's position might furnish scope for such a disillusive
discovery by herself as hers had afforded to Christopher； decoyed
Ethelberta into a curious little scheme。 She was piqued into a
practical undertaking by the man who could say to his friend with
such sangfroid； 'I mean to marry that lady。'
Merely telling Picotee to prepare for an evening excursion； of which
she was to talk to no one； Ethelberta made ready likewise； and they
left the house in a cab about half…an…hour before sunset； and drove
to the Waterloo Station。
With the decline and departure of the sun a fog gathered itself out
of the low meadow…land that bordered the railway as they went along
towards the west； stretching over it like a placid lake； till at the
end of the journey； the mist became generally pervasive； though not
dense。 Avoiding observation as much as they conveniently could； the
two sisters walked from the long wooden shed which formed the
station here； into the rheumy air and along the road to the open
country。 Picotee occasionally questioned Ethelberta on the object
of the strange journey： she did not question closely； being
satisfied that in such sure hands as Ethelberta's she was safe。
D