the hand of ethelberta- 第53部分

Ladywell　was　unaffectedly　glad　to　meet　her；　so　glad；　that　Ethelberta
wished　heartily；　for　his　sake；　there　could　be　warm　friendship
between　herself　and　him；　as　well　as　all　her　lovers；　without　that
insistent　courtship…and…marriage　question；　which　sent　them　all
scattering　like　leaves　in　a　pestilent　blast；　at　enmity　with　one
another。　　She　was　less　pleased　when　she　found　that　Ladywell；　after
saying　all　there　was　to　say　about　his　painting；　gently　signified
that　he　had　been　misinformed；　as　he　believed；　concerning　her　future
intentions；　which　had　led　to　his　absenting　himself　entirely　from
her；　the　remark　being　of　course；　a　natural　product　of　her　mother's
injudicious　message　to　him。

She　cut　him　short　with　terse　candour。　　'Yes；'　she　said；　'a　false
report　is　in　circulation。　　I　am　not　yet　engaged　to　be　married　to　any
one；　if　that　is　your　meaning。'

Ladywell　looked　cheerful　at　this　frank　answer；　and　said　tentatively；
'Am　I　forgotten？'

'No；　you　are　exactly　as　you　always　were　in　my　mind。'

'Then　I　have　been　cruelly　deceived。　　I　was　guided　too　much　by
appearances；　and　they　were　very　delusive。　　I　am　beyond　measure　glad
I　came　here　to…day。　　I　called　at　your　house　and　learnt　that　you　were
here；　and　as　I　was　going　out　of　town；　in　any　indefinite　direction；　I
settled　then　to　come　this　way。　　What　a　happy　idea　it　was！　　To　think
of　you　nowand　I　may　be　permitted　to'

'Assuredly　you　may　not。　　How　many　times　I　have　told　you　that！'

'But　I　do　not　wish　for　any　formal　engagement；'　said　Ladywell
quickly；　fearing　she　might　commit　herself　to　some　expression　of
positive　denial；　which　he　could　never　surmount。　　'I'll　waitI'll
wait　any　length　of　time。　　Remember；　you　have　never　absolutely
forbidden　myfriendship。　　Will　you　delay　your　answer　till　some　time
hence；　when　you　have　thoroughly　considered；　since　I　fear　it　may　be　a
hasty　one　now？'

'Yes；　indeed；　it　may　be　hasty。'

'You　will　delay　it？'

'Yes。'

'When　shall　it　be？'

'Say　a　month　hence。　　I　suggest　that；　because　by　that　time　you　will
have　found　an　answer　in　your　own　mind：　　strange　things　may　happen
before　then。　　〃She　shall　follow　after　her　lovers；　but　she　shall　not
overtake　them；　and　she　shall　seek　them；　but　shall　not　find　them；
then　shall　she　say；　I　will　go　and　return　to　my　first〃however；
that's　no　matter。'

'Whatdid　you？'　Ladywell　began；　altogether　bewildered　by　this。

'It　is　a　passage　in　Hosea　which　came　to　my　mind；　as　possibly
applicable　to　myself　some　day；'　she　answered。　　'It　was　mere
impulse。'

'Ha…ha！a　jestone　of　your　romances　broken　loose。　　There　is　no　law
for　impulse：　　that　is　why　I　am　here。'

Thus　fancifully　they　conversed　till　the　interview　concluded。
Getting　her　to　promise　that　she　would　see　him　again；　Ladywell
retired　to　a　sitting…room　on　the　same　landing；　in　which　he　had　been
writing　letters　before　she　came　up。　　Immediately　upon　this　her　aunt；
who　began　to　suspect　that　something　peculiar　was　in　the　wind；　came
to　tell　her　that　Mr。　Neigh　had　been　inquiring　for　her　again。

'Send　him　in；'　said　Ethelberta。

Neigh's　footsteps　approached；　and　the　well…known　figure　entered。
Ethelberta　received　him　smilingly；　for　she　was　getting　so　used　to
awkward　juxtapositions　that　she　treated　them　quite　as　a　natural
situation。　　She　merely　hoped　that　Ladywell　would　not　hear　them
talking　through　the　partition。

Neigh　scarcely　said　anything　as　a　beginning：　　she　knew　his　errand
perfectly；　and　unaccountable　as　it　was　to　her；　the　strange　and
unceremonious　relationship　between　them；　that　had　originated　in　the
peculiar　conditions　of　their　first　close　meeting；　was　continued　now
as　usual。

'Have　you　been　able　to　bestow　a　thought　on　the　question　between　us？
I　hope　so；'　said　Neigh。

'It　is　no　use；'　said　Ethelberta。　　'Wait　a　month；　and　you　will　not
require　an　answer。　　You　will　not　mind　speaking　low；　because　of　a
person　in　the　next　room？'

'Not　at　all。Why　will　that　be？'

'I　might　say；　but　let　us　speak　of　something　else。'

'I　don't　see　how　we　can；'　said　Neigh　brusquely。　　'I　had　no　other
reason　on　earth　for　calling　here。　　I　wished　to　get　the　matter
settled；　and　I　could　not　be　satisfied　without　seeing　you。　　I　hate
writing　on　matters　of　this　sort。　　In　fact　I　can't　do　it；　and　that's
why　I　am　here。'

He　was　still　speaking　when　an　attendant　entered　with　a　note。

'Will　you　excuse　me　one　moment？'　said　Ethelberta；　stepping　to　the
window　and　opening　the　missive。　　It　contained　these　words　only；　in　a
scrawl　so　full　of　deformities　that　she　could　hardly　piece　its
meaning　together：


'I　must　see　you　again　to…day　unless　you　absolutely　deny　yourself　to
me；　which　I　shall　take　as　a　refusal　to　meet　me　any　more。　　I　will
arrive；　punctually；　five　minutes　after　you　receive　this　note。　　Do
pray　be　alone　if　you　can；　and　eternally　gratify；Yours；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'MOUNTCLERE。'


'If　anything　has　happened　I　shall　be　pleased　to　wait；'　said　Neigh；
seeing　her　concern　when　she　had　closed　the　note。

'O　no；　it　is　nothing；'　said　Ethelberta　precipitately。　　'Yet　I　think
I　will　ask　you　to　wait；'　she　added；　not　liking　to　dismiss　Neigh　in　a
hurry；　for　she　was　not　insensible　to　his　perseverance　in　seeking　her
over　all　these　miles　of　sea　and　land；　and　secondly；　she　feared　that
if　he　were　to　leave　on　the　instant　he　might　run　into　the　arms　of
Lord　Mountclere　and　Ladywell。

'I　shall　be　only　too　happy　to　stay　till　you　are　at　leisure；'　said
Neigh；　in　the　unimpassioned　delivery　he　used　whether　his　meaning
were　a　trite　compliment　or　the　expression　of　his　most　earnest
feeling。

'I　may　be　rather　a　long　time；'　said　Ethelberta　dubiously。

'My　time　is　yours。'

Ethelberta　left　the　room　and　hurried　to　her　aunt；　exclaiming；　'O；
Aunt　Charlotte；　I　hope　you　have　rooms　enough　to　spare　for　my
visitors；　for　they　are　like　the　fox；　the　goose；　and　the　corn；　in　the
riddle；　I　cannot　leave　them　together；　and　I　can　only　be　with　one　at
a　time。　　I　want　the　nicest　drawing…room　you　have　for　an　interview　of
a　bare　two　minutes　with　an　old　gentleman。　　I　am　so　sorry　this　has
happened；　but　it　is　not　altogether　my　fault！　　I　only　arranged　to　see
one　of　them；　but　the　other　was　sent　to　me　by　mother；　in　a　mistake；
and　the　third　met　with　me　on　my　journey：　　that's　the　explanation。
There's　the　oldest　of　them　just　come。'

She　looked　through　the　glass　partition；　and　under　the　arch　of　the
court…gate；　as　the　wheels　of　the　viscount's　carriage　were　heard
outside。　　Ethelberta　ascended　to　a　room　on　the　first　floor；　Lord
Mountclere　was　shown　up；　and　the　door　closed　upon　them。

At　this　time　Neigh　was　very　comfortably　lounging　in　an　arm…chair　in
Ethelberta's　room　on　the　second　floor。　　This　was　a　pleasant　enough
way　of　passing　the　minutes　with　such　a　tender　interview　in　prospect；
and　as　he　leant　he　looked　with　languid　and　luxurious　interest
through　the　open　casement　at　the　spars　and　rigging　of　some　luggers
on　the　Seine；　the　pillars　of　the　suspension　bridge；　and　the　scenery
of　the　Faubourg　St。　Sever　on　the　other　side　of　the　river。　　How
languid　his　interest　might　ultimately　have　become　there　is　no
knowing；　but　there　soon　arose　upon　his　ear　the　accents　of　Ethelberta
in　low　distinctness　from　somewhere　outside　the　room。

'Yes；　the　scene　is　pleasant　to…day；'　she　said。　　'I　like　a　view　over
a　river。'

'I　should　think　the　steamboats　are　objectionable　when　they　stop
here；'　said　another　person。

Neigh's　face　closed　in　to　an　aspect　of　perplexity。　　'Surely　that
cannot　be　Lord　Mountclere？'　he　muttered。

Had　he　been　certain　that　Ethelberta　was　only　talking　to　a　stranger；
Neigh　would　probably　have　felt　their　conversation　to　be　no　business
of　his；　much　as　he　might　have　been　surprised　to　find　her　giving
audience　to　another　man　at　such　a　place。　　But　his　impression　that
the　voice　was　that　of　his　acquaintance；　Lord　Mountclere；　coupled
with　doubts　as　to　its　possibility；　was　enough　to　lead　him　to　rise
from　the　chair　and　put　his　head　out　of　the　window。

Upon　a　balcony　beneath　him　were　the　speakers；　as　he　had　suspected
Ethelberta　and　the　viscount。

Looking　right　and　left；　he　saw　projecting　from　the　next　window　the
head　of　his　friend　Ladywell；　gazing　right　and　left　likewise；
apparently　just　drawn　out　by　the　same　voice　which　had　attracted
himself。

'Whatyou；　Neigh！how　strange；'　came　from　Ladywell's　lips　before
he　had　time　to　recollect　that　great　coolness　existed　between　himself
and　Neigh　on　Ethelberta's　account；　which　had　led　to　the　reduction　of
their　intimacy　to　the　most　attenuated　of　nods　and　good…mornings　ever
since　the　Harlequin…rose　incident　at　Cripplegate。

'Yes；　it　is　rather　strange；'　said　Neigh；　with　saturnine　evenness。
'Still　a　fellow　must　be　somewhere。'

Each　then　looked　over　his　window…sill　downwards；　upon　the　speakers
who　had　attracted　them　thither。

Lord　Mountclere　uttered　something　in　a　low　tone　which　did　not　reach
the　young　men；　to　which　Ethelberta　replied；　'As　I　have　said；　Lord
Mountclere；　I　cannot　give　you　an　answer　now。　　I　must　consider　what
to　do　with　Mr。　Neigh　and　Mr。　Ladywell。　　It　is　too　sudden　for　me　to
decide　at　once。　　I　could　not　do　so　until　I　have　got　home　to　England；
when　I　will　write　you　a　letter；　stating　frankly　my　affairs　and　those
of　my　relatives。　　I　shall　not　consider　that　you　have　addressed　me　on
the　subject　of　marriage　until；　having　received　my　letter；　you'

'Repeat　my　proposal；'　said　Lord　Mountclere。

'Yes。'

'My　dear　Mrs。　Petherwin；　it　is　as　good　as　repeated！　　But　I　have　no
right　to　assume　anything　you　don't　wish　me　to　assume；　and　I　will
wait。　　How　long　is　it　that　I　am　to　suffer　in　this　uncertainty？'

'A　month。　　By　that　time　I　shall　have　grown　weary　of　my　other　two
suitors。'

'A　month！　　Really　inflexible？'

Ethelberta　had　returned　inside　the　window；　and　her　answer　was
inaudible。　　Ladywell　and　Neigh　looked　up；　and　their　eyes　met。　　Both
had　been　reluctant　to　remain　where　they　stood；　but　they　were　too
fascinated　to　instantly　retire。　　Neigh　moved　now；　and　Ladywell　did
the　same。　　Each　saw　that　the　face　of　his　companion　was　flushed。

'Come　in　and　see　me；'　said　Ladywell　quickly；　before　quite
withdrawing　his　head。　　'I　am　staying　in　this　room。'

'I　will；'　said　Neigh；　and　taking　his　hat　he　left　Ethelberta's
apartment　forthwith。

On　entering　the　quarters　of　his　friend　he　found　him　seated　at　a
t