'Tis terrible； really！'
'The marriage granted； those things will right themselves by time
and weight of circumstances。 You take a wrong view in thinking of
glories of that sort。 My only hope is that my life will be quite
private and simple； as will best become my inferiority and Lord
Mountclere's staidness。 Such a splendid library as there is at
Enckworth； Picoteequartos； folios； history； verse； Elzevirs；
Caxtonsall that has been done in literature from Moses down to
Scottwith such companions I can do without all other sorts of
happiness。'
'And you will not go to town from Easter to Lammastide； as other
noble ladies do？' asked the younger girl； rather disappointed at
this aspect of a viscountess's life。
'I don't know。'
'But you will give dinners； and travel； and go to see his friends；
and have them to see you？'
'I don't know。'
'Will you not be； then； as any other peeress； and shall not I be as
any other peeress's sister？'
'That； too； I do not know。 All is mystery。 Nor do I even know that
the marriage will take place。 I feel that it may not； and perhaps
so much the better； since the man is a stranger to me。 I know
nothing whatever of his nature； and he knows nothing of mine。'
40。 MELCHESTER （continued）
The commotion wrought in Julian's mind by the abrupt incursion of
Ethelberta into his quiet sphere was thorough and protracted。 The
witchery of her presence he had grown strong enough to withstand in
part； but her composed announcement that she had intended to marry
another； and； as far as he could understand； was intending it still；
added a new chill to the old shade of disappointment which custom
was day by day enabling him to endure。 During the whole interval in
which he had produced those diapason blasts； heard with such
inharmonious feelings by the three auditors outside the screen； his
thoughts had wandered wider than his notes in conjectures on the
character and position of the gentleman seen in Ethelberta's
company。 Owing to his assumption that Lord Mountclere was but a
stranger who had accidentally come in at the side door； Christopher
had barely cast a glance upon him； and the wide difference between
the years of the viscount and those of his betrothed was not so
particularly observed as to raise that point to an item in his
objections now。 Lord Mountclere was dressed with all the cunning
that could be drawn from the metropolis by money and reiterated
dissatisfaction； he prided himself on his upright carriage； his
stick was so thin that the most malevolent could not insinuate that
it was of any possible use in walking； his teeth had put on all the
vigour and freshness of a second spring。 Hence his look was the
slowest of possible clocks in respect of his age； and his manner was
equally as much in the rear of his appearance。
Christopher was now over five…and…twenty。 He was getting so well
accustomed to the spectacle of a world passing him by and splashing
him with its wheels that he wondered why he had ever minded it。 His
habit of dreaming instead of doing had led him up to a curious
discovery。 It is no new thing for a man to fathom profundities by
indulging humours： the active； the rapid； the people of splendid
momentum； have been surprised to behold what results attend the
lives of those whose usual plan for discharging their active labours
has been to postpone them indefinitely。 Certainly； the immediate
result in the present case was； to all but himself； small and
invisible； but it was of the nature of highest things。 What he had
learnt was that a woman who has once made a permanent impression
upon a man cannot altogether deny him her image by denying him her
company； and that by sedulously cultivating the acquaintance of this
Creature of Contemplation she becomes to him almost a living soul。
Hence a sublimated Ethelberta accompanied him everywhereone who
never teased him； eluded him； or disappointed him： when he smiled
she smiled； when he was sad she sorrowed。 He may be said to have
become the literal duplicate of that whimsical unknown rhapsodist
who wrote of his own similar situation
'By absence this good means I gain；
That I can catch her；
Where none can watch her；
In some close corner of my brain：
There I embrace and kiss her；
And so I both enjoy and miss her。'
This frame of mind naturally induced an amazing abstraction in the
organist； never very vigilant at the best of times。 He would stand
and look fixedly at a frog in a shady pool； and never once think of
batrachians； or pause by a green bank to split some tall blade of
grass into filaments without removing it from its stalk； passing on
ignorant that he had made a cat…o'…nine…tails of a graceful slip of
vegetation。 He would hear the cathedral clock strike one； and go
the next minute to see what time it was。 'I never seed such a man
as Mr。 Julian is；' said the head blower。 'He'll meet me anywhere
out…of…doors； and never wink or nod。 You'd hardly expect it。 I
don't find fault； but you'd hardly expect it； seeing how I play the
same instrument as he do himself； and have done it for so many years
longer than he。 How I have indulged that man； too！ If 'tis Pedals
for two martel hours of practice I never complain； and he has plenty
of vagaries。 When 'tis hot summer weather there's nothing will do
for him but Choir； Great； and Swell altogether； till yer face is in
a vapour； and on a frosty winter night he'll keep me there while he
tweedles upon the Twelfth and Sixteenth till my arms be scrammed for
want of motion。 And never speak a word out…of…doors。' Somebody
suggested that perhaps Christopher did not notice his coadjutor's
presence in the street； and time proved to the organ…blower that the
remark was just。
Whenever Christopher caught himself at these vacuous tricks he would
be struck with admiration of Ethelberta's wisdom； foresight； and
self…command in refusing to wed such an incapable man： he felt that
he ought to be thankful that a bright memory of her was not also
denied to him； and resolved to be content with it as a possession；
since it was as much of her as he could decently maintain。
Wrapped thus in a humorous sadness he passed the afternoon under
notice； and in the evening went home to Faith； who still lived with
him； and showed no sign of ever being likely to do otherwise。 Their
present place and mode of life suited her well。 She revived at
Melchester like an exotic sent home again。 The leafy Close； the
climbing buttresses； the pondering ecclesiastics； the great doors；
the singular keys； the whispered talk； echoes of lonely footsteps；
the sunset shadow of the tall steeple； reaching further into the
town than the good bishop's teaching； and the general complexion of
a spot where morning had the stillness of evening and spring some of
the tones of autumn； formed a proper background to a person
constituted as Faith； who； like Miss Hepzibah Pyncheon's chicken；
possessed in miniature all the antiquity of her progenitors。
After tea Christopher went into the streets； as was frequently his
custom； less to see how the world crept on there than to walk up and
down for nothing at all。 It had been market…day； and remnants of
the rural population that had visited the town still lingered at
corners； their toes hanging over the edge of the pavement； and their
eyes wandering about the street。
The angle which formed the turning…point of Christopher's promenade
was occupied by a jeweller's shop； of a standing which completely
outshone every other shop in that or any trade throughout the town。
Indeed； it was a staple subject of discussion in Melchester how a
shop of such pretensions could find patronage sufficient to support
its existence in a place which； though well populated； was not
fashionable。 It had not long been established there； and was the
enterprise of an incoming man whose whole course of procedure seemed
to be dictated by an intention to astonish the native citizens very
considerably before he had done。 Nearly everything was glass in the
frontage of this fairy mart； and its contents glittered like the
hammochrysos stone。 The panes being of plate…glass； and the shop
having two fronts； a diagonal view could be had through it from one
to the other of the streets to which it formed a corner。
This evening； as on all evenings； a flood of radiance spread from
the window…lamps into the thick autumn air； so that from a distance
that corner appeared as the glistening nucleus of all the light in
the town。 Towards it idle men and women unconsciously bent their
steps； and closed in upon the panes like night…birds upon the
lantern of a lighthouse。
When Christopher reached the spot there stood close to the pavement
a plain close carriage； apparently waiting for some person who was
purchasing inside。 Christopher would hardly have noticed this had
he not also perceived； pressed against the glass of the shop window；
an unusual number of local noses belonging to overgrown working
lads； tosspots； an idiot； the ham…smoker's assistant with his
sleeves rolled up； a scot…and…lot freeholder； three or four
seamstresses； the young woman who brought home the washing； and so
on。 The interest of these gazers in some proceedings within； which
by reason of the gaslight were as public as if carried on in the
open air； was very great。
'Yes； that's what he's a buying o'haw； haw！' said one of the young
men； as the shopman removed from the window a gorgeous blue velvet
tray of wedding…rings； and laid it on the counter。
''Tis what you may come to yerself； sooner or later； God have mercy
upon ye； and as such no scoffing matter；' said an older man。
'Faith； I'd as lief cry as laugh to see a man in that corner。'
'He's a gent getting up in years too。 He must hev been through it a
few times afore； seemingly； to sit down and buy the tools so cool as
that。'
'Well； no。 See what the shyest will do at such times。 You bain't
yerself then； no man living is hisself then。'
'True；' said the ham…smoker's man。 ''Tis a thought to look at that
a chap will take all this trouble to get a woman into his house； and
a twelvemonth a