the hand of ethelberta-第17章

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which　orders　the　livery　of　the　fashionable　world；　forand　it
affords　a　parallel　to　cases　in　which　clever　thinkers　in　other
spheres　arrive　independently　at　one　and　the　same　conclusion
Ethelberta's　fashion　often　turned　out　to　be　the　coming　one。

'O；　is　that　the　woman　at　last？'　said　Neigh；　diminishing　his　broad
general　gaze　at　the　room　to　a　close　criticism　of　Ethelberta。

'〃The　rhymes；〃　as　Mrs。　Napper　calls　them；　are　not　to　be　despised；'
said　his　companion。　　'They　are　not　quite　virginibus　puerisque；　and
the　writer's　opinions　of　life　and　society　differ　very　materially
from　mine；　but　I　cannot　help　admiring　her　in　the　more　reflective
pieces；　the　songs　I　don't　care　for。　　The　method　in　which　she　handles
curious　subjects；　and　at　the　same　time　impresses　us　with　a　full
conviction　of　her　modesty；　is　very　adroit；　and　somewhat　blinds　us　to
the　fact　that　no　such　poems　were　demanded　of　her　at　all。'

'I　have　not　read　them；'　said　Neigh；　secretly　wrestling　with　his　jaw；
to　prevent　a　yawn；　'but　I　suppose　I　must。　　The　truth　is；　that　I
never　care　much　for　reading　what　one　ought　to　read；　I　wish　I　did；
but　I　cannot　help　it。　　And；　no　doubt；　you　admire　the　lady　immensely
for　writing　them：　　I　don't。　　Everybody　is　so　talented　now…a…days
that　the　only　people　I　care　to　honour　as　deserving　real　distinction
are　those　who　remain　in　obscurity。　　I　am　myself　hoping　for　a　corner
in　some　biographical　dictionary　when　the　time　comes　for　those　works
only　to　contain　lists　of　the　exceptional　individuals　of　whom　nothing
is　known　but　that　they　lived　and　died。'

'Ahlisten。　　They　are　going　to　sing　one　of　her　songs；'　said　his
friend；　looking　towards　a　bustling　movement　in　the　neighbourhood　of
the　piano。　　'I　believe　that　song；　〃When　tapers　tall；〃　has　been　set
to　music　by　three　or　four　composers　already。'

'Men　of　any　note？'　said　Neigh；　at　last　beaten　by　his　yawn；　which
courtesy　nevertheless　confined　within　his　person　to　such　an　extent
that　only　a　few　unimportant　symptoms；　such　as　reduced　eyes　and　a
certain　rectangular　manner　of　mouth　in　speaking；　were　visible。

'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　alwa