the hand of ethelberta-第2章

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womenLord　forgive　me　for't。'

'And　that　figure　of　fashion　standing　there　is　a　widow　woman；　so　I
hear？'

'Ladynot　a　penny　less　than　lady。　　Ay；　a　thing　of　twenty…one　or
thereabouts。'

'A　widow　lady　and　twenty…one。　　'Tis　a　backward　age　for　a　body　who's
so　forward　in　her　state　of　life。'

'Well；　be　that　as　'twill；　here's　my　showings　for　her　age。　　She　was
about　the　figure　of　two　or　three…and…twenty　when　a'　got　off　the
carriage　last　night；　tired　out　wi'　boaming　about　the　country；　and
nineteen　this　morning　when　she　came　downstairs　after　a　sleep　round
the　clock　and　a　clane…washed　face：　　so　I　thought　to　myself；　twenty…
one；　I　thought。'

'And　what's　the　young　woman's　name；　make　so　bold；　hostler？'

'Ay；　and　the　house　were　all　in　a　stoor　with　her　and　the　old　woman；
and　their　boxes　and　camp…kettles；　that　they　carry　to　wash　in　because
hand…basons　bain't　big　enough；　and　I　don't　know　what　all；　and
t'other　folk　stopping　here　were　no　more　than　dirt　thencefor'ard。'

'I　suppose　they've　come　out　of　some　noble　city　a　long　way　herefrom？'

'And　there　was　her　hair　up　in　buckle　as　if　she'd　never　seen　a　clay…
cold　man　at　all。　　However；　to　cut　a　long　story　short；　all　I　know
besides　about　'em　is　that　the　name　upon　their　luggage　is　Lady
Petherwin；　and　she's　the　widow　of　a　city　gentleman；　who　was　a　man　of
valour　in　the　Lord　Mayor's　Show。'

'Who's　that　chap　in　the　gaiters　and　pack　at　his　back；　come　out　of
the　door　but　now？'　said　the　milkman；　nodding　towards　a　figure　of
that　description　who　had　just　emerged　from　the　inn　and　trudged　off
in　the　direction　taken　by　the　ladynow　out　of　sight。

'Chap　in　the　gaiters？　　Chok'　it　allwhy；　the　father　of　that
nobleman　that　you　call　chap　in　the　gaiters　used　to　be　hand　in　glove
with　half　the　Queen's　court。'

'What　d'ye　tell　o'？'

'That　man's　father　was　one　of　the　mayor　and　corporation　of
Sandbourne；　and　was　that　familiar　with　men　of　money；　that　he'd　slap
'em　upon　the　shoulder　as　you　or　I　or　any　other　poor　fool　would　the
clerk　of　the　parish。'

'O；　what's　my　lordlin's　name；　make　so　bold；　then？'

'Ay；　the　toppermost　class　nowadays　have　left　off　the　use　of　wheels
for　the　good　of　their　constitutions；　so　they　traipse　and　walk　for
many　years　up　foreign　hills；　where　you　can　see　nothing　but　snow　and
fog；　till　there's　no　more　left　to　walk　up；　and　if　they　reach　home
alive；　and　ha'n't　got　too　old　and　weared　out；　they　walk　and　see　a
little　of　their　own　parishes。　　So　they　tower　about　with　a　pack　and　a
stick　and　a　clane　white　pocket…handkerchief　over　their　hats　just　as
you　see　he's　got　on　his。　　He's　been　staying　here　a　night；　and　is　off
now　again。　　〃Young　man；　young　man；〃　I　think　to　myself；　〃if　your
shoulders　were　bent　like　a　bandy　and　your　knees　bowed　out　as　mine
be；　till　there　is　not　an　inch　of　straight　bone　or　gristle　in　'ee；
th'　wouldstn't　go　doing　hard　work　for　play　'a　b'lieve。〃'

'True；　true；　upon　my　song。　　Such　a　pain　as　I　have　had　in　my　lynes
all　this　day　to　be　sure；　words　don't　know　what　shipwreck　I　suffer　in
these　lynes　o'　minethat　they　do　not！　　And　what　was　this　young
widow　lady's　maiden　name；　then；　hostler？　　Folk　have　been　peeping
after　her；　that's　true；　but　they　don't　seem　to　know　much　about　her
family。'

'And　while　I've　tended　horses　fifty　year　that　other　folk　might
straddle　'em；　here　I　be　now　not　a　penny　the　better！　　Often…times；
when　I　see　so　many　good　things　about；　I　feel　inclined　to　help　myself
in　common　justice　to　my　pocket。

　　　　　〃Work　hard　and　be　poor；
　　　　　　Do　nothing　and　get　more。〃

But　I　draw　in　the　horns　of　my　mind　and　think　to　myself；　〃Forbear；
John　Hostler；　forbear！〃Her　maiden　name？　　Faith；　I　don't　know　the
woman's　maiden　name；　though　she　said　to　me；　〃Good　evening；　John；〃
but　I　had　no　memory　of　ever　seeing　her　aforeno；　no　more　than　the
dead　inside　church…hatchwhere　I　shall　soon　be　likewiseI　had　not。
〃Ay；　my　nabs；〃　I　think　to　myself；　〃more　know　Tom　Fool　than　Tom　Fool
knows。〃'

'More　know　Tom　Foolwhat　rambling　old　canticle　is　it　you　say；
hostler？'　inquired　the　milkman；　lifting　his　ear。　　'Let's　have　it
againa　good　saying　well　spit　out　is　a　Christmas　fire　to　my
withered　heart。　　More　know　Tom　Fool'

'Than　Tom　Fool　knows；'　said　the　hostler。

'Ah！　　That's　the　very　feeling　I've　feeled　over　and　over　again；
hostler；　but　not　in　such　gifted　language。　　'Tis　a　thought　I've　had
in　me　for　years；　and　never　could　lick　into　shape！O…ho…ho…ho！
Splendid！　　Say　it　again；　hostler；　say　it　again！　　To　hear　my　own　poor
notion　that　had　no　name　brought　into　form　like　thatI　wouldn't　ha'
lost　it　for　the　world！　　More　know　Tom　Fool　thanthanh…ho…ho…ho…
ho！'

'Don't　let　your　sense　o'　vitness　break　out　in　such　uproar；　for
heaven's　sake；　or　folk　will　surely　think　you've　been　laughing　at　the
lady　and　gentleman。　　Well；　here's　at　it　againNight　t'ee；　Michael。'
And　the　hostler　went　on　with　his　sweeping。

'Night　t'ee；　hostler；　I　must　move　too；'　said　the　milkman；
shouldering　his　yoke；　and　walking　off；　and　there　reached　the　inn　in
a　gradual　diminuendo；　as　he　receded　up　the　street；　shaking　his　head
convulsively；　'More　knowTom　Foolthan　Tom　Foolho…ho…ho…ho…ho！'

The　'Red　Lion；'　as　the　inn　or　hotel　was　called　which　of　late　years
had　become　the　fashion　among　tourists；　because　of　the　absence　from
its　precincts　of　all　that　was　fashionable　and　new；　stood　near　the
middle　of　the　town；　and　formed　a　corner　where　in　winter　the　winds
whistled　and　assembled　their　forces　previous　to　plunging　helter…
skelter　along　the　streets。　　In　summer　it　was　a　fresh　and　pleasant
spot；　convenient　for　such　quiet　characters　as　sojourned　there　to
study　the　geology　and　beautiful　natural　features　of　the　country
round。

The　lady　whose　appearance　had　asserted　a　difference　between　herself
and　the　Anglebury　people；　without　too　clearly　showing　what　that
difference　was；　passed　out　of　the　town　in　a　few　moments　and；
following　the　highway　across　meadows　fed　by　the　Froom；　she　crossed
the　railway　and　soon　got　into　a　lonely　heath。　　She　had　been　watching
the　base　of　a　cloud　as　it　closed　down　upon　the　line　of　a　distant
ridge；　like　an　upper　upon　a　lower　eyelid；　shutting　in　the　gaze　of
the　evening　sun。　　She　was　about　to　return　before　dusk　came　on；　when
she　heard　a　commotion　in　the　air　immediately　behind　and　above　her
head。　　The　saunterer　looked　up　and　saw　a　wild…duck　flying　along　with
the　greatest　violence；　just　in　its　rear　being　another　large　bird；
which　a　countryman　would　have　pronounced　to　be　one　of　the　biggest
duck…hawks　that　he　had　ever　beheld。　　The　hawk　neared　its　intended
victim；　and　the　duck　screamed　and　redoubled　its　efforts。

Ethelberta　impulsively　started　off　in　a　rapid　run　that　would　have
made　a　little　dog　bark　with　delight　and　run　after；　her　object　being；
if　possible；　to　see　the　end　of　this　desperate　struggle　for　a　life　so
small　and　unheard…of。　　Her　stateliness　went　away；　and　it　could　be
forgiven　for　not　remaining；　for　her　feet　suddenly　became　as　quick　as
fingers；　and　she　raced　along　over　the　uneven　ground　with　such　force
of　tread　that；　being　a　woman　slightly　heavier　than　gossamer；　her
patent　heels　punched　little　D's　in　the　soil　with　unerring　accuracy
wherever　it　was　bare；　crippled　the　heather…twigs　where　it　was　not；
and　sucked　the　swampy　places　with　a　sound　of　quick　kisses。

Her　rate　of　advance　was　not　to　be　compared　with　that　of　the　two
birds；　though　she　went　swiftly　enough　to　keep　them　well　in　sight　in
such　an　open　place　as　that　around　her；　having　at　one　point　in　the
journey　been　so　near　that　she　could　hear　the　whisk　of　the　duck's
feathers　against　the　wind　as　it　lifted　and　lowered　its　wings。　　When
the　bird　seemed　to　be　but　a　few　yards　from　its　enemy　she　saw　it
strike　downwards；　and　after　a　level　flight　of　a　quarter　of　a　minute；
vanish。　　The　hawk　swooped　after；　and　Ethelberta　now　perceived　a
whitely　shining　oval　of　still　water；　looking　amid　the　swarthy　level
of　the　heath　like　a　hole　through　to　a　nether　sky。

Into　this　large　pond；　which　the　duck　had　been　making　towards　from
the　beginning　of　its　precipitate　flight；　it　had　dived　out　of　sight。
The　excited　and　breathless　runner　was　in　a　few　moments　close　enough
to　see　the　disappointed　hawk　hovering　and　floating　in　the　air　as　if
waiting　for　the　reappearance　of　its　prey；　upon　which　grim　pastime　it
was