the hand of ethelberta-第22章

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very　delightful；　and　went　on　persuading　so　long　that　at　last　he　felt
it　to　be　so。　　Unable；　like　many　other　people；　to　enjoy　being
satirized　in　words　because　of　the　irritation　it　caused　him　as　aimed…
at　victim；　he　sometimes　had　philosophy　enough　to　appreciate　a　satire
of　circumstance；　because　nobody　intended　it。　　Pursuing　the　path
indicated；　he　found　himself　in　a　thicket　of　scrubby　undergrowth；
which　covered　an　area　enclosed　from　the　park　proper　by　a　decaying
fence。　　The　boughs　were　so　tangled　that　he　was　obliged　to　screen　his
face　with　his　hands；　to　escape　the　risk　of　having　his　eyes　filliped
out　by　the　twigs　that　impeded　his　progress。　　Thus　slowly　advancing；
his　ear　caught；　between　the　rustles；　the　tones　of　a　voice　in　earnest
declamation；　and；　pushing　round　in　that　direction；　he　beheld　through
some　beech　boughs　an　open　space　about　ten　yards　in　diameter；　floored
at　the　bottom　with　deep　beds　of　curled　old　leaves；　and　cushions　of
furry　moss。　　In　the　middle　of　this　natural　theatre　was　the　stump　of
a　tree　that　had　been　felled　by　a　saw；　and　upon　the　flat　stool　thus
formed　stood　Ethelberta；　whom　Christopher　had　not　beheld　since　the
ball　at　Wyndway　House。

Round　her；　leaning　against　branches　or　prostrate　on　the　ground；　were
five　or　six　individuals。　　Two　were　young　mechanicsone　of　them
evidently　a　carpenter。　　Then　there　was　a　boy　about　thirteen；　and　two
or　three　younger　children。　　Ethelberta's　appearance　answered　as
fully　as　ever　to　that　of　an　English　lady　skilfully　perfected　in
manner；　carriage；　look；　and　accent；　and　the　incongruity　of　her
present　position　among　lives　which　had　had　many　of　Nature's　beauties
stamped　out　of　them；　and　few　of　the　beauties　of　Art　stamped　in；
brought　him；　as　a　second　feeling；　a　pride　in　her　that　almost
equalled　his　first　sentiment　of　surprise。　　Christopher's　attention
was　meanwhile　attracted　from　the　constitution　of　the　group　to　the
words　of　the　speaker　in　the　centre　of　itwords　to　which　her
auditors　were　listening　with　still　attention。

It　appeared　to　Christopher　that　Ethelberta　had　lately　been
undergoing　some　very　extraordinary　experiences。　　What　the　beginning
of　them　had　been　he　could　not　in　the　least　understand；　but　the
portion　she　was　describing　came　distinctly　to　his　ears；　and　he
wondered　more　and　more。

'He　came　forward　till　he；　like　myself；　was　about　twenty　yards　from
the　edge。　　I　instinctively　grasped　my　useless　stiletto。　　How　I
longed　for　the　assistance　which　a　little　earlier　I　had　so　much
despised！　　Reaching　the　block　or　boulder　upon　which　I　had　been
sitting；　he　clasped　his　arms　around　from　behind；　his　hands　closed
upon　the　empty　seat；　and　he　jumped　up　with　an　oath。　　This　method　of
attack　told　me　a　new　thing　with　wretched　distinctness；　he　had；　as　I
suppose；　discovered　my　sex；　male　attire　was　to　serve　my　turn　no
longer。　　The　next　instant；　indeed；　made　it　clear；　for　he　exclaimed；
〃You　don't　escape　me；　masquerading　madam；〃　or　some　such　words；　and
came　on。　　My　only　hope　was　that　in　his　excitement　he　might　forget　to
notice　where　the　grass　terminated　near　the　edge　of　the　cliff；　though
this　could　be　easily　felt　by　a　careful　walker：　　to　make　my　own
feeling　more　distinct　on　this　point　I　hastily　bared　my　feet。'

The　listeners　moistened　their　lips；　Ethelberta　took　breath；　and　then
went　on　to　describe　the　scene　that　ensued；　'A　dreadful　variation　on
the　game　of　Blindman's　buff；'　being　the　words　by　which　she
characterized　it。

Ethelberta's　manner　had　become　so　impassioned　at　this　point　that　the
lips　of　her　audience　parted；　the　children　clung　to　their　elders；　and
Christopher　could　control　himself　no　longer。　　He　thrust　aside　the
boughs；　and　broke　in　upon　the　group。

'For　Heaven's　sake；　Ethelberta；'　he　exclaimed　with　great　excitement；
'where　did　you　meet　with　such　a　terrible　experience　as　that？'

The　children　shrieked；　as　if　they　thought　that　the　interruption　was
in　some　way　the　catastrophe　of　the　events　in　course　of　narration。
Every　one　started　up；　the　two　young　mechanics　stared；　and　one　of
them　inquired；　in　return；　'What's　the　matter；　friend？'

Christopher　had　not　yet　made　reply　when　Ethelberta　stepped　from　her
pedestal　down　upon　the　crackling　carpet　of　deep　leaves。

'Mr。　Julian！'　said　she；　in　a　serene　voice；　turning　upon　him　eyes　of
such　a　disputable　stage　of　colour；　between　brown　and　grey；　as　would
have　commended　itself　to　a　gallant　duellist　of　the　last　century　as　a
point　on　which　it　was　absolutely　necessary　to　take　some　friend's
life　or　other。　　But　the　calmness　was　artificially　done；　and　the
astonishment　that　did　not　appear　in　Ethelberta's　tones　was　expressed
by　her　gaze。　　Christopher　was　not　in　a　mood　to　draw　fine
distinctions　between　recognized　and　unrecognized　organs　of　speech。
He　replied　to　the　eyes。

'I　own　that　your　surprise　is　natural；'　he　said；　with　an　anxious　look
into　her　face；　as　if　he　wished　to　get　beyond　this　interpolated　scene
to　something　more　congenial　and　understood。　　'But　my　concern　at　such
a　history　of　yourself　since　I　last　saw　you　is　even　more　natural　than
your　surprise　at　my　manner　of　breaking　in。'

'That　history　would　justify　any　conduct　in　one　who　hears　it'

'Yes；　indeed。'

'If　it　were　true；'　added　Ethelberta；　smiling。　　'But　it　is　as　false
as'　　She　could　name　nothing　notoriously　false　without　raising　an
image　of　what　was　disagreeable；　and　she　continued　in　a　better
manner：　　'The　story　I　was　telling　is　entirely　a　fiction；　which　I　am
getting　up　for　a　particular　purposevery　different　from　what
appears　at　present。'

'I　am　sorry　there　was　such　a　misunderstanding；'　Christopher
stammered；　looking　upon　the　ground　uncertain　and　ashamed。　　'Yet　I　am
not；　either；　for　I　am　very　glad　you　have　not　undergone　such　trials；
of　course。　　But　the　fact　is；　Ibeing　in　the　neighbourhoodI
ventured　to　call　on　a　matter　of　business；　relating　to　a　poem　which　I
had　the　pleasure　of　setting　to　music　at　the　beginning　of　the　year。'

Ethelberta　was　only　a　little　less　ill　at　ease　than　Christopher
showed　himself　to　be　by　this　way　of　talking。

'Will　you　walk　slowly　on？'　she　said　gently　to　the　two　young　men；
'and　take　the　children　with　you；　this　gentleman　wishes　to　speak　to
me　on　business。'

The　biggest　young　man　caught　up　a　little　one　under　his　arm；　and
plunged　amid　the　boughs；　another　little　one　lingered　behind　for　a
few　moments　to　look　shyly　at　Christopher；　with　an　oblique　manner　of
hiding　her　mouth　against　her　shoulder　and　her　eyes　behind　her
pinafore。　　Then　she　vanished；　the　boy　and　the　second　young　man
followed；　and　Ethelberta　and　Christopher　stood　within　the　wood…bound
circle　alone。

'I　hope　I　have　caused　no　inconvenience　by　interrupting　the
proceedings；'　said　Christopher　softly；　'but　I　so　very　much　wished　to
see　you！'

'Did　you；　indeedreally　wish　to　see　me？'　she　said　gladly。　　'Never
mind　inconvenience　then；　it　is　a　word　which　seems　shallow　in　meaning
under　the　circumstances。　　I　surely　must　say　that　a　visit　is　to　my
advantage；　must　I　not？　　I　am　not　as　I　was；　you　see；　and　may　receive
as　advantages　what　I　used　to　consider　as　troubles。'

'Has　your　life　really　changed　so　much？'

'It　has　changed。　　But　what　I　first　meant　was　that　an　interesting
visitor　at　a　wrong　time　is　better　than　a　stupid　one　at　a　right
time。'

'I　had　been　behind　the　trees　for　some　minutes；　looking　at　you；　and
thinking　of　you；　but　what　you　were　doing　rather　interrupted　my　first
meditation。　　I　had　thought　of　a　meeting　in　which　we　should　continue
our　intercourse　at　the　point　at　which　it　was　broken　off　years　ago；
as　if　the　omitted　part　had　not　existed　at　all；　but　something；　I
cannot　tell　what；　has　upset　all　that　feeling；　and'

'I　can　soon　tell　you　the　meaning　of　my　extraordinary　performance；'
Ethelberta　broke　in　quickly；　and　with　a　little　trepidation。　　'My
mother…in…law；　Lady　Petherwin；　is　dead；　and　she　has　left　me　nothing
but　her　house　and　furniture　in　Londonmore　than　I　deserve；　but　less
than　she　had　distinctly　led　me　to　expect；　and　so　I　am　somewhat　in　a
corner。'

'It　is　always　so。'

'Not　always；　I　think。　　But　this　is　how　it　happened。　　Lady　Petherwin
was　very　capricious；　when　she　was　not　foolishly　kind　she　was
unjustly　harsh。　　A　great　many　are　like　it；　never　thinking　what　a
good　thing　it　would　be；　instead　of　g