the hand of ethelberta-第23章

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unjustly　harsh。　　A　great　many　are　like　it；　never　thinking　what　a
good　thing　it　would　be；　instead　of　going　on　tacking　from　side　to
side　between　favour　and　cruelty；　to　keep　to　a　mean　line　of　common
justice。　　And　so　we　quarrelled；　and　she；　being　absolute　mistress　of
all　her　wealth；　destroyed　her　will　that　was　in　my　favour；　and　made
another；　leaving　me　nothing　but　the　fag…end　of　the　lease　of　the
town…house　and　the　furniture　in　it。　　Then；　when　we　were　abroad；　she
turned　to　me　again；　forgave　everything；　and；　becoming　ill
afterwards；　wrote　a　letter　to　the　brother；　to　whom　she　had　left　the
bulk　of　her　property；　stating　that　I　was　to　have　twenty…thousand　of
the　one…hundred…thousand　pounds　she　had　bequeathed　to　himas　in　the
original　willdoing　this　by　letter　in　case　anything　should　happen
to　her　before　a　new　will　could　be　considered；　drawn；　and　signed；　and
trusting　to　his　honour　quite　that　he　would　obey　her　expressed　wish
should　she　die　abroad。　　Well；　she　did　die；　in　the　full　persuasion
that　I　was　provided　for；　but　her　brother　（as　I　secretly　expected　all
the　time）　refused　to　be　morally　bound　by　a　document　which　had　no
legal　value；　and　the　result　is　that　he　has　everything；　except；　of
course；　the　furniture　and　the　lease。　　It　would　have　been　enough　to
break　the　heart　of　a　person　who　had　calculated　upon　getting　a
fortune；　which　I　never　did；　for　I　felt　always　like　an　intruder　and　a
bondswoman；　and　had　wished　myself　out　of　the　Petherwin　family　a
hundred　times；　with　my　crust　of　bread　and　liberty。　　For　one　thing；　I
was　always　forbidden　to　see　my　relatives；　and　it　pained　me　much。
Now　I　am　going　to　move　for　myself；　and　consider　that　I　have　a　good
chance　of　success　in　what　I　may　undertake；　because　of　an
indifference　I　feel　about　succeeding　which　gives　the　necessary
coolness　that　any　great　task　requires。'

'I　presume　you　mean　to　write　more　poems？'

'I　cannotthat　is；　I　can　write　no　more　that　satisfy　me。　　To　blossom
into　rhyme　on　the　sparkling　pleasures　of　life；　you　must　be　under　the
influence　of　those　pleasures；　and　I　am　at　present　quite　removed　from
themsurrounded　by　gaunt　realities　of　a　very　different
description。'

'Then　try　the　mournful。　　Trade　upon　your　sufferings：　　many　do；　and
thrive。'

'It　is　no　use　to　say　thatno　use　at　all。　　I　cannot　write　a　line　of
verse。　　And　yet　the　others　flowed　from　my　heart　like　a　stream。　　But
nothing　is　so　easy　as　to　seem　clever　when　you　have　money。'

'Except　to　seem　stupid　when　you　have　none；'　said　Christopher；
looking　at　the　dead　leaves。

Ethelberta　allowed　herself　to　linger　on　that　thought　for　a　few
seconds；　and　continued；　'Then　the　question　arose；　what　was　I　to　do？
I　felt　that　to　write　prose　would　be　an　uncongenial　occupation；　and
altogether　a　poor　prospect　for　a　woman　like　me。　　Finally　I　have
decided　to　appear　in　public。'

'Not　on　the　stage？'

'Certainly　not　on　the　stage。　　There　is　no　novelty　in　a　poor　lady
turning　actress；　and　novelty　is　what　I　want。　　Ordinary　powers
exhibited　in　a　new　way　effect　as　much　as　extraordinary　powers
exhibited　in　an　old　way。'

'Yesso　they　do。　　And　extraordinary　powers；　and　a　new　way　too；
would　be　irresistible。'

'I　don't　calculate　upon　both。　　I　had　written　a　prose　story　by
request；　when　it　was　found　that　I　had　grown　utterly　inane　over
verse。　　It　was　written　in　the　first　person；　and　the　style　was
modelled　after　De　Foe's。　　The　night　before　sending　it　off；　when　I
had　already　packed　it　up；　I　was　reading　about　the　professional
story…tellers　of　Eastern　countries；　who　devoted　their　lives　to　the
telling　of　tales。　　I　unfastened　the　manuscript　and　retained　it；
convinced　that　I　should　do　better　by　TELLING　the　story。'

'Well　thought　of！'　exclaimed　Christopher；　looking　into　her　face。
'There　is　a　way　for　everybody　to　live；　if　they　can　only　find　it
out。'

'It　occurred　to　me；'　she　continued；　blushing　slightly；　'that　tales
of　the　weird　kind　were　made　to　be　told；　not　written。　　The　action　of
a　teller　is　wanted　to　give　due　effect　to　all　stories　of　incident；
and　I　hope　that　a　time　will　come　when；　as　of　old；　instead　of　an
unsocial　reading　of　fiction　at　home　alone；　people　will　meet　together
cordially；　and　sit　at　the　feet　of　a　professed　romancer。　　I　am　going
to　tell　my　tales　before　a　London　public。　　As　a　child；　I　had　a
considerable　power　in　arresting　the　attention　of　other　children　by
recounting　adventures　which　had　never　happened；　and　men　and　women
are　but　children　enlarged　a　little。　　Look　at　this。'

She　drew　from　her　pocket　a　folded　paper；　shook　it　abroad；　and
disclosed　a　rough　draft　of　an　announcement　to　the　effect　that　Mrs。
Petherwin；　Professed　Story…teller；　would　devote　an　evening　to　that
ancient　form　of　the　romancer's　art；　at　a　well…known　fashionable　hall
in　London。　　'Now　you　see；'　she　continued；　'the　meaning　of　what　you
observed　going　on　here。　　That　you　heard　was　one　of　three　tales　I　am
preparing；　with　a　view　of　selecting　the　best。　　As　a　reserved　one；　I
have　the　tale　of　my　own　lifeto　be　played　as　a　last　card。　　It　was　a
private　rehearsal　before　my　brothers　and　sistersnot　with　any　view
of　obtaining　their　criticism；　but　that　I　might　become　accustomed　to
my　own　voice　in　the　presence　of　listeners。'

'If　I　only　had　had　half　your　enterprise；　what　I　might　have　done　in
the　world！'

'Now　did　you　ever　consider　what　a　power　De　Foe's　manner　would　have
if　practised　by　word　of　mouth？　　Indeed；　it　is　a　style　which　suits
itself　infinitely　better　to　telling　than　to　writing；　abounding　as　it
does　in　colloquialisms　that　are　somewhat　out　of　place　on　paper　in
these　days；　but　have　a　wonderful　power　in　making　a　narrative　seem
real。　　And　so；　in　short；　I　am　going　to　talk　De　Foe　on　a　subject　of
my　own。　　Well？'

The　last　word　had　been　given　tenderly；　with　a　long…drawn　sweetness；
and　was　caused　by　a　look　that　Christopher　was　bending　upon　her　at
the　moment；　in　which　he　revealed　that　he　was　thinking　less　of　the
subject　she　was　so　eagerly　and　hopefully　descanting　upon　than　upon
her　aspect　in　explaining　it。　　It　is　a　fault　of　manner　particularly
common　among　men　newly　imported　into　the　society　of　bright　and
beautiful　women；　and　we　will　hope　that；　springing　as　it　does　from　no
unworthy　source；　it　is　as　soon　forgiven　in　the　general　world　as　it
was　here。

'I　was　only　following　a　thought；'　said　Christopher：'a　thought　of
how　I　used　to　know　you；　and　then　lost　sight　of　you；　and　then
discovered　you　famous；　and　how　we　are　here　under　these　sad　autumn
trees；　and　nobody　in　sight。'

'I　think　it　must　be　tea…time；'　she　said　suddenly。　　'Tea　is　a　great
meal　with　us　hereyou　will　join　us；　will　you　not？'　　And　Ethelberta
began　to　make　for　herself　a　passage　through　the　boughs。　　Another
rustle　was　heard　a　little　way　off；　and　one　of　the　children　appeared。

'Emmeline　wants　to　know；　please；　if　the　gentleman　that　come　to　see
'ee　will　stay　to　tea；　because；　if　so；　she's　agoing　to　put　in　another
spoonful　for　him　and　a　bit　of　best　green。'

'O　Georginahow　candid！　　Yes；　put　in　some　best　green。'

Before　Christopher　could　say　any　more　to　her；　they　were　emerging　by
the　corner　of　the　cottage；　and　one　of　the　brothers　drew　near　them。
'Mr。　Julian；　you'll　bide　and　have　a　cup　of　tea　wi'　us？'　　he　inquired
of　Christopher。　　'An　old　friend　of　yours；　is　he　not；　Mrs。　Petherwin？
Dan　and　I　be　going　back　to　Sandbourne　to…night；　and　we　can　walk　with
'ee　as　far　as　the　station。'

'I　shall　be　delighted；'　said　Christopher；　and　they　all　entered　the
cottage。　　The　evening　had　grown　clearer　by　this　time；　the　sun　was
peeping　out　just　previous　to　departure；　and　sent　gold　wires　of　light
across　the　glades　and　into　the　windows；　throwing　a　pattern　of　the
diamond　quarries；　and　outlines　of　the　geraniums　in　pots；　against　the
opposite　wall。　　One　end　of　the　room　was　polygonal；　such　a　shape
being　dictated　by　the　exterior　design；　in　this　part　the　windows　were
placed；　as　at　the　east　end　of　continental　churches。　　Thus；　from　the
combined　effects　of　the　ecclesiastical　lancet　lights　and　the　apsidal
shape　of　the　room；　it　occurred　to　Christopher　that　the　sisters　were
all　a　delightful　set　of　pretty　saints；　exhibiting　themselves　in　a
lady　chapel；　and　backed　up　by　unkempt　major　prophets；　as　represented
by　the　forms　of　their　big　brothers。

Christopher　sat　down　to　tea　as　inv