the hand of ethelberta-第25章

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painting　green。　　If　you　stick　to　some　such　principle　of　specialty　as
this；　you　may　get　employment　in　London。'

'Ha…ha…ha！'　said　Dan；　striking　at　a　stone　in　the　road　with　the　stout
green　hazel　he　carried。　　'A　wink　is　as　good　as　a　nod：　　thank'ee
we'll　mind　all　that　now。'

'If　we　do　come；'　said　Sol；　'we　shall　not　mix　up　with　Mrs。　Petherwin
at　all。'

'O　indeed！'

'O　no。　　（Perhaps　you　think　it　odd　that　we　call　her　〃Mrs。　Petherwin；〃
but　that's　by　agreement　as　safer　and　better　than　Berta；　because　we
be　such　rough　chaps　you　see；　and　she's　so　lofty。）　　'Twould　demean
her　to　claim　kin　wi'　her　in　Londontwo　journeymen　like　we；　that
know　nothing　besides　our　trades。'

'Not　at　all；'　said　Christopher；　by　way　of　chiming　in　in　the
friendliest　manner。　　'She　would　be　pleased　to　see　any
straightforward　honest　man　and　brother；　I　should　think；
notwithstanding　that　she　has　moved　in　other　society　for　a　time。'

'Ah；　you　don't　know　Berta！'　said　Dan；　looking　as　if　he　did。

'Howin　what　way　do　you　mean？'　said　Christopher　uneasily。

'So　loftyso　very　lofty！　　Isn't　she；　Sol？　　Why　she'll　never　stir
out　from　mother's　till　after　dark；　and　then　her　day　begins；　and
she'll　traipse　about　under　the　trees；　and　never　go　into　the　high…
road；　so　that　nobody　in　the　way　of　gentle…people　shall　run　up
against　her　and　know　her　living　in　such　a　little　small　hut　after
biding　in　a　big　mansion…place。　　There；　we　don't　find　fault　wi'　her
about　it：　　we　like　her　just　the　same；　though　she　don't　speak　to　us
in　the　street；　for　a　feller　must　be　a　fool　to　make　a　piece　of　work
about　a　woman's　pride；　when　'tis　his　own　sister；　and　hang　upon　her
and　bother　her　when　he　knows　'tis　for　her　good　that　he　should　not。
Yes；　her　life　has　been　quare　enough。　　I　hope　she　enjoys　it；　but　for
my　part　I　like　plain　sailing。　　None　of　your　ups　and　downs　for　me。
There；　I　suppose　'twas　her　nater　to　want　to　look　into　the　world　a
bit。'

'Father　and　mother　kept　Berta　to　school；　you　understand；　sir；'
explained　the　more　thoughtful　Sol；　'because　she　was　such　a　quick
child；　and　they　always　had　a　notion　of　making　a　governess　of　her。
Sums？　　If　you　said　to　that　child；　〃Berta；　'levenpence…three…
farthings　a　day；　how　much　a　year？〃　she　would　tell　'ee　in　three
seconds　out　of　her　own　little　head。　　And　that　hard　sum　about　the
herrings　she　had　done　afore　she　was　nine。'

'True；　she　had；'　said　Dan。　　'And　we　all　know　that　to　do　that　is　to
do　something　that's　no　nonsense。'

'What　is　the　sum？'　Christopher　inquired。

'Whatnot　know　the　sum　about　the　herrings？'　said　Dan；　spreading　his
gaze　all　over　Christopher　in　amazement。

'Never　heard　of　it；'　said　Christopher。

'Why　down　in　these　parts　just　as　you　try　a　man's　soul　by　the　Ten
Commandments；　you　try　his　head　by　that　there　sumhey；　Sol？'

'Ay；　that　we　do。'

'A　herring　and　a　half　for　three…halfpence；　how　many　can　ye　get　for
'levenpence：　　that's　the　feller；　and　a　mortal　teaser　he　is；　I　assure
'ee。　　Our　parson；　who's　not　altogether　without　sense　o'　week　days；
said　one　afternoon；　〃If　cunning　can　be　found　in　the　multiplication
table　at　all；　Chickerel；　'tis　in　connection　with　that　sum。〃　　Well；
Berta　was　so　clever　in　arithmetic　that　she　was　asked　to　teach
summing　at　Miss　Courtley's；　and　there　she　got　to　like　foreign
tongues　more　than　ciphering；　and　at　last　she　hated　ciphering；　and
took　to　books　entirely。　　Mother　and　we　were　very　proud　of　her　at
that　time：　　not　that　we　be　stuck…up　people　at　allbe　we；　Sol？'

'Not　at　all；　nobody　can　say　that　we　be　that；　though　there's　more　of
it　in　the　country　than　there　should　be　by　all　account。'

'You'd　be　surprised　to　see　how　vain　the　girls　about　here　be　getting。
Little　rascals；　why　they　won't　curtsey　to　the　loftiest　lady　in　the
land；　no；　not　if　you　were　to　pay　'em　to　do　it。　　Now；　the　men　be
different。　　Any　man　will　touch　his　hat　for　a　pint　of　beer。　　But
then；　of　course；　there's　some　difference　between　the　two。　　Touching
your　hat　is　a　good　deal　less　to　do　than　bending　your　knees；　as　Berta
used　to　say；　when　she　was　blowed　up　for　not　doing　it。　　She　was
always　one　of　the　independent　sortyou　never　seed　such　a　maid　as
she　was！　　Now；　Picotee　was　quite　the　other　way。'

'Has　Picotee　left　Sandbourne　entirely？'

'O　no；　she　is　home　for　the　holidays。　　Well；　Mr。　Julian；　our　road
parts　from　yours　just　here；　unless　you　walk　into　the　next　town　along
with　us。　　But　I　suppose　you　get　across　to　this　station　and　go　by
rail？'

'I　am　obliged　to　go　that　way　for　my　portmanteau；'　said　Christopher；
'or　I　should　have　been　pleased　to　walk　further。　　Shall　I　see　you　in
Sandbourne　to…morrow？　　I　hope　so。'

'Well；　no。　　'Tis　hardly　likely　that　you　will　see　ushardly。　　We
know　how　unpleasant　it　is　for　a　high　sort　of　man　to　have　rough　chaps
like　us　hailing　him；　so　we　think　it　best　not　to　meet　youthank　you
all　the　same。　　So　if　you　should　run　up　against　us　in　the　street；　we
should　be　just　as　well　pleased　by　your　taking　no　notice；　if　you
wouldn't　mind。　　'Twill　save　so　much　awkwardnessbeing　in　our
working　clothes。　　'Tis　always　the　plan　that　Mrs。　Petherwin　and　we
agree　to　act　upon；　and　we　find　it　best　for　both。　　I　hope　you　take
our　meaning　right；　and　as　no　offence；　Mr。　Julian。'

'And　do　you　do　the　same　with　Picotee？'

'O　Lord；　no'tisn't　a　bit　of　use　to　try。　　That's　the　worst　of
Picoteethere's　no　getting　rid　of　her。　　The　more　in　the　rough　we　be
the　more　she'll　stick　to　us；　and　if　we　say　she　shan't　come；　she'll
bide　and　fret　about　it　till　we　be　forced　to　let　her。'

Christopher　laughed；　and　promised；　on　condition　that　they　would
retract　the　statement　about　their　not　being　proud；　and　then　he
wished　his　friends　good…night。



15。　AN　INNER　ROOM　AT　THE　LODGE

At　the　Lodge　at　this　time　a　discussion　of　some　importance　was　in
progress。　　The　scene　was　Mrs。　Chickerel's　bedroom；　to　which；
unfortunately；　she　was　confined　by　some　spinal　complaint；　and　here
she　now　appeared　as　an　interesting　woman　of　five…and…forty；　properly
dressed　as　far　as　visible；　and　propped　up　in　a　bed　covered　with　a
quilt　which　presented　a　field　of　little　squares　in　many　tints；
looking　altogether　like　a　bird's…eye　view　of　a　market　garden。

Mrs。　Chickerel　had　been　nurse　in　a　nobleman's　family　until　her
marriage；　and　after　that　she　played　the　part　of　wife　and　mother；
upon　the　whole；　affectionately　and　well。　　Among　her　minor
differences　with　her　husband　had　been　one　about　the　naming　of　the
children；　a　matter　that　was　at　last　compromised　by　an　agreement
under　which　the　choice　of　the　girls'　names　became　her　prerogative；
and　that　of　the　boys'　her　husband's；　who　limited　his　field　of
selection　to　strict　historical　precedent　as　a　set…off　to　Mrs。
Chickerel's　tendency　to　stray　into　the　regions　of　romance。

The　only　grown…up　daughters　at　home；　Ethelberta　and　Picotee；　with
their　brother　Joey；　were　sitting　near　her；　the　two　youngest
children；　Georgina　and　Myrtle；　who　had　been　strutting　in　and　out　of
the　room；　and　otherwise　endeavouring　to　walk；　talk；　and　speak　like
the　gentleman　just　gone　away；　were　packed　off　to　bed。　　Emmeline；　of
that　transitional　age　which　causes　its　exponent　to　look　wistfully　at
the　sitters　when　romping　and　at　the　rompers　when　sitting；　uncertain
whether　her　position　in　the　household　is　that　of　child　or　woman；　was
idling　in　a　corner。　　The　two　absent　brothers　and　two　absent　sisters…
…eldest　members　of　the　familycompleted　the　round　ten　whom　Mrs。
Chickerel　with　thoughtless　readiness　had　presented　to　a　crowded
world；　to　cost　Ethelberta　many　wakeful　hours　at　night　while　she
revolved　schemes　how　they　might　be　decently　maintained。

'I　still　think；'　Ethelberta　was　saying；　'that　the　plan　I　first
proposed　is　the　best。　　I　am　convinced　that　it　will　not　do　to　attempt
to　keep　on　the　Lodge。　　If　we　are　all　together　in　town；　I　can　look
after　you　much　better　than　when　you　are　far　away　from　me　down　here。'

'Shall　we　not　interfere　with　youyour　plans　for　keeping　up　your
connections？'　inquired　her　mother；　glancing　up　towards　Ethelberta　by
lifting　the　flesh　of　her　forehead；　instead　of　troubling　to　raise　her
face　altogether。

'Not　nearly　so　much　as　by　staying　here。'

'But；'　said　Picotee；　'if　you　let　lodgings；　won't　the　gentlemen　and
ladies　know　it？'

'I　have　thought　of　that；'　said　Ethelberta；　'and　this　is