the hand of ethelberta-第28章

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her　entrance；　that　so　impressionable　a　lady　will　never　bear　up　in
the　face　of　so　trying　an　audience。　。　。　。　　The　combinations　of
incident　which　Mrs。　Petherwin　persuades　her　hearers　that　she　has
passed　through　are　not　a　little　marvellous；　and　if　what　is　rumoured
be　true；　that　the　tales　are　to　a　great　extent　based　upon　her　own
experiences；　she　has　proved　herself　to　be　no　less　daring　in
adventure　than　facile　in　her　power　of　describing　it。'



17。　ETHELBERTA'S　HOUSE

After　such　successes　as　these；　Christopher　could　not　forego　the
seductive　intention　of　calling　upon　the　poetess　and　romancer；　at　her
now　established　town　residence　in　Exonbury　Crescent。　　One　wintry
afternoon　he　reached　the　doornow　for　the　third　timeand　gave　a
knock　which　had　in　it　every　tender　refinement　that　could　be　thrown
into　the　somewhat　antagonistic　vehicle　of　noise。　　Turning　his　face
down　the　street　he　waited　restlessly　on　the　step。　　There　was　a
strange　light　in　the　atmosphere：　　the　glass　of　the　street…lamps；　the
varnished　back　of　a　passing　cab；　a　milk…woman's　cans；　and　a　row　of
church…windows　glared　in　his　eyes　like　new…rubbed　copper；　and　on
looking　the　other　way　he　beheld　a　bloody　sun　hanging　among　the
chimneys　at　the　upper　end；　as　a　danger…lamp　to　warn　him　off。

By　this　time　the　door　was　opened；　and　before　him　stood　Ethelberta's
young　brother　Joey；　thickly　populated　with　little　buttons；　the
remainder　of　him　consisting　of　invisible　green。

'Ah；　Joseph；'　said　Christopher；　instantly　recognizing　the　boy。
'What；　are　you　here　in　office？　　Is　your'

Joey　lifted　his　forefinger　and　spread　his　mouth　in　a　genial　manner；
as　if　to　signify　particular　friendliness　mingled　with　general
caution。

'Yes；　sir；　Mrs。　Petherwin　is　my　mistress。　　I'll　see　if　she　is　at
home；　sir；'　he　replied；　raising　his　shoulders　and　winking　a　wink　of
strategic　meanings　by　way　of　finishall　which　signs　showed；　if
evidence　were　wanted；　how　effectually　this　pleasant　young　page
understood；　though　quite　fresh　from　Wessex；　the　duties　of　his
peculiar　position。　　Mr。　Julian　was　shown　to　the　drawing…room；　and
there　he　found　Ethelberta　alone。

She　gave　him　a　hand　so　cool　and　still　that　Christopher；　much　as　he
desired　the　contact；　was　literally　ashamed　to　let　her　see　and　feel
his　own；　trembling　with　unmanageable　excess　of　feeling。　　It　was
always　so；　always　had　been　so；　always　would　be　so；　at　these　meetings
of　theirs：　　she　was　immeasurably　the　strongest；　and　the　deep…eyed
young　man　fancied；　in　the　chagrin　which　the　perception　of　this
difference　always　bred　in　him；　that　she　triumphed　in　her　superior
control。　　Yet　it　was　only　in　little　things　that　their　sexes　were
thus　reversed：　　Christopher　would　receive　quite　a　shock　if　a　little
dog　barked　at　his　heels；　and　be　totally　unmoved　when　in　danger　of
his　life。

Certainly　the　most　self…possessed　woman　in　the　world；　under　pressure
of　the　incongruity　between　their　last　meeting　and　the　present　one；
might　have　shown　more　embarrassment　than　Ethelberta　showed　on
greeting　him　to…day。　　Christopher　was　only　a　man　in　believing　that
the　shyness　which　she　did　evince　was　chiefly　the　result　of　personal
interest。　　She　might　or　might　not　have　been　said　to　blushperhaps
the　stealthy　change　upon　her　face　was　too　slow　an　operation　to
deserve　that　name：　　but；　though　pale　when　he　called；　the　end　of　ten
minutes　saw　her　colour　high　and　wide。　　She　soon　set　him　at　his　ease；
and　seemed　to　relax　a　long…sustained　tension　as　she　talked　to　him　of
her　arrangements；　hopes；　and　fears。

'And　how　do　you　like　London　society？'　said　Ethelberta。

'Pretty　well；　as　far　as　I　have　seen　it：　　to　the　surface　of　its　front
door。'

'You　will　find　nothing　to　be　alarmed　at　if　you　get　inside。'

'O　noof　course　notexcept　my　own　shortcomings；'　said　the　modest
musician。　　'London　society　is　made　up　of　much　more　refined　people
than　society　anywhere　else。'

'That's　a　very　prevalent　opinion；　and　it　is　nowhere　half　so
prevalent　as　in　London　society　itself。　　However；　come　and　see　my
houseunless　you　think　it　a　trouble　to　look　over　a　house？'

'No；　I　should　like　it　very　much。'

The　decorations　tended　towards　the　artistic　gymnastics　prevalent　in
some　quarters　at　the　present　day。　　Upon　a　general　flat　tint　of
duck's…egg　green　appeared　quaint　patterns　of　conventional　foliage；
and　birds；　done　in　bright　auburn；　several　shades　nearer　to
redbreast…red　than　was　Ethelberta's　hair；　which　was　thus　thrust
further　towards　brown　by　such　juxtapositiona　possible　reason　for
the　choice　of　tint。　　Upon　the　glazed　tiles　within　the　chimney…piece
were　the　forms　of　owls；　bats；　snakes；　frogs；　mice；　spiders　in　their
webs；　moles；　and　other　objects　of　aversion　and　darkness；　shaped　in
black　and　burnt　in　after　the　approved　fashion。

'My　brothers　Sol　and　Dan　did　most　of　the　actual　work；'　said
Ethelberta；　'though　I　drew　the　outlines；　and　designed　the　tiles
round　the　fire。　　The　flowers；　mice；　and　spiders　are　done　very
simply；　you　know：　　you　only　press　a　real　flower；　mouse；　or　spider
out　flat　under　a　piece　of　glass；　and　then　copy　it；　adding　a　little
more　emaciation　and　angularity　at　pleasure。'

'In　that　〃at　pleasure〃　is　where　all　the　art　lies；'　said　he。

'Well；　yesthat　is　the　case；'　said　Ethelberta　thoughtfully；　and
preceding　him　upstairs；　she　threw　open　a　door　on　one　of　the　floors；
disclosing　Dan　in　person；　engaged　upon　a　similar　treatment　of　this
floor　also。　　Sol　appeared　bulging　from　the　door　of　a　closet；　a
little　further　on；　where　he　was　fixing　some　shelves；　and　both　wore
workmen's　blouses。　　At　once　coming　down　from　the　short　ladder　he　was
standing　upon；　Dan　shook　Christopher's　hand　with　some　velocity。

'We　do　a　little　at　a　time；　you　see；'　he　said；　'because　Colonel　down
below；　and　Mrs。　Petherwin's　visitors；　shan't　smell　the　turpentine。'

'We　be　pushing　on　to…day　to　get　it　out　of　the　way；'　said　Sol；　also
coming　forward　and　greeting　their　visitor；　but　more　reluctantly　than
his　brother　had　done。　　'Now　I'll　tell　ye　whatyou　two；'　he　added；
after　an　uneasy　pause；　turning　from　Christopher　to　Ethelberta　and
back　again　in　great　earnestness；　'you'd　better　not　bide　here；
talking　to　we　rough　ones；　you　know；　for　folks　might　find　out　that
there's　something　closer　between　us　than　workmen　and　employer　and
employer's　friend。　　So　Berta　and　Mr。　Julian；　if　you'll　go　on　and
take　no　more　notice　o'　us；　in　case　of　visitors；　it　would　be　wiser
else；　perhaps；　if　we　should　be　found　out　intimate　with　ye；　and　bring
down　your　gentility；　you'll　blame　us　for　it。　　I　get　as　nervous　as　a
cat　when　I　think　I　may　be　the　cause　of　any　disgrace　to　ye。'

'Don't　be　so　silly；　Sol；'　said　Ethelberta；　laughing。

'Ah；　that's　all　very　well；'　said　Sol；　with　an　unbelieving　smile；
'but　if　we　bain't　company　for　you　out　of　doors；　you　bain't　company
for　we　withinnot　that　I　find　fault　with　ye　or　mind　it；　and　shan't
take　anything　for　painting　your　house；　nor　will　Dan　neither；　any
more　for　thatno；　not　a　penny；　in　fact；　we　are　glad　to　do　it　for
'ee。　　At　the　same　time；　you　keep　to　your　class；　and　we'll　keep　to
ours。　　And　so；　good　afternoon；　Berta；　when　you　like　to　go；　and　the
same　to　you；　Mr。　Julian。　　Dan；　is　that　your　mind？'

'I　can　but　own　it；'　said　Dan。

The　two　brothers　then　turned　their　backs　upon　their　visitors；　and
went　on　working；　and　Ethelberta　and　her　lover　left　the　room。　　'My
brothers；　you　perceive；'　said　she；　'represent　the　respectable
British　workman　in　his　entirety；　and　a　touchy　individual　he　is；　I
assure　you；　on　points　of　dignity；　after　imbibing　a　few　town　ideas
from　his　leaders。　　They　are　painfully　off…hand　with　me；　absolutely
refusing　to　be　intimate；　from　a　mistaken　notion　that　I　am　ashamed　of
their　dress　and　manners；　which；　of　course；　is　absurd。'

'Which；　of　course；　is　absurd；'　said　Christopher。

'Of　course　it　is　absurd！'　she　repeated　with　warmth；　and　looking
keenly　at　him。　　But；　finding　no　harm　in　his　face；　she　continued　as
before：　　'Yet；　all　the　time；　they　will　do　anything　under　the　sun
that　they　think　will　advance　my　interests。　　In　our　hearts　we　are
one。　　All　they　ask　me　to　do　is　to　leave　them　to　themselves；　and
therefore　I　do　so。　　Now；　would　you　like　to　see　some　more　of　your
acquaintance？'

She　introduced　him　to　a　large　attic；　where　he　found　himself　in　th