the hand of ethelberta-第31章

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she　should　write　for　them。

Picotee　arrived　in　town　late　on　a　cold　February　afternoon；　bearing　a
small　bag　in　her　hand。　　She　crossed　Westminster　Bridge　on　foot；　just
after　dusk；　and　saw　a　luminous　haze　hanging　over　each　well…lighted
street　as　it　withdrew　into　distance　behind　the　nearer　houses；
showing　its　direction　as　a　train　of　morning　mist　shows　the　course　of
a　distant　stream　when　the　stream　itself　is　hidden。　　The　lights　along
the　riverside　towards　Charing　Cross　sent　an　inverted　palisade　of
gleaming　swords　down　into　the　shaking　water；　and　the　pavement　ticked
to　the　touch　of　pedestrians'　feet；　most　of　whom　tripped　along　as　if
walking　only　to　practise　a　favourite　quick　step；　and　held
handkerchiefs　to　their　mouths　to　strain　off　the　river　mist　from
their　lungs。　　She　inquired　her　way　to　Exonbury　Crescent；　and　between
five　and　six　o'clock　reached　her　sister's　door。

Two　or　three　minutes　were　passed　in　accumulating　resolution
sufficient　to　ring　the　bell；　which　when　at　last　she　did；　was　not
performed　in　a　way　at　all　calculated　to　make　the　young　man　Joey
hasten　to　the　door。　　After　the　lapse　of　a　certain　time　he　did；
however；　find　leisure　to　stroll　and　see　what　the　caller　might　want；
out　of　curiosity　to　know　who　there　could　be　in　London　afraid　to　ring
a　bell　twice。

Joey's　delight　exceeded　even　his　surprise；　the　ruling　maxim　of　his
life　being　the　more　the　merrier；　under　all　circumstances。　　The
beaming　young　man　was　about　to　run　off　and　announce　her　upstairs　and
downstairs；　left　and　right；　when　Picotee　called　him　hastily　to　her。
In　the　hall　her　quick　young　eye　had　caught　sight　of　an　umbrella　with
a　peculiar　horn　handlean　umbrella　she　had　been　accustomed　to　meet
on　Sandbourne　Moor　on　many　happy　afternoons。　　Christopher　was
evidently　in　the　house。

'Joey；'　she　said；　as　if　she　were　ready　to　faint；　'don't　tell　Berta　I
am　come。　　She　has　company；　has　she　not？'

'O　noonly　Mr。　Julian！'　said　the　brother。　　'He's　quite　one　of　the
family！'

'Never　mindcan't　I　go　down　into　the　kitchen　with　you？'　she
inquired。　　There　had　been　bliss　and　misery　mingled　in　those　tidings；
and　she　scarcely　knew　for　a　moment　which　way　they　affected　her。
What　she　did　know　was　that　she　had　run　her　dear　fox　to　earth；　and　a
sense　of　satisfaction　at　that　feat　prevented　her　just　now　from
counting　the　cost　of　the　performance。

'Does　Mr。　Julian　come　to　see　her　very　often？'　said　she。

'O　yeshe's　always　a…cominga　regular　bore　to　me。'

'A　regular　what？'

'Bore！Ah；　I　forgot；　you　don't　know　our　town　words。　　However；　come
along。'

They　passed　by　the　doors　on　tiptoe；　and　their　mother　upstairs　being；
according　to　Joey's　account；　in　the　midst　of　a　nap；　Picotee　was
unwilling　to　disturb　her；　so　they　went　down　at　once　to　the　kitchen；
when　forward　rushed　Gwendoline　the　cook；　flourishing　her　floury
hands；　and　Cornelia　the　housemaid；　dancing　over　her　brush；　and　these
having　welcomed　and　made　Picotee　comfortable；　who　should　ring　the
area…bell；　and　be　admitted　down　the　steps；　but　Sol　and　Dan。　　The
workman…brothers；　their　day's　duties　being　over；　had　called　to　see
their　relations；　first；　as　usual；　going　home　to　their　lodgings　in
Marylebone　and　making　themselves　as　spruce　as　bridegrooms；　according
to　the　rules　of　their　newly…acquired　town　experience。　　For　the
London　mechanic　is　only　nine　hours　a　mechanic；　though　the　country
mechanic　works；　eats；　drinks；　and　sleeps　a　mechanic　throughout　the
whole　twenty…four。

'God　bless　my　soulPicotee！'　said　Dan；　standing　fixed。　　'WellI
say；　this　is　splendid！　ha…ha！'

'Picoteewhat　brought　you　here？'　said　Sol；　expanding　the
circumference　of　his　face　in　satisfaction。　　'Well；　come　alongnever
mind　so　long　as　you　be　here。'

Picotee　explained　circumstances　as　well　as　she　could　without　stating
them；　and；　after　a　general　conversation　of　a　few　minutes；　Sol
interrupted　with'Anybody　upstairs　with　Mrs。　Petherwin？'

'Mr。　Julian　was　there　just　now；'　said　Joey；　'but　he　may　be　gone。
Berta　always　lets　him　slip　out　how　he　can；　the　form　of　ringing　me　up
not　being　necessary　with　him。　　Wait　a　minuteI'll　see。'

Joseph　vanished　up　the　stairs；　and；　the　question　whether　Christopher
were　gone　or　not　being　an　uninteresting　one　to　the　majority；　the
talking　went　on　upon　other　matters。　　When　Joey　crept　down　again　a
minute　later；　Picotee　was　sitting　aloof　and　silent；　and　he
accordingly　singled　her　out　to　speak　to。

'Such　a　lark；　Picotee！'　he　whispered。　　'Berta's　a…courting　of　her
young　man。　　Would　you　like　to　see　how　they　carries　on　a　bit？'

'Dearly　I　should！'　said　Picotee；　the　pupils　of　her　eyes　dilating。

Joey　conducted　her　to　the　top　of　the　basement　stairs；　and　told　her
to　listen。　　Within　a　few　yards　of　them　was　the　morning…room　door；
now　standing　ajar；　and　an　intermittent　flirtation　in　soft　male　and
female　tones　could　be　heard　going　on　inside。　　Picotee's　lips　parted
at　thus　learning　the　condition　of　things；　and　she　leant　against　the
stair…newel。

'My？　　What's　the　matter？'　said　Joey。

'If　this　is　London；　I　don't　like　it　at　all！'　moaned　Picotee。

'WellI　never　see　such　a　girlfainting　all　over　the　stairs　for
nothing　in　the　world。'

'Oit　will　soon　be　goneit　isit　is　only　indigestion。'

'Indigestion？　　Much　you　simple　country　people　can　know　about　that！
You　should　see　what　devils　of　indigestions　we　get　in　high　life
eating　'normous　great　dinners　and　suppers　that　require　clever
physicians　to　carry　'em　off；　or　else　they'd　carry　us　off　with　gout
next　day；　and　waking　in　the　morning　with　such　a　splitting　headache；
and　dry　throat；　and　inward　cusses　about　human　nature；　that　you　feel
all　the　world　like　some　great　lord。　　However；　now　let's　go　down
again。'

'No；　no；　no！'　said　the　unhappy　maiden　imploringly。　　'Hark！'

They　listened　again。　　The　voices　of　the　musician　and　poetess　had
changed：　　there　was　a　decided　frigidity　in　their　tonethen　came　a
louder　expressionthen　a　silence。

'You　needn't　be　afeard；'　said　Joey。　　'They　won't　fight；　bless　you；
they　busts　out　quarrelling　like　this　times　and　times　when　they've
been　over…friendly；　but　it　soon　gets　straight　with　'em　again。'

There　was　now　a　quick　walk　across　the　room；　and　Joey　and　his　sister
drew　down　their　heads　out　of　sight。　　Then　the　room　door　was　slammed；
quick　footsteps　went　along　the　hall；　the　front　door　closed　just　as
loudly；　and　Christopher's　tread　passed　into　nothing　along　the
pavement。

'That's　rather　a　wuss　one　than　they　mostly　have；　but　Lord；　'tis
nothing　at　all。'

'I　don't　much　like　biding　here　listening！'　said　Picotee。

'O；　'tis　how　we　do　all　over　the　West　End；'　said　Joey。　　''Tis　yer
ignorance　of　town　life　that　makes　it　seem　a　good　deal　to　'ee。'

'You　can't　make　much　boast　about　town　life；　for　you　haven't　left　off
talking　just　as　they　do　down　in　Wessex。'

'Well；　I　own　to　thatwhat's　fair　is　fair；　and　'tis　a　true　charge；
but　if　I　talk　the　Wessex　way　'tisn't　for　want　of　knowing　better；
'tis　because　my　staunch　nater　makes　me　bide　faithful　to　our　old
ancient　institutions。　　You'd　soon　own　'twasn't　ignorance　in　me；　if
you　knowed　what　large　quantities　of　noblemen　I　gets　mixed　up　with
every　day。　　In　fact　'tis　thoughted　here　and　there　that　I　shall　do
very　well　in　the　world。'

'Well；　let　us　go　down；'　said　Picotee。　　'Everything　seems　so
overpowering　here。'

'O；　you'll　get　broke　in　soon　enough。　　I　felt　just　the　same　when　I
first　entered　into　society。'

'Do　you　think　Berta　will　be　angry　with　me？　　How　does　she　treat　you？'

'Well；　I　can't　complain。　　You　see　she's　my　own　flesh　and　blood；　and
what　can　I　say？　　But；　in　secret　truth；　the　wages　is　terrible　low；
and　barely　pays　for　the　tobacco　I　consooms。'

'O　Joey；　you　wicked　boy！　　If　mother　only　knew　that　you　smoked！'

'I　don't　mind　the　wickedness　so　much　as　the　smell。　　And　Mrs。
Petherwin　has　got　such　a　nose　for　a　fellow's　clothes。　　'Tis　one　of
the　greatest　knots　in　servicethe　smoke　question。　　'Tis　thoughted
that　we　shall　make　a　great　stir　about　it　in　the　mansions　of　the
nobility　soon。'

'How　much　more　you　know　of　life　than　I　doyou　only　fourteen　and　me
seventeen！'

'Yes；　that's　true。　　You　see；　age　is　nothing'tis　opportunity。　　And
even　I　can't　boast；　for　many　a　younger　man　knows　more。'

'But　don't　smoke；　Joeythere's　a　dear！'

'What　can　I　do？　　Societ