the hand of ethelberta-第36章

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denial　did　reach　himabout　an　hour　before　the　time　of　appointment
that　it　was　sent　by　a　refinement　of　art；　of　which　the　real　intention
was　futility；　and　that　but　for　his　own　misstatement　it　would　have
been　carefully　delayed。

The　next　day　another　letter　came　from　the　musician；　decidedly　short
and　to　the　point。　　The　irate　lover　stated　that　he　would　not　be　made
a　fool　of　any　longer：　　under　any　circumstances　he　meant　to　come　that
self…same　afternoon；　and　should　decidedly　expect　her　to　see　him。

'I　will　not　see　him！'　said　Ethelberta。　　'Why　did　he　not　call　last
night？'

'Because　you　told　him　not　to；'　said　Picotee。

'Good　gracious；　as　if　a　woman's　words　are　to　be　translated　as
literally　as　Homer！　　Surely　he　is　aware　that　more　often　than　not
〃No〃　is　said　to　a　man's　importunities　because　it　is　traditionally
the　correct　modest　reply；　and　for　nothing　else　in　the　world。　　If　all
men　took　words　as　superficially　as　he　does；　we　should　die　of　decorum
in　shoals。'

'Ah；　Berta！　how　could　you　write　a　letter　that　you　did　not　mean
should　be　obeyed？'

'I　did　in　a　measure　mean　it；　although　I　could　have　shown　Christian
forgiveness　if　it　had　not　been。　　Never　mind；　I　will　not　see　him。
I'll　plague　my　heart　for　the　credit　of　my　sex。'

To　ensure　the　fulfilment　of　this　resolve；　Ethelberta　determined　to
give　way　to　a　headache　that　she　was　beginning　to　be　aware　of；　go　to
her　room；　disorganize　her　dress；　and　ruin　her　hair　by　lying　down；　so
putting　it　out　of　her　power　to　descend　and　meet　Christopher　on　any
momentary　impulse。

Picotee　sat　in　the　room　with　her；　reading；　or　pretending　to　read；
and　Ethelberta　pretended　to　sleep。　　Christopher's　knock　came　up　the
stairs；　and　with　it　the　end　of　the　farce。

'I'll　tell　you　what；'　said　Ethelberta　in　the　prompt　and　broadly…
awake　tone　of　one　who　had　been　concentrated　on　the　expectation　of
that　sound　for　a　length　of　time；　'it　was　a　mistake　in　me　to　do　this！
Joey　will　be　sure　to　make　a　muddle　of　it。'

Joey　was　heard　coming　up　the　stairs。　　Picotee　opened　the　door；　and
said；　with　an　anxiety　transcending　Ethelberta's；　'Well？'

'O；　will　you　tell　Mrs。　Petherwin　that　Mr。　Julian　says　he'll　wait。'

'You　were　not　to　ask　him　to　wait；'　said　Ethelberta；　within。

'I　know　that；'　said　Joey；　'and　I　didn't。　　He's　doing　that　out　of　his
own　head。'

'Then　let　Mr。　Julian　wait；　by　all　means；'　said　Ethelberta。　　'Allow
him　to　wait　if　he　likes；　but　tell　him　it　is　uncertain　if　I　shall　be
able　to　come　down。'

Joey　then　retired；　and　the　two　sisters　remained　in　silence。

'I　wonder　if　he's　gone；'　Ethelberta　said；　at　the　end　of　a　long　time。

'I　thought　you　were　asleep；'　said　Picotee。　　'Shall　we　ask　Joey？　　I
have　not　heard　the　door　close。'

Joey　was　summoned；　and　after　a　leisurely　ascent；　interspersed　by
various　gymnastic　performances　over　the　handrail　here　and　there；
appeared　again。

'He's　there　jest　the　same：　　he　don't　seem　to　be　in　no　hurry　at　all；'
said　Joey。

'What　is　he　doing？'　inquired　Picotee　solicitously。

'O；　only　looking　at　his　watch　sometimes；　and　humming　tunes；　and
playing　rat…a…tat…tat　upon　the　table。　　He　says　he　don't　mind　waiting
a　bit。'

'You　must　have　made　a　mistake　in　the　message；'　said　Ethelberta；
within。

'Well；　no。　　I　am　correct　as　a　jineral　thing。　　I　jest　said　perhaps
you　would　be　engaged　all　the　evening；　and　perhaps　you　wouldn't。'

When　Joey　had　again　retired；　and　they　had　waited　another　ten
minutes；　Ethelberta　said；　'Picotee；　do　you　go　down　and　speak　a　few
words　to　him。　　I　am　determined　he　shall　not　see　me。　　You　know　him　a
little；　you　remember　when　he　came　to　the　Lodge？'

'What　must　I　say　to　him？'

Ethelberta　paused　before　replying。　　'Try　to　find　out　ifif　he　is
much　grieved　at　not　seeing　me；　and　saygive　him　to　understand　that
I　will　forgive　him；　Picotee。'

'Very　well。'

'And　Picotee'

'Yes。'

'If　he　says　he　MUST　see　meI　think　I　will　get　up。　　But　only　if　he
says　MUST：　　you　remember　that。'

Picotee　departed　on　her　errand。　　She　paused　on　the　staircase
trembling；　and　thinking　between　the　thrills　how　very　far　would　have
been　the　conduct　of　her　poor　slighted　self　from　proud　recalcitration
had　Mr。　Julian's　gentle　request　been　addressed　to　her　instead　of　to
Ethelberta；　and　she　went　some　way　in　the　painful　discovery　of　how
much　more　tantalizing　it　was　to　watch　an　envied　situation　that　was
held　by　another　than　to　be　out　of　sight　of　it　altogether。　　Here　was
Christopher　waiting　to　bestow　love；　and　Ethelberta　not　going　down　to
receive　it：　　a　commodity　unequalled　in　value　by　any　other　in　the
whole　wide　world　was　being　wantonly　wasted　within　that　very　house。
If　she　could　only　have　stood　to…night　as　the　beloved　Ethelberta；　and
not　as　the　despised　Picotee；　how　different　would　be　this　going　down！
Thus　she　went　along；　red　and　pale　moving　in　her　cheeks　as　in　the
Northern　Lights　at　their　strongest　time。

Meanwhile　Christopher　had　sat　waiting　minute　by　minute　till　the
evening　shades　grew　browner；　and　the　fire　sank　low。　　Joey；　finding
himself　not　particularly　wanted　upon　the　premises　after　the　second
inquiry；　had　slipped　out　to　witness　a　nigger　performance　round　the
corner；　and　Julian　began　to　think　himself　forgotten　by　all　the
household。　　The　perception　gradually　cooled　his　emotions　and　enabled
him　to　hold　his　hat　quite　steadily。

When　Picotee　gently　thrust　open　the　door　she　was　surprised　to　find
the　room　in　darkness；　the　fire　gone　completely　out；　and　the　form　of
Christopher　only　visible　by　a　faint　patch　of　light；　which；　coming
from　a　lamp　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　way　and　falling　upon　the
mirror；　was　thrown　as　a　pale　nebulosity　upon　his　shoulder。　　Picotee
was　too　flurried　at　sight　of　the　familiar　outline　to　know　what　to
do；　and；　instead　of　going　or　calling　for　a　light；　she　mechanically
advanced　into　the　room。　　Christopher　did　not　turn　or　move　in　any
way；　and　then　she　perceived　that　he　had　begun　to　doze　in　his　chair。

Instantly；　with　the　precipitancy　of　the　timorous；　she　said；　'Mr。
Julian！'　and　touched　him　on　the　shouldermurmuring　then；　'O；　I　beg
pardon；　II　will　get　a　light。'

Christopher's　consciousness　returned；　and　his　first　act；　before
rising；　was　to　exclaim；　in　a　confused　manner；　'Ahyou　have　come
thank　you；　Berta！'　then　impulsively　to　seize　her　hand；　as　it　hung
beside　his　head；　and　kiss　it　passionately。　　He　stood　up；　still
holding　her　fingers。

Picotee　gasped　out　something；　but　was　completely　deprived　of
articulate　utterance；　and　in　another　moment　being　unable　to　control
herself　at　this　sort　of　first　meeting　with　the　man　she　had　gone
through　fire　and　water　to　be　near；　and　more　particularly　by　the
overpowering　kiss　upon　her　hand；　burst　into　hysterical　sobbing。
Julian；　in　his　inability　to　imagine　so　much　emotionor　at　least　the
exhibition　of　itin　Ethelberta；　gently　drew　Picotee　further　forward
by　the　hand　he　held；　and　utilized　the　solitary　spot　of　light　from
the　mirror　by　making　it　fall　upon　her　face。　　Recognizing　the
childish　features；　he　at　once；　with　an　exclamation；　dropped　her　hand
and　started　back。　　Being　in　point　of　fact　a　complete　bundle　of
nerves　and　nothing　else；　his　thin　figure　shook　like　a　harp…string　in
painful　excitement　at　a　contretemps　which　would　scarcely　have
quickened　the　pulse　of　an　ordinary　man。

Poor　Picotee；　feeling　herself　in　the　wind　of　a　civil　d；　started
back　also；　sobbing　more　than　ever。　　It　was　a　little　too　much　that
the　first　result　of　his　discovery　of　the　mistake　should　be　absolute
repulse。　　She　leant　against　the　mantelpiece；　when　Julian；　much
bewildered　at　her　superfluity　of　emotion；　assisted　her　to　a　seat　in
sheer　humanity。　　But　Christopher　was　by　no　means　pleased　when　he
again　thought　round　the　circle　of　circumstances。

'How　could　you　allow　such　an　absurd　thing　to　happen？'　he　said；　in　a
stern；　though　trembling　voice。　　'You　knew　I　might　mistake。　　I　had　no
idea　you　were　in　the　house：　　I　thought　you　were　miles　away；　at
Sandbourne　or　somewhere！　　But　I　see：　　it　is　just　done　for　a　joke；
ha…ha！'

This　made　Picotee　rather　worse　still。　　'O…O…O…O！'　she　replied；　in
the　tone　of　pouring　from　a　bottle。　　'What　shall　I　do…o…o…o！　　It　is
not　done　for　ajoke　at　all…l…l…l！'

'Not　done　for　a　joke？　　Then　never　minddon't　cry；　Picotee。　　What
was　it　done　for；　I　wonder？'