the hand of ethelberta-第42章

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necessary　to　put　up　with　the　inconvenience　of　arriving　at　a　crowded
and　enervating　time。

When　Ethelberta　was　set　down　in　the　quadrangle　she　perceived　the
faithful　pair；　big　as　the　Zamzummims　of　old　time；　standing　like
sentinels　in　the　particular　corner　that　she　had　named　to　them：　　for
Sol　and　Dan　would　as　soon　have　attempted　petty　larceny　as　broken
faith　with　their　admired　lady…sister　Ethelberta。　　They　welcomed　her
with　a　painfully　lavish　exhibition　of　large　new　gloves；　and　chests
covered　with　broad　triangular　areas　of　padded　blue　silk；　occupying
the　position　that　the　shirt…front　had　occupied　in　earlier　days；　and
supposed　to　be　lineally　descended　from　the　tie　of　a　neckerchief。

The　dress　of　their　sister　for　to…day　was　exactly　that　of　a
respectable　workman's　relative　who　had　no　particular　ambition　in　the
matter　of　fashiona　black　stuff　gown；　a　plain　bonnet　to　match。　　A
veil　she　wore　for　obvious　reasons：　　her　face　was　getting　well　known
in　London；　and　it　had　already　appeared　at　the　private　view　in　an
uncovered　state；　when　it　was　scrutinized　more　than　the　paintings
around。　　But　now　homely　and　useful　labour　was　her　purpose。

Catalogue　in　hand　she　took　the　two　brothers　through　the　galleries；
teaching　them　in　whispers　as　they　walked；　and　occasionally
correcting　themfirst；　for　too　reverential　a　bearing　towards　the
well…dressed　crowd；　among　whom　they　persisted　in　walking　with　their
hats　in　their　hands　and　with　the　contrite　bearing　of　meek　people　in
church；　and；　secondly；　for　a　tendency　which　they　too　often　showed
towards　straying　from　the　contemplation　of　the　pictures　as　art　to
indulge　in　curious　speculations　on　the　intrinsic　nature　of　the
delineated　subject；　the　gilding　of　the　frames；　the　construction　of
the　skylights　overhead；　or　admiration　for　the　bracelets；　lockets；
and　lofty　eloquence　of　persons　around　them。

'Now；'　said　Ethelberta；　in　a　warning　whisper；　'we　are　coming　near
the　picture　which　was　partly　painted　from　myself。　　And；　Dan；　when
you　see　it；　don't　you　exclaim　〃Hullo！〃　or　〃That's　Berta　to　a　T；〃　or
anything　at　all。　　It　would　not　matter　were　it　not　dangerous　for　me
to　be　noticed　here　to…day。　　I　see　several　people　who　would　recognize
me　on　the　least　provocation。'

'Not　a　word；'　said　Dan。　　'Don't　you　be　afeard　about　that。　　I　feel
that　I　baint　upon　my　own　ground　to…day；　and　wouldn't　do　anything　to
cause　an　upset；　drown　me　if　I　would。　　Would　you；　Sol？'

In　this　temper　they　all　pressed　forward；　and　Ethelberta　could　not
but　be　gratified　at　the　reception　of　Ladywell's　picture；　though　it
was　accorded　by　critics　not　very　profound。　　It　was　an　operation　of
some　minutes　to　get　exactly　opposite；　and　when　side　by　side　the
three　stood　there　they　overheard　the　immediate　reason　of　the
pressure。　　'Farewell；　thou　art　too　dear　for　my　possessing'　had　been
lengthily　discoursed　upon　that　morning　by　the　Coryphaeus　of　popular
opinion；　and　the　spirit　having　once　been　poured　out　sons　and
daughters　could　prophesy。　　But；　in　truth；　Ladywell's　work；　if　not
emphatically　original；　was　happily　centred　on　a　middle　stratum　of
taste；　and　apart　from　this　adventitious　help　commanded；　and　deserved
to　command；　a　wide　area　of　appreciation。

While　they　were　standing　here　in　the　very　heart　of　the　throng
Ethelberta's　ears　were　arrested　by　two　male　voices　behind　her；　whose
words　formed　a　novel　contrast　to　those　of　the　other　speakers　around。

'Some　men；　you　see；　with　extravagant　expectations　of　themselves；
coolly　get　them　gratified；　while　others　hope　rationally　and　are
disappointed。　　Luck；　that's　what　it　is。　　And　the　more　easily　a　man
takes　life　the　more　persistently　does　luck　follow　him。'

'Of　course；　because；　if　he's　industrious　he　does　not　want　luck's
assistance。　　Natural　laws　will　help　him　instead。'

'Well；　if　it　is　true　that　Ladywell　has　painted　a　good　picture　he　has
done　it　by　an　exhaustive　process。　　He　has　painted　every　possible　bad
one　till　nothing　more　of　that　sort　is　left　for　him。　　You　know　what
lady's　face　served　as　the　original　to　this；　I　suppose？'

'Mrs。　Petherwin's；　I　hear。'

'Yes；　Mrs。　Alfred　Neigh　that's　to　be。'

'What；　that　elusive　fellow　caught　at　last？'

'So　it　appears；　but　she　herself　is　hardly　so　well　secured　as　yet；　it
seems；　though　he　takes　the　uncertainty　as　coolly　as　possible。　　I
knew　nothing　about　it　till　he　introduced　the　subject　as　we　were
standing　here　on　Monday；　and　said；　in　an　off…hand　way；　〃I　mean　to
marry　that　lady。〃　　I　asked　him　how。　　〃Easily；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　have
her　if　there　are　a　hundred　at　her　heels。〃　　You　will　understand　that
this　was　quite　in　confidence。'

'Of　course；　of　course。'　　Then　there　was　a　slight　laugh；　and　the
companions　proceeded　to　other　gossip。

Ethelberta；　calm　and　compressed　in　manner；　sidled　along　to　extricate
herself；　not　daring　to　turn　round；　and　Dan　and　Sol　followed；　till
they　were　all　clear　of　the　spot。　　The　brothers；　who　had　heard　the
words　equally　well　with　Ethelberta；　made　no　remark　to　her　upon　them；
assuming　that　they　referred　to　some　peculiar　system　of　courtship
adopted　in　high　life；　with　which　they　had　rightly　no　concern。

Ethelberta　ostensibly　continued　her　business　of　tutoring　the　young
workmen　just　as　before；　though　every　emotion　in　her　had　been　put　on
the　alert　by　this　discovery。　　She　had　known　that　Neigh　admired　her；
yet　his　presumption　in　uttering　such　a　remark　as　he　was　reported　to
have　uttered；　confidentially　or　otherwise；　nearly　took　away　her
breath。　　Perhaps　it　was　not　altogether　disagreeable　to　have　her
breath　so　taken　away。

'I　mean　to　marry　that　lady。'　　She　whispered　the　words　to　herself
twenty　times　in　the　course　of　the　afternoon。　　Sol　and　Dan　were　left
considerably　longer　to　their　private　perceptions　of　the　false　and
true　in　art　than　they　had　been　earlier　in　the　day。

When　she　reached　home　Ethelberta　was　still　far　removed　in　her
reflections；　and　it　was　noticed　afterwards　that　about　this　time　in
her　career　her　openness　of　manner　entirely　deserted　her。　　She　mostly
was　silent　as　to　her　thoughts；　and　she　wore　an　air　of　unusual
stillness。　　It　was　the　silence　and　stillness　of　a　starry　sky；　where
all　is　force　and　motion。　　This　deep　undecipherable　habit　sometimes
suggested；　though　it　did　not　reveal；　Ethelberta's　busy　brain　to　her
sisters；　and　they　said　to　one　another；　'I　cannot　think　what's　coming
to　Berta：　　she　is　not　so　nice　as　she　used　to　be。'

The　evening　under　notice　was　passed　desultorily　enough　after　the
discovery　of　Neigh's　self…assured　statement。　　Among　other　things
that　she　did　after　dark；　while　still　musingly　examining　the
probabilities　of　the　report　turning　out　true；　was　to　wander　to　the
large　attic　where　the　children　slept；　a　frequent　habit　of　hers　at
night；　to　learn　if　they　were　snug　and　comfortable。　　They　were
talking　now　from　bed　to　bed；　the　person　under　discussion　being
herself。　　Herself　seemed　everywhere　to…day。

'I　know　that　she　is　a　fairy；'　Myrtle　was　insisting；　'because　she
must　be；　to　have　such　pretty　things　in　her　house；　and　wear　silk
dresses　such　as　mother　and　we　and　Picotee　haven't　got；　and　have
money　to　give　us　whenever　we　want　it。'

'Emmeline　says　perhaps　she　knows　the　fairy's　godmother；　and　is　not　a
fairy　herself；　because　Berta　is　too　tall　for　a　real　fairy。'

'She　must　be　one；　for　when　there　was　a　notch　burnt　in　the　hem　of　my
pretty　blue　frock　she　said　it　should　be　gone　in　the　morning　if　I
would　go　to　bed　and　not　cry；　and　in　the　morning　it　was　gone；　and　all
nice　and　straight　as　new。'

Ethelberta　was　recalling　to　mind　how　she　had　sat　up　and　repaired　the
damage　alluded　to　by　cutting　off　half　an　inch　of　the　skirt　all　round
and　hemming　it　anew；　when　the　breathing　of　the　children　became
regular；　and　they　fell　asleep。　　Here　were　bright　little　minds　ready
for　a　training；　which　without　money　and　influence　she　could　never
give　them。　　The　wisdom　which　knowledge　brings；　and　the　power　which
wisdom　may　bring；　she　had　always　assumed　would　be　theirs　in　her
dreams　for　their　social　elevation。　　By　what　means　were　these　things
to　be　ensured　to　them　if　her　skill　in　bread…winning　should　fail　her？
Would　not　a　well…contrived　marriage　be　of　service？　　She　covered　and
tucked　in　one　more　closely；　lifted　another　upon　the　pillow　and
straightened　the　soft