the hand of ethelberta-第43章

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tucked　in　one　more　closely；　lifted　another　upon　the　pillow　and
straightened　the　soft　limbs　to　an　easy　position；　then　sat　down　by
the　window　and　looked　out　at　the　flashing　stars。　　Thoughts　of
Neigh's　audacious　statement　returned　again　upon　Ethelberta。　　He　had
said　that　he　meant　to　marry　her。　　Of　what　standing　was　the　man　who
had　uttered　such　an　intention　respecting　one　to　whom　a　politic
marriage　had　become　almost　a　necessity　of　existence？

She　had　often　heard　Neigh　speak　indefinitely　of　some　estate'my
little　place'　he　had　called　itwhich　he　had　purchased　no　very　long
time　ago。　　All　she　knew　was　that　its　name　was　Farnfield；　that　it　lay
thirty　or　forty　miles　out　of　London　in　a　south…westerly　direction；　a
railway　station　in　the　district　bearing　the　same　name；　so　that　there
was　probably　a　village　or　small　town　adjoining。　　Whether　the　dignity
of　this　landed　property　was　that　of　domain；　farmstead；　allotment；　or
garden…plot；　Ethelberta　had　not　the　slightest　conception。　　She　was
almost　certain　that　Neigh　never　lived　there；　but　that　might　signify
nothing。　　The　exact　size　and　value　of　the　estate　would；　she　mused；
be　curious；　interesting；　and　almost　necessary　information　to　her　who
must　become　mistress　of　it　were　she　to　allow　him　to　carry　out　his
singularly　cool　and　crude；　if　tender；　intention。　　Moreover；　its
importance　would　afford　a　very　good　random　sample　of　his　worldly
substance　throughout；　from　which　alone；　after　all；　could　the　true
spirit　and　worth　and　seriousness　of　his　words　be　apprehended。
Impecuniosity　may　revel　in　unqualified　vows　and　brim　over　with
confessions　as　blithely　as　a　bird　of　May；　but　such　careless
pleasures　are　not　for　the　solvent；　whose　very　dreams　are　negotiable；
and　are　expressed　with　due　care　accordingly。

That　Neigh　had　used　the　words　she　had　far　more　than　prima…facie
appearances　for　believing。　　Neigh's　own　conduct　towards　her；　though
peculiar　rather　than　devoted；　found　in　these　words　alone　a
reasonable　key。　　But；　supposing　the　estate　to　be　such　a　verbal
hallucination　as；　for　instance；　hers　had　been　at　Arrowthorne；　when
her　poor；　unprogressive；　hopelessly　impracticable　Christopher　came
there　to　visit　her；　and　was　so　wonderfully　undeceived　about　her
social　standing：　　what　a　fiasco；　and　what　a　cuckoo…cry　would　his
utterances　about　marriage　seem　then。　　Christopher　had　often　told　her
of　his　expectations　from　'Arrowthorne　Lodge；'　and　of　the　blunders
that　had　resulted　in　consequence。　　Had　not　Ethelberta's　affection
for　Christopher　partaken　less　of　lover's　passion　than　of　old…
established　tutelary　tenderness　she　might　have　been　reminded　by　this
reflection　of　the　transcendent　fidelity　he　had　shown　under　that
trialas　severe　a　trial；　considering　the　abnormal；　almost　morbid；
development　of　the　passion　for　position　in　present…day　society；　as
can　be　prepared　for　men　who　move　in　the　ordinary；　unheroic　channels
of　life。

By　the　following　evening　the　consideration　of　this　possibility；　that
Neigh's　position　might　furnish　scope　for　such　a　disillusive
discovery　by　herself　as　hers　had　afforded　to　Christopher；　decoyed
Ethelberta　into　a　curious　little　scheme。　　She　was　piqued　into　a
practical　undertaking　by　the　man　who　could　say　to　his　friend　with
such　sangfroid；　'I　mean　to　marry　that　lady。'

Merely　telling　Picotee　to　prepare　for　an　evening　excursion；　of　which
she　was　to　talk　to　no　one；　Ethelberta　made　ready　likewise；　and　they
left　the　house　in　a　cab　about　half…an…hour　before　sunset；　and　drove
to　the　Waterloo　Station。

With　the　decline　and　departure　of　the　sun　a　fog　gathered　itself　out
of　the　low　meadow…land　that　bordered　the　railway　as　they　went　along
towards　the　west；　stretching　over　it　like　a　placid　lake；　till　at　the
end　of　the　journey；　the　mist　became　generally　pervasive；　though　not
dense。　　Avoiding　observation　as　much　as　they　conveniently　could；　the
two　sisters　walked　from　the　long　wooden　shed　which　formed　the
station　here；　into　the　rheumy　air　and　along　the　road　to　the　open
country。　　Picotee　occasionally　questioned　Ethelberta　on　the　object
of　the　strange　journey：　　she　did　not　question　closely；　being
satisfied　that　in　such　sure　hands　as　Ethelberta's　she　was　safe。

Deeming　it　unwise　to　make　any　inquiry　just　yet　beyond　the　simple　one
of　the　way　to　Farnfield；　Ethelberta　led　her　companion　along　a　newly…
fenced　road　across　a　heath。　　In　due　time　they　came　to　an　ornamental
gate　with　a　curved　sweep　of　wall　on　each　side；　signifying　the
entrance　to　some　enclosed　property　or　other。　　Ethelberta；　being
quite　free　from　any　digested　plan　for　encouraging　Neigh　in　his
resolve　to　wive；　was　startled　to　find　a　hope　in　her　that　this　very
respectable　beginning　before　their　eyes　was　the　entrance　to　the
Farnfield　property：　　that　she　hoped　it　was　nevertheless
unquestionable。　　Just　beyond　lay　a　turnpike…house；　where　was　dimly
visible　a　woman　in　the　act　of　putting　up　a　shutter　to　the　front
window。

Compelled　by　this　time　to　come　to　special　questions；　Ethelberta
instructed　Picotee　to　ask　of　this　person　if　the　place　they　had　just
passed　was　the　entrance　to　Farnfield　Park。　　The　woman　replied　that
it　was。　　Directly　she　had　gone　indoors　Ethelberta　turned　back　again
towards　the　park　gate。

'What　have　we　come　for；　Berta？'　said　Picotee；　as　she　turned　also。

'I'll　tell　you　some　day；'　replied　her　sister。

It　was　now　much　past　eight　o'clock；　and；　from　the　nature　of　the
evening；　dusk。　　The　last　stopping　up…train　was　about　ten；　so　that
half…an…hour　could　well　be　afforded　for　looking　round。　　Ethelberta
went　to　the　gate；　which　was　found　to　be　fastened　by　a　chain　and
padlock。

'Ah；　the　London　season；'　she　murmured。

There　was　a　wicket　at　the　side；　and　they　entered。　　An　avenue　of
young　fir　trees　three　or　four　feet　in　height　extended　from　the　gate
into　the　mist；　and　down　this　they　walked。　　The　drive　was　not　in　very
good　order；　and　the　two　women　were　frequently　obliged　to　walk　on　the
grass　to　avoid　the　rough　stones　in　the　carriage…way。　　The　double
line　of　young　firs　now　abruptly　terminated；　and　the　road　swept
lower；　bending　to　the　right；　immediately　in　front　being　a　large
lake；　calm　and　silent　as　a　second　sky。　　They　could　hear　from
somewhere　on　the　margin　the　purl　of　a　weir；　and　around　were　clumps
of　shrubs；　araucarias　and　deodars　being　the　commonest。

Ethelberta　could　not　resist　being　charmed　with　the　repose　of　the
spot；　and　hastened　on　with　curiosity　to　reach　the　other　side　of　the
pool；　where；　by　every　law　of　manorial　topography；　the　mansion　would
be　situate。　　The　fog　concealed　all　objects　beyond　a　distance　of
twenty　yards　or　thereabouts；　but　it　was　nearly　full　moon；　and　though
the　orb　was　hidden；　a　pale　diffused　light　enabled　them　to　see
objects　in　the　foreground。　　Reaching　the　other　side　of　the　lake　the
drive　enlarged　itself　most　legitimately　to　a　large　oval；　as　for　a
sweep　before　a　door；　a　pile　of　rockwork　standing　in　the　midst。

But　where　should　have　been　the　front　door　of　a　mansion　was　simply　a
rough　rail　fence；　about　four　feet　high。　　They　drew　near　and　looked
over。

In　the　enclosure；　and　on　the　site　of　the　imaginary　house；　was　an
extraordinary　group。　　It　consisted　of　numerous　horses　in　the　last
stage　of　decrepitude；　the　animals　being　such　mere　skeletons　that　at
first　Ethelberta　hardly　recognized　them　to　be　horses　at　all；　they
seemed　rather　to　be　specimens　of　some　attenuated　heraldic　animal；
scarcely　thick　enough　through　the　body　to　throw　a　shadow：　　or
enlarged　castings　of　the　fire…dog　of　past　times。　　These　poor
creatures　were　endeavouring　to　make　a　meal　from　herbage　so　trodden
and　thin　that　scarcely　a　wholesome　blade　remained；　the　little　that
there　was　consisted　of　the　sourer　sorts　common　on　such　sandy　soils；
mingled　with　tufts　of　heather　and　sprouting　ferns。

'Why　have　we　come　here；　dear　Berta？'　said　Picotee；　shuddering。

'I　hardly　know；'　said　Ethelberta。

Adjoining　this　enclosure　was　another　and　smaller　one；　formed　of　high
boarding；　within　which　appeared　to　be　some　sheds　and　outhouses。
Ethelberta　looked　through　the　crevices；　and　saw　that　in　the　midst　of
the　yard　stood　trunks　of　trees　as　if　they　were　growing；　with
branches　also　extending；　but　these　were　sawn　off　at　the　points　where
they　began　to　be　flexible；　no　twigs　or　boughs　rem