the hand of ethelberta-第50章

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this　juvenile　was　that　of　a　Graeco…Roman　satyr　to　the　furthest
degree　of　completeness。　　Viewed　in　front；　the　outer　line　of　his
upper　lip　rose　in　a　double　arch　nearly　to　his　little　round　nostrils；
giving　an　expression　of　a　jollity　so　delicious　to　himself　as　to
compel　a　perpetual　drawing　in　of　his　breath。　　During　half…laughs　his
lips　parted　in　the　middle；　and　remained　closed　at　the　corners；　which
were　small　round　pits　like　his　nostrils；　the　same　form　being
repeated　as　dimples　a　little　further　back　upon　his　cheek。　　The
opening　for　each　eye　formed　a　sparkling　crescent；　both　upper　and
under　lid　having　the　convexity　upwards。

But　during　some　few　days　preceding　the　dinner…party　at　the
Doncastles'　all　this　changed。　　The　luxuriant　curves　departed；　a
compressed　lineality　was　to　be　observed　everywhere；　the　pupils　of
his　eyes　seemed　flattened；　and　the　carriage　of　his　head　was　limp　and
sideways。　　This　was　a　feature　so　remarkable　and　new　in　him　that
Picotee　noticed　it；　and　was　lifted　from　the　melancholy　current　of
her　own　affairs　in　contemplating　his。

'Well；　what's　the　matter？'　said　Picotee。

'Onothing；'　said　Joey。

'Nothing？　　How　can　you　say　so？'

'The　world's　a　holler　mockerythat's　what　I　say。'

'Yes；　so　it　is；　to　some；　but　not　to　you；'　said　Picotee；　sighing。

'Don't　talk　argument；　Picotee。　　I　only　hope　you'll　never　feel　what　I
feel　now。　　If　it　wasn't　for　my　juties　here　I　know　what　I'd　do；　I'd
'list；　that's　what　I'd　do。　　But　having　my　position　to　fill　here　as
the　only　responsible　man…servant　in　the　house；　I　can't　leave。'

'Has　anybody　been　beating　you？'

'Beating！　　Do　I　look　like　a　person　who　gets　beatings？　　No；　it　is　a
madness；'　said　Joey；　putting　his　hand　upon　his　chest。　　'The　case　is；
I　am　in　love。'

'O　Joey；　a　boy　no　bigger　than　you　are！'　said　Picotee　reprovingly。
Her　personal　interest　in　the　passion；　however；　provoked　her　to
inquire；　in　the　next　breath；　'Who　is　it？　　Do　tell；　Joey。'

'No　bigger　than　I！　　What　hev　bigness　to　do　with　it？　　That's　just
like　your　old…fashioned　notions。　　Bigness　is　no　more　wanted　in
courting　nowadays　than　in　soldiering　or　smoking　or　any　other　duty　of
man。　　Husbands　is　rare；　and　a　promising　courter　who　means　business
will　fetch　his　price　in　these　times；　big　or　small；　I　assure　ye。　　I
might　have　been　engaged　a　dozen　times　over　as　far　as　the　bigness
goes。　　You　should　see　what　a　miserable　little　fellow　my　rival　is
afore　you　talk　like　that。　　Now　you　know　I've　got　a　rival；　perhaps
you'll　own　there　must　be　something　in　it。'

'Yes；　that　seems　like　the　real　thing。　　But　who　is　the　young　woman？'

'Well；　I　don't　mind　telling　you；　Picotee。　　It　is　Mrs。　Doncastle's
new　maid。　　I　called　to　see　father　last　night；　and　had　supper　there；
and　you　should　have　seen　how　lovely　she　wereeating　sparrowgrass
sideways；　as　if　she　were　born　to　it。　　But；　of　course；　there's　a
rivalthere　always　isI　might　have　known　that；　and　I　will　crush
him！'

'But　Mrs。　Doncastle's　new　maidif　that　was　she　I　caught　a　glimpse
of　the　other　dayis　ever　so　much　older　than　youa　dozen　years。'

'What's　that　to　a　man　in　love？　　PoohI　wish　you　would　leave　me；
Picotee；　I　wants　to　be　alone。'

A　short　time　after　this　Picotee　was　in　the　company　of　Ethelberta；
and　she　took　occasion　to　mention　Joey's　attachment。　　Ethelberta　grew
exceedingly　angry　directly　she　heard　of　it。

'What　a　fearful　nuisance　that　boy　is　becoming；'　she　said。　　'Does
father　know　anything　of　this？'

'I　think　not；'　said　Picotee。　　'O　no；　he　cannot；　he　would　not　allow
any　such　thing　to　go　on；　she　is　so　much　older　than　Joey。'

'I　should　think　he　wouldn't　allow　it！　　The　fact　is　I　must　be　more
strict　about　this　growing　friendliness　between　you　all　and　the
Doncastle　servants。　　There　shall　be　absolutely　no　intimacy　or
visiting　of　any　sort。　　When　father　wants　to　see　any　of　you　he　must
come　here；　unless　there　is　a　most　serious　reason　for　your　calling
upon　him。　　Some　disclosure　or　reference　to　me　otherwise　than　as　your
mistress；　will　certainly　be　made　else；　and　then　I　am　ruined。　　I　will
speak　to　father　myself　about　Joey's　absurd　nonsense　this　evening。　　I
am　going　to　see　him　on　another　matter。'　　And　Ethelberta　sighed。　　'I
am　to　dine　there　on　Thursday；'　she　added。

'To　dine　there；　Berta？　　Well；　that　is　a　strange　thing！　　Why；　father
will　be　close　to　you！'

'Yes；'　said　Ethelberta　quietly。

'How　I　should　like　to　see　you　sitting　at　a　grand　dinner…table；　among
lordly　dishes　and　shining　people；　and　father　about　the　room
unnoticed！　　Berta；　I　have　never　seen　a　dinner…party　in　my　life；　and
father　said　that　I　should　some　day；　he　promised　me　long　ago。'

'How　will　he　be　able　to　carry　out　that；　my　dear　child？'　said
Ethelberta；　drawing　her　sister　gently　to　her　side。

'Father　says　that　for　an　hour　and　a　half　the　guests　are　quite　fixed
in　the　dining…room；　and　as　unlikely　to　move　as　if　they　were　trees
planted　round　the　table。　　Do　let　me　go　and　see　you；　Berta；'　Picotee
added　coaxingly。　　'I　would　give　anything　to　see　how　you　look　in　the
midst　of　elegant　people　talking　and　laughing；　and　you　my　own　sister
all　the　time；　and　me　looking　on　like　puss…in…the…corner。'

Ethelberta　could　hardly　resist　the　entreaty；　in　spite　of　her　recent
resolution。

'We　will　leave　that　to　be　considered　when　I　come　home　to…night；'　she
said。　　'I　must　hear　what　father　says。'

After　dark　the　same　evening　a　woman；　dressed　in　plain　black　and
wearing　a　hood；　went　to　the　servants'　entrance　of　Mr。　Doncastle's
house；　and　inquired　for　Mr。　Chickerel。　　Ethelberta　found　him　in　a
room　by　himself；　and　on　entering　she　closed　the　door　behind　her；　and
unwrapped　her　face。

'Can　you　sit　with　me　a　few　minutes；　father？'　she　said。

'Yes；　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour　or　so；'　said　the　butler。　　'Has
anything　happened？　　I　thought　it　might　be　Picotee。'

'No。　　All's　well　yet。　　But　I　thought　it　best　to　see　you　upon　one　or
two　matters　which　are　harassing　me　a　little　just　now。　　The　first　is；
that　stupid　boy　Joey　has　got　entangled　in　some　way　with　the　lady's…
maid　at　this　house；　a　ridiculous　affair　it　must　be　by　all　account；
but　it　is　too　serious　for　me　to　treat　lightly。　　She　will　worm
everything　out　of　him；　and　a　pretty　business　it　will　be　then。'

'God　bless　my　soul！　why；　the　woman　is　old　enough　to　be　his　mother！
I　have　never　heard　a　sound　of　it　till　now。　　What　do　you　propose　to
do？'

'I　have　hardly　thought：　　I　cannot　tell　at　all。　　But　we　will　consider
that　after　I　have　done。　　The　next　thing　is；　I　am　to　dine　here
Thursdaythat　is；　to…morrow。'

'You　going　to　dine　here；　are　you？'　said　her　father　in　surprise。
'Dear　me；　that's　news。　　We　have　a　dinner…party　to…morrow；　but　I　was
not　aware　that　you　knew　our　people。'

'I　have　accepted　the　invitation；'　said　Ethelberta。　　'But　if　you
think　I　had　better　stay　away；　I　will　get　out　of　it　by　some　means。
Heavens！　what　does　that　meanwill　anybody　come　in？'　she　added；
rapidly　pulling　up　her　hood　and　jumping　from　the　seat　as　the　loud
tones　of　a　bell　clanged　forth　in　startling　proximity。

'O　noit　is　all　safe；'　said　her　father。　　'It　is　the　area　door
nothing　to　do　with　me。　　About　the　dinner：　　I　don't　see　why　you　may
not　come。　　Of　course　you　will　take　no　notice　of　me；　nor　shall　I　of
you。　　It　is　to　be　rather　a　large　party。　　Lord　What's…his…name　is
coming；　and　several　good　people。'

'Yes；　he　is　coming　to　meet　me；　it　appears。　　But；　father；'　she　said
more　softly　and　slowly；　'how　wrong　it　will　be　for　me　to　come　so
close　to　you；　and　never　recognize　you！　　I　don't　like　it。　　I　wish　you
could　have　given　up　service　by　this　time；　it　would　have　been　so　much
less　painful　for　us　all　round。　　I　thought　we　might　have　been　able　to
manage　it　somehow。'

'Nonsense；　nonsense；'　said　Mr。　Chickerel　crossly。　　'There　is　not　the
least　reason　why　I　should　give　up。　　I　want　to　save　a　little　money
first。　　If　you　don't　like　me　as　I　am；　you　must　keep　away　from　me。
Don't　be　uneasy　about　my　comfort；　I　am　right　enough；　thank　God。　　I
can　mind　myself　for　many　a　year　yet。'

Ethelberta　looked　at　him　with　tears　in　her　eyes；　but　she　did　not
speak。　　She　never　could　help　crying　when　she　met　her　father　here。

'I　have　been　in　service　now　for　more　than　seven…and…thirty　years；'
her　father　went　on。　　'It　is　an　honourable　calling；　and　why　should
you　maintain　me　b