the hand of ethelberta-第54章

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some　time　after　of　a　duel　not　many　miles　off；　and　although　I　could
not　get　hold　of　the　names；　I　make　no　doubt　it　was　between　those　two
gentlemen。　　I　never　knew　which　of　them　fell；　poor　fellow；　whichever
it　was。'

'Ha…ha…ha…ha…ha…ha！'　came　from　the　dining…room。

'Whatever　are　those　boozy　men　laughing　at；　I　wonder？'　said　Menlove。
'They　are　always　so　noisy　when　the　ladies　have　gone　upstairs。　　Upon
my　soul；　I'll　run　up　and　find　out。'

'No；　no；　don't；'　entreated　Picotee；　putting　her　hand　on　her
entertainer's　arm。　　'It　seems　wrong；　it　is　no　concern　of　ours。'

'Wrong　be　hangedanything　on　an　impulse；'　said　Mrs。　Menlove；
skipping　across　the　room　and　out　of　the　door；　which　stood　open；　as
did　others　in　the　house；　the　evening　being　sultry　and　oppressive。

Picotee　waited　in　her　seat　until　it　occurred　to　her　that　she　could
escape　the　lady's…maid　by　going　off　into　her　father's　pantry　in　her
absence。　　But　before　this　had　been　put　into　effect　Menlove　appeared
again。

'Such　fun　as　they　are　having　up　there；'　she　said。　　'Somebody　asked
Mr。　Neigh　to　tell　a　story　which　he　had　told　at　some　previous　time；
but　he　was　very　reluctant　to　do　so；　and　pretended　he　could　not
recollect　it。　　Well；　then；　the　other　manI　could　not　distinguish
him　by　his　voicebegan　telling　it；　to　prompt　Mr。　Neigh's　memory；
and；　as　far　as　I　could　understand；　it　was　about　some　lady　who
thought　Mr。　Neigh　was　in　love　with　her；　and；　to　find　whether　he　was
worth　accepting　or　not；　she　went　with　her　maid　at　night　to　see　his
estate；　and　wandered　about　and　got　lost；　and　was　frightened；　and　I
don't　know　what　besides。　　Then　Mr。　Neigh　laughed　too；　and　said　he
liked　such　common　sense　in　a　woman。　　No　names　were　mentioned；　but　I
fancy；　from　the　awkwardness　of　Mr。　Neigh　at　being　compelled　to　tell
it；　that　the　lady　is　one　of　those　in　the　drawing…room。　　I　should
like　to　know　which　it　was。'

'I　knowhave　heard　something　about　it；'　said　Picotee；　blushing　with
anger。　　'It　was　nothing　at　all　like　that。　　I　wonder　Mr。　Neigh　had
the　audacity　ever　to　talk　of　the　matter；　and　to　misrepresent　it　so
greatly！'

'Tell　all　about　it；　do；'　said　Menlove。

'O　no；'　said　Picotee。　　'I　promised　not　to　say　a　word。'

'It　is　your　mistress；　I　expect。'

'You　may　think　what　you　like；　but　the　lady　is　anything　but　a
mistress　of　mine。'

The　flighty　Menlove　pressed　her　to　tell　the　whole　story；　but　finding
this　useless　the　subject　was　changed。　　Presently　her　father　came　in；
and；　taking　no　notice　of　Menlove；　told　his　daughter　that　she　had
been　called　for。　　Picotee　very　readily　put　on　her　things；　and　on
going　outside　found　Joey　awaiting　her。　　Mr。　Chickerel　followed
closely；　with　sharp　glances　from　the　corner　of　his　eye；　and　it　was
plain　from　Joey's　nervous　manner　of　lingering　in　the　shadows　of　the
area　doorway　instead　of　entering　the　house；　that　the　butler　had　in
some　way　set　himself　to　prevent　all　communion　between　the　fair
lady's…maid　and　his　son　for　that　evening　at　least。

He　watched　Picotee　and　her　brother　off　the　premises；　and　the　pair
went　on　their　way　towards　Exonbury　Crescent；　very　few　words　passing
between　them。　　Picotee's　thoughts　had　turned　to　the　proposed　visit
to　Knollsea；　and　Joey　was　sulky　under　disappointment　and　the　blank
of　thwarted　purposes。



30。　ON　THE　HOUSETOP

'Picotee；　are　you　asleep？'　Ethelberta　whispered　softly　at　dawn　the
next　morning；　by　the　half…opened　door　of　her　sister's　bedroom。

'No；　I　keep　waking；　it　is　so　warm。'

'So　do　I。　　Suppose　we　get　up　and　see　the　sun　rise。　　The　east　is
filling　with　flame。'

'Yes；　I　should　like　it；'　said　Picotee。

The　restlessness　which　had　brought　Ethelberta　hither　in　slippers　and
dressing…gown　at　such　an　early　hour　owed　its　origin　to　another　cause
than　the　warmth　of　the　weather；　but　of　that　she　did　not　speak　as
yet。　　Picotee's　room　was　an　attic；　with　windows　in　the　roofa
chamber　dismal　enough　at　all　times；　and　very　shadowy　now。　　While
Picotee　was　wrapping　up；　Ethelberta　placed　a　chair　under　the　window；
and　mounting　upon　this　they　stepped　outside；　and　seated　themselves
within　the　parapet。

The　air　was　as　clear　and　fresh　as　on　a　mountain　side；　sparrows
chattered；　and　birds　of　a　species　unsuspected　at　later　hours　could
be　heard　singing　in　the　park　hard　by；　while　here　and　there　on　ridges
and　flats　a　cat　might　be　seen　going　calmly　home　from　the　devilries
of　the　night　to　resume　the　amiabilities　of　the　day。

'I　am　so　sorry　I　was　asleep　when　you　reached　home；'　said　Picotee。
'I　was　so　anxious　to　tell　you　something　I　heard　of；　and　to　know　what
you　did；　but　my　eyes　would　shut；　try　as　I　might；　and　then　I　tried　no
longer。　　Did　you　see　me　at　all；　Berta？'

'Never　once。　　I　had　an　impression　that　you　were　there。　　I　fancied
you　were　from　father's　carefully　vacuous　look　whenever　I　glanced　at
his　face。　　But　were　you　careful　about　what　you　said；　and　did　you　see
Menlove？　　I　felt　all　the　time　that　I　had　done　wrong　in　letting　you
come；　the　gratification　to　you　was　not　worth　the　risk　to　me。'

'I　saw　her；　and　talked　to　her。　　But　I　am　certain　she　suspected
nothing。　　I　enjoyed　myself　very　much；　and　there　was　no　risk　at　all。'

'I　am　glad　it　is　no　worse　news。　　However；　you　must　not　go　there
again：　　upon　that　point　I　am　determined。'

'It　was　a　good　thing　I　did　go；　all　the　same。　　I'll　tell　you　why　when
you　have　told　me　what　happened　to　you。'

'Nothing　of　importance　happened　to　me。'

'I　expect　you　got　to　know　the　lord　you　were　to　meet？'

'O　yesLord　Mountclere。'

'And　it's　dreadful　how　fond　he　is　of　youquite　ridiculously　taken
up　with　youI　saw　that　well　enough。　　Such　an　old　man；　too；　I
wouldn't　have　him　for　the　world！'

'Don't　jump　at　conclusions　so　absurdly；　Picotee。　　Why　wouldn't　you
have　him　for　the　world？'

'Because　he　is　old　enough　to　be　my　grandfather；　and　yours　too。'

'Indeed　he　is　not；　he　is　only　middle…aged。'

'O　Berta！　　Sixty…five　at　least。'

'He　may　or　may　not　be　that；　and　if　he　is；　it　is　not　old。　　He　is　so
entertaining　that　one　forgets　all　about　age　in　connection　with　him。'

'He　laughs　like　this〃Hee…hee…hee！〃'　　Picotee　introduced　as　much
antiquity　into　her　face　as　she　could　by　screwing　it　up　and　suiting
the　action　to　the　word。

'This　very　odd　thing　occurred；'　said　Ethelberta；　to　get　Picotee　off
the　track　of　Lord　Mountclere's　peculiarities；　as　it　seemed。　　'I　was
saying　to　Mr。　Neigh　that　we　were　going　to　Knollsea　for　a　time；
feeling　that　he　would　not　be　likely　to　know　anything　about　such　an
out…of…the…way　place；　when　Lord　Mountclere；　who　was　near；　said；　〃I
shall　be　at　Enckworth　Court　in　a　few　days；　probably　at　the　time　you
are　at　Knollsea。　　The　Imperial　Archaeological　Association　holds　its
meetings　in　that　part　of　Wessex　this　season；　and　Corvsgate　Castle；
near　Knollsea；　is　one　of　the　places　on　our　list。〃　　Then　he　hoped　I
should　be　able　to　attend。　　Did　you　ever　hear　anything　so　strange？
Now；　I　should　like　to　attend　very　much；　not　on　Lord　Mountclere's
account；　but　because　such　gatherings　are　interesting；　and　I　have
never　been　to　one；　yet　there　is　this　to　be　considered；　would　it　be
right　for　me　to　go　without　a　friend　to　such　a　place？　　Another　point
is；　that　we　shall　live　in　menagerie　style　at　Knollsea　for　the　sake
of　the　children；　and　we　must　do　it　economically　in　case　we　accept
Aunt　Charlotte's　invitation　to　Rouen；　hence；　if　he　or　his　friends
find　us　out　there　it　will　be　awkward　for　me。　　So　the　alternative　is
Knollsea　or　some　other　place　for　us。'

'Let　it　be　Knollsea；　now　we　have　once　settled　it；'　said　Picotee
anxiously。　　'I　have　mentioned　to　Faith　Julian　that　we　shall　be
there。'

'Mentioned　it　already！　　You　must　have　written　instantly。'

'I　had　a　few　minutes　to　spare；　and　I　thought　I　might　as　well　write。'

'Very　well；　we　will　stick　to　Knollsea；'　said　Ethelberta；　half　in
doubt。　　'Yesotherwise　it　will　be　difficult　to　see　about　aunt's
baptismal　certificate。　　We　will　hope　nobody　will　take　the　trouble　to
pry　into　our　household。　。　。　。　　And　now；　Picotee；　I　want　to　ask　you
somethingsomething　very　serious。　　How　would　you　like　me　to　marry
Mr。　Neigh？'

Ethelberta　could　not　help　laughing　with　a　faint　shyness　as　she　asked
the　question　under　the　searching　east　ray。　　'He　has　asked　me　to
marry　him；'　she　continued；　'and　I　want　to　know　what　you　wou