the hand of ethelberta-第59章

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arranged　to　go　on　to　town　that　afternoon；　was　obliged　to　decline；
and　Ethelberta　thought　fit　to　do　the　same；　idly　asking　Lord
Mountclere　if　Enckworth　Court　lay　in　the　direction　of　a　gorge　that
was　visible　where　they　stood。

'No；　considerably　to　the　left；'　he　said。　　'The　opening　you　are
looking　at　would　reveal　the　sea　if　it　were　not　for　the　trees　that
block　the　way。　　Ah；　those　trees　have　a　history；　they　are　half…a…
dozen　elms　which　I　planted　myself　when　I　was　a　boy。　　How　time
flies！'

'It　is　unfortunate　they　stand　just　so　as　to　cover　the　blue　bit　of
sea。　　That　addition　would　double　the　value　of　the　view　from　here。'

'You　would　prefer　the　blue　sea　to　the　trees？'

'In　that　particular　spot　I　should；　they　might　have　looked　just　as
well；　and　yet　have　hidden　nothing　worth　seeing。　　The　narrow　slit
would　have　been　invaluable　there。'

'They　shall　fall　before　the　sun　sets；　in　deference　to　your　opinion；'
said　Lord　Mountclere。

'That　would　be　rash　indeed；'　said　Ethelberta；　laughing；　'when　my
opinion　on　such　a　point　may　be　worth　nothing　whatever。'

'Where　no　other　is　acted　upon；　it　is　practically　the　universal　one；'
he　replied　gaily。

And　then　Ethelberta's　elderly　admirer　bade　her　adieu；　and　away　the
whole　party　drove　in　a　long　train　over　the　hills　towards　the　valley
wherein　stood　Enckworth　Court。　　Ethelberta's　carriage　was　supposed
by　her　friends　to　have　been　left　at　the　village　inn；　as　were　many
others；　and　her　retiring　from　view　on　foot　attracted　no　notice。

She　watched　them　out　of　sight；　and　she　also　saw　the　rest　depart
those　who；　their　interest　in　archaeology　having　begun　and　ended　with
this　spot；　had；　like　herself；　declined　the　hospitable　viscount's
invitation；　and　started　to　drive　or　walk　at　once　home　again。
Thereupon　the　castle　was　quite　deserted　except　by　Ethelberta；　the
ass；　and　the　jackdaws；　now　floundering　at　ease　again　in　and　about
the　ivy　of　the　keep。

Not　wishing　to　enter　Knollsea　till　the　evening　shades　were　falling；
she　still　walked　amid　the　ruins；　examining　more　leisurely　some
points　which　the　stress　of　keeping　herself　companionable　would　not
allow　her　to　attend　to　while　the　assemblage　was　present。　　At　the　end
of　the　survey；　being　somewhat　weary　with　her　clambering；　she　sat
down　on　the　slope　commanding　the　gorge　where　the　trees　grew；　to　make
a　pencil　sketch　of　the　landscape　as　it　was　revealed　between　the
ragged　walls。　　Thus　engaged　she　weighed　the　circumstances　of　Lord
Mountclere's　invitation；　and　could　not　be　certain　if　it　were
prudishness　or　simple　propriety　in　herself　which　had　instigated　her
to　refuse。　　She　would　have　liked　the　visit　for　many　reasons；　and　if
Lord　Mountclere　had　been　anybody　but　a　remarkably　attentive　old
widower；　she　would　have　gone。　　As　it　was；　it　had　occurred　to　her
that　there　was　something　in　his　tone　which　should　lead　her　to
hesitate。　　Were　any　among　the　elderly　or　married　ladies　who　had
appeared　upon　the　ground　in　a　detached　form　as　she　had　doneand
many　had　appeared　thusinvited　to　Enckworth；　and　if　not；　why　were
they　not？　　That　Lord　Mountclere　admired　her　there　was　no　doubt；　and
for　this　reason　it　behoved　her　to　be　careful。　　His　disappointment　at
parting　from　her　was；　in　one　aspect；　simply　laughable；　from　its　odd
resemblance　to　the　unfeigned　sorrow　of　a　boy　of　fifteen　at　a　first
parting　from　his　first　love；　in　another　aspect　it　caused　reflection；
and　she　thought　again　of　his　curiosity　about　her　doings　for　the
remainder　of　the　summer。



While　she　sketched　and　thought　thus；　the　shadows　grew　longer；　and
the　sun　low。　　And　then　she　perceived　a　movement　in　the　gorge。　　One
of　the　trees　forming　the　curtain　across　it　began　to　wave　strangely：
it　went　further　to　one　side；　and　fell。　Where　the　tree　had　stood　was
now　a　rent　in　the　foliage；　and　through　the　narrow　rent　could　be　seen
the　distant　sea。

Ethelberta　uttered　a　soft　exclamation。　　It　was　not　caused　by　the
surprise　she　had　felt；　nor　by　the　intrinsic　interest　of　the　sight；
nor　by　want　of　comprehension。　　It　was　a　sudden　realization　of　vague
things　hitherto　dreamed　of　from　a　distance　onlya　sense　of　novel
power　put　into　her　hands　without　request　or　expectation。　　A
landscape　was　to　be　altered　to　suit　her　whim。　　She　had　in　her
lifetime　moved　essentially　larger　mountains；　but　they　had　seemed　of
far　less　splendid　material　than　this；　for　it　was　the　nature　of　the
gratification　rather　than　its　magnitude　which　enchanted　the　fancy　of
a　woman　whose　poetry；　in　spite　of　her　necessities；　was　hardly　yet
extinguished。　　But　there　was　something　more；　with　which　poetry　had
little　to　do。　　Whether　the　opinion　of　any　pretty　woman　in　England
was　of　more　weight　with　Lord　Mountclere　than　memories　of　his
boyhood；　or　whether　that　distinction　was　reserved　for　her　alone；
this　was　a　point　that　she　would　have　liked　to　know。

The　enjoyment　of　power　in　a　new　element；　an　enjoyment　somewhat
resembling　in　kind　that　which　is　given　by　a　first　ride　or　swim；　held
Ethelberta　to　the　spot；　and　she　waited；　but　sketched　no　more。
Another　tree…top　swayed　and　vanished　as　before；　and　the　slit　of　sea
was　larger　still。　　Her　mind　and　eye　were　so　occupied　with　this
matter　that；　sitting　in　her　nook；　she　did　not　observe　a　thin　young
man；　his　boots　white　with　the　dust　of　a　long　journey　on　foot；　who
arrived　at　the　castle　by　the　valley…road　from　Knollsea。　　He　looked
awhile　at　the　ruin；　and；　skirting　its　flank　instead　of　entering　by
the　great　gateway；　climbed　up　the　scarp　and　walked　in　through　a
breach。　　After　standing　for　a　moment　among　the　walls；　now　silent　and
apparently　empty；　with　a　disappointed　look　he　descended　the　slope；
and　proceeded　along　on　his　way。

Ethelberta；　who　was　in　quite　another　part　of　the　castle；　saw　the
black　spot　diminishing　to　the　size　of　a　fly　as　he　receded　along　the
dusty　road；　and　soon　after　she　descended　on　the　other　side；　where
she　remounted　the　ass；　and　ambled　homeward　as　she　had　come；　in　no
bright　mood。　　What；　seeing　the　precariousness　of　her　state；　was　the
day's　triumph　worth　after　all；　unless；　before　her　beauty　abated；　she
could　ensure　her　position　against　the　attacks　of　chance？

　　　　　　　　　　'To　be　thus　is　nothing；
　　　　　　But　to　be　safely　thus。'

she　said　it　more　than　once　on　her　journey　that　day。

On　entering　the　sitting…room　of　their　cot　up　the　hill　she　found　it
empty；　and　from　a　change　perceptible　in　the　position　of　small
articles　of　furniture；　something　unusual　seemed　to　have　taken　place
in　her　absence。　　The　dwelling　being　of　that　sort　in　which　whatever
goes　on　in　one　room　is　audible　through　all　the　rest；　Picotee；　who
was　upstairs；　heard　the　arrival　and　came　down。　　Picotee's　face　was
rosed　over　with　the　brilliance　of　some　excitement。　　'What　do　you
think　I　have　to　tell　you；　Berta？'　she　said。

'I　have　no　idea；'　said　her　sister。　　'Surely；'　she　added；　her　face
intensifying　to　a　wan　sadness；　'Mr。　Julian　has　not　been　here？'

'Yes；'　said　Picotee。　　'And　we　went　down　to　the　sandshe；　and
Myrtle；　and　Georgina；　and　Emmeline；　and　Iand　Cornelia　came　down
when　she　had　put　away　the　dinner。　　And　then　we　dug　wriggles　out　of
the　sand　with　Myrtle's　spade：　　we　got　such　a　lot；　and　had　such　fun；
they　are　in　a　dish　in　the　kitchen。　　Mr。　Julian　came　to　see　you；　but
at　last　he　could　wait　no　longer；　and　when　I　told　him　you　were　at　the
meeting　in　the　castle　ruins　he　said　he　would　try　to　find　you　there
on　his　way　home；　if　he　could　get　there　before　the　meeting　broke　up。'

'Then　it　was　he　I　saw　far　away　on　the　roadyes；　it　must　have　been。'
She　remained　in　gloomy　reverie　a　few　moments；　and　then　said；　'Very
welllet　it　be。　　Picotee；　get　me　some　tea：　　I　do　not　want　dinner。'

But　the　news　of　Christopher's　visit　seemed　to　have　taken　away　her
appetite　for　tea　also；　and　after　sitting　a　little　while　she　flung
herself　down　upon　the　couch；　and　told　Picotee　that　she　had　settled
to　go　and　see　their　aunt　Charlotte。

'I　am　going　to　write　to　Sol　and　Dan　to　ask　them　to　meet　me　there；'
she　added。　　'I　want　them；　if　possible；　to　see　Paris。　　It　will
improve　them　greatly　in　their　trades；　I　am　thinking；　if　they　can　see
the　kinds　of　joinery　and　decoration　practised　in　France。　　They
agreed　to　go；　if　I　should　wish　it；　before　we　left　London。　　You；　of
course；　will　go　as　my　maid。'

Picotee　gazed