the hand of ethelberta-第62章

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something　better　to　do　than　argue　with　a　woman　of　her　character　at
that　hour　of　the　evening。　　This　so　set　her　up　that　she　followed　me
home；　marched　into　my　pantry；　and　told　me　that　if　I　had　been　more
careful　about　my　manners　in　calling　her　a　bad　character；　it　might
have　been　better　both　for　me　and　my　stuck…up　daughtera　daw　in
eagle's　plumesand　so　on。　　Now　it　seems　that　she　must　have　coaxed
something　out　of　Joey　about　youfor　what　lad　in　the　world　could　be
a　match　for　a　woman　of　her　experience　and　arts！　　I　hope　she　will　do
you　no　serious　damage；　but　I　tell　you　the　whole　state　of　affairs
exactly　as　they　are；　that　you　may　form　your　own　opinions。　　After
all；　there　is　no　real　disgrace；　for　none　of　us　have　ever　done　wrong；
but　have　worked　honestly　for　a　living。　　However；　I　will　let　you　know
if　anything　serious　really　happens。'


This　was　all　that　her　father　said　on　the　matter；　the　letter
concluding　with　messages　to　the　children　and　directions　from　their
mother　with　regard　to　their　clothes。

Ethelberta　felt　very　distinctly　that　she　was　in　a　strait；　the　old
impression　that；　unless　her　position　were　secured　soon；　it　never
would　be　secured；　returned　with　great　force。　　A　doubt　whether　it　was
worth　securing　would　have　been　very　strong　ere　this；　had　not　others
besides　herself　been　concerned　in　her　fortunes。　　She　looked　up　from
her　letter；　and　beheld　the　pertinacious　yacht；　it　led　her　up　to　a
conviction　that　therein　lay　a　means　and　an　opportunity。

Nothing　further　of　importance　occurred　in　crossing。　　Ethelberta's
head　ached　after　a　while；　and　Cornelia's　healthy　cheeks　of　red　were
found　to　have　diminished　their　colour　to　the　size　of　a　wafer　and　the
quality　of　a　stain。　　The　Speedwell　entered　the　breakwater　at
Cherbourg　to　find　the　schooner　already　in　the　roadstead；　and　by　the
time　the　steamer　was　brought　up　Ethelberta　could　see　the　men　on
board　the　yacht　clewing　up　and　making　things　snug　in　a　way　from
which　she　inferred　that　they　were　not　going　to　leave　the　harbour
again　that　day。　　With　the　aspect　of　a　fair　galleon　that　could　easily
out…manoeuvre　her　persevering　buccaneer；　Ethelberta　passed
alongside。　　Could　it　be　possible　that　Lord　Mountclere　had　on　her
account　fixed　this　day　for　his　visit　across　the　Channel？

'Well；　I　would　rather　be　haunted　by　him　than　by　Mr。　Neigh；'　she
said；　and　began　laying　her　plans　so　as　to　guard　against　inconvenient
surprises。

The　next　morning　Ethelberta　was　at　the　railway　station；　taking
tickets　for　herself　and　Cornelia；　when　she　saw　an　old　yet　sly　and
somewhat　merry…faced　Englishman　a　little　way　off。　　He　was　attended
by　a　younger　man；　who　appeared　to　be　his　valet。

'I　will　exchange　one　of　these　tickets；'　she　said　to　the　clerk；　and
having　done　so　she　went　to　Cornelia　to　inform　her　that　it　would
after　all　be　advisable　for　them　to　travel　separate；　adding；　'Lord
Mountclere　is　in　the　station；　and　I　think　he　is　going　on　by　our
train。　　Remember；　you　are　my　maid　again　now。　　Is　not　that　the
gentlemanly　man　who　assisted　you　yesterday？'　　She　signified　the
valet　as　she　spoke。

'It　is；'　said　Cornelia。

When　the　passengers　were　taking　their　seats；　and　Ethelberta　was
thinking　whether　she　might　not　after　all　enter　a　second…class　with
Cornelia　instead　of　sitting　solitary　in　a　first　because　of　an　old
man's　proximity；　she　heard　a　shuffling　at　her　elbow；　and　the　next
moment　found　that　he　was　overtly　observing　her　as　if　he　had　not　done
so　in　secret　at　all。　　She　at　once　gave　him　an　unsurprised　gesture　of
recognition。　　'I　saw　you　some　time　ago；　what　a　singular
coincidence；'　she　said。

'A　charming　one；'　said　Lord　Mountclere；　smiling　a　half…minute　smile；
and　making　as　if　he　would　take　his　hat　off　and　would　not　quite。
'Perhaps　we　must　not　call　it　coincidence　entirely；'　he　continued；
'my　journey；　which　I　have　contemplated　for　some　time；　was　not　fixed
this　week　altogether　without　a　thought　of　your　presence　on　the　road…
…hee…hee！　　Do　you　go　far　to…day？'

'As　far　as　Caen；'　said　Ethelberta。

'Ah！　　That's　the　end　of　my　day's　journey；　too；'　said　Lord
Mountclere。　　They　parted　and　took　their　respective　places；　Lord
Mountclere　choosing　a　compartment　next　to　the　one　Ethelberta　was
entering；　and　not；　as　she　had　expected；　attempting　to　join　her。

Now　she　had　instantly　fancied　when　the　viscount　was　speaking　that
there　were　signs　of　some　departure　from　his　former　respectful　manner
towards　her；　and　an　enigma　lay　in　that。　　At　their　earlier　meetings
he　had　never　ventured　upon　a　distinct　coupling　of　himself　and
herself　as　he　had　done　in　his　broad　compliment　to…dayif　compliment
it　could　be　called。　　She　was　not　sure　that　he　did　not　exceed　his
license　in　telling　her　deliberately　that　he　had　meant　to　hover　near
her　in　a　private　journey　which　she　was　taking　without　reference　to
him。　　She　did　not　object　to　the　act；　but　to　the　avowal　of　the　act；
and；　being　as　sensitive　as　a　barometer　on　signs　affecting　her　social
condition；　it　darted　upon　Ethelberta　for　one　little　moment　that　he
might　possibly　have　heard　a　word　or　two　about　her　being　nothing　more
nor　less　than　one　of　a　tribe　of　thralls；　hence　his　freedom　of
manner。　　Certainly　a　plain　remark　of　that　sort　was　exactly　what　a
susceptible　peer　might　be　supposed　to　say　to　a　pretty　woman　of　far
inferior　degree。　　A　rapid　redness　filled　her　face　at　the　thought
that　he　might　have　smiled　upon　her　as　upon　a　domestic　whom　he　was
disposed　to　chuck　under　the　chin。　　'But　no；'　she　said。　　'He　would
never　have　taken　the　trouble　to　follow　and　meet　with　me　had　he
learnt　to　think　me　other　than　a　lady。　　It　is　extremity　of　devotion
that's　all。'

It　was　not　Ethelberta's　inexperience；　but　that　her　conception　of
self　precluded　such　an　association　of　ideas；　which　led　her　to
dismiss　the　surmise　that　his　attendance　could　be　inspired　by　a
motive　beyond　that　of　paying　her　legitimate　attentions　as　a　co…
ordinate　with　him　and　his　in　the　social　field。　　Even　if　he　only
meant　flirtation；　she　read　it　as　of　that　sort　from　which　courtship
with　an　eye　to　matrimony　differs　only　in　degree。　　Hence；　she
thought；　his　interest　in　her　was　not　likely；　under　the　ordinary
influences　of　caste　feeling；　to　continue　longer　than　while　he　was
kept　in　ignorance　of　her　consanguinity　with　a　stock　proscribed。　　She
sighed　at　the　anticipated　close　of　her　full…feathered　towering　when
her　ties　and　bonds　should　be　uncovered。　　She　might　have　seen　matters
in　a　different　light；　and　sighed　more。　　But　in　the　stir　of　the
moment　it　escaped　her　thought　that　ignorance　of　her　position；　and　a
consequent　regard　for　her　as　a　woman　of　good　standing；　would　have
prevented　his　indulgence　in　any　course　which　was　open　to　the
construction　of　being　disrespectful。

Valognes；　Carentan；　Isigny；　Bayeux；　were　passed；　and　the　train　drew
up　at　Caen。　　Ethelberta's　intention　had　been　to　stay　here　for　one
night；　but　having　learnt　from　Lord　Mountclere；　as　previously
described；　that　this　was　his　destination；　she　decided　to　go　on。　　On
turning　towards　the　carriage　after　a　few　minutes　of　promenading　at
the　Caen　station；　she　was　surprised　to　perceive　that　Lord
Mountclere；　who　had　alighted　as　if　to　leave；　was　still　there。

They　spoke　again　to　each　other。　　'I　find　I　have　to　go　further；'　he
suddenly　said；　when　she　had　chatted　with　him　a　little　time。　　And
beckoning　to　the　man　who　was　attending　to　his　baggage；　he　directed
the　things　to　be　again　placed　in　the　train。

Time　passed；　and　they　changed　at　the　next　junction。　　When　Ethelberta
entered　a　carriage　on　the　branch　line　to　take　her　seat　for　the
remainder　of　the　journey；　there　sat　the　viscount　in　the　same
division。　　He　explained　that　he　was　going　to　Rouen。

Ethelberta　came　to　a　quick　resolution。　　Her　audacity；　like　that　of　a
child　getting　nearer　and　nearer　a　parent's　side；　became　wonderfully
vigorous　as　she　approached　her　destination；　and　though　there　were
three　good　hours　of　travel　to　Rouen　as　yet；　the　heavier　part　of　the
journey　was　past。　　At　her　aunt's　would　be　a　safe　refuge；　play　what
pranks　she　might；　and　there　she　would　to…morrow　meet　those　bravest
of　defenders　Sol　and　Dan；　to　whom　she　had　sent　as　much　money　as　she
could　conveniently　spare　towards　their　expenses；　with　directions
that　they　were　to　come　by　the　most　economical　rout