the hand of ethelberta-第7章

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experiment。　　Some　such　conclusion　may　or　may　not　have　been　arrived
at　by　the　girl　with　the　lady…apple　cheeks；　at　any　rate；　after　the
lapse　of　another　week　a　new　spectacle　presented　itself；　her　redness
deepened　whenever　Christopher　passed　her　by；　and　embarrassment
pervaded　her　from　the　lowest　stitch　to　the　tip　of　her　feather。　　She
had　little　chance　of　escaping　him　by　diverging　from　the　road；　for　a
figure　could　be　seen　across　the　open　ground　to　the　distance　of　half
a　mile　on　either　side。　　One　day　as　he　drew　near　as　usual；　she　met
him　as　women　meet　a　cloud　of　dustshe　turned　and　looked　backwards
till　he　had　passed。

This　would　have　been　disconcerting　but　for　one　reason：　　Christopher
was　ceasing　to　notice　her。　　He　was　a　man　who　often；　when　walking
abroad；　and　looking　as　it　were　at　the　scene　before　his　eyes；
discerned　successes　and　failures；　friends　and　relations；　episodes　of
childhood；　wedding　feasts　and　funerals；　the　landscape　suffering
greatly　by　these　visions；　until　it　became　no　more　than　the　patterned
wall…tints　about　the　paintings　in　a　gallery；　something　necessary　to
the　tone；　yet　not　regarded。　　Nothing　but　a　special　concentration　of
himself　on　externals　could　interrupt　this　habit；　and　now　that　her
appearance　along　the　way　had　changed　from　a　chance　to　a　custom　he
began　to　lapse　again　into　the　old　trick。　　He　gazed　once　or　twice　at
her　form　without　seeing　it：　　he　did　not　notice　that　she　trembled。

He　sometimes　read　as　he　walked；　and　book　in　hand　he　frequently
approached　her　now。　　This　went　on　till　six　weeks　had　passed　from　the
time　of　their　first　encounter。　　Latterly　might　have　been　once　or
twice　heard；　when　he　had　moved　out　of　earshot；　a　sound　like　a　small
gasping　sigh；　but　no　arrangements　were　disturbed；　and　Christopher
continued　to　keep　down　his　eyes　as　persistently　as　a　saint　in　a
church　window。

The　last　day　of　his　engagement　had　arrived；　and　with　it　the　last　of
his　walks　that　way。　　On　his　final　return　he　carried　in　his　hand　a
bunch　of　flowers　which　had　been　presented　to　him　at　the　country…
house　where　his　lessons　were　given。　　He　was　taking　them　home　to　his
sister　Faith；　who　prized　the　lingering　blossoms　of　the　seeding
season。　　Soon　appeared　as　usual　his　fellow…traveller；　whereupon
Christopher　looked　down　upon　his　nosegay。　　'Sweet　simple　girl；'　he
thought；　'I'll　endeavour　to　make　peace　with　her　by　means　of　these
flowers　before　we　part　for　good。'

When　she　came　up　he　held　them　out　to　her　and　said；　'Will　you　allow
me　to　present　you　with　these？'

The　bright　colours　of　the　nosegay　instantly　attracted　the　girl's
handperhaps　before　there　had　been　time　for　thought　to　thoroughly
construe　the　position；　for　it　happened　that　when　her　arm　was
stretched　into　the　air　she　steadied　it　quickly；　and　stood　with　the
pose　of　a　statuerigid　with　uncertainty。　　But　it　was　too　late　to
refuse：　　Christopher　had　put　the　nosegay　within　her　fingers。
Whatever　pleasant　expression　of　thanks　may　have　appeared　in　her　eyes
fell　only　on　the　bunch　of　flowers；　for　during　the　whole　transaction
they　reached　to　no　higher　level　than　that。　　To　say　that　he　was
coming　no　more　seemed　scarcely　necessary　under　the　circumstances；
and　wishing　her　'Good　afternoon'　very　heartily；　he　passed　on。

He　had　learnt　by　this　time　her　occupation；　which　was　that　of　pupil…
teacher　at　one　of　the　schools　in　the　town；　whither　she　walked　daily
from　a　village　near。　　If　he　had　not　been　poor　and　the　little　teacher
humble；　Christopher　might　possibly　have　been　tempted　to　inquire　more
briskly　about　her；　and　who　knows　how　such　a　pursuit　might　have
ended？　　But　hard　externals　rule　volatile　sentiment；　and　under　these
untoward　influences　the　girl　and　the　book　and　the　truth　about　its
author　were　matters　upon　which　he　could　not　afford　to　expend　much
time。　　All　Christopher　did　was　to　think　now　and　then　of　the　pretty
innocent　face　and　round　deep　eyes；　not　once　wondering　if　the　mind
which　enlivened　them　ever　thought　of　him。



3。　SANDBOURNE　MOOR　（continued）

It　was　one　of　those　hostile　days　of　the　year　when　chatterbox　ladies
remain　miserably　in　their　homes　to　save　the　carriage　and　harness；
when　clerks'　wives　hate　living　in　lodgings；　when　vehicles　and　people
appear　in　the　street　with　duplicates　of　themselves　underfoot；　when
bricklayers；　slaters；　and　other　out…door　journeymen　sit　in　a　shed
and　drink　beer；　when　ducks　and　drakes　play　with　hilarious　delight　at
their　own　family　game；　or　spread　out　one　wing　after　another　in　the
slower　enjoyment　of　letting　the　delicious　moisture　penetrate　to
their　innermost　down。　　The　smoke　from　the　flues　of　Sandbourne　had
barely　strength　enough　to　emerge　into　the　drizzling　rain；　and　hung
down　the　sides　of　each　chimney…pot　like　the　streamer　of　a　becalmed
ship；　and　a　troop　of　rats　might　have　rattled　down　the　pipes　from
roof　to　basement　with　less　noise　than　did　the　water　that　day。

On　the　broad　moor　beyond　the　town；　where　Christopher's　meetings　with
the　teacher　had　so　regularly　occurred；　were　a　stream　and　some　large
pools；　and　beside　one　of　these；　near　some　hatches　and　a　weir；　stood
a　little　square　building；　not　much　larger　inside　than　the　Lord
Mayor's　coach。　　It　was　known　simply　as　'The　Weir　House。'　　On　this
wet　afternoon；　which　was　the　one　following　the　day　of　Christopher's
last　lesson　over　the　plain；　a　nearly　invisible　smoke　came　from　the
puny　chimney　of　the　hut。　　Though　the　door　was　closed；　sounds　of
chatting　and　mirth　fizzed　from　the　interior；　and　would　have　told
anybody　who　had　come　nearwhich　nobody　didthat　the　usually　empty
shell　was　tenanted　to…day。

The　scene　within　was　a　large　fire　in　a　fireplace　to　which　the　whole
floor　of　the　house　was　no　more　than　a　hearthstone。　　The　occupants
were　two　gentlemanly　persons；　in　shooting　costume；　who　had　been
traversing　the　moor　for　miles　in　search　of　wild　duck　and　teal；　a
waterman；　and　a　small　spaniel。　　In　the　corner　stood　their　guns；　and
two　or　three　wild　mallards；　which　represented　the　scanty　product　of
their　morning's　labour；　the　iridescent　necks　of　the　dead　birds
replying　to　every　flicker　of　the　fire。　　The　two　sportsmen　were
smoking；　and　their　man　was　mostly　occupying　himself　in　poking　and
stirring　the　fire　with　a　stick：　　all　three　appeared　to　be　pretty
well　wetted。

One　of　the　gentlemen；　by　way　of　varying　the　not　very　exhilarating
study　of　four　brick　walls　within　microscopic　distance　of　his　eye；
turned　to　a　small　square　hole　which　admitted　light　and　air　to　the
hut；　and　looked　out　upon　the　dreary　prospect　before　him。　　The　wide
concave　of　cloud；　of　the　monotonous　hue　of　dull　pewter；　formed　an
unbroken　hood　over　the　level　from　horizon　to　horizon；　beneath　it；
reflecting　its　wan　lustre；　was　the　glazed　high…road　which　stretched；
hedgeless　and　ditchless；　past　a　directing…post　where　another　road
joined　it；　and　on　to　the　less　regular　ground　beyond；　lying　like　a
riband　unrolled　across　the　scene；　till　it　vanished　over　the
furthermost　undulation。　　Beside　the　pools　were　occasional　tall
sheaves　of　flags　and　sedge；　and　about　the　plain　a　few　bushes；　these
forming　the　only　obstructions　to　a　view　otherwise　unbroken。

The　sportsman's　attention　was　attracted　by　a　figure　in　a　state　of
gradual　enlargement　as　it　approached　along　the　road。

'I　should　think　that　if　pleasure　can't　tempt　a　native　out　of　doors
to…day；　business　will　never　force　him　out；'　he　observed。　　'There　is；
for　the　first　time；　somebody　coming　along　the　road。'

'If　business　don't　drag　him　out　pleasure'll　never　tempt　en；　is　more
like　our　nater　in　these　parts；　sir；'　said　the　man；　who　was　looking
into　the　fire。

The　conversation　showed　no　vitality；　and　down　it　dropped　dead　as
before；　the　man　who　was　standing　up　continuing　to　gaze　into　the
moisture。　　What　had　at　first　appeared　as　an　epicene　shape　the
decreasing　space　resolved　into　a　cloaked　female　under　an　umbrella：
she　now　relaxed　her　pace；　till；　reaching　the　directing…post　where
the　road　branched　into　two；　she　paused　and　looked　about　her。
Instead　of　coming　further　she　slowly　retraced　her　steps　for　about　a
hundred　yards。

'That's　an　appointment；'　said　the　first　speaker；　as　he　removed　the
cigar　from　his　lips；　'and　by　the　lords；　what　a　day　and　place　for　an
appointment　with　a　woman！'

'What's　an　appointment？'　i