the hand of ethelberta-第70章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


in　that　event；　to　conceal　from　Lord　Mountclere　the　circumstances　of
her　position　till　it　should　be　too　late　for　him　to　object　to　them；
she　found　her　conscience　inconveniently　in　the　way　of　her　theory；
and　the　oracle　before　her　afforded　no　hint。　　'　Ahit　is　a　point　for
a　casuist！'　she　said。

An　old　treatise　on　Casuistry　lay　on　the　top　shelf。　　She　opened　it
more　from　curiosity　than　from　guidance　this　time；　it　must　be
observedat　a　chapter　bearing　on　her　own　problem；　'The　disciplina
arcani；　or；　the　doctrine　of　reserve。'

Here　she　read　that　there　were　plenty　of　apparent　instances　of　this
in　Scripture；　and　that　it　was　formed　into　a　recognized　system　in　the
early　Church。　　With　reference　to　direct　acts　of　deception；　it　was
argued　that　since　there　were　confessedly　cases　where　killing　is　no
murder；　might　there　not　be　cases　where　lying　is　no　sin？　　It　could
not　be　rightor；　indeed；　anything　but　most　absurdto　say　in　effect
that　no　doubt　circumstances　would　occur　where　every　sound　man　would
tell　a　lie；　and　would　be　a　brute　or　a　fool　if　he　did　not；　and　to　say
at　the　same　time　that　it　is　quite　indefensible　in　principle。　　Duty
was　the　key　to　conduct　then；　and　if　in　such　cases　duties　appeared　to
clash　they　would　be　found　not　to　do　so　on　examination。　　The　lesser
duty　would　yield　to　the　greater；　and　therefore　ceased　to　be　a　duty。

This　author　she　found　to　be　not　so　tolerable；　he　distracted　her。
She　put　him　aside　and　gave　over　reading；　having　decided　on　this
second　point；　that　she　would；　at　any　hazard；　represent　the　truth　to
Lord　Mountclere　before　listening　to　another　word　from　him。　　'Well；
at　last　I　have　done；'　she　said；　'and　am　ready　for　my　role。'

In　looking　back　upon　her　past　as　she　retired　to　rest；　Ethelberta
could　almost　doubt　herself　to　be　the　identical　woman　with　her　who
had　entered　on　a　romantic　career　a　few　short　years　ago。　　For　that
doubt　she　had　good　reason。　　She　had　begun　as　a　poet　of　the　Satanic
school　in　a　sweetened　form；　she　was　ending　as　a　pseudo…utilitarian。
Was　there　ever　such　a　transmutation　effected　before　by　the　action　of
a　hard　environment？　　It　was　not　without　a　qualm　of　regret　that　she
discerned　how　the　last　infirmity　of　a　noble　mind　had　at　length
nearly　departed　from　her。　　She　wondered　if　her　early　notes　had　had
the　genuine　ring　in　them；　or　whether　a　poet　who　could　be　thrust　by
realities　to　a　distance　beyond　recognition　as　such　was　a　true　poet
at　all。　　Yet　Ethelberta's　gradient　had　been　regular：　　emotional
poetry；　light　verse；　romance　as　an　object；　romance　as　a　means；
thoughts　of　marriage　as　an　aid　to　her　pursuits；　a　vow　to　marry　for
the　good　of　her　family；　in　other　words；　from　soft　and　playful
Romanticism　to　distorted　Benthamism。　　Was　the　moral　incline　upward
or　down？



37。　KNOLLSEA　…　AN　ORNAMENTAL　VILLA

Her　energies　collected　and　fermented　anew　by　the　results　of　the
vigil；　Ethelberta　left　town　for　Knollsea；　where　she　joined　Picotee
the　same　evening。　　Picotee　produced　a　letter；　which　had　been
addressed　to　her　sister　at　their　London　residence；　but　was　not
received　by　her　there；　Mrs。　Chickerel　having　forwarded　it　to
Knollsea　the　day　before　Ethelberta　arrived　in　town。

The　crinkled　writing；　in　character　like　the　coast…line　of　Tierra　del
Fuego；　was　becoming　familiar　by　this　time。　　While　reading　the　note
she　informed　Picotee；　between　a　quick　breath　and　a　rustle　of　frills；
that　it　was　from　Lord　Mountclere；　who　wrote　on　the　subject　of
calling　to　see　her；　suggesting　a　day　in　the　following　week。　　'Now；
Picotee；'　she　continued；　'we　shall　have　to　receive　him；　and　make　the
most　of　him；　for　I　have　altered　my　plans　since　I　was　last　in
Knollsea。'

'Altered　them　again？　　What　are　you　going　to　be　nownot　a　poor
person　after　all？'

'Indeed　not。　　And　so　I　turn　and　turn。　　Can　you　imagine　what　Lord
Mountclere　is　coming　for？　　But　don't　say　what　you　think。　　Before　I
reply　to　this　letter　we　must　go　into　new　lodgings；　to　give　them　as
our　address。　　The　first　business　to…morrow　morning　will　be　to　look
for　the　gayest　house　we　can　find；　and　Captain　Flower　and　this　little
cabin　of　his　must　be　things　we　have　never　known。'

The　next　day　after　breakfast　they　accordingly　sallied　forth。

Knollsea　had　recently　begun　to　attract　notice　in　the　world。　　It　had
this　year　undergone　visitation　from　a　score　of　professional
gentlemen　and　their　wives；　a　minor　canon；　three　marine　painters；
seven　young　ladies　with　books　in　their　hands；　and　nine…and…thirty
babies。　　Hence　a　few　lodging…houses；　of　a　dash　and　pretentiousness
far　beyond　the　mark　of　the　old　cottages　which　formed　the　original
substance　of　the　village；　had　been　erected　to　meet　the　wants　of　such
as　these。　　To　a　building　of　this　class　Ethelberta　now　bent　her
steps；　and　the　crush　of　the　season　having　departed　in　the　persons　of
three…quarters　of　the　above…named　visitors；　who　went　away　by　a
coach；　a　van；　and　a　couple　of　wagonettes　one　morning；　she　found　no
difficulty　in　arranging　for　a　red　and　yellow　streaked　villa；　which
was　so　bright　and　glowing　that　the　sun　seemed　to　be　shining　upon　it
even　on　a　cloudy　day；　and　the　ruddiest　native　looked　pale　when
standing　by　its　walls。　　It　was　not　without　regret　that　she　renounced
the　sailor's　pretty　cottage　for　this　porticoed　and　balconied
dwelling；　but　her　lines　were　laid　down　clearly　at　last；　and　thither
she　removed　forthwith。

From　this　brand…new　house　did　Ethelberta　pen　the　letter　fixing　the
time　at　which　she　would　be　pleased　to　see　Lord　Mountclere。

When　the　hour　drew　nigh　enormous　force　of　will　was　required　to　keep
her　perturbation　down。　　She　had　not　distinctly　told　Picotee　of　the
object　of　the　viscount's　visit；　but　Picotee　guessed　nearly　enough。
Ethelberta　was　upon　the　whole　better　pleased　that　the　initiative　had
again　come　from　him　than　if　the　first　step　in　the　new　campaign　had
been　her　sending　the　explanatory　letter；　as　intended　and　promised。
She　had　thought　almost　directly　after　the　interview　at　Rouen　that　to
enlighten　him　by　writing　a　confession　in　cold　blood；　according　to
her　first　intention；　would　be　little　less　awkward　for　her　in　the
method　of　telling　than　in　the　facts　to　be　told。

So　the　last　hair　was　arranged　and　the　last　fold　adjusted；　and　she
sat　down　to　await　a　new　page　of　her　history。　　Picotee　sat　with　her；
under　orders　to　go　into　the　next　room　when　Lord　Mountclere　should
call；　and　Ethelberta　determined　to　waste　no　time；　directly　he　began
to　make　advances；　in　clearing　up　the　phenomena　of　her　existence　to
him；　to　the　end　that　no　fact　which；　in　the　event　of　his　taking　her
to　wife；　could　be　used　against　her　as　an　example　of　concealment；
might　remain　unrelated。　　The　collapse　of　his　attachment　under　the
test　might；　however；　form　the　grand　climax　of　such　a　play　as　this。

The　day　was　rather　cold　for　the　season；　and　Ethelberta　sat　by　a
fire；　but　the　windows　were　open；　and　Picotee　was　amusing　herself　on
the　balcony　outside。　　The　hour　struck：　　Ethelberta　fancied　she　could
hear　the　wheels　of　a　carriage　creeping　up　the　steep　ascent　which　led
to　the　drive　before　the　door。

'Is　it　he？'　she　said　quickly。

'No；'　said　Picotee；　whose　indifference　contrasted　strangely　with　the
restlessness　of　her　who　was　usually　the　coolest。　　'It　is　a　man
shaking　down　apples　in　the　garden　over　the　wall。'

They　lingered　on　till　some　three　or　four　minutes　had　gone　by。
'Surely　that's　a　carriage？'　said　Ethelberta；　then。

'I　think　it　is；'　said　Picotee　outside；　stretching　her　neck　forward
as　far　as　she　could。　　'No；　it　is　the　men　on　the　beach　dragging　up
their　boats；　they　expect　wind　to…night。'

'How　wearisome！　　Picotee；　you　may　as　well　come　inside；　if　he　means
to　call　he　will；　but　he　ought　to　be　here　by　this　time。'

It　was　only　once　more；　and　that　some　time　later　that　she　again　said
'Listen！'

'That's　not　the　noise　of　a　carriage；　it　is　the　fizz　of　a　rocket。
The　coastguardsmen　are　practising　the　life…apparatus　to…day；　to　be
ready　for　the　autumn　wrecks。'

'Ah！'　said　Ethelberta；　her　face　clearing　up。　　Hers　had　not　been　a
sweetheart's　impatience；　but　her　mood　had　intensified　during　these
minutes　of　suspense　to　a　harassing　mistrust　of　her　man…compelling
power；　which　was；　if　that　were　possible；　more　gloomy　than
disappointed　love。　　'I　know　now　where　he　is。　　That