the hand of ethelberta-第71章

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power；　which　was；　if　that　were　possible；　more　gloomy　than
disappointed　love。　　'I　know　now　where　he　is。　　That　operation　with
the　cradle…apparatus　is　very　interesting；　and　he　is　stopping　to　see
it。　。　。　。　　But　I　shall　not　wait　indoors　much　longer；　whatever　he　may
be　stopping　to　see。　　It　is　very　unaccountable；　and　vexing；　after
moving　into　this　new　house　too。　　We　were　much　more　comfortable　in
the　old　one。　　In　keeping　any　previous　appointment　in　which　I　have
been　concerned　he　has　been　ridiculously　early。'

'Shall　I　run　round？'　said　Picotee；　'and　if　he　is　not　watching　them
we　will　go　out。'

'Very　well；'　said　her　sister。

The　time　of　Picotee's　absence　seemed　an　age。　　Ethelberta　heard　the
roar　of　another　rocket；　and　still　Picotee　did　not　return。　　'What　can
the　girl　be　thinking　of？'　she　mused。　。　。　。　　'What　a　half…and…half
policy　mine　has　been！　　Thinking　of　marrying　for　position；　and　yet
not　making　it　my　rigid　plan　to　secure　the　man　the　first　moment　that
he　made　his　offer。　　So　I　lose　the　comfort　of　having　a　soul　above
worldliness；　and　my　compensation　for　not　having　it　likewise！'　　A
minute　or　two　more　and　in　came　Picotee。

'What　has　kept　you　so　longand　how　excited　you　look；'　said
Ethelberta。

'I　thought　I　would　stay　a　little　while；　as　I　had　never　seen　a
rocket…apparatus；'　said　Picotee；　faintly　and　strangely。

'But　is　he　there？'　asked　her　sister　impatiently。

'Yeshe　was。　　He's　gone　now！'

'Lord　Mountclere？'

'No。　　There　is　no　old　man　there　at　all。　　Mr　Julian　was　there。'

A　little　'Ah！'　came　from　Ethelberta；　like　a　note　from　a　storm…bird
at　night。　　She　turned　round　and　went　into　the　back　room。　　'Is　Mr。
Julian　going　to　call　here？'　she　inquired；　coming　forward　again。

'Nohe's　gone　by　the　steamboat。　　He　was　only　passing　through　on　his
way　to　Sandbourne；　where　he　is　gone　to　settle　a　small　business
relating　to　his　father's　affairs。　　He　was　not　in　Knollsea　ten
minutes；　owing　to　something　which　detained　him　on　the　way。'

'Did　he　inquire　for　me？'

'No。　　And　only　think；　Ethelbertasuch　a　remarkable　thing　has
happened；　though　I　nearly　forgot　to　tell　you。　　He　says　that　coming
along　the　road　he　was　overtaken　by　a　carriage；　and　when　it　had　just
passed　him　one　of　the　horses　shied；　pushed　the　other　down　a　slope；
and　overturned　the　carriage。　　One　wheel　came　off　and　trundled　to　the
bottom　of　the　hill　by　itself。　　Christopher　of　course　ran　up；　and
helped　out　of　the　carriage　an　old　gentlemannow　do　you　know　what's
likely？'

'It　was　Lord　Mountclere。　　I　am　glad　that's　the　cause；'　said
Ethelberta　involuntarily。

'I　imagined　you　would　suppose　it　to　be　Lord　Mountclere。　　But　Mr。
Julian　did　not　know　the　gentleman；　and　said　nothing　about　who　he
might　be。'

'Did　he　describe　him？'

'Not　muchjust　a　little。'

'Well？'

'He　said　he　was　a　sly　old　dog　apparently；　to　hear　how　he　swore　in
whispers。　　This　affair　is　what　made　Mr。　Julian　so　late　that　he　had
no　time　to　call　here。　　Lord　Mountclere's　ankleif　it　was　Lord
Mountclerewas　badly　sprained。　　But　the　servants　were　not　injured
beyond　a　scratch　on　the　coachman's　face。　　Then　they　got　another
carriage　and　drove　at　once　back　again。　　It　must　be　he；　or　else　why
is　he　not　come？　　It　is　a　pity；　too；　that　Mr。　Julian　was　hindered　by
this；　so　that　there　was　no　opportunity　for　him　to　bide　a　bit　in
Knollsea。'

Ethelberta　was　not　disposed　to　believe　that　Christopher　would　have
called；　had　time　favoured　him　to　the　utmost。　　Between　himself　and
her　there　was　that　kind　of　division　which　is　more　insurmountable
than　enmity；　for　estrangements　produced　by　good　judgment　will　last
when　those　of　feeling　break　down　in　smiles。　　Not　the　lovers　who　part
in　passion；　but　the　lovers　who　part　in　friendship；　are　those　who
most　frequently　part　for　ever。

'Did　you　tell　Mr。　Julian　that　the　injured　gentleman　was　possibly
Lord　Mountclere；　and　that　he　was　coming　here？'　said　Ethelberta。

'I　made　no　remark　at　allI　did　not　think　of　him　till　afterwards。'

The　inquiry　was　hardly　necessary；　for　Picotee's　words　would　dry　away
like　a　brook　in　the　sands　when　she　held　conversation　with
Christopher。

As　they　had　anticipated；　the　sufferer　was　no　other　than　their
intending　visitor。　　Next　morning　there　was　a　note　explaining　the
accident；　and　expressing　its　writer's　suffering　from　the　cruel　delay
as　greater　than　that　from　the　swollen　ankle；　which　was　progressing
favourably。

Nothing　further　was　heard　of　Lord　Mountclere　for　more　than　a　week；
when　she　received　another　letter；　which　put　an　end　to　her　season　of
relaxation；　and　once　more　braced　her　to　the　contest。　　This　epistle
was　very　courteously　written；　and　in　point　of　correctness；
propriety；　and　gravity；　might　have　come　from　the　quill　of　a　bishop。
Herein　the　old　nobleman　gave　a　further　description　of　the　accident；
but　the　main　business　of　the　communication　was　to　ask　her　if；　since
he　was　not　as　yet　very　active；　she　would　come　to　Enckworth　Court　and
delight　himself　and　a　small　group　of　friends　who　were　visiting
there。

She　pondered　over　the　letter　as　she　walked　by　the　shore　that　day；
and　after　some　hesitation　decided　to　go。



38。　ENCKWORTH　COURT

It　was　on　a　dull；　stagnant；　noiseless　afternoon　of　autumn　that
Ethelberta　first　crossed　the　threshold　of　Enckworth　Court。　　The
daylight　was　so　lowered　by　the　impervious　roof　of　cloud　overhead
that　it　scarcely　reached　further　into　Lord　Mountclere's　entrance…
hall　than　to　the　splays　of　the　windows；　even　but　an　hour　or　two
after　midday；　and　indoors　the　glitter　of　the　fire　reflected　itself
from　the　very　panes；　so　inconsiderable　were　the　opposing　rays。

Enckworth　Court；　in　its　main　part；　had　not　been　standing　more　than　a
hundred　years。　　At　that　date　the　weakened　portions　of　the　original
mediaeval　structure　were　pulled　down　and　cleared　away；　old　jambs
being　carried　off　for　rick…staddles；　and　the　foliated　timbers　of　the
hall　roof　making　themselves　useful　as　fancy　chairs　in　the　summer…
houses　of　rising　inns。　　A　new　block　of　masonry　was　built　up　from　the
ground　of　such　height　and　lordliness　that　the　remnant　of　the　old
pile　left　standing　became　as　a　mere　cup…bearer　and　culinary　menial
beside　it。　　The　rooms　in　this　old　fragment；　which　had　in　times　past
been　considered　sufficiently　dignified　for　dining…hall；　withdrawing…
room；　and　so　on；　were　now　reckoned　barely　high　enough　for
sculleries；　servants'　hall；　and　laundries；　the　whole　of　which　were
arranged　therein。

The　modern　portion　had　been　planned　with　such　a　total　disregard　of
association；　that　the　very　rudeness　of　the　contrast　gave　an　interest
to　the　mass　which　it　might　have　wanted　had　perfect　harmony　been
attempted　between　the　old　nucleus　and　its　adjuncts；　a　probable
result　if　the　enlargement　had　taken　place　later　on　in　time。　　The
issue　was　that　the　hooded　windows；　simple　string…courses；　and　random
masonry　of　the　Gothic　workman；　stood　elbow　to　elbow　with　the　equal…
spaced　ashlar；　architraves；　and　fasciae　of　the　Classic　addition；
each　telling　its　distinct　tale　as　to　stage　of　thought　and　domestic
habit　without　any　of　those　artifices　of　blending　or　restoration　by
which　the　seeker　for　history　in　stones　will　be　utterly　hoodwinked　in
time　to　come。

To　the　left　of　the　door　and　vestibule　which　Ethelberta　passed
through　rose　the　principal　staircase；　constructed　of　a　freestone　so
milk…white　and　delicately　moulded　as　to　be　easily　conceived　in　the
lamplight　as　of　biscuit…ware。　　Who；　unacquainted　with　the　secrets　of
geometrical　construction；　could　imagine　that；　hanging　so　airily
there；　to　all　appearance　supported　on　nothing；　were　twenty　or　more
tons　dead　weight　of　stone；　that　would　have　made　a　prison　for　an
elephant　if　so　arranged？　　The　art　which　produced　this　illusion　was
questionable；　but　its　success　was　undoubted。　　'How　lovely！'　said
Ethelberta；　as　she　looked　at　the　fairy　ascent。　　'His　staircase　alone
is　worth　my　hand！'

Passing　along　by　the　colonnade；　which　partly　fenced　the　staircase
from　the　visitor；　the　saloon　was　reached；　an　apartment　forming　a
double　cube。　　About　the　left…hand　end　of　this　were　grouped　the
drawing…rooms　and　library；　while　on　the　right　was　the　dining…hall；
with　billiard；　smoking；　and　gun　rooms　in　mysterious　remoteness
beyond。

Without　attempting　to　trace　an　analogy　between　a