the hand of ethelberta-第79章

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the　brink　of　the　wedding…day。　　That　the　ceremony　was　to　be　a　private
onewhich　it　probably　would　be　because　of　the　disparity　of　ages
did　not　in　his　opinion　justify　her　secrecy。　　He　had　shown　himself
capable　of　a　transmutation　as　valuable　as　it　is　rare　in　men；　the
change　from　pestering　lover　to　staunch　friend；　and　this　was　all　he
had　got　for　it。　　But　even　an　old　lover　sunk　to　an　indifferentist
might　have　been　tempted　to　spend　an　unoccupied　half…hour　in
discovering　particulars　now；　and　Christopher　had　not　lapsed　nearly
so　far　as　to　absolute　unconcern。

That　evening；　however；　nothing　came　in　his　way　to　enlighten　him。
But　the　next　day；　when　skirting　the　Close　on　his　ordinary　duties；　he
saw　the　same　carriage　standing　at　a　distance；　and　paused　to　behold
the　same　old　gentleman　come　from　a　well…known　office　and　re…enter
the　vehicleLord　Mountclere；　in　fact；　in　earnest　pursuit　of　the
business　of　yesternight；　having　just　pocketed　a　document　in　which
romance；　rashness；　law；　and　gospel　are　so　happily　made　to　work
together　that　it　may　safely　be　regarded　as　the　neatest　compromise
which　has　ever　been　invented　since　Adam　sinned。

This　time　Julian　perceived　that　the　brougham　was　one　belonging　to
the　White　Hart　Hotel；　which　Lord　Mountclere　was　using　partly　from
the　necessities　of　these　hasty　proceedings；　and　also　because；　by　so
doing；　he　escaped　the　notice　that　might　have　been　bestowed　upon　his
own　equipage；　or　men…servants；　the　Mountclere　hammer…cloths　being
known　in　Melchester。　　Christopher　now　walked　towards　the　hotel；
leisurely；　yet　with　anxiety。　　He　inquired　of　a　porter　what　people
were　staying　there　that　day；　and　was　informed　that　they　had　only　one
person　in　the　house；　Lord　Mountclere；　whom　sudden　and　unexpected
business　had　detained　in　Melchester　since　the　previous　day。

Christopher　lingered　to　hear　no　more。　　He　retraced　the　street　much
more　quickly　than　he　had　come；　and　he　only　said；　'Lord　Mountclere
it　must　never　be！'

As　soon　as　he　entered　the　house；　Faith　perceived　that　he　was　greatly
agitated。　　He　at　once　told　her　of　his　discovery；　and　she　exclaimed；
'What　a　brilliant　match！'

'O　Faith；'　said　Christopher；　'you　don't　know！　　You　are　far　from
knowing。　　It　is　as　gloomy　as　midnight。　　Good　God；　can　it　be
possible？'

Faith　blinked　in　alarm；　without　speaking。

'Did　you　never　hear　anything　of　Lord　Mountclere　when　we　lived　at
Sandbourne？'

'I　knew　the　nameno　more。'

'No；　noof　course　you　did　not。　　Well；　though　I　never　saw　his　face；
to　my　knowledge；　till　a　short　time　ago；　I　know　enough　to　say　that；
if　earnest　representations　can　prevent　it；　this　marriage　shall　not
be。　　Father　knew　him；　or　about　him；　very　well；　and　he　once　told　me
what　I　cannot　tell　you。　　Fancy；　I　have　seen　him　three　times
yesterday；　last　night；　and　this　morningbesides　helping　him　on　the
road　some　weeks　ago；　and　never　once　considered　that　he　might　be　Lord
Mountclere。　　He　is　here　almost　in　disguise；　one　may　say；　neither　man
nor　horse　is　with　him；　and　his　object　accounts　for　his　privacy。　　I
see　how　it　isshe　is　doing　this　to　benefit　her　brothers　and
sisters；　if　possible；　but　she　ought　to　know　that　if　she　is　miserable
they　will　never　be　happy。　　That's　the　nature　of　womenthey　take　the
form　for　the　essence；　and　that's　what　she　is　doing　now。　　I　should
think　her　guardian　angel　must　have　quitted　her　when　she　agreed　to　a
marriage　which　may　tear　her　heart　out　like　a　claw。'

'You　are　too　warm　about　it；　Kitit　cannot　be　so　bad　as　that。　　It　is
not　the　thing；　but　the　sensitiveness　to　the　thing；　which　is　the　true
measure　of　its　pain。　　Perhaps　what　seems　so　bad　to　you　falls　lightly
on　her　mind。　　A　campaigner　in　a　heavy　rain　is　not　more　uncomfortable
than　we　are　in　a　slight　draught；　and　Ethelberta；　fortified　by　her
sapphires　and　gold　cups　and　wax　candles；　will　not　mind　facts　which
look　like　spectres　to　us　outside。　　A　title　will　turn　troubles　into
romances；　and　she　will　shine　as　an　interesting　viscountess　in　spite
of　them。'

The　discussion　with　Faith　was　not　continued；　Christopher　stopping
the　argument　by　saying　that　he　had　a　good　mind　to　go　off　at　once　to
Knollsea；　and　show　her　her　danger。　　But　till　the　next　morning
Ethelberta　was　certainly　safe；　no　marriage　was　possible　anywhere
before　then。　　He　passed　the　afternoon　in　a　state　of　great
indecision；　constantly　reiterating；　'I　will　go！'



41。　WORKSHOPS　…　AN　INN　…　THE　STREET

On　an　extensive　plot　of　ground；　lying　somewhere　between　the　Thames
and　the　Kensington　squares；　stood　the　premises　of　Messrs。　Nockett
and　Perch；　builders　and　contractors。　　The　yard　with　its　workshops
formed　part　of　one　of　those　frontier　lines　between　mangy　business
and　garnished　domesticity　that　occur　in　what　are　called　improving
neighbourhoods。　　We　are　accustomed　to　regard　increase　as　the　chief
feature　in　a　great　city's　progress；　its　well…known　signs　greeting
our　eyes　on　every　outskirt。　　Slush…ponds　may　be　seen　turning　into
basement…kitchens；　a　broad　causeway　of　shattered　earthenware
smothers　plots　of　budding　gooseberry…bushes　and　vegetable　trenches；
foundations　following　so　closely　upon　gardens　that　the　householder
may　be　expected　to　find　cadaverous　sprouts　from　overlooked　potatoes
rising　through　the　chinks　of　his　cellar　floor。　　But　the　other　great
process；　that　of　internal　transmutation；　is　not　less　curious　than
this　encroachment　of　grey　upon　green。　　Its　first　erections　are　often
only　the　milk…teeth　of　a　suburb；　and　as　the　district　rises　in
dignity　they　are　dislodged　by　those　which　are　to　endure。　　Slightness
becomes　supplanted　by　comparative　solidity；　commonness　by　novelty；
lowness　and　irregularity　by　symmetry　and　height。

An　observer　of　the　precinct　which　has　been　named　as　an　instance　in
point　might　have　stood　under　a　lamp…post　and　heard　simultaneously
the　peal　of　the　visitor's　bell　from　the　new　terrace　on　the　right
hand；　and　the　stroke　of　tools　from　the　musty　workshops　on　the　left。
Waggons　laden　with　deals　came　up　on　this　side；　and　landaus　came　down
on　the　otherthe　former　to　lumber　heavily　through　the　old…
established　contractors'　gates；　the　latter　to　sweep　fashionably　into
the　square。

About　twelve　o'clock　on　the　day　following　Lord　Mountclere's
exhibition　of　himself　to　Christopher　in　the　jeweller's　shop　at
Melchester；　and　almost　at　the　identical　time　when　the　viscount　was
seen　to　come　from　the　office　for　marriage…licences　in　the　same
place；　a　carriage　drove　nearly　up　to　the　gates　of　Messrs。　Nockett
and　Co。's　yard。　　A　gentleman　stepped　out　and　looked　around。　　He　was
a　man　whose　years　would　have　been　pronounced　as　five…and…forty　by
the　friendly；　fifty　by　the　candid；　fifty…two　or　three　by　the　grim。
He　was　as　handsome　a　study　in　grey　as　could　be　seen　in　town；　there
being　far　more　of　the　raven's　plumage　than　of　the　gull's　in　the
mixture　as　yet；　and　he　had　a　glance　of　that　practised　sort　which　can
measure　people；　weigh　them；　repress　them；　encourage　them　to　sprout
and　blossom　as　a　March　sun　encourages　crocuses；　ask　them　questions；
give　them　answersin　short；　a　glance　that　could　do　as　many　things
as　an　American　cooking…stove　or　a　multum…in…parvo　pocket…knife。
But；　as　with　most　men　of　the　world；　this　was　mere　mechanism：　　his
actual　emotions　were　kept　so　far　within　his　person　that　they　were
rarely　heard　or　seen　near　his　features。

On　reading　the　builders'　names　over　the　gateway　he　entered　the　yard；
and　asked　at　the　office　if　Solomon　Chickerel　was　engaged　on　the
premises。　　The　clerk　was　going　to　be　very　attentive；　but　finding　the
visitor　had　come　only　to　speak　to　a　workman；　his　tense　attitude
slackened　a　little；　and　he　merely　signified　the　foot　of　a　Flemish
ladder　on　the　other　side　of　the　yard；　saying；　'You　will　find　him；
sir；　up　there　in　the　joiner's　shop。'

When　the　man　in　the　black　coat　reached　the　top　he　found　himself　at
the　end　of　a　long　apartment　as　large　as　a　chapel　and　as　low　as　a
malt…room；　across　which　ran　parallel　carpenters'　benches　to　the
number　of　twenty　or　more；　a　gangway　being　left　at　the　side　for
access　throughout。　　Behind　every　bench　there　stood　a　man　or　two；
planing；　fitting；　or　chiselling；　as　the　case　might　be。　　The　visitor
paused　for　a　moment；　as　if　waiting　for　some　cessation　of　their
violent　motions　and　uproar　till　he　could　m