the hand of ethelberta-第84章

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and　character　of　Knollsea；　for　to　see　Knollsea　smiling　to　the　summer
sun　was　to　see　a　courtier　before　a　king；　Knollsea　was　not　to　be
known　by　such　simple　means。　　The　half…dozen　detached　villas　used　as
lodging…houses　in　the　summer；　standing　aloof　from　the　cots　of　the
permanent　race；　rose　in　the　dusk　of　this　gusty　evening；　empty；
silent；　damp；　and　dark　as　tombs。　　The　gravel　walks　leading　to　them
were　invaded　by　leaves　and　tufts　of　grass。　　As　the　darkness
thickened　the　wind　increased；　and　each　blast　raked　the　iron　railings
before　the　houses　till　they　hummed　as　if　in　a　song　of　derision。
Certainly　it　seemed　absurd　at　this　time　of　year　that　human　beings
should　expect　comfort　in　a　spot　capable　of　such　moods　as　these。

However；　one　of　the　houses　looked　cheerful；　and　that　was　the
dwelling　to　which　Ethelberta　had　gone。　　Its　gay　external　colours
might　as　well　have　been　black　for　anything　that　could　be　seen　of
them　now；　but　an　unblinded　window　revealed　inside　it　a　room　bright
and　warm。　　It　was　illuminated　by　firelight　only。　　Within；　Ethelberta
appeared　against　the　curtains；　close　to　the　glass。　　She　was　watching
through　a　binocular　a　faint　light　which　had　become　visible　in　the
direction　of　the　bluff　far　away　over　the　bay。

'Here　is　the　Spruce　at　last；　I　think；'　she　said　to　her　sister；　who
was　by　the　fire。　　'I　hope　they　will　be　able　to　land　the　things　I
have　ordered。　　They　are　on　board　I　know。'

The　wind　continued　to　rise　till　at　length　something　from　the　lungs
of　the　gale　alighted　like　a　feather　upon　the　pane；　and　remained
there　sticking。　　Seeing　the　substance；　Ethelberta　opened　the　window
to　secure　it。　　The　fire　roared　and　the　pictures　kicked　the　walls；
she　closed　the　sash；　and　brought　to　the　light　a　crisp　fragment　of
foam。

'How　suddenly　the　sea　must　have　risen；'　said　Picotee。

The　servant　entered　the　room。　　'Please；　mis'ess　says　she　is　afraid
you　won't　have　your　things　to…night；　'm。　　They　say　the　steamer　can't
land；　and　mis'ess　wants　to　know　if　she　can　do　anything？'

'It　is　of　no　consequence；'　said　Ethelberta。　　'They　will　come　some
time；　unless　they　go　to　the　bottom。'

The　girl　left　the　room。　　'Shall　we　go　down　to　the　shore　and　see　what
the　night　is　like？'　said　Ethelberta。　　'This　is　the　last　opportunity
I　shall　have。'

'Is　it　right　for　us　to　go；　considering　you　are　to　be　married　to…
morrow？'　said　Picotee；　who　had　small　affection　for　nature　in　this
mood。

Her　sister　laughed。　　'Let　us　put　on　our　cloaksnobody　will　know　us。
I　am　sorry　to　leave　this　grim　and　primitive　place；　even　for
Enckworth　Court。'

They　wrapped　themselves　up；　and　descended　the　hill。

On　drawing　near　the　battling　line　of　breakers　which　marked　the
meeting　of　sea　and　land　they　could　perceive　within　the　nearly
invisible　horizon　an　equilateral　triangle　of　lights。　　It　was　formed
of　three　stars；　a　red　on　the　one　side；　a　green　on　the　other；　and　a
white　on　the　summit。　　This；　composed　of　mast…head　and　side　lamps；
was　all　that　was　visible　of　the　Spruce；　which　now　faced　end…on　about
half…a…mile　distant；　and　was　still　nearing　the　pier。　　The　girls　went
further；　and　stood　on　the　foreshore；　listening　to　the　din。　　Seaward
appeared　nothing　distinct　save　a　black　horizontal　band　embodying
itself　out　of　the　grey　water；　strengthening　its　blackness；　and
enlarging　till　it　looked　like　a　nearing　wall。　　It　was　the　concave
face　of　a　coming　wave。　　On　its　summit　a　white　edging　arose　with　the
aspect　of　a　lace　frill；　it　broadened；　and　fell　over　the　front　with　a
terrible　concussion。　　Then　all　before　them　was　a　sheet　of　whiteness；
which　spread　with　amazing　rapidity；　till　they　found　themselves
standing　in　the　midst　of　it；　as　in　a　field　of　snow。　　Both　felt　an
insidious　chill　encircling　their　ankles；　and　they　rapidly　ran　up　the
beach。

'You　girls；　come　away　there；　or　you'll　be　washed　off：　　what　need
have　ye　for　going　so　near？'

Ethelberta　recognized　the　stentorian　voice　as　that　of　Captain
Flower；　who；　with　a　party　of　boatmen；　was　discovered　to　be　standing
near；　under　the　shelter　of　a　wall。　　He　did　not　know　them　in　the
gloom；　and　they　took　care　that　he　should　not。　　They　retreated
further　up　the　beach；　when　the　hissing　fleece　of　froth　slid　again
down　the　shingle；　dragging　the　pebbles　under　it　with　a　rattle　as　of
a　beast　gnawing　bones。

The　spot　whereon　the　men　stood　was　called　'Down…under…wall；'　it　was
a　nook　commanding　a　full　view　of　the　bay；　and　hither　the　nautical
portion　of　the　village　unconsciously　gravitated　on　windy　afternoons
and　nights；　to　discuss　past　disasters　in　the　reticent　spirit　induced
by　a　sense　that　they　might　at　any　moment　be　repeated。　　The　stranger
who　should　walk　the　shore　on　roaring　and　sobbing　November　eves　when
there　was　not　light　sufficient　to　guide　his　footsteps；　and　muse　on
the　absoluteness　of　the　solitude；　would　be　surprised　by　a　smart
'Good…night'　being　returned　from　this　corner　in　company　with　the
echo　of　his　tread。　　In　summer　the　six　or　eight　perennial　figures
stood　on　the　breezy　side　of　the　wallin　winter　and　in　rain　to
leeward；　but　no　weather　was　known　to　dislodge　them。

'I　had　no　sooner　come　ashore　than　the　wind　began　to　fly　round；'　said
the　previous　speaker；　'and　it　must　have　been　about　the　time　they
were　off　Old…Harry　Point。　　〃She'll　put　back　for　certain；〃　I　said；
and　I　had　no　more　thought　o'　seeing　her　than　John's　set…net　that　was
carried　round　the　point　o'　Monday。'

'Poor　feller：　　his　wife　being　in　such　a　state　makes　him　anxious　to
land　if　'a　can：　　that's　what　'tis；　plain　enough。'

'Why　that？'　said　Flower。

'The　doctor's　aboard；　'a　believe：　　〃I'll　have　the　most　understanding
man　in　Sandbourne；　cost　me　little　or　much；〃　he　said。'

''Tis　all　over　and　she's　better；'　said　the　other。　　'I　called　half…
an…hour　afore　dark。'

Flower；　being　an　experienced　man；　knew　how　the　judgment　of　a　ship's
master　was　liable　to　be　warped　by　family　anxieties；　many　instances
of　the　same　having　occurred　in　the　history　of　navigation。　　He　felt
uneasy；　for　he　knew　the　deceit　and　guile　of　this　bay　far　better　than
did　the　master　of　the　Spruce；　who；　till　within　a　few　recent　months；
had　been　a　stranger　to　the　place。　　Indeed；　it　was　the　bay　which　had
made　Flower　what　he　was；　instead　of　a　man　in　thriving　retirement。
The　two　great　ventures　of　his　life　had　been　blown　ashore　and　broken
up　within　that　very　semicircle。　　The　sturdy　sailor　now　stood　with
his　eyes　fixed　on　the　triangle　of　lights　which　showed　that　the
steamer　had　not　relinquished　her　intention　of　bringing　up　inside　the
pier　if　possible；　his　right　hand　was　in　his　pocket；　where　it　played
with　a　large　key　which　lay　there。　　It　was　the　key　of　the　lifeboat
shed；　and　Flower　was　coxswain。　　His　musing　was　on　the　possibility　of
a　use　for　it　this　night。

It　appeared　that　the　captain　of　the　Spruce　was　aiming　to　pass　in
under　the　lee　of　the　pier；　but　a　strong　current　of　four　or　five
knots　was　running　between　the　piles；　drifting　the　steamer　away　at
every　attempt　as　soon　as　she　slowed。　　To　come　in　on　the　other　side
was　dangerous；　the　hull　of　the　vessel　being　likely　to　crash　against
and　overthrow　the　fragile　erection；　with　damage　to　herself　also。
Flower；　who　had　disappeared　for　a　few　minutes；　now　came　back。

'It　is　just　possible　I　can　make　'em　hear　with　the　trumpet；　now　they
be　to　leeward；'　he　said；　and　proceeded　with　two　or　three　others　to
grope　his　way　out　upon　the　pier；　which　consisted　simply　of　a　row　of
rotten　piles　covered　with　rotten　planking；　no　balustrade　of　any　kind
existing　to　keep　the　unwary　from　tumbling　off。　　At　the　water　level
the　piles　were　eaten　away　by　the　action　of　the　sea　to　about　the　size
of　a　man's　wrist；　and　at　every　fresh　influx　the　whole　structure
trembled　like　a　spider's　web。　　In　this　lay　the　danger　of　making
fast；　for　a　strong　pull　from　a　headfast　rope　might　drag　the　erection
completely　over。　　Flower　arrived　at　the　end；　where　a　lantern　hung。

'Spruce　ahoy！'　he　blared　through　the　speaking　trumpet　two　or　three
times。

There　seemed　to　be　a　reply　of　some　sort　from　the　steamer。

'Tuesday's　gale　hev　loosened　the　pier；　Cap'n　Ounce；　the　bollards　be
too　weak　to　make　fast　to：　　must　land　in　boats　if　ye　will　land；　but
dangerous；　yer　wife　is　out　of　danger；　and　'tis　a　boy…y…y…y！'

Ethelberta　and　Picotee　wer