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！
men； and continued his walk with Ladywell。
Ladywell was the first to break silence。 'I have been considerably
misled； Neigh；' he said； 'and I imagine from what has just happened
that you have been misled too。'
'Just a little；' said Neigh； bringing abstracted lines of meditation
into his face。 'But it was my own fault： for I ought to have known
that these stage and platform women have what they are pleased to
call Bohemianism so thoroughly engrained with their natures that
they are no more constant to usage in their sentiments than they are
in their way of living。 Good Lord； to think she has caught old
Mountclere！ She is sure to have him if she does not dally with him
so long that he gets cool again。'
'A beautiful creature like her to think of marrying such an
infatuated idiot as he！'
'He can give her a title as well as younger men。 It will not be the
first time that such matches have been made。'
'I can't believe it；' said Ladywell vehemently。 'She has too much
poetry in hertoo much good sense； her nature is the essence of all
that's romantic。 I can't help saying it； though she has treated me
cruelly。'
'She has good looks； certainly。 I'll own to that。 As for her
romance and good…feeling； that I leave to you。 I think she has
treated you no more cruelly； as you call it； than she has me； come
to that。'
'She told me she would give me an answer in a month；' said Ladywell
emotionally。
'So she told me；' said Neigh。
'And so she told him；' said Ladywell。
'And I have no doubt she will keep her word to him in her usual
precise manner。'
'But see what she implied to me！ I distinctly understood from her
that the answer would be favourable。'
'So did I。'
'So does he。'
'And he is sure to be the one who gets it； since only one of us can。
Well； I wouldn't marry her for love； money； nor'
'Offspring。'
'Exactly： I would not。 〃I'll give you an answer in a month 〃to
all three of us！ For God's sake let's sit down here and have
something to drink。'
They drew up a couple of chairs to one of the tables of a wine…shop
close by； and shouted to the waiter with the vigour of persons going
to the dogs。 Here； behind the horizontal…headed trees that dotted
this part of the quay； they sat over their bottles denouncing
womankind till the sun got low down upon the river； and the houses
on the further side began to be toned by a blue mist。 At last they
rose from their seats and departed； Neigh to dine and consider his
route； and Ladywell to take the train for Dieppe。
While these incidents had been in progress the two workmen had found
their way into the hotel where Ethelberta was staying。 Passing
through the entrance； they stood at gaze in the court； much
perplexed as to the door to be made for； the difficulty was solved
by the appearance of Cornelia； who in expectation of them had been
for the last half…hour leaning over the sill of her bed…room window；
which looked into the interior； amusing herself by watching the
movements to and fro in the court beneath。
After conversing awhile in undertones as if they had no real right
there at all； Cornelia told them she would call their sister； if an
old gentleman who had been to see her were gone again。 Cornelia
then ran away； and Sol and Dan stood aloof； till they had seen the
old gentleman alluded to go to the door and drive off； shortly after
which Ethelberta ran down to meet them。
'Whatever have you got as your luggage？' she said； after hearing a
few words about their journey； and looking at a curious object like
a huge extended accordion with bellows of gorgeous…patterned
carpeting。
'Well； I thought to myself；' said Sol； ''tis a terrible bother about
carrying our things。 So what did I do but turn to and make a
carpet…bag that would hold all mine and Dan's too。 This； you see；
Berta； is a deal top and bottom out of three…quarter stuff； stained
and varnished。 Well； then you see I've got carpet sides tacked on
with these brass nails； which make it look very handsome； and so
when my bag is empty 'twill shut up and be only a couple of boards
under yer arm； and when 'tis open it will hold a'most anything you
like to put in it。 That portmantle didn't cost more than three
half…crowns altogether； and ten pound wouldn't ha' got anything so
strong from a portmantle maker； would it； Dan？'
'Well； no。'
'And then you see； Berta；' Sol continued in the same earnest tone；
and further exhibiting the article； 'I've made this trap…door in the
top with hinges and padlock complete； so that'
'I am afraid it is tiring you after your journey to explain all this
to me；' said Ethelberta gently； noticing that a few Gallic smilers
were gathering round。 'Aunt has found a nice room for you at the
top of the staircase in that corner〃Escalier D〃 you'll see painted
at the bottomand when you have been up come across to me at number
thirty…four on this side； and we'll talk about everything。'
'Look here； Sol；' said Dan； who had left his brother and gone on to
the stairs。 'What a rum staircasethe treads all in little blocks；
and painted chocolate； as I am alive！'
'I am afraid I shall not be able to go on to Paris with you； after
all；' Ethelberta continued to Sol。 'Something has just happened
which makes it desirable for me to return at once to England。 But I
will write a list of all you are to see； and where you are to go； so
that it will make little difference； I hope。'
Ten minutes before this time Ethelberta had been frankly and
earnestly asked by Lord Mountclere to become his bride； not only so；
but he pressed her to consent to have the ceremony performed before
they returned to England。 Ethelberta had unquestionably been much
surprised； and； barring the fact that the viscount was somewhat
ancient in comparison with herself； the temptation to close with his
offer was strong； and would have been felt as such by any woman in
the position of Ethelberta； now a little reckless by stress of
circumstances； and tinged with a bitterness of spirit against
herself and the world generally。 But she was experienced enough to
know what heaviness might result from a hasty marriage； entered into
with a mind full of concealments and suppressions which； if told；
were likely to stop the marriage altogether； and after trying to
bring herself to speak of her family and situation to Lord
Mountclere as he stood； a certain caution triumphed； and she
concluded that it would be better to postpone her reply till she
could consider which of two courses it would be advisable to adopt；
to write and explain to him； or to explain nothing and refuse him。
The third course； to explain nothing and hasten the wedding； she
rejected without hesitation。 With a pervading sense of her own
obligations in forming this compact it did not occur to her to ask
if Lord Mountclere might not have duties of explanation equally with
herself； though bearing rather on the moral than the social aspects
of the case。
Her resolution not to go on to Paris was formed simply because Lord
Mountclere himself was proceeding in that direction； which might
lead to other unseemly rencounters with him had she； too； persevere