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secret as if I were some under…age heiress to an Indian fortune； and
he a young man of nothing a year。'
'Has Lord Mountclere said it must be so private？ I suppose it is on
account of his family。'
'No。 I say so； and it is on account of my family。 Father might
object to the wedding； I imagine； from what he once said； or he
might be much disturbed about it； so I think it better that he and
the rest should know nothing till all is over。 You must dress again
as my sister to…morrow； dear。 Lord Mountclere is going to pay us an
early visit to conclude necessary arrangements。'
'O； the life as a lady at Enckworth Court！ The flowers； the woods；
the rooms； the pictures； the plate； and the jewels！ Horses and
carriages rattling and prancing； seneschals and pages； footmen
hopping up and hopping down。 It will be glory then！'
'We might hire our father as one of my retainers； to increase it；'
said Ethelberta drily。
Picotee's countenance fell。 'How shall we manage all about that？
'Tis terrible； really！'
'The marriage granted； those things will right themselves by time
and weight of circumstances。 You take a wrong view in thinking of
glories of that sort。 My only hope is that my life will be quite
private and simple； as will best become my inferiority and Lord
Mountclere's staidness。 Such a splendid library as there is at
Enckworth； Picoteequartos； folios； history； verse； Elzevirs；
Caxtonsall that has been done in literature from Moses down to
Scottwith such companions I can do without all other sorts of
happiness。'
'And you will not go to town from Easter to Lammastide； as other
noble ladies do？' asked the younger girl； rather disappointed at
this aspect of a viscountess's life。
'I don't know。'
'But you will give dinners； and travel； and go to see his friends；
and have them to see you？'
'I don't know。'
'Will you not be； then； as any other peeress； and shall not I be as
any other peeress's sister？'
'That； too； I do not know。 All is mystery。 Nor do I even know that
the marriage will take place。 I feel that it may not； and perhaps
so much the better； since the man is a stranger to me。 I know
nothing whatever of his nature； and he knows nothing of mine。'
40。 MELCHESTER （continued）
The commotion wrought in Julian's mind by the abrupt incursion of
Ethelberta into his quiet sphere was thorough and protracted。 The
witchery of her presence he had grown strong enough to withstand in
part； but her composed announcement that she had intended to marry
another； and； as far as he could understand； was intending it still；
added a new chill to the old shade of disappointment which custom
was day by day enabling him to endure。 During the whole interval in
which he had produced those diapason blasts； heard with such
inharmonious feelings by the three auditors outside the screen； his
thoughts had wandered wider than his notes in conjectures on the
character and position of the gentleman seen in Ethelberta's
company。 Owing to his assumption that Lord Mountclere was but a
stranger who had accidentally come in at the side door； Christopher
had barely cast a glance upon him； and the wide difference between
the years of the viscount and those of his betrothed was not so
particularly observed as to raise that point to an item in his
objections now。 Lord Mountclere was dressed with all the cunning
that could be drawn from the metropolis by money and reiterated
dissatisfaction； he prided himself on his upright carriage； his
stick was so thin that the most malevolent could not insinuate that
it was of any possible use in walking； his teeth had put on all the
vigour and freshness of a second spring。 Hence his look was the
slowest of possible clocks in respect of his age； and his manner was
equally as much in the rear of his appearance。
Christopher was now over five…and…twenty。 He was getting so well
accustomed to the spectacle of a world passing him by and splashing
him with its wheels that he wondered why he had ever minded it。 His
habit of dreaming instead of doing had led him up to a curious
discovery。 It is no new thing for a man to fathom profundities by
indulging humours： the active； the rapid； the people of splendid
momentum； have been surprised to behold what results attend the
lives of those whose usual plan for discharging their active labours
has been to postpone them indefinitely。 Certainly； the immediate
result in the present case was； to all but himself； small and
invisible； but it was of the nature of highest things。 What he had
learnt was that a woman who has once made a permanent impression
upon a man cannot altogether deny him her image by denying him her
company； and that by sedulously cultivating the acquaintance of this
Creature of Contemplation she becomes to him almost a living soul。
Hence a sublimated Ethelberta accompanied him everywhereone who
never teased him； eluded him； or disappointed him： when he smiled
she smiled； when he was sad she sorrowed。 He may be said to have
become the literal duplicate of that whimsical unknown rhapsodist
who wrote of his own similar situation
'By absence this good means I gain；
That I can catch her；
Where none can watch her；
In some close corner of my brain：
There I embrace and kiss her；
And so I both enjoy and miss her。'
This frame of mind naturally induced an amazing abstraction in the
organist； never very vigilant at the best of times。 He would stand
and look fixedly at a frog in a shady pool； and never once think of
batrachians； or pause by a green bank to split some tall blade of
grass into filaments without removing it from its stalk； passing on
ignorant that he had made a cat…o'…nine…tails of a graceful slip of
vegetation。 He would hear the cathedral clock strike one； and go
the next minute to see what time it was。 'I never seed such a man
as Mr。 Julian is；' said the head blower。 'He'll meet me anywhere
out…of…doors； and never wink or nod。 You'd hardly expect it。 I
don't find fault； but you'd hardly expect it； seeing how I play the
same instrument as he do himself； and have done it for so many years
longer than he。 How I have indulged that man； too！ If 'tis Pedals
for two martel hours of practice I never complain； and he has plenty
of vagaries。 When 'tis hot summer weather there's nothing will do
for him but Choir； Great； and Swell altogether； till yer face is in
a vapour； and on a frosty winter night he'll keep me there while he
tweedles upon the Twelfth and Sixteenth till my arms be scrammed for
want of motion。 And never speak a word out…of…doors。' Somebody
suggested that perhaps Christopher did not notice his coadjutor's
presence in the street； and time proved to the organ…blower that the
remark was just。
Whenever Christopher caught himself at these vacuous tricks he would
be struck with admiration of Ethelberta's wisdom； foresight； and
self…command in refusing to wed such an incapable man： he felt that
he ought to be thankful that a bright memory of her was not also
denied to him； and resolved to be content with it as a possession；
since it was as much of her as he