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'Has your life really changed so much？'
'It has changed。 But what I first meant was that an interesting
visitor at a wrong time is better than a stupid one at a right
time。'
'I had been behind the trees for some minutes； looking at you； and
thinking of you； but what you were doing rather interrupted my first
meditation。 I had thought of a meeting in which we should continue
our intercourse at the point at which it was broken off years ago；
as if the omitted part had not existed at all； but something； I
cannot tell what； has upset all that feeling； and'
'I can soon tell you the meaning of my extraordinary performance；'
Ethelberta broke in quickly； and with a little trepidation。 'My
mother…in…law； Lady Petherwin； is dead； and she has left me nothing
but her house and furniture in Londonmore than I deserve； but less
than she had distinctly led me to expect； and so I am somewhat in a
corner。'
'It is always so。'
'Not always； I think。 But this is how it happened。 Lady Petherwin
was very capricious； when she was not foolishly kind she was
unjustly harsh。 A great many are like it； never thinking what a
good thing it would be； instead of going on tacking from side to
side between favour and cruelty； to keep to a mean line of common
justice。 And so we quarrelled； and she； being absolute mistress of
all her wealth； destroyed her will that was in my favour； and made
another； leaving me nothing but the fag…end of the lease of the
town…house and the furniture in it。 Then； when we were abroad； she
turned to me again； forgave everything； and； becoming ill
afterwards； wrote a letter to the brother； to whom she had left the
bulk of her property； stating that I was to have twenty…thousand of
the one…hundred…thousand pounds she had bequeathed to himas in the
original willdoing this by letter in case anything should happen
to her before a new will could be considered； drawn； and signed； and
trusting to his honour quite that he would obey her expressed wish
should she die abroad。 Well； she did die； in the full persuasion
that I was provided for； but her brother （as I secretly expected all
the time） refused to be morally bound by a document which had no
legal value； and the result is that he has everything； except； of
course； the furniture and the lease。 It would have been enough to
break the heart of a person who had calculated upon getting a
fortune； which I never did； for I felt always like an intruder and a
bondswoman； and had wished myself out of the Petherwin family a
hundred times； with my crust of bread and liberty。 For one thing； I
was always forbidden to see my relatives； and it pained me much。
Now I am going to move for myself； and consider that I have a good
chance of success in what I may undertake； because of an
indifference I feel about succeeding which gives the necessary
coolness that any great task requires。'
'I presume you mean to write more poems？'
'I cannotthat is； I can write no more that satisfy me。 To blossom
into rhyme on the sparkling pleasures of life； you must be under the
influence of those pleasures； and I am at present quite removed from
themsurrounded by gaunt realities of a very different
description。'
'Then try the mournful。 Trade upon your sufferings： many do； and
thrive。'
'It is no use to say thatno use at all。 I cannot write a line of
verse。 And yet the others flowed from my heart like a stream。 But
nothing is so easy as to seem clever when you have money。'
'Except to seem stupid when you have none；' said Christopher；
looking at the dead leaves。
Ethelberta allowed herself to linger on that thought for a few
seconds； and continued； 'Then the question arose； what was I to do？
I felt that to write prose would be an uncongenial occupation； and
altogether a poor prospect for a woman like me。 Finally I have
decided to appear in public。'
'Not on the stage？'
'Certainly not on the stage。 There is no novelty in a poor lady
turning actress； and novelty is what I want。 Ordinary powers
exhibited in a new way effect as much as extraordinary powers
exhibited in an old way。'
'Yesso they do。 And extraordinary powers； and a new way too；
would be irresistible。'
'I don't calculate upon both。 I had written a prose story by
request； when it was found that I had grown utterly inane over
verse。 It was written in the first person； and the style was
modelled after De Foe's。 The night before sending it off； when I
had already packed it up； I was reading about the professional
story…tellers of Eastern countries； who devoted their lives to the
telling of tales。 I unfastened the manuscript and retained it；
convinced that I should do better by TELLING the story。'
'Well thought of！' exclaimed Christopher； looking into her face。
'There is a way for everybody to live； if they can only find it
out。'
'It occurred to me；' she continued； blushing slightly； 'that tales
of the weird kind were made to be told； not written。 The action of
a teller is wanted to give due effect to all stories of incident；
and I hope that a time will come when； as of old； instead of an
unsocial reading of fiction at home alone； people will meet together
cordially； and sit at the feet of a professed romancer。 I am going
to tell my tales before a London public。 As a child； I had a
considerable power in arresting the attention of other children by
recounting adventures which had never happened； and men and women
are but children enlarged a little。 Look at this。'
She drew from her pocket a folded paper； shook it abroad； and
disclosed a rough draft of an announcement to the effect that Mrs。
Petherwin； Professed Story…teller； would devote an evening to that
ancient form of the romancer's art； at a well…known fashionable hall
in London。 'Now you see；' she continued； 'the meaning of what you
observed going on here。 That you heard was one of three tales I am
preparing； with a view of selecting the best。 As a reserved one； I
have the tale of my own lifeto be played as a last card。 It was a
private rehearsal before my brothers and sistersnot with any view
of obtaining their criticism； but that I might become accustomed to
my own voice in the presence of listeners。'
'If I only had had half your enterprise； what I might have done in
the world！'
'Now did you ever consider what a power De Foe's manner would have
if practised by word of mouth？ Indeed； it is a style which suits
itself infinitely better to telling than to writing； abounding as it
does in colloquialisms that are somewhat out of place on paper in
these days； but have a wonderful power in making a narrative seem
real。 And so； in short； I am going to talk De Foe on a subject of
my own。 Well？'
The last word had been given tenderly； with a long…drawn sweetness；
and was caused by a look that Christopher was bending upon her at
the moment； in which he revealed that he was thinking less of the
subject she was so eagerly and hopefully descanting upon than upon
her aspect in explaining it。 It is a fault of manner particularly
common among men newly imported into the society of bright and
beautiful women； and we will hope that； springing as it d