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！
'Perhaps you remember seeing him at the Christmas dance at Wyndway？'
she inquired。 'He is a good…natured fellow。 Afterwards he sent me
that portfolio of sketches you see in the corner。 He might possibly
do something in the world as a painter if he were obliged to work at
the art for his bread； which he is not。' She added with bitter
pleasantry： 'In bare mercy to his self…respect I must remain unseen
here。'
It impressed Christopher to perceive how； under the estrangement
which arose from differences of education； surroundings； experience；
and talent； the sympathies of close relationship were perceptible in
Ethelberta's bearing towards her brothers and sisters。 At a remark
upon some simple pleasure wherein she had not participated because
absent and occupied by far more comprehensive interests； a gloom as
of banishment would cross her face and dim it for awhile； showing
that the free habits and enthusiasms of country life had still their
charm with her； in the face of the subtler gratifications of
abridged bodices； candlelight； and no feelings in particular； which
prevailed in town。 Perhaps the one condition which could work up
into a permanent feeling the passing revival of his fancy for a
woman whose chief attribute he had supposed to be sprightliness was
added now by the romantic ubiquity of station that attached to her。
A discovery which might have grated on the senses of a man wedded to
conventionality was a positive pleasure to one whose faith in
society had departed with his own social ruin。
The room began to darken； whereupon Christopher arose to leave； and
the brothers Sol and Dan offered to accompany him。
14。 A TURNPIKE ROAD
'We be thinking of coming to London ourselves soon；' said Sol； a
carpenter and joiner by trade； as he walked along at Christopher's
left hand。 'There's so much more chance for a man up the country。
Now； if you was me； how should you set about getting a job； sir？'
'What can you do？' said Christopher。
'Well； I am a very good staircase hand； and I have been called neat
at sash…frames； and I can knock together doors and shutters very
well； and I can do a little at the cabinet…making。 I don't mind
framing a roof； neither； if the rest be busy； and I am always ready
to fill up my time at planing floor…boards by the foot。'
'And I can mix and lay flat tints；' said Dan； who was a house
painter； 'and pick out mouldings； and grain in every kind of wood
you can mentionoak； maple； walnut； satinwood； cherry…tree'
'You can both do too much to stand the least chance of being allowed
to do anything in a city； where limitation is all the rule in
labour。 To have any success； Sol； you must be a man who can
thoroughly look at a door to see what ought to be done to it； but as
to looking at a window； that's not your line； or a person who； to
the remotest particular； understands turning a screw； but who does
not profess any knowledge of how to drive a nail。 Dan must know how
to paint blue to a marvel； but must be quite in the dark about
painting green。 If you stick to some such principle of specialty as
this； you may get employment in London。'
'Ha…ha…ha！' said Dan； striking at a stone in the road with the stout
green hazel he carried。 'A wink is as good as a nod： thank'ee
we'll mind all that now。'
'If we do come；' said Sol； 'we shall not mix up with Mrs。 Petherwin
at all。'
'O indeed！'
'O no。 （Perhaps you think it odd that we call her 〃Mrs。 Petherwin；〃
but that's by agreement as safer and better than Berta； because we
be such rough chaps you see； and she's so lofty。） 'Twould demean
her to claim kin wi' her in Londontwo journeymen like we； that
know nothing besides our trades。'
'Not at all；' said Christopher； by way of chiming in in the
friendliest manner。 'She would be pleased to see any
straightforward honest man and brother； I should think；
notwithstanding that she has moved in other society for a time。'
'Ah； you don't know Berta！' said Dan； looking as if he did。
'Howin what way do you mean？' said Christopher uneasily。
'So loftyso very lofty！ Isn't she； Sol？ Why she'll never stir
out from mother's till after dark； and then her day begins； and
she'll traipse about under the trees； and never go into the high…
road； so that nobody in the way of gentle…people shall run up
against her and know her living in such a little small hut after
biding in a big mansion…place。 There； we don't find fault wi' her
about it： we like her just the same； though she don't speak to us
in the street； for a feller must be a fool to make a piece of work
about a woman's pride； when 'tis his own sister； and hang upon her
and bother her when he knows 'tis for her good that he should not。
Yes； her life has been quare enough。 I hope she enjoys it； but for
my part I like plain sailing。 None of your ups and downs for me。
There； I suppose 'twas her nater to want to look into the world a
bit。'
'Father and mother kept Berta to school； you understand； sir；'
explained the more thoughtful Sol； 'because she was such a quick
child； and they always had a notion of making a governess of her。
Sums？ If you said to that child； 〃Berta； 'levenpence…three…
farthings a day； how much a year？〃 she would tell 'ee in three
seconds out of her own little head。 And that hard sum about the
herrings she had done afore she was nine。'
'True； she had；' said Dan。 'And we all know that to do that is to
do something that's no nonsense。'
'What is the sum？' Christopher inquired。
'Whatnot know the sum about the herrings？' said Dan； spreading his
gaze all over Christopher in amazement。
'Never heard of it；' said Christopher。
'Why down in these parts just as you try a man's soul by the Ten
Commandments； you try his head by that there sumhey； Sol？'
'Ay； that we do。'
'A herring and a half for three…halfpence； how many can ye get for
'levenpence： that's the feller； and a mortal teaser he is； I assure
'ee。 Our parson； who's not altogether without sense o' week days；
said one afternoon； 〃If cunning can be found in the multiplication
table at all； Chickerel； 'tis in connection with that sum。〃 Well；
Berta was so clever in arithmetic that she was asked to teach
summing at Miss Courtley's； and there she got to like foreign
tongues more than ciphering； and at last she hated ciphering； and
took to books entirely。 Mother and we were very proud of her at
that time： not that we be stuck…up people at allbe we； Sol？'
'Not at all； nobody can say that we be that； though there's more of
it in the country than there should be by all account。'
'You'd be surprised to see how vain the girls about here be getting。
Little rascals； why they won't curtsey to the loftiest lady in the
land； no； not if you were to pay 'em to do it。 Now； the men be
different。 Any man will touch his hat for a pint of beer。 But
then； of course； there's some difference between the two。 Touching
your hat is a good deal less to do than bending your knees； as Berta
used to say； when she was blowed up for not doing it。 She was
always one of the independent sortyou never seed such a maid as
she was！ Now； Picotee was quite the other way。'
'H