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！
'Except poor me！' sighed the mother。
'My dear mother； you will be necessary as a steadying powera
flywheel； in short； to the concern。 I wish that father could live
there； too。'
'He'll never give up his present way of lifeit has grown to be a
part of his nature。 Poor man； he never feels at home except in
somebody else's house； and is nervous and quite a stranger in his
own。 Sich is the fatal effects of service！'
'O mother； don't！' said Ethelberta tenderly； but with her teeth on
edge； and Picotee curled up her toes； fearing that her mother was
going to moralize。
'Well； what I mean is； that your father would not like to live upon
your earnings； and so forth。 But in town we shall be near him
that's one comfort； certainly。'
'And I shall not be wanted at all；' said Picotee； in a melancholy
tone。
'It is much better to stay where you are；' her mother said。 'You
will come and spend the holidays with us； of course； as you do now。'
'I should like to live in London best；' murmured Picotee； her head
sinking mournfully to one side。 'I HATE being in Sandbourne now！'
'Nonsense！' said Ethelberta severely。 'We are all contriving how to
live most comfortably； and it is by far the best thing for you to
stay at the school。 You used to be happy enough there。'
Picotee sighed； and said no more。
16。 A LARGE PUBLIC HALL
It was the second week in February； Parliament had just met； and
Ethelberta appeared for the first time before an audience in London。
There was some novelty in the species of entertainment that the
active young woman had proposed to herself； and this doubtless had
due effect in collecting the body of strangers that greeted her
entry； over and above those friends who came to listen to her as a
matter of course。 Men and women who had become totally indifferent
to new actresses； new readers； and new singers； once more felt the
freshness of curiosity as they considered the promise of the
announcement。 But the chief inducement to attend lay in the fact
that here was to be seen in the flesh a woman with whom the tongue
of rumour had been busy in many romantic waysa woman who； whatever
else might be doubted； had certainly produced a volume of verses
which had been the talk of the many who had read them； and of the
many more who had not； for several consecutive weeks。
What was her story to be？ Persons interested in the inquirya
small proportion； it may be owned； of the whole London public； and
chiefly young menanswered this question for themselves by assuming
that it would take the form of some pungent and gratifying
revelation of the innermost events of her own life； from which her
gushing lines had sprung as an inevitable consequence； and which
being once known； would cause such musical poesy to appear no longer
wonderful。
The front part of the room was well filled； rows of listeners
showing themselves like a drilled…in crop of which not a seed has
failed。 They were listeners of the right sort； a majority having
noses of the prominent and dignified type； which when viewed in
oblique perspective ranged as regularly as bow…windows at a watering
place。 Ethelberta's plan was to tell her pretended history and
adventures while sitting in a chairas if she were at her own
fireside； surrounded by a circle of friends。 By this touch of
domesticity a great appearance of truth and naturalness was given；
though really the attitude was at first more difficult to maintain
satisfactorily than any one wherein stricter formality should be
observed。 She gently began her subject； as if scarcely knowing
whether a throng were near her or not； and； in her fear of seeming
artificial； spoke too low。 This defect； however； she soon
corrected； and ultimately went on in a charmingly colloquial manner。
What Ethelberta relied upon soon became evident。 It was not upon
the intrinsic merits of her story as a piece of construction； but
upon her method of telling it。 Whatever defects the tale possessed…
…and they were not a fewit had； as delivered by her； the one pre…
eminent merit of seeming like truth。 A modern critic has well
observed of De Foe that he had the most amazing talent on record for
telling lies； and Ethelberta； in wishing her fiction to appear like
a real narrative of personal adventure； did wisely to make De Foe
her model。 His is a style even better adapted for speaking than for
writing； and the peculiarities of diction which he adopts to give
verisimilitude to his narratives acquired enormous additional force
when exhibited as viva…voce mannerisms。 And although these
artifices were not； perhaps； slavishly copied from that master of
feigning； they would undoubtedly have reminded her hearers of him；
had they not mostly been drawn from an easeful section in society
which is especially characterized by the mental condition of knowing
nothing about any author a week after they have read him。 The few
there who did remember De Foe were impressed by a fancy that his
words greeted them anew in a winged auricular form； instead of by
the weaker channels of print and eyesight。 The reader may imagine
what an effect this well…studied method must have produced when
intensified by a clear； living voice； animated action； and the
brilliant and expressive eye of a handsome womanattributes which
of themselves almost compelled belief。 When she reached the most
telling passages； instead of adding exaggerated action and sound；
Ethelberta would lapse to a whisper and a sustained stillness； which
were more striking than gesticulation。 All that could be done by
art was there； and if inspiration was wanting nobody missed it。
It was in performing this feat that Ethelberta seemed first to
discover in herself the full power of that self…command which
further onward in her career more and more impressed her as a
singular possession； until at last she was tempted to make of it
many fantastic uses； leading to results that affected more
households than her own。 A talent for demureness under difficulties
without the cold…bloodedness which renders such a bearing natural
and easy； a face and hand reigning unmoved outside a heart by nature
turbulent as a wave； is a constitutional arrangement much to be
desired by people in general； yet； had Ethelberta been framed with
less of that gift in her； her life might have been more comfortable
as an experience； and brighter as an example； though perhaps duller
as a story。
'Ladywell； how came this Mrs。 Petherwin to think of such a queer
trick as telling romances； after doing so well as a poet？' said a
man in the stalls to his friend； who had been gazing at the Story…
teller with a rapt face。
'Whatdon't you know？everybody did； I thought；' said the painter。
'A mistake。 Indeed； I should not have come here at all had I not
heard the subject mentioned by accident yesterday at Grey's； and
then I remembered her to be the same woman I had met at some place
Belmaine's I think it waslast year； when I thought her just
getting on for handsome and clever； not to put it too strongly。'
'Ah！ naturally you would not know much；' replied Ladywell； in an
eager whisper。 'Perhaps I am judging others b