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！
not come。 Of course you will take no notice of me； nor shall I of
you。 It is to be rather a large party。 Lord What's…his…name is
coming； and several good people。'
'Yes； he is coming to meet me； it appears。 But； father；' she said
more softly and slowly； 'how wrong it will be for me to come so
close to you； and never recognize you！ I don't like it。 I wish you
could have given up service by this time； it would have been so much
less painful for us all round。 I thought we might have been able to
manage it somehow。'
'Nonsense； nonsense；' said Mr。 Chickerel crossly。 'There is not the
least reason why I should give up。 I want to save a little money
first。 If you don't like me as I am； you must keep away from me。
Don't be uneasy about my comfort； I am right enough； thank God。 I
can mind myself for many a year yet。'
Ethelberta looked at him with tears in her eyes； but she did not
speak。 She never could help crying when she met her father here。
'I have been in service now for more than seven…and…thirty years；'
her father went on。 'It is an honourable calling； and why should
you maintain me because you can earn a few pounds by your gifts； and
an old woman left you her house and a few sticks of furniture？ If
she had left you any money it would have been a different thing； but
as you have to work for every penny you get； I cannot think of it。
Suppose I should agree to come and live with you； and then you
should be ill； or such like； and I no longer able to help myself？ O
no； I'll stick where I am； for here I am safe as to food and shelter
at any rate。 Surely； Ethelberta； it is only right that I； who ought
to keep you all； should at least keep your mother and myself？ As to
our position； that we cannot help； and I don't mind that you are
unable to own me。'
'I wish I could own youall of you。'
'Well； you chose your course； my dear； and you must abide by it。
Having put your hand to the plough； it will be foolish to turn
back。'
'It would； I suppose。 Yet I wish I could get a living by some
simple humble occupation； and drop the name of Petherwin； and be
Berta Chickerel again； and live in a green cottage as we used to do
when I was small。 I am miserable to a pitiable degree sometimes；
and sink into regrets that I ever fell into such a groove as this。
I don't like covert deeds； such as coming here to…night； and many
are necessary with me from time to time。 There is something without
which splendid energies are a drug； and that is a cold heart。 There
is another thing necessary to energy； toothe power of
distinguishing your visions from your reasonable forecasts when
looking into the future； so as to allow your energy to lay hold of
the forecasts only。 I begin to have a fear that mother is right
when she implies that I undertook to carry out visions and all。 But
ten of us are so many to cope with。 If God Almighty had only killed
off three…quarters of us when we were little； a body might have done
something for the rest； but as we are it is hopeless！'
'There is no use in your going into high doctrine like that；' said
Chickerel。 'As I said before； you chose your course。 You have
begun to fly high； and you had better keep there。'
'And to do that there is only one waythat is； to do it surely； so
that I have some groundwork to enable me to keep up to the mark in
my profession。 That way is marriage。'
'Marriage？ Who are you going to marry？'
'God knows。 Perhaps Lord Mountclere。 Stranger things have
happened。'
'Yes； so they have； though not many wretcheder things。 I would
sooner see you in your grave； Ethelberta； than Lord Mountclere's
wife； or the wife of anybody like him； great as the honour would
be。'
'Of course that was only something to say； I don't know the man
even。'
'I know his valet。 However； marry who you may； I hope you'll be
happy； my dear girl。 You would be still more divided from us in
that event； but when your mother and I are dead； it will make little
difference。'
Ethelberta placed her hand upon his shoulder； and smiled cheerfully。
'Now； father； don't despond。 All will be well； and we shall see no
such misfortune as that for many a year。 Leave all to me。 I am a
rare hand at contrivances。'
'You are indeed； Berta。 It seems to me quite wonderful that we
should be living so near together and nobody suspect the
relationship； because of the precautions you have taken。'
'Yet the precautions were rather Lady Petherwin's than mine； as you
know。 Consider how she kept me abroad。 My marriage being so secret
made it easy to cut off all traces； unless anybody had made it a
special business to search for them。 That people should suspect as
yet would be by far the more wonderful thing of the two。 But we
must； for one thing； have no visiting between our girls and the
servants here； or they soon will suspect。'
Ethelberta then laid down a few laws on the subject； and； explaining
the other details of her visit； told her father soon that she must
leave him。
He took her along the passage and into the area。 They were standing
at the bottom of the steps； saying a few parting words about
Picotee's visit to see the dinner； when a female figure appeared by
the railing above； slipped in at the gate； and flew down the steps
past the father and daughter。 At the moment of passing she
whispered breathlessly to him； 'Is that you； Mr。 Chickerel？'
'Yes；' said the butler。
She tossed into his arms a quantity of wearing apparel； and adding；
'Please take them upstairs for meI am late；' rushed into the
house。
'Good heavens； what does that mean？' said Ethelberta； holding her
father's arm in her uneasiness。
'That's the new lady's…maid； just come in from an evening walkthat
young scamp's sweetheart； if what you tell me is true。 I don't yet
know what her character is； but she runs neck and neck with time
closer than any woman I ever met。 She stays out at night like this
till the last moment； and often throws off her dashing courting…
clothes in this way； as she runs down the steps； to save a journey
to the top of the house to her room before going to Mrs。
Doncastle's； who is in fact at this minute waiting for her。 Only
look here。' Chickerel gathered up a hat decked with feathers and
flowers； a parasol； and a light muslin train…skirt； out of the
pocket of the latter tumbling some long golden tresses of hair。
'What an extraordinary woman；' said Ethelberta。 'A perfect
Cinderella。 The idea of Joey getting desperate about a woman like
that； no doubt she has just come in from meeting him。'
'No doubta blockhead。 That's his taste； is it！ I'll soon see if
I can't cure his taste if it inclines towards Mrs。 Menlove。'
'Mrs。 what？'
'Menlove； that's her name。 She came about a fortnight ago。'
'And is that Menlovewhat shall we do！' exclaimed Ethelberta。 'The
idea of the boy singling out herwhy it is ruin to him； to me； and
to us all！'
She hastily explained to her father that Menlove had been Lady
Petherwin's maid and her own at some time before the death of her
mother…in…law； that she had only stayed with them through a three
months' tour because of her flightiness； and hence ha