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！
too desirous to possess her at any price now to run a second risk of
exasperating her； and forbore to make any allusion to the recent
pantomime between herself and Christopher that he had beheld； though
it might reasonably have filled him with dread and petulance。
'I do not mean anything beyond this；' said she； 'that I entirely
withdraw from it on the faintest sign that you have not abandoned
such miserable jealous proceedings as those you adopted to…day。'
'I have quite abandoned them。 Will you come a little further this
way； and walk in the aisle？ You do still agree to be mine？'
'If it gives you any pleasure； I do。'
'Yes； yes。 I implore that the marriage may be soonvery soon。'
The viscount spoke hastily； for the notes of the organ which were
plunging into their ears ever and anon from the hands of his young
rival seemed inconveniently and solemnly in the way of his suit。
'Well； Lord Mountclere？'
'Say in a few days？it is the only thing that will satisfy me。'
'I am absolutely indifferent as to the day。 If it pleases you to
have it early I am willing。'
'Dare I ask that it may be this week？' said the delighted old man。
'I could not say that。'
'But you can name the earliest day？'
'I cannot now。 We had better be going from here； I think。'
The Cathedral was filling with shadows； and cold breathings came
round the piers； for it was November； when night very soon succeeds
noon in spots where noon is sobered to the pallor of eve。 But the
service was not yet over； and before quite leaving the building
Ethelberta cast one other glance towards the organ and thought of
him behind it。 At this moment her attention was arrested by the
form of her sister Picotee； who came in at the north door； closed
the lobby…wicket softly； and went lightly forward to the choir。
When within a few yards of it she paused by a pillar； and lingered
there looking up at the organ as Ethelberta had done。 No sound was
coming from the ponderous mass of tubes just then； but in a short
space a whole crowd of tones spread from the instrument to accompany
the words of a response。 Picotee started at the burst of music as
if taken in a dishonest action； and moved on in a manner intended to
efface the lover's loiter of the preceding moments from her own
consciousness no less than from other people's eyes。
'Do you see that？' said Ethelberta。 'That little figure is my
dearest sister。 Could you but ensure a marriage between her and him
she listens to； I would do anything you wish！'
'That is indeed a gracious promise；' said Lord Mountclere。 'And
would you agree to what I asked just now？'
'Yes。'
'When？' A gleeful spark accompanied this。
'As you requested。'
'This week？ The day after to…morrow？'
'If you will。 But remember what lies on your side of the contract。
I fancy I have given you a task beyond your powers。'
'Well； darling； we are at one at last；' said Lord Mountclere；
rubbing his hand against his side。 'And if my task is heavy and I
cannot guarantee the result； I can make it very probable。 Marry me
on Fridaythe day after to…morrowand I will do all that money and
influence can effect to bring about their union。'
'You solemnly promise？ You will never cease to give me all the aid
in your power until the thing is done？'
'I do solemnly promiseon the conditions named。'
'Very good。 You will have ensured my fulfilment of my promise
before I can ensure yours； but I take your word。'
'You will marry me on Friday！ Give me your hand upon it。'
She gave him her hand。
'Is it a covenant？' he asked。
'It is；' said she。
Lord Mountclere warmed from surface to centre as if he had drunk of
hippocras； and； after holding her hand for some moments； raised it
gently to his lips。
'Two days and you are mine；' he said。
'That I believe I never shall be。'
'Never shall be？ Why； darling？'
'I don't know。 Some catastrophe will prevent it。 I shall be dead
perhaps。'
'You distress me。 Ah；you meant meyou meant that I should be
dead； because you think I am old！ But that is a mistakeI am not
very old！'
'I thought only of myselfnothing of you。'
'Yes； I know。 Dearest； it is dismal and chilling herelet us go。'
Ethelberta mechanically moved with him； and felt there was no
retreating now。 In the meantime the young ladykin whom the solemn
vowing concerned had lingered round the choir screen； as if fearing
to enter； yet loth to go away。 The service terminated； the heavy
books were closed； doors were opened； and the feet of the few
persons who had attended evensong began pattering down the paved
alleys。 Not wishing Picotee to know that the object of her secret
excursion had been discovered； Ethelberta now stepped out of the
west doorway with the viscount before Picotee had emerged from the
other； and they walked along the path together until she overtook
them。
'I fear it becomes necessary for me to stay in Melchester to…night；'
said Lord Mountclere。 'I have a few matters to attend to here； as
the result of our arrangements。 But I will first accompany you as
far as Anglebury； and see you safely into a carriage there that
shall take you home。 To…morrow I will drive to Knollsea； when we
will make the final preparations。'
Ethelberta would not have him go so far and back again； merely to
attend upon her； hence they parted at the railway； with due and
correct tenderness； and when the train had gone； Lord Mountclere
returned into the town on the special business he had mentioned； for
which there remained only the present evening and the following
morning； if he were to call upon her in the afternoon of the next
daythe day before the weddingnow so recklessly hastened on his
part； and so coolly assented to on hers。
By the time that the two young people had started it was nearly
dark。 Some portions of the railway stretched through little copses
and plantations where； the leaf…shedding season being now at its
height； red and golden patches of fallen foliage lay on either side
of the rails； and as the travellers passed； all these death…stricken
bodies boiled up in the whirlwind created by the velocity； and were
sent flying right and left of them in myriads； a clean…fanned track
being left behind。
Picotee was called from the observation of these phenomena by a
remark from her sister： 'Picotee； the marriage is to be very early
indeed。 It is to be the day after to…morrowif it can。
Nevertheless I don't believe in the factI cannot。'
'Did you arrange it so？ Nobody can make you marry so soon。'
'I agreed to the day；' murmured Ethelberta languidly。
'How can it be？ The gay dresses and the preparations and the
peoplehow can they be collected in the time； Berta？ And so much
more of that will be required for a lord of the land than for a
common man。 O； I can't think it possible for a sister of mine to
marry a lord！'
'And yet it has been possible any time this last month or two；
strange as it seems to you。 。 。 。 It is to be not only a plain and
simple wedding； without any lofty appliances； but a secret oneas
secret as if I were some under…age heiress to an Indian fortune； and
he a young man of nothing a yea