the hand of ethelberta-第23部分

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！



Mrs。　Chickerel　had　been　nurse　in　a　nobleman's　family　until　her
marriage；　and　after　that　she　played　the　part　of　wife　and　mother；
upon　the　whole；　affectionately　and　well。　　Among　her　minor
differences　with　her　husband　had　been　one　about　the　naming　of　the
children；　a　matter　that　was　at　last　compromised　by　an　agreement
under　which　the　choice　of　the　girls'　names　became　her　prerogative；
and　that　of　the　boys'　her　husband's；　who　limited　his　field　of
selection　to　strict　historical　precedent　as　a　set…off　to　Mrs。
Chickerel's　tendency　to　stray　into　the　regions　of　romance。

The　only　grown…up　daughters　at　home；　Ethelberta　and　Picotee；　with
their　brother　Joey；　were　sitting　near　her；　the　two　youngest
children；　Georgina　and　Myrtle；　who　had　been　strutting　in　and　out　of
the　room；　and　otherwise　endeavouring　to　walk；　talk；　and　speak　like
the　gentleman　just　gone　away；　were　packed　off　to　bed。　　Emmeline；　of
that　transitional　age　which　causes　its　exponent　to　look　wistfully　at
the　sitters　when　romping　and　at　the　rompers　when　sitting；　uncertain
whether　her　position　in　the　household　is　that　of　child　or　woman；　was
idling　in　a　corner。　　The　two　absent　brothers　and　two　absent　sisters…
…eldest　members　of　the　familycompleted　the　round　ten　whom　Mrs。
Chickerel　with　thoughtless　readiness　had　presented　to　a　crowded
world；　to　cost　Ethelberta　many　wakeful　hours　at　night　while　she
revolved　schemes　how　they　might　be　decently　maintained。

'I　still　think；'　Ethelberta　was　saying；　'that　the　plan　I　first
proposed　is　the　best。　　I　am　convinced　that　it　will　not　do　to　attempt
to　keep　on　the　Lodge。　　If　we　are　all　together　in　town；　I　can　look
after　you　much　better　than　when　you　are　far　away　from　me　down　here。'

'Shall　we　not　interfere　with　youyour　plans　for　keeping　up　your
connections？'　inquired　her　mother；　glancing　up　towards　Ethelberta　by
lifting　the　flesh　of　her　forehead；　instead　of　troubling　to　raise　her
face　altogether。

'Not　nearly　so　much　as　by　staying　here。'

'But；'　said　Picotee；　'if　you　let　lodgings；　won't　the　gentlemen　and
ladies　know　it？'

'I　have　thought　of　that；'　said　Ethelberta；　'and　this　is　how　I　shall
manage。　　In　the　first　place；　if　mother　is　there；　the　lodgings　can　be
let　in　her　name；　all　bills　will　be　receipted　by　her；　and　all
tradesmen's　orders　will　be　given　as　from　herself。　　Then；　we　will
take　no　English　lodgers　at　all；　we　will　advertise　the　rooms　only　in
Continental　newspapers；　as　suitable　for　a　French　or　German　gentleman
or　two；　and　by　this　means　there　will　be　little　danger　of　my
acquaintance　discovering　that　my　house　is　not　entirely　a　private
one；　or　of　any　lodger　being　a　friend　of　my　acquaintance。　　I　have
thought　over　every　possible　way　of　combining　the　dignified　social
position　I　must　maintain　to　make　my　story…telling　attractive；　with
my　absolute　lack　of　money；　and　I　can　see　no　better　one。'

'Then　if　Gwendoline　is　to　be　your　cook；　she　must　soon　give　notice　at
her　present　place？'

'Yes。　　Everything　depends　upon　Gwendoline　and　Cornelia。　　But　there
is　time　enough　for　them　to　give　noticeChristmas　will　be　soon
enough。　　If　they　cannot　or　will　not　come　as　cook　and　housemaid；　I　am
afraid　the　plan　will　break　down。　　A　vital　condition　is　that　I　do　not
have　a　soul　in　the　house　（beyond　the　lodgers）　who　is　not　one　of　my
own　relations。　　When　we　have　put　Joey　into　buttons；　he　will　do　very
well　to　attend　to　the　door。'

'But　s'pose；'　said　Joey；　after　a　glassy　look　at　his　future
appearance　in　the　position　alluded　to；　'that　any　of　your　gentle…
people　come　to　see　ye；　and　when　I　opens　the　door　and　lets　'em　in　a
swinging　big　lodger　stalks　downstairs。　　What　will　'em　think？　　Up
will　go　their　eye…glasses　at　one　another　till　they　glares　each　other
into　holes。　　My　gracious！'

'The　one　who　calls　will　only　think　that　another　visitor　is　leaving；
Joey。　　But　I　shall　have　no　visitors；　or　very　few。　　I　shall　let　it　be
well　known　among　my　late　friends　that　my　mother　is　an　invalid；　and
that　on　this　account　we　receive　none　but　the　most　intimate　friends。
These　intimate　friends　not　existing；　we　receive　nobody　at　all。'

'Except　Sol　and　Dan；　if　they　get　a　job　in　London？　　They'll　have　to
call　upon　us　at　the　back　door；　won't　they；　Berta？'　said　Joey。

'They　must　go　down　the　area　steps。　　But　they　will　not　mind　that；
they　like　the　idea。'

'And　father；　too；　must　he　go　down　the　steps？'

'He　may　come　whichever　way　he　likes。　　He　will　be　glad　enough　to　have
us　near　at　any　price。　　I　know　that　he　is　not　at　all　happy　at　leaving
you　down　here；　and　he　away　in　London。　　You　remember　that　he　has　only
taken　the　situation　at　Mr。　Doncastle's　on　the　supposition　that　you
all　come　to　town　as　soon　as　he　can　see　an　opening　for　getting　you
there；　and　as　nothing　of　the　sort　has　offered　itself　to　him；　this
will　be　the　very　thing。　　Of　course；　if　I　succeed　wonderfully　well　in
my　schemes　for　story…tellings；　readings　of　my　ballads　and　poems；
lectures　on　the　art　of　versification；　and　what　not；　we　need　have　no
lodgers；　and　then　we　shall　all　be　living　a　happy　familyall　taking
our　share　in　keeping　the　establishment　going。'

'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　m