the well-beloved--a sketch of a temperament-第10部分

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in　the　genial；　almost　jovial；　manner　natural　to　him　at　these　times。
The　two　or　three　ladies　forming　his　audience　had　been　joined　by　another
in　black　and　white；　and　it　was　on　her　that　Pierston's　attention　was
directed；　as　well　as　the　great　statesman's；　whose　first　sheer　gaze　at
her；　expressing　'Who　are　you？'　almost　audibly；　changed　into　an
interested；　listening　look　as　the　few　words　she　spoke　were　utteredfor
the　Minister　differed　from　many　of　his　standing　in　being　extremely
careful　not　to　interrupt　a　timid　speaker；　giving　way　in　an　instant　if
anybody　else　began　with　him。　　Nobody　knew　better　than　himself　that　all
may　learn；　and　his　manner　was　that　of　an　unconceited　man　who　could
catch　an　idea　readily；　even　if　he　could　not　undertake　to　create　one。

The　lady　told　her　little　storywhatever　it　was　Jocelyn　could　not　hear
itthe　statesman　laughed：　　'Haugh…haugh…haugh！'

The　lady　blushed。　　Jocelyn；　wrought　up　to　a　high　tension　by　the
aforesaid　presentiment　that　his　Shelleyan　'One…shape…of…many…names'　was
about　to　reappear；　paid　little　heed　to　the　others；　watching　for　a　full
view　of　the　lady　who　had　won　his　attention。

That　lady　remained　for　the　present　partially　screened　by　her
neighbours。　　A　diversion　was　caused　by　Lady　Channelcliffe　bringing　up
somebody　to　present　to　the　ex…Minister；　the　ladies　got　mixed；　and
Jocelyn　lost　sight　of　the　one　whom　he　was　beginning　to　suspect　as　the
stealthily　returned　absentee。

He　looked　for　her　in　a　kindly　young　lady　of　the　house；　his　hostess's
relation；　who　appeared　to　more　advantage　that　night　than　she　had　ever
done　beforein　a　sky…blue　dress；　which　had　nothing　between　it　and　the
fair　skin　of　her　neck；　lending　her　an　unusually　soft　and　sylph…like
aspect。　　She　saw　him；　and　they　converged。　　Her　look　of　'What　do　you
think　of　me　NOW？'　was　suggested；　he　knew；　by　the　thought　that　the　last
time　they　met　she　had　appeared　under　the　disadvantage　of　mourning
clothes；　on　a　wet　day　in　a　country…house；　where　everybody　was　cross。

'I　have　some　new　photographs；　and　I　want　you　to　tell　me　whether　they
are　good；'　she　said。　　'Mind　you　are　to　tell　me　truly；　and　no　favour。'

She　produced　the　pictures　from　an　adjoining　drawer；　and　they　sat　down
together　upon　an　ottoman　for　the　purpose　of　examination。　　The
portraits；　taken　by　the　last　fashionable　photographer；　were　very　good；
and　he　told　her　so；　but　as　he　spoke　and　compared　them　his　mind　was
fixed　on　something　else　than　the　mere　judgment。　　He　wondered　whether
the　elusive　one　were　indeed　in　the　frame　of　this　girl。

He　looked　up　at　her。　　To　his　surprise；　her　mind；　too；　was　on　other
things　bent　than　on　the　pictures。　　Her　eyes　were　glancing　away　to
distant　people；　she　was　apparently　considering　the　effect　she　was
producing　upon　them　by　this　cosy　tete…a…tete　with　Pierston；　and　upon
one　in　particular；　a　man　of　thirty；　of　military　appearance；　whom
Pierston　did　not　know。　　Quite　convinced　now　that　no　phantom　belonging
to　him　was　contained　in　the　outlines　of　the　present　young　lady；　he
could　coolly　survey　her　as　he　responded。　　They　were　both　doing　the　same
thingeach　was　pretending　to　be　deeply　interested　in　what　the　other
was　talking　about；　the　attention　of　the　two　alike　flitting　away　to
other　corners　of　the　room　even　when　the　very　point　of　their　discourse
was　pending。

No；　he　had　not　seen　Her　yet。　　He　was　not　going　to　see　her；　apparently；
to…night；　she　was　scared　away　by　the　twanging　political　atmosphere。
But　he　still　moved　on　searchingly；　hardly　heeding　certain　spectral　imps
other　than　Aphroditean；　who　always　haunted　these　places；　and　jeeringly
pointed　out　that　under　the　white　hair　of　this　or　that　ribanded　old　man；
with　a　forehead　grown　wrinkled　over　treaties　which　had　swayed　the
fortunes　of　Europe；　with　a　voice　which　had　numbered　sovereigns　among
its　respectful　listeners；　might　be　a　heart　that　would　go　inside　a　nut…
shell；　that　beneath　this　or　that　white　rope　of　pearl　and　pink　bosom；
might　lie　the　half…lung　which　had；　by　hook　or　by　crook；　to　sustain　its
possessor　above…ground　till　the　wedding…day。

At　that　moment　he　encountered　his　amiable　host；　and　almost
simultaneously　caught　sight　of　the　lady　who　had　at　first　attracted　him
and　then　had　disappeared。　　Their　eyes　met；　far　off　as　they　were　from
each　other。　　Pierston　laughed　inwardly：　　it　was　only　in　ticklish
excitement　as　to　whether　this　was　to　prove　a　true　trouvaille；　and　with
no　instinct　to　mirth；　for　when　under　the　eyes　of　his　Jill…o'…the…Wisp
he　was　more　inclined　to　palpitate　like　a　sheep　in　a　fair。

However；　for　the　minute　he　had　to　converse　with　his　host；　Lord
Channelcliffe；　and　almost　the　first　thing　that　friend　said　to　him　was：
'Who　is　that　pretty　woman　in　the　black　dress　with　the　white　fluff　about
it　and　the　pearl　necklace？'

'I　don't　know；'　said　Jocelyn；　with　incipient　jealousy：　　'I　was　just
going　to　ask　the　same　thing。'

'O；　we　shall　find　out　presently；　I　suppose。　　I　daresay　my　wife　knows。'
They　had　parted；　when　a　hand　came　upon　his　shoulder。　　Lord
Channelcliffe　had　turned　back　for　an　instant：　　'I　find　she　is　the
granddaughter　of　my　father's　old　friend；　the　last　Lord　Hengistbury。
Her　name　is　Mrs。Mrs。　Pine…Avon；　she　lost　her　husband　two　or　three
years　ago；　very　shortly　after　their　marriage。'

Lord　Channelcliffe　became　absorbed　into　some　adjoining　dignitary　of　the
Church；　and　Pierston　was　left　to　pursue　his　quest　alone。　　A　young
friend　of　histhe　Lady　Mabella　Buttermead；　who　appeared　in　a　cloud　of
muslin　and　was　going　on　to　a　ballhad　been　brought　against　him　by　the
tide。　　A　warm…hearted；　emotional　girl　was　Lady　Mabella；　who　laughed　at
the　humorousness　of　being　alive。　　She　asked　him　whither　he　was　bent；
and　he　told　her。

'O　yes；　I　know　her　very　well！'　said　Lady　Mabella　eagerly。　　'She　told　me
one　day　that　she　particularly　wished　to　meet　you。　　Poor　thingso　sad
she　lost　her　husband。　　Well；　it　was　a　long　time　ago　now；　certainly。
Women　ought　not　to　marry　and　lay　themselves　open　to　such　catastrophes；
ought　they；　Mr。　Pierston？　　_I_　never　shall。　　I　am　determined　never　to
run　such　a　risk！　　Now；　do　you　think　I　shall？'

'Marry？　　O　no；　never；'　said　Pierston　drily。

'That's　very　satisfying。'　　But　Mabella　was　scarcely　comfortable　under
his　answer；　even　though　jestingly　returned；　and　she　added：　　'But
sometimes　I　think　I　may；　just　for　the　fun　of　it。　　Now　we'll　steer
across　to　her；　and　catch　her；　and　I'll　introduce　you。　　But　we　shall
never　get　to　her　at　this　rate！'

'Never；　unless　we　adopt　〃the　ugly　rush；〃　like　the　citizens　who　follow
the　Lord　Mayor's　Show。'

They　talked；　and　inched　towards　the　desired　one；　who；　as　she　discoursed
with　a　neighbour；　seemed　to　be　of　those

　　　　　'Female　forms；　whose　gestures　beam　with　mind；'

seen　by　the　poet　in　his　Vision　of　the　Golden　City　of　Islam。

Their　progress　was　continually　checked。　　Pierston　was　as　he　had
sometimes　seemed　to　be　in　a　dream；　unable　to　advance　towards　the　object
of　pursuit　unless　he　could　have　gathered　up　his　feet　into　the　air。
After　ten　minutes　given　to　a　preoccupied　regard　of　shoulder…blades；
back　hair；　glittering　headgear；　neck…napes；　moles；　hairpins；　pearl…
powder；　pimples；　minerals　cut　into　facets　of　many…coloured　rays；
necklace…clasps；　fans；　stays；　the　seven　styles　of　elbow　and　arm；　the
thirteen　varieties　of　ear；　and　by　using　the　toes　of　his　dress…boots　as
coulters　with　which　he　ploughed　his　way　and　that　of　Lady　Mabella　in　the
direction　they　were　aiming　at；　he　drew　near　to　Mrs。　Pine…Avon；　who　was
drinking　a　cup　of　tea　in　the　back　drawing…room。

'My　dear　Nichola；　we　thought　we　should　never　get　to　you；　because　it　is
worse　to…night；　owing　to　these　dreadful　politics！　　But　we've　done　it。'
And　she　proceeded　to　tell　her　friend　of　Pierston's　existence　hard　by。

It　seemed　that　the　widow　really　did　wish　to　know　him；　and　that　Lady
Mabella　Buttermead　had　not　indulged　in　one　of　the　too　frequent
inventions　in　that　kind。　　When　the　youngest　of　the　trio　had　made　the
pair　acquainted　with　each　other　she　left　them　to　talk　to　a　younger　man
than　the　sculptor。

Mrs。　Pine…Avon's　black　velvets　and　silks；　with　their　white
accompaniments；　finely　set　off　the　exceeding　fairness　of　her　neck　and
shoulders；　which；　though　unwhitened　artificially；　were　without　a　speck
or　blemish　of　the　least　degree。　　The　gentle；　thoughtful　creature　she
had　looked　from　a　distance　she　now　proved　herself　to　be；　she　held　also
sound　rather　than　current　opinions　on　the　plastic　arts；　and　was　the
first　intellectual　woman　he　had　seen　there　that　night；　except　one　or
two　as　aforesaid。

They　soon　became　well　acquainted；　and　at　a　pause　in　their　conversation
noticed　the　fresh　excitement　caused　by　the　arrival　of　some　late　comers
with　more　news。　　The　latter　had　been　brought　by　a　rippling；　bright…eyed
lady　in　black；　who　made　the　men　listen　to　her；　whether　they　would　or
no。

'I　am　glad　I　am　an　outsider；'　said　Jocelyn's　acquaintance；　now　seated
on　a　sofa　beside　which　he　was　standing。　　'I　wouldn't　be　like　my　cousin；
over　there；　for　the　world。　　She　thinks　her　husband　will　be　turned　out
at　the　next　election；　and　she's　quite　wild。'

'Yes；　it　is　mostly　the　women　who　are　the　gamesters；　the　men　only　the
cards。　　The　pity　is　that　politics　are　looked　on　as　being　a　game　for
politicians；　just　as　cricket　is　a　game　for　cricketers；　not　as　the
serious　duties　of　political　trustees。'

'How　few　of　us　ever　think　or　feel　that　〃the　nation　of　every　country
dwells　in　the　cottage；〃　as　somebody　says！'

'Yes。　　Though　I　wonder　to　hear　you　quote　that。'

'OI　am　of　no　party；　though　my　relations　are。　　There　can　be　only　one
best　course　at　all　times；　and　the　wisdom　of　the　nation　should　be
directed　to　finding　it；　instead　of　zigzagging　in　two　courses；　according
to　the　will　of　the　party　which　happens　to　have　the　upper　hand。'

Having　started　thus；　they　found　no　difficulty　in　agreeing　on　many
points。　　When　Pierston　went　downstairs　from　that　assembly　at　a　quarter
to　one；　and　passed　under　the　steaming　nostrils　of　an　ambassador's
horses　to　a　hansom　which　waited　for　him　against　the　railing　of　the
square；　he　had　an　impression　that　the　Beloved　had　re…emerged　from　the
shadows；　without　any　hint　or　initiative　from　himto　whom；　indeed；　such
re…emergence　was　an　unquestionably　awkward　thing。

In　this　he　was　aware；　however；　that　though