the well-beloved--a sketch of a temperament-第20部分

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down　the　crooked　way　to　the　cliffs；　where　there　was　a　path　back　to　the
forts。　　But　he　did　not　adopt　it；　returning　by　the　way　he　had　come。
This　showed　his　wish　to　pass　the　house　again。　　She　gave　no　sign；
however；　and　the　soldier　disappeared。

Pierston　could　not　be　satisfied　that　Avice　was　in　the　house；　and　he
crossed　over　to　the　front　of　her　little　freehold　and　tapped　at　the
door；　which　stood　ajar。

Nobody　came：　　hearing　a　slight　movement　within　he　crossed　the
threshold。　　Avice　was　there　alone；　sitting　on　a　low　stool　in　a　dark
corner；　as　though　she　wished　to　be　unobserved　by　any　casual　passer…by。
She　looked　up　at　him　without　emotion　or　apparent　surprise；　but　he　could
then　see　that　she　was　crying。　　The　view；　for　the　first　time；　of
distress　in　an　unprotected　young　girl　towards　whom　he　felt　drawn　by
ties　of　extraordinary　delicacy　and　tenderness；　moved　Pierston　beyond
measure。　　He　entered　without　ceremony。

'Avice；　my　dear　girl！'　he　said。　　'Something　is　the　matter！'

She　looked　assent；　and　he　went　on：　　'Now　tell　me　all　about　it。　　Perhaps
I　can　help　you。　　Come；　tell　me。'

'I　can't！'　she　murmured。　　'Grammer　Stockwool　is　upstairs；　and　she'll
hear！'　　Mrs。　Stockwool　was　the　old　woman　who　had　come　to　live　with　the
girl　for　company　since　her　mother's　death。

'Then　come　into　my　garden　opposite。　　There　we　shall　be　quite　private。'

She　rose；　put　on　her　hat；　and　accompanied　him　to　the　door。　　Here　she
asked　him　if　the　lane　were　empty；　and　on　his　assuring　her　that　it　was
she　crossed　over　and　entered　with　him　through　the　garden…wall。

The　place　was　a　shady　and　secluded　one；　though　through　the　boughs　the
sea　could　be　seen　quite　near　at　hand；　its　moanings　being　distinctly
audible。　　A　water…drop　from　a　tree　fell　here　and　there；　but　the　rain
was　not　enough　to　hurt　them。

'Now　let　me　hear　it；'　he　said　soothingly。　　'You　may　tell　me　with　the
greatest　freedom。　　I　was　a　friend　of　your　mother's；　you　know。　　That　is；
I　knew　her；　and　I'll　be　a　friend　of　yours。'

The　statement　was　risky；　if　he　wished　her　not　to　suspect　him　of　being
her　mother's　false　one。　　But　that　lover's　name　appeared　to　be　unknown
to　the　present　Avice。

'I　can't　tell　you；　sir；'　she　replied　unwillingly；　'except　that　it　has
to　do　with　my　own　changeableness。　　The　rest　is　the　secret　of　somebody
else。'

'I　am　sorry　for　that；'　said　he。

'I　am　getting　to　care　for　one　I　ought　not　to　think　of；　and　it　means
ruin。　　I　ought　to　get　away！'。

'You　mean　from　the　island？'

'Yes。'

Pierston　reflected。　His　presence　in　London　had　been　desired　for　some
time；　yet　he　had　delayed　going　because　of　his　new　solicitudes　here。
But　to　go　and　take　her　with　him　would　afford　him　opportunity　of
watching　over　her；　tending　her　mind；　and　developing　it；　while　it　might
remove　her　from　some　looming　danger。　　It　was　a　somewhat　awkward
guardianship　for　him；　as　a　lonely　man；　to　carry　out；　still；　it　could　be
done。　　He　asked　her　abruptly　if　she　would　really　like　to　go　away　for　a
while。

'I　like　best　to　stay　here；'　she　answered。　　'Still；　I　should　not　mind
going　somewhere；　because　I　think　I　ought　to。'

'Would　you　like　London？'

Avice's　face　lost　its　weeping　shape。　　'How　could　that　be？'　she　said。

'I　have　been　thinking　that　you　could　come　to　my　house　and　make　yourself
useful　in　some　way。　　I　rent　just　now　one　of　those　new　places　called
flats；　which　you　may　have　heard　of；　and　I　have　a　studio　at　the　back。'

'I　haven't　heard　of　'em；'　she　said　without　interest。

'Well；　I　have　two　servants　there；　and　as　my　man　has　a　holiday　you　can
help　them　for　a　month　or　two。'

'Would　polishing　furniture　be　any　good？　　I　can　do　that。'

'I　haven't　much　furniture　that　requires　polishing。　　But　you　can　clear
away　plaster　and　clay　messes　in　the　studio；　and　chippings　of　stone；　and
help　me　in　modelling；　and　dust　all　my　Venus　failures；　and　hands　and
heads　and　feet　and　bones；　and　other　objects。'

She　was　startled；　yet　attracted　by　the　novelty　of　the　proposal。

'Only　for　a　time？'　she　said。

'Only　for　a　time。　　As　short　as　you　like；　and　as　long。'

The　deliberate　manner　in　which；　after　the　first　surprise；　Avice
discussed　the　arrangements　that　he　suggested；　might　have　told　him　how
far　was　any　feeling　for　himself　beyond　friendship；　and　possibly
gratitude；　from　agitating　her　breast。　　Yet　there　was　nothing
extravagant　in　the　discrepancy　between　their　ages；　and　he　hoped；　after
shaping　her　to　himself；　to　win　her。　　What　had　grieved　her　to　tears　she
would　not　more　particularly　tell。

She　had　naturally　not　much　need　of　preparation；　but　she　made　even　less
preparation　than　he　would　have　expected　her　to　require。　　She　seemed
eager　to　be　off　immediately；　and　not　a　soul　was　to　know　of　her
departure。　　Why；　if　she　were　in　love　and　at　first　averse　to　leave　the
island；　she　should　be　so　precipitate　now　he　failed　to　understand。

But　he　took　great　care　to　compromise　in　no　way　a　girl　in　whom　his
interest　was　as　protective　as　it　was　passionate。　　He　accordingly　left
her　to　get　out　of　the　island　alone；　awaiting　her　at　a　station　a　few
miles　up　the　railway；　where；　discovering　himself　to　her　through　the
carriage…window；　he　entered　the　next　compartment；　his　frame　pervaded　by
a　glow　which　was　almost　joy　at　having　for　the　first　time　in　his　charge
one　who　inherited　the　flesh　and　bore　the　name　so　early　associated　with
his　own；　and　at　the　prospect　of　putting　things　right　which　had　been
wrong　through　many　years。



2。　XI。　　THE　IMAGE　PERSISTS

It　was　dark　when　the　four…wheeled　cab　wherein　he　had　brought　Avice　from
the　station　stood　at　the　entrance　to　the　pile　of　flats　of　which
Pierston　occupied　one　floorrarer　then　as　residences　in　London　than
they　are　now。　　Leaving　Avice　to　alight　and　get　the　luggage　taken　in　by
the　porter　Pierston　went　upstairs。　　To　his　surprise　his　floor　was
silent；　and　on　entering　with　a　latchkey　the　rooms　were　all　in　darkness。
He　descended　to　the　hall；　where　Avice　was　standing　helpless　beside　the
luggage；　while　the　porter　was　outside　with　the　cabman。

'Do　you　know　what　has　become　of　my　servants？'　asked　Jocelyn。

'Whatand　ain't　they　there；　saur？　　Ah；　then　my　belief　is　that　what　I
suspected　is　thrue！　　You　didn't　leave　your　wine…cellar　unlocked；　did
you；　saur；　by　no　mistake？'

Pierston　considered。　　He　thought　he　might　have　left　the　key　with　his
elder　servant；　whom　he　had　believed　he　could　trust；　especially　as　the
cellar　was　not　well　stocked。

'Ah；　then　it　was　so！　　She's　been　very　queer；　saur；　this　last　week　or
two。　　O　yes；　sending　messages　down　the　spakin'…tube　which　were　like
madness　itself；　and　ordering　us　this　and　that；　till　we　would　take　no
notice　at　all。　　I　see　them　both　go　out　last　night；　and　possibly　they
went　for　a　holiday　not　expecting　ye；　or　maybe　for　good！　　Shure；　if　ye'd
written；　saur；　I'd　ha'　got　the　place　ready；　ye　being　out　of　a　man；　too；
though　it's　not　me　duty　at　all！'

When　Pierston　got　to　his　floor　again　he　found　that　the　cellar　door　was
open；　some　bottles　were　standing　empty　that　had　been　full；　and　many
abstracted　altogether。　　All　other　articles　in　the　house；　however；
appeared　to　be　intact。　　His　letter　to　his　housekeeper　lay　in　the　box　as
the　postman　had　left　it。

By　this　time　the　luggage　had　been　sent　up　in　the　lift；　and　Avice；　like
so　much　more　luggage；　stood　at　the　door；　the　hall…porter　behind
offering　his　assistance。

'Come　here；　Avice；'　said　the　sculptor。　　'What　shall　we　do　now？　　Here's
a　pretty　state　of　affairs！'

Avice　could　suggest　nothing；　till　she　was　struck　with　the　bright
thought　that　she　should　light　a　fire。

'Light　a　fire？ah；　yes。　。　。　。　　I　wonder　if　we　could　manage。　　This　is
an　odd　coincidenceand　awkward！'　he　murmured。　　'Very　well；　light　a
fire。'

'Is　this　the　kitchen；　sir；　all　mixed　up　with　the　parlours？'

'Yes。'

'Then　I　think　I　can　do　all　that's　wanted　here　for　a　bit；　at　any　rate；
till　you　can　get　help；　sir。　　At　least；　I　could　if　I　could　find　the
fuel…house。　　'Tis　no　such　big　place　as　I　thought！'

'That's　right：　　take　courage！'　said　he　with　a　tender　smile。　　'Now；　I'll
dine　out　this　evening；　and　leave　the　place　for　you　to　arrange　as　best
you　can　with　the　help　of　the　porter's　wife　downstairs。'

This　Pierston　accordingly　did；　and　so　their　common　residence　began。
Feeling　more　and　more　strongly　that　some　danger　awaited　her　in　her
native　island　he　determined　not　to　send　her　back　till　the　lover　or
lovers　who　seemed　to　trouble　her　should　have　cooled　off。　　He　was　quite
willing　to　take　the　risk　of　his　action　thus　far　in　his　solicitous
regard　for　her。


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It　was　a　dual　solitude；　indeed；　for；　though　Pierston　and　Avice　were　the
only　two　people　in　the　flat；　they　did　not　keep　each　other　company；　the
former　being　as　scrupulously　fearful　of　going　near　her　now　that　he　had
the　opportunity　as　he　had　been　prompt　to　seek　her　when　he　had　none。
They　lived　in　silence；　his　messages　to　her　being　frequently　written　on
scraps　of　paper　deposited　where　she　could　see　them。　　It　was　not　without
a　pang　that　he　noted　her　unconsciousness　of　their　isolated　positiona
position　to　which；　had　she　experienced　any　reciprocity　of　sentiment；
she　would　readily　have　been　alive。

Considering　that；　though　not　profound；　she　was　hardly　a　matter…of…fact
girl　as　that　phrase　is　commonly　understood；　she　was　exasperating　in　the
matter…of…fact　quality　of　her　responses　to　the　friendly　remarks　which
would　escape　him　in　spite　of　himself；　as　well　as　in　her　general
conduct。　　Whenever　he　formed　some　culinary　excuse　for　walking　across
the　few　yards　of　tessellated　hall　which　separated　his　room　from　the
kitchen；　and　spoke　through　the　doorway　to　her；　she　answered；　'Yes；
sir；'　or　'No；　sir；'　without　turning　her　eyes　from　the　particular　work
that　she　was　engaged　in。

In　the　usual　course　he　would　have　obtained　a　couple　of　properly
qualified　servants　immediately；　but　he　lived　on　with　the　one；　or　rather
the　less　than　one；　that　this　cottage…girl　afforded。　　It　had　been　his
almost　invariable　custom　to　dine　at　one　of　his　clubs。　　Now　he　sat　at
home　over　the　miserable　chop　or　steak　to　which　he　limited　himself　in
dread　lest　she　should　complain　of　there　being　too　much　work　for　one
person；　and　demand　to　be　sent　home。　　A　charwoman　came　every　two　or
three　days；　effecting　an　extraordinary　con