the well-beloved--a sketch of a temperament-第31部分

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musing　and　sipping　his　wine　for　something　near　half…an…hour。　　Wondering
then　for　the　first　time　what　had　become　of　her；　he　rose　and　went　to　the
door。　　Avice　was　quite　near　him　after　allonly　standing　at　the　front
door　as　she　had　been　doing　when　he　came；　looking　into　the　light　of　the
full　moon；　which　had　risen　since　his　arrival。　　His　sudden　opening　of
the　dining…room　door　seemed　to　agitate　her。

'What　is　it；　dear？'　he　asked。

'As　mother　is　much　better　and　doesn't　want　me；　I　ought　to　go　and　see
somebody　I　promised　to　take　a　parcel　toI　feel　I　ought。　　And　yet；　as
you　have　just　come　to　see　meI　suppose　you　don't　approve　of　my　going
out　while　you　are　here？'

'Who　is　the　person？'

'Somebody　down　that　way；'　she　said　indefinitely。　　'It　is　not　very　far
off。　　I　am　not　afraidI　go　out　often　by　myself　at　night　hereabout。'

He　reassured　her　good…humouredly。　　'If　you　really　wish　to　go；　my　dear；
of　course　I　don't　object。　　I　have　no　authority　to　do　that　till
tomorrow；　and　you　know　that　if　I　had　it　I　shouldn't　use　it。'

'O　but　you　have！　　Mother　being　an　invalid；　you　are　in　her　place；　apart
fromto…morrow。'

'Nonsense；　darling。　　Run　across　to　your　friend's　house　by　all　means　if
you　want　to。'

'And　you'll　be　here　when　I　come　in？'

'No；　I　am　going　down　to　the　inn　to　see　if　my　things　are　brought　up。'

'But　hasn't　mother　asked　you　to　stay　here？　　The　spare　room　was　got
ready　for　you。　。　。　。　　Dear　me；　I　am　afraid　I　ought　to　have　told　you。'

'She　did　ask　me。　　But　I　have　some　things　coming；　directed　to　the　inn；
and　I　had　better　be　there。　　So　I'll　wish　you　good…night；　though　it　is
not　late。　　I　will　come　in　quite　early　to…morrow；　to　inquire　how　your
mother　is　going　on；　and　to　wish　you　good…morning。　　You　will　be　back
again　quickly　this　evening？'

'O　yes。'

'And　I　needn't　go　with　you　for　company？'

'O　no；　thank　you。　　It　is　no　distance。'

Pierston　then　departed；　thinking　how　entirely　her　manner　was　that　of
one　to　whom　a　question　of　doing　anything　was　a　question　of　permission
and　not　of　judgment。　　He　had　no　sooner　gone　than　Avice　took　a　parcel
from　a　cupboard；　put　on　her　hat　and　cloak；　and　following　by　the　way　he
had　taken　till　she　reached　the　entrance　to　Sylvania　Castle；　there　stood
still。　　She　could　hear　Pierston's　footsteps　passing　down　East　Quarriers
to　the　inn；　but　she　went　no　further　in　that　direction。　　Turning　into
the　lane　on　the　right；　of　which　mention　has　so　often　been　made；　she
went　quickly　past　the　last　cottage；　and　having　entered　the　gorge　beyond
she　clambered　into　the　ruin　of　the　Red　King's　or　Bow…and…Arrow　Castle；
standing　as　a　square　black　mass　against　the　moonlit；　indefinite　sea。



3。　VI。　　THE　WELL…BELOVED　ISWHERE？

Mrs。　Pierston　passed　a　restless　night；　but　this　she　let　nobody　know；
nor；　what　was　painfully　evident　to　herself；　that　her　prostration　was
increased　by　anxiety　and　suspense　about　the　wedding　on　which　she　had
too　much　set　her　heart。

During　the　very　brief　space　in　which　she　dozed　Avice　came　into　her
room。　　As　it　was　not　infrequent　for　her　daughter　to　look　in　upon　her
thus　she　took　little　notice；　merely　saying　to　assure　the　girl：　　'I　am
better；　dear。　　Don't　come　in　again。　　Get　to　sleep　yourself。'

The　mother；　however；　went　thinking　anew。　　She　had　no　apprehensions
about　this　marriage。　　She　felt　perfectly　sure　that　it　was　the　best
thing　she　could　do　for　her　girl。　　Not　a　young　woman　on　the　island　but
was　envying　Avice　at　that　moment；　for　Jocelyn　was　absurdly　young　for
three　score；　a　good…looking　man；　one　whose　history　was　generally　known
here；　as　also　were　the　exact　figures　of　the　fortune　he　had　inherited
from　his　father；　and　the　social　standing　he　could　claima　standing；
however；　which　that　fortune　would　not　have　been　large　enough　to　procure
unassisted　by　his　reputation　in　his　art。

But　Avice　had　been　weak　enough；　as　her　mother　knew；　to　indulge　in
fancies　for　local　youths　from　time　to　time；　and　Mrs。　Pierston　could　not
help　congratulating　herself　that　her　daughter　had　been　so　docile　in　the
circumstances。　　Yet　to　every　one　except；　perhaps；　Avice　herself；
Jocelyn　was　the　most　romantic　of　lovers。　　Indeed　was　there　ever　such　a
romance　as　that　man　embodied　in　his　relations　to　her　house？　　Rejecting
the　first　Avice；　the　second　had　rejected　him；　and　to　rally　to　the　third
with　final　achievement　was　an　artistic　and　tender　finish　to　which　it
was　ungrateful　in　anybody　to　be　blind。

The　widow　thought　that　the　second　Avice　might　probably　not　have
rejected　Pierston　on　that　occasion　in　the　London　studio　so　many　years
ago　if　destiny　had　not　arranged　that　she　should　have　been　secretly
united　to　another　when　the　proposing　moment　came。

But　what　had　come　was　best。　　'My　God；'　she　said　at　times　that　night；
'to　think　my　aim　in　writing　to　him　should　be　fulfilling　itself　like
this！'

When　all　was　right　and　done；　what　a　success　upon　the　whole　her　life
would　have　been。　　She　who　had　begun　her　career　as　a　cottage…girl；　a
small　quarry…owner's　daughter；　had　sunk　so　low　as　to　the　position　of
laundress；　had　engaged　in　various　menial　occupations；　had　made　an
unhappy　marriage　for　love　which　had；　however；　in　the　long　run；　thanks
to　Jocelyn's　management；　much　improved　her　position；　was　at　last　to　see
her　daughter　secure　what　she　herself　had　just　missed　securing；　and
established　in　a　home　of　affluence　and　refinement。

Thus　the　sick　woman　excited　herself　as　the　hours　went　on。　　At　last；　in
her　tenseness　it　seemed　to　her　that　the　time　had　already　come　at　which
the　household　was　stirring；　and　she　fancied　she　heard　conversation　in
her　daughter's　room。　　But　she　found　that　it　was　only　five　o'clock；　and
not　yet　daylight。　　Her　state　was　such　that　she　could　see　the　hangings
of　the　bed　tremble　with　her　tremors。　　She　had　declared　overnight　that
she　did　not　require　any　one　to　sit　up　with　her；　but　she　now　rang　a
little　handbell；　and　in　a　few　minutes　a　nurse　appeared；　Ruth　Stockwool；
an　island　woman　and　neighbour；　whom　Mrs。　Pierston　knew　well；　and　who
knew　all　Mrs。　Pierston's　history。

'I　am　so　nervous　that　I　can't　stay　by　myself；'　said　the　widow。　　'And　I
thought　I　heard　Becky　dressing　Miss　Avice　in　her　wedding　things。'

'O　nonot　yet；　ma'am。　　There's　nobody　up。　　But　I'll　get　you
something。'

When　Mrs。　Pierston　had　taken　a　little　nourishment　she　went　on：　　'I
can't　help　frightening　myself　with　thoughts　that　she　won't　marry　him。
You　see　he　is　older　than　Avice。'

'Yes；　he　is；'　said　her　neighbour。　　'But　I　don't　see　how　anything　can
hender　the　wedden　now。'

'Avice；　you　know；　had　fancies；　at　least　one　fancy　for　another　man；　a
young　fellow　of　five…and…twenty。　　And　she's　been　very　secret　and　odd
about　it。　　I　wish　she　had　raved　and　cried　and　had　it　out；　but　she's
been　quite　the　other　way。　　I　know　she's　fond　of　him　still。'

'Whatthat　young　Frenchman；　Mr。　Leverre　o'　Sandbourne？　　I've　heard　a
little　of　it。　　But　I　should　say　there　wadden　much　between　'em。'

'I　don't　think　there　was。　　But　I've　a　sort　of　conviction　that　she　saw
him　last　night。　　I　believe　it　was　only　to　bid　him　good…bye；　and　return
him　some　books　he　had　given　her；　but　I　wish　she　had　never　known　him；　he
is　rather　an　excitable；　impulsive　young　man；　and　he　might　make
mischief。　　He　isn't　a　Frenchman；　though　he　has　lived　in　France。　　His
father　was　a　Jersey　gentleman；　and　on　his　becoming　a　widower　he　married
as　his　second　wife　a　native　of　this　very　island。　　That's　mainly　why　the
young　man　is　so　at　home　in　these　parts。'

'Ahnow　I　follow　'ee。　　She　was　a　Bencomb；　his　stepmother：　　I　heard
something　about　her　years　ago。'

'Yes；　her　father　had　the　biggest　stone…trade　on　the　island　at　one　time；
but　the　name　is　forgotten　here　now。　　He　retired　years　before　I　was
born。　　However；　mother　used　to　tell　me　that　she　was　a　handsome　young
woman；　who　tried　to　catch　Mr。　Pierston　when　he　was　a　young　man；　and
scandalized　herself　a　bit　with　him。　　She　went　off　abroad　with　her
father；　who　had　made　a　fortune　here；　but　when　he　got　over　there　he　lost
it　nearly　all　in　some　way。　　Years　after　she　married　this　Jerseyman；　Mr。
Leverre；　who　had　been　fond　of　her　as　a　girl；　and　she　brought　up　his
child　as　her　own。'

Mrs。　Pierston　paused；　but　as　Ruth　did　not　ask　any　question　she
presently　resumed　her　self…relieving　murmur：

'How　Miss　Avice　got　to　know　the　young　man　was　in　this　way。　　When　Mrs。
Leverre's　husband　died　she　came　from　Jersey　to　live　at　Sandbourne；　and
made　it　her　business　one　day　to　cross　over　to　this　place　to　make
inquiries　about　Mr。　Jocelyn　Pierston。　　As　my　name　was　Pierston　she
called　upon　me　with　her　son；　and　so　Avice　and　he　got　acquainted。　　When
Avice　went　back　to　Sandbourne　to　the　finishing　school　they　kept　up　the
acquaintance　in　secret。　　He　taught　French　somewhere　there；　and　does
still；　I　believe。'

'Well；　I　hope　she'll　forget　en。　　He　idden　good　enough。'

'I　hope　soI　hope　so。　。　。　。　　Now　I'll　try　to　get　a　little　nap。'

Ruth　Stockwool　went　back　to　her　room；　where；　finding　it　would　not　be
necessary　to　get　up　for　another　hour；　she　lay　down　again　and　soon
slept。　　Her　bed　was　close　to　the　staircase；　from　which　it　was　divided
by　a　lath　partition　only；　and　her　consciousness　either　was　or　seemed　to
be　aroused　by　light　brushing　touches　on　the　outside　of　the　partition；
as　of　fingers　feeling　the　way　downstairs　in　the　dark。　　The　slight　noise
passed；　and　in　a　few　seconds　she　dreamt　or　fancied　she　could　hear　the
unfastening　of　the　back　door。

She　had　nearly　sunk　into　another　sound　sleep　when　precisely　the　same
phenomena　were　repeated；　fingers　brushing　along　the　wall　close　to　her
head；　down；　downward；　the　soft　opening　of　the　door；　its　close；　and
silence　again。

She　now　became　clearly　awake。　　The　repetition　of　the　process　had　made
the　whole　matter　a　singular　one。　　Early　as　it　was　the　first　sounds
might　have　been　those　of　the　housemaid　descending；　though　why　she
should　have　come　down　so　stealthily　and　in　the　dark　did　not　make　itself
clear。　　But　the　second　performance　was　inexplicable。　　Ruth　got　out　of
bed　and　lifted　her　blind。　　The　dawn　was　hardly　yet　pink；　and　the　light
from　the　sandbank　was　not　yet　extinguished。　　But　the　bushes　of　euonymus
against　the　white　palings　of　the　front　garden　could　be　seen；　also　the
light　surface　of　the　road　winding　away　like　a　riband　to　the　north
entrance　of　Sylvania　Castl