the well-beloved--a sketch of a temperament-第36部分

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themselves。　　When　he　put　the　question　to　her　distinctly；　Marcia
admitted　that　she　had　always　regretted　the　imperious　decision　of　her
youth；　and　she　made　no　ado　about　accepting　him。

'I　have　no　love　to　give；　you　know；　Marcia；'　he　said。　　'But　such
friendship　as　I　am　capable　of　is　yours　till　the　end。'

'It　is　nearly　the　same　with　meperhaps　not　quite。　　But；　like　the　other
people；　I　have　somehow　felt；　and　you　will　understand　why；　that　I　ought
to　be　your　wife　before　I　die。'

It　chanced　that　a　day　or　two　before　the　ceremony；　which　was　fixed　to
take　place　very　shortly　after　the　foregoing　conversation；　Marcia's
rheumatism　suddenly　became　acute。　　The　attack　promised；　however；　to　be
only　temporary；　owing　to　some　accidental　exposure　of　herself　in　making
preparations　for　removal；　and　as　they　thought　it　undesirable　to
postpone　their　union　for　such　a　reason；　Marcia；　after　being　well
wrapped　up；　was　wheeled　into　the　church　in　a　chair。


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A　month　thereafter；　when　they　were　sitting　at　breakfast　one　morning；
Marcia　exclaimed　'Wellgood　heavens！'　while　reading　a　letter　she　had
just　received　from　Avice；　who　was　living　with　her　husband　in　a　house
Pierston　had　bought　for　them　at　Sandbourne。

Jocelyn　looked　up。

'WhyAvice　says　she　wants　to　be　separated　from　Henri！　　Did　you　ever
hear　of　such　a　thing！　　She's　coming　here　about　it　to…day。'

'Separated？　　What　does　the　child　mean！'　　Pierston　read　the　letter。
'Ridiculous　nonsense！'　he　continued。　　'She　doesn't　know　what　she　wants。
I　say　she　sha'n't　be　separated！　　Tell　her　so；　and　there's　an　end　of　it。
Whyhow　long　have　they　been　married？　　Not　twelve　months。　　What　will
she　say　when　they　have　been　married　twenty　years！'

Marcia　remained　reflecting。　　'I　think　that　remorseful　feeling　she
unluckily　has　at　times；　of　having　disobeyed　her　mother；　and　caused　her
death；　makes　her　irritable；'　she　murmured。　　'Poor　child！'

Lunch…time　had　hardly　come　when　Avice　arrived；　looking　very　tearful　and
excited。　　Marcia　took　her　into　an　inner　room；　had　a　conversation　with
her；　and　they　came　out　together。

'O　it's　nothing；'　said　Marcia。　　'I　tell　her　she　must　go　back　directly
she　has　had　some　luncheon。'

'Ah；　that's　all　very　well！'　sobbed　Avice。　　'B…b…but　if　you　had　been　m…
married　so　long　as　I　have；　y…you　wouldn't　say　go　back　like　that！'

'What　is　it　all　about？'　inquired　Pierston。

'He　said　that　if　he　were　to　die　IIshould　be　looking　out　for
somebody　with　fair　hair　and　grey　eyes；　justjust　to　spite　him　in　his
grave；　because　he's　dark；　and　he's　quite　sure　I　don't　like　dark　people！
And　then　he　saidBut　I　won't　be　so　treacherous　as　to　tell　any　more
about　him！　　I　wish'

'Avice；　your　mother　did　this　very　thing。　　And　she　went　back　to　her
husband。　　Now　you　are　to　do　the　same。　　Let　me　see；　there　is　a　train'

'She　must　have　something　to　eat　first。　　Sit　down；　dear。'

The　question　was　settled　by　the　arrival　of　Henri　himself　at　the　end　of
luncheon；　with　a　very　anxious　and　pale　face。　　Pierston　went　off　to　a
business　meeting；　and　left　the　young　couple　to　adjust　their　differences
in　their　own　way。

His　business　was；　among　kindred　undertakings　which　followed　the
extinction　of　the　Well…Beloved　and　other　ideals；　to　advance　a　scheme
for　the　closing　of　the　old　natural　fountains　in　the　Street　of　Wells；
because　of　their　possible　contamination；　and　supplying　the　townlet　with
water　from　pipes；　a　scheme　that　was　carried　out　at　his　expense；　as　is
well　known。　　He　was　also　engaged　in　acquiring　some　old　moss…grown；
mullioned　Elizabethan　cottages；　for　the　purpose　of　pulling　them　down
because　they　were　damp；　which　he　afterwards　did；　and　built　new　ones
with　hollow　walls；　and　full　of　ventilators。

At　present　he　is　sometimes　mentioned　as　'the　late　Mr。　Pierston'　by
gourd…like　young　art…critics　and　journalists；　and　his　productions　are
alluded　to　as　those　of　a　man　not　without　genius；　whose　powers　were
insufficiently　recognized　in　his　lifetime。








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