the well-beloved--a sketch of a temperament-第11部分

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re…emergence　was　an　unquestionably　awkward　thing。

In　this　he　was　aware；　however；　that　though　it　might　be　now；　as
heretofore；　the　Loved　who　danced　before　him；　it　was　the　Goddess　behind
her　who　pulled　the　string　of　that　Jumping　Jill。　　He　had　lately　been
trying　his　artist　hand　again　on　the　Dea's　form　in　every　conceivable
phase　and　mood。　　He　had　become　a　one…part　mana　presenter　of　her　only。
But　his　efforts　had　resulted　in　failures。　　In　her　implacable　vanity　she
might　be　punishing　him　anew　for　presenting　her　so　deplorably。



2。　II。　　SHE　DRAWS　CLOSE　AND　SATISFIES

He　could　not　forget　Mrs。　Pine…Avon's　eyes；　though　he　remembered　nothing
of　her　other　facial　details。　　They　were　round；　inquiring；　luminous。
How　that　chestnut　hair　of　hers　had　shone：　　it　required　no　tiara　to　set
it　off；　like　that　of　the　dowager　he　had　seen　there；　who　had　put　ten
thousand　pounds　upon　her　head　to　make　herself　look　worse　than　she　would
have　appeared　with　the　ninepenny　muslin　cap　of　a　servant　woman。

Now　the　question　was；　ought　he　to　see　her　again？　　He　had　his　doubts。
But；　unfortunately　for　discretion；　just　when　he　was　coming　out　of　the
rooms　he　had　encountered　an　old　lady　of　seventy；　his　friend　Mrs。
Brightwaltonthe　Honourable　Mrs。　Brightwaltonand　she　had　hastily
asked　him　to　dinner　for　the　day　after　the　morrow；　stating　in　the　honest
way　he　knew　so　well　that　she　had　heard　he　was　out　of　town；　or　she　would
have　asked　him　two　or　three　weeks　ago。　　Now；　of　all　social　things　that
Pierston　liked　it　was　to　be　asked　to　dinner　off…hand；　as　a　stopgap　in
place　of　some　bishop；　earl；　or　Under…Secretary　who　couldn't　come；　and
when　the　invitation　was　supplemented　by　the　tidings　that　the　lady　who
had　so　impressed　him　was　to　be　one　of　the　guests；　he　had　promised
instantly。

At　the　dinner；　he　took　down　Mrs。　Pine…Avon　upon　his　arm　and　talked　to
nobody　else　during　the　meal。　　Afterwards　they　kept　apart　awhile　in　the
drawing…room　for　form's　sake；　but　eventually　gravitated　together　again；
and　finished　the　evening　in　each　other's　company。　　When；　shortly　after
eleven；　he　came　away；　he　felt　almost　certain　that　within　those　luminous
grey　eyes　the　One　of　his　eternal　fidelity　had　verily　taken　lodgings
and　for　a　long　lease。　　But　this　was　not　all。　　At　parting；　he　had；
almost　involuntarily；　given　her　hand　a　pressure　of　a　peculiar　and
indescribable　kind；　a　little　response　from　her；　like　a　mere　pulsation；
of　the　same　sort；　told　him　that　the　impression　she　had　made　upon　him
was　reciprocated。　　She　was；　in　a　word；　willing　to　go　on。

But　was　he　able？

There　had　not　been　much　harm　in　the　flirtation　thus　far；　but　did　she
know　his　history；　the　curse　upon　his　nature？that　he　was　the　Wandering
Jew　of　the　love…world；　how　restlessly　ideal　his　fancies　were；　how　the
artist　in　him　had　consumed　the　wooer；　how　he　was　in　constant　dread　lest
he　should　wrong　some　woman　twice　as　good　as　himself　by　seeming　to　mean
what　he　fain　would　mean　but　could　not；　how　useless　he　was　likely　to　be
for　practical　steps　towards　householding；　though　he　was　all　the　while
pining　for　domestic　life。　　He　was　now　over　forty；　she　was　probably
thirty；　and　he　dared　not　make　unmeaning　love　with　the　careless
selfishness　of　a　younger　man。　　It　was　unfair　to　go　further　without
telling　her；　even　though；　hitherto；　such　explicitness　had　not　been
absolutely　demanded。

He　determined　to　call　immediately　on　the　New　Incarnation。

She　lived　not　far　from　the　long；　fashionable　Hamptonshire　Square；　and
he　went　thither　with　expectations　of　having　a　highly　emotional　time；　at
least。　　But　somehow　the　very　bell…pull　seemed　cold；　although　she　had　so
earnestly　asked　him　to　come。

As　the　house　spoke；　so　spoke　the　occupant；　much　to　the　astonishment　of
the　sculptor。　　The　doors　he　passed　through　seemed　as　if　they　had　not
been　opened　for　a　month；　and　entering　the　large　drawing…room；　he
beheld；　in　an　arm…chair；　in　the　far　distance；　a　lady　whom　he　journeyed
across　the　carpet　to　reach；　and　ultimately　did　reach。　　To　be　sure　it
was　Mrs。　Nichola　Pine…Avon；　but　frosted　over　indescribably。　　Raising
her　eyes　in　a　slightly　inquiring　manner　from　the　book　she　was　reading；
she　leant　back　in　the　chair；　as　if　soaking　herself　in　luxurious
sensations　which　had　nothing　to　do　with　him；　and　replied　to　his
greeting　with　a　few　commonplace　words。

The　unfortunate　Jocelyn；　though　recuperative　to　a　degree；　was　at　first
terribly　upset　by　this　reception。　　He　had　distinctly　begun　to　love
Nichola；　and　he　felt　sick　and　almost　resentful。　　But　happily　his
affection　was　incipient　as　yet；　and　a　sudden　sense　of　the　ridiculous　in
his　own　position　carried　him　to　the　verge　of　risibility　during　the
scene。　　She　signified　a　chair；　and　began　the　critical　study　of　some
rings　she　wore。

They　talked　over　the　day's　news；　and　then　an　organ　began　to　grind
outside。　　The　tune　was　a　rollicking　air　he　had　heard　at　some　music…
hall；　and；　by　way　of　a　diversion；　he　asked　her　if　she　knew　the
composition。

'No；　I　don't！'　she　replied。

'Now；　I'll　tell　you　all　about　it；'　said　he　gravely。　　'It　is　based　on　a
sound　old　melody　called　〃The　Jilt's　Hornpipe。〃　　Just　as　they　turn
Madeira　into　port　in　the　space　of　a　single　night；　so　this　old　air　has
been　taken　and　doctored；　and　twisted　about；　and　brought　out　as　a　new
popular　ditty。'

'Indeed！'

'If　you　are　in　the　habit　of　going　much　to　the　music…halls　or　the
burlesque　theatres'

'Yes？'

'You　would　find　this　is　often　done；　with　excellent　effect。'

She　thawed　a　little；　and　then　they　went　on　to　talk　about　her　house；
which　had　been　newly　painted；　and　decorated　with　greenish…blue　satin　up
to　the　height　of　a　person's　headan　arrangement　that　somewhat　improved
her　slightly　faded；　though　still　pretty；　face；　and　was　helped　by　the
awnings　over　the　windows。

'Yes；　I　have　had　my　house　some　years；'　she　observed　complacently；　'and
I　like　it　better　every　year。'

'Don't　you　feel　lonely　in　it　sometimes？'

'O　never！'

However；　before　he　rose　she　grew　friendly　to　some　degree；　and　when　he
left；　just　after　the　arrival　of　three　opportune　young　ladies　she　seemed
regretful。　　She　asked　him　to　come　again；　and　he　thought　he　would　tell
the　truth。　　'No：　　I　shall　not　care　to　come　again；'　he　answered；　in　a
tone　inaudible　to　the　young　ladies。

She　followed　him　to　the　door。　　'What　an　uncivil　thing　to　say！'　she
murmured　in　surprise。

'It　is　rather　uncivil。　　Good…bye；'　said　Pierston。

As　a　punishment　she　did　not　ring　the　bell；　but　left　him　to　find　his　way
out　as　he　could。　　'Now　what　the　devil　this　means　I　cannot　tell；'　he
said　to　himself；　reflecting　stock…still　for　a　moment　on　the　stairs。
And　yet　the　meaning　was　staring　him　in　the　face。

Meanwhile　one　of　the　three　young　ladies　had　said；　'What　interesting　man
was　that；　with　his　lovely　head　of　hair？　　I　saw　him　at　Lady
Channelcliffe's　the　other　night。'

'Jocelyn　Pierston。'

'O；　Nichola；　that　IS　too　bad！　　To　let　him　go　in　that　shabby　way；　when　I
would　have　given　anything　to　know　him！　　I　have　wanted　to　know　him　ever
since　I　found　out　how　much　his　experiences　had　dictated　his　statuary；
and　I　discovered　them　by　seeing　in　a　Jersey　paper　of　the　marriage　of　a
person　supposed　to　be　his　wife；　who　ran　off　with　him　many　years　ago；
don't　you　know；　and　then　wouldn't　marry　him；　in　obedience　to　some　novel
social　principles　she　had　invented　for　herself。'

'O！　didn't　he　marry　her？'　said　Mrs。　Pine…Avon；　with　a　start。　　'Why；　I
heard　only　yesterday　that　he　did；　though　they　have　lived　apart　ever
since。'

'Quite　a　mistake；'　said　the　young　lady。　　'How　I　wish　I　could　run　after
him！'

But　Jocelyn　was　receding　from　the　pretty　widow's　house　with　long
strides。　　He　went　out　very　little　during　the　next　few　days；　but　about　a
week　later　he　kept　an　engagement　to　dine　with　Lady　Iris　Speedwell；　whom
he　never　neglected；　because　she　was　the　brightest　hostess　in　London。

By　some　accident　he　arrived　rather　early。　　Lady　Iris　had　left　the
drawing…room　for　a　moment　to　see　that　all　was　right　in　the　dining…room；
and　when　he　was　shown　in　there　stood　alone　in　the　lamplight　Nichola
Pine…Avon。　　She　had　been　the　first　arrival。　　He　had　not　in　the　least
expected　to　meet　her　there；　further　than　that；　in　a　general　sense；　at
Lady　Iris's　you　expected　to　meet　everybody。

She　had　just　come　out　of　the　cloak…room；　and　was　so　tender　and　even
apologetic　that　he　had　not　the　heart　to　be　other　than　friendly。　　As　the
other　guests　dropped　in；　the　pair　retreated　into　a　shady　corner；　and
she　talked　beside　him　till　all　moved　off　for　the　eating　and　drinking。

He　had　not　been　appointed　to　take　her　across　to　the　dining…room；　but　at
the　table　found　her　exactly　opposite。　　She　looked　very　charming　between
the　candles；　and　then　suddenly　it　dawned　upon　him　that　her　previous
manner　must　have　originated　in　some　false　report　about　Marcia；　of　whose
existence　he　had　not　heard　for　years。　　Anyhow；　he　was　not　disposed　to
resent　an　inexplicability　in　womankind；　having　found　that　it　usually
arose　independently　of　fact；　reason；　probability；　or　his　own　deserts。

So　he　dined　on；　catching　her　eyes　and　the　few　pretty　words　she　made
opportunity　to　project　across　the　table　to　him　now　and　then。　　He　was
courteously　responsive　only；　but　Mrs。　Pine…Avon　herself　distinctly　made
advances。　　He　re…admired　her；　while　at　the　same　time　her　conduct　in　her
own　house　had　been　enough　to　check　his　confidenceenough　even　to　make
him　doubt　if　the　Well…Beloved　really　resided　within　those　contours；　or
had　ever　been　more　than　the　most　transitory　passenger　through　that
interesting　and　accomplished　soul。

He　was　pondering　this　question；　yet　growing　decidedly　moved　by　the
playful　pathos　of　her　attitude　when；　by　chance；　searching　his　pocket
for　his　handkerchief；　something　crackled；　and　he　felt　there　an　unopened
letter；　which　had　arrived　at　the　moment　he　was　leaving　his　house；　and
he　had　slipped　into　his　coat　to　read　in　the　cab　as　he　drove　along。
Pierston　drew　it　sufficiently　forth　to　observe　by　the　post…mark　that　it
came　from　his　natal　isle。　　Having　hardly　a　correspondent　in　that　part
of　the　world　now　he　began　to　conjecture　on　the　possible　sender。

The　lady　on　his　right；　whom　he　had　brought　in；　was　a　leading　actress　of
the　townindeed；　of　the　United　Kingdom　and　America；　for　that　mattera
creature　in　airy　clothin