the well-beloved--a sketch of a temperament-第2部分

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elder；　having　received　no　warning　of　his　son's　intended　visit；　was　not
at　home　to　receive　him。　　Jocelyn　looked　round　the　familiar　premises；
glanced　across　the　Common　at　the　great　yards　within　which　eternal　saws
were　going　to　and　fro　upon　eternal　blocks　of　stonethe　very　same　saws
and　the　very　same　blocks　that　he　had　seen　there　when　last　in　the
island；　so　it　seemed　to　himand　then　passed　through　the　dwelling　into
the　back　garden。

Like　all　the　gardens　in　the　isle　it　was　surrounded　by　a　wall　of　dry…
jointed　spawls；　and　at　its　further　extremity　it　ran　out　into　a　corner；
which　adjoined　the　garden　of　the　Caros。　　He　had　no　sooner　reached　this
spot　than　he　became　aware　of　a　murmuring　and　sobbing　on　the　other　side
of　the　wall。　　The　voice　he　recognized　in　a　moment　as　Avice's；　and　she
seemed　to　be　confiding　her　trouble　to　some　young　friend　of　her　own　sex。

'Oh；　what　shall　I　DO！　what　SHALL　I　do！'　she　was　saying　bitterly。　　'So
bold　as　it　wasso　shameless！　　How　could　I　think　of　such　a　thing！　　He
will　never　forgive　menever；　never　like　me　again！　　He'll　think　me　a
forward　hussy；　and　yetand　yet　I　quite　forgot　how　much　I　had　grown。
But　that　he'll　never　believe！'　　The　accents　were　those　of　one　who　had
for　the　first　time　become　conscious　of　her　womanhood；　as　an　unwonted
possession　which　shamed　and　frightened　her。

'Did　he　seem　angry　at　it？'　inquired　the　friend。

'O　nonot　angry！　　Worse。　　Cold　and　haughty。　　O；　he's　such　a
fashionable　person　nownot　at　all　an　island　man。　　But　there's　no　use
in　talking　of　it。　　I　wish　I　was　dead！'

Pierston　retreated　as　quickly　as　he　could。　　He　grieved　at　the　incident
which　had　brought　such　pain　to　this　innocent　soul；　and　yet　it　was
beginning　to　be　a　source　of　vague　pleasure　to　him。　　He　returned　to　the
house；　and　when　his　father　had　come　back　and　welcomed　him；　and　they　had
shared　a　meal　together；　Jocelyn　again　went　out；　full　of　an　earnest
desire　to　soothe　his　young　neighbour's　sorrow　in　a　way　she　little
expected；　though；　to　tell　the　truth；　his　affection　for　her　was　rather
that　of　a　friend　than　of　a　lover；　and　he　felt　by　no　means　sure　that　the
migratory；　elusive　idealization　he　called　his　Love　who；　ever　since　his
boyhood；　had　flitted　from　human　shell　to　human　shell　an　indefinite
number　of　times；　was　going　to　take　up　her　abode　in　the　body　of　Avice
Caro。



1。　II。　　THE　INCARNATION　IS　ASSUMED　TO　BE　TRUE

It　was　difficult　to　meet　her　again；　even　though　on　this　lump　of　rock
the　difficulty　lay　as　a　rule　rather　in　avoidance　than　in　meeting。　　But
Avice　had　been　transformed　into　a　very　different　kind　of　young　woman　by
the　self…consciousness　engendered　of　her　impulsive　greeting；　and；
notwithstanding　their　near　neighbourhood；　he　could　not　encounter　her；
try　as　he　would。　　No　sooner　did　he　appear　an　inch　beyond　his　father's
door　than　she　was　to　earth　like　a　fox；　she　bolted　upstairs　to　her　room。

Anxious　to　soothe　her　after　his　unintentional　slight　he　could　not　stand
these　evasions　long。　　The　manners　of　the　isle　were　primitive　and
straightforward；　even　among　the　well…to…do；　and　noting　her
disappearance　one　day　he　followed　her　into　the　house　and　onward　to　the
foot　of　the　stairs。

'Avice！'　he　called。

'Yes；　Mr。　Pierston。'

'Why　do　you　run　upstairs　like　that？'

'Ohonly　because　I　wanted　to　come　up　for　something。'

'Well；　if　you've　got　it；　can't　you　come　down　again？'

'No；　I　can't　very　well。'

'Come；　DEAR　Avice。　　That's　what　you　are；　you　know。'

There　was　no　response。

'Well；　if　you　won't；　you　won't！'　he　continued。　　'I　don't　want　to　bother
you。'　　And　Pierston　went　away。

He　was　stopping　to　look　at　the　old…fashioned　flowers　under　the　garden
walls　when　he　heard　a　voice　behind　him。

'Mr。　PierstonI　wasn't　angry　with　you。　　When　you　were　gone　I　thought
you　might　mistake　me；　and　I　felt　I　could　do　no　less　than　come　and
assure　you　of　my　friendship　still。'

Turning　he　saw　the　blushing　Avice　immediately　behind　him。

'You　are　a　good；　dear　girl！'　said　he；　and；　seizing　her　hand；　set　upon
her　cheek　the　kind　of　kiss　that　should　have　been　the　response　to　hers
on　the　day　of　his　coming。

'Darling　Avice；　forgive　me　for　the　slight　that　day！　　Say　you　do。　　Come；
now！　　And　then　I'll　say　to　you　what　I　have　never　said　to　any　other
woman；　living　or　dead：　　〃Will　you　have　me　as　your　husband？〃'

'Ah！mother　says　I　am　only　one　of　many！'

'You　are　not；　dear。　　You　knew　me　when　I　was　young；　and　others　didn't。'

Somehow　or　other　her　objections　were　got　over；　and　though　she　did　not
give　an　immediate　assent；　she　agreed　to　meet　him　later　in　the
afternoon；　when　she　walked　with　him　to　the　southern　point　of　the　island
called　the　Beal；　or；　by　strangers；　the　Bill；　pausing　over　the
treacherous　cavern　known　as　Cave　Hole；　into　which　the　sea　roared　and
splashed　now　as　it　had　done　when　they　visited　it　together　as　children。
To　steady　herself　while　looking　in　he　offered　her　his　arm；　and　she　took
it；　for　the　first　time　as　a　woman；　for　the　hundredth　time　as　his
companion。

They　rambled　on　to　the　lighthouse；　where　they　would　have　lingered
longer　if　Avice　had　not　suddenly　remembered　an　engagement　to　recite
poetry　from　a　platform　that　very　evening　at　the　Street　of　Wells；　the
village　commanding　the　entrance　to　the　islandthe　village　that　has　now
advanced　to　be　a　town。

'Recite！'　said　he。　　'Who'd　have　thought　anybody　or　anything　could
recite　down　here　except　the　reciter　we　hear　away　therethe　never
speechless　sea。'

'O　but　we　are　quite　intellectual　now。　　In　the　winter　particularly。
But；　Jocelyndon't　come　to　the　recitation；　will　you？　　It　would　spoil
my　performance　if　you　were　there；　and　I　want　to　be　as　good　as　the
rest。'

'I　won't　if　you　really　wish　me　not　to。　　But　I　shall　meet　you　at　the
door　and　bring　you　home。'

'Yes！'　she　said；　looking　up　into　his　face。　　Avice　was　perfectly　happy
now；　she　could　never　have　believed　on　that　mortifying　day　of　his　coming
that　she　would　be　so　happy　with　him。　　When　they　reached　the　east　side
of　the　isle　they　parted；　that　she　might　be　soon　enough　to　take　her
place　on　the　platform。　　Pierston　went　home；　and　after　dark；　when　it　was
about　the　hour　for　accompanying　her　back；　he　went　along　the　middle　road
northward　to　the　Street　of　Wells。

He　was　full　of　misgiving。　　He　had　known　Avice　Caro　so　well　of　old　that
his　feeling　for　her　now　was　rather　comradeship　than　love；　and　what　he
had　said　to　her　in　a　moment　of　impulse　that　morning　rather　appalled　him
in　its　consequences。　　Not　that　any　of　the　more　sophisticated　and
accomplished　women　who　had　attracted　him　successively　would　be　likely
to　rise　inconveniently　between　them。　　For　he　had　quite　disabused　his
mind　of　the　assumption　that　the　idol　of　his　fancy　was　an　integral　part
of　the　personality　in　which　it　had　sojourned　for　a　long　or　a　short
while。


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To　his　Well…Beloved　he　had　always　been　faithful；　but　she　had　had　many
embodiments。　　Each　individuality　known　as　Lucy；　Jane；　Flora；
Evangeline；　or　what…not；　had　been　merely　a　transient　condition　of　her。
He　did　not　recognize　this　as　an　excuse　or　as　a　defence；　but　as　a　fact
simply。　　Essentially　she　was　perhaps　of　no　tangible　substance；　a
spirit；　a　dream；　a　frenzy；　a　conception；　an　aroma；　an　epitomized　sex；　a
light　of　the　eye；　a　parting　of　the　lips。　　God　only　knew　what　she　really
was；　Pierston　did　not。　　She　was　indescribable。

Never　much　considering　that　she　was　a　subjective　phenomenon　vivified　by
the　weird　influences　of　his　descent　and　birthplace；　the　discovery　of
her　ghostliness；　of　her　independence　of　physical　laws　and　failings；　had
occasionally　given　him　a　sense　of　fear。　　He　never　knew　where　she　next
would　be；　whither　she　would　lead　him；　having　herself　instant　access　to
all　ranks　and　classes；　to　every　abode　of　men。　　Sometimes　at　night　he
dreamt　that　she　was　'the　wile…weaving　Daughter　of　high　Zeus'　in　person；
bent　on　tormenting　him　for　his　sins　against　her　beauty　in　his　artthe
implacable　Aphrodite　herself　indeed。　　He　knew　that　he　loved　the
masquerading　creature　wherever　he　found　her；　whether　with　blue　eyes；
black　eyes；　or　brown；　whether　presenting　herself　as　tall；　fragile；　or
plump。　　She　was　never　in　two　places　at　once；　but　hitherto　she　had　never
been　in　one　place　long。

By　making　this　clear　to　his　mind　some　time　before　to…day；　he　had
escaped　a　good　deal　of　ugly　self…reproach。　　It　was　simply　that　she　who
always　attracted　him；　and　led　him　whither　she　would　as　by　a　silken
thread；　had　not　remained　the　occupant　of　the　same　fleshly　tabernacle　in
her　career　so　far。　　Whether　she　would　ultimately　settle　down　to　one　he
could　not　say。

Had　he　felt　that　she　was　becoming　manifest　in　Avice；　he　would　have
tried　to　believe　that　this　was　the　terminal　spot　of　her　migrations；　and
have　been　content　to　abide　by　his　words。　　But　did　he　see　the　Well…
Beloved　in　Avice　at　all？　　The　question　was　somewhat　disturbing。

He　had　reached　the　brow　of　the　hill；　and　descended　towards　the　village；
where　in　the　long　straight　Roman　street　he　soon　found　the　lighted　hall。
The　performance　was　not　yet　over；　and　by　going　round　to　the　side　of　the
building　and　standing　on　a　mound　he　could　see　the　interior　as　far　down
as　the　platform　level。　　Avice's　turn；　or　second　turn；　came　on　almost
immediately。　　Her　pretty　embarrassment　on　facing　the　audience　rather
won　him　away　from　his　doubts。　　She　was；　in　truth；　what　is　called　a
'nice'　girl；　attractive；　certainly；　but　above　all　things　niceone　of
the　class　with　whom　the　risks　of　matrimony　approximate　most　nearly　to
zero。　　Her　intelligent　eyes；　her　broad　forehead；　her　thoughtful
carriage；　ensured　one　thing；　that　of　all　the　girls　he　had　known　he　had
never　met　one　with　more　charming　and　solid　qualities　than　Avice　Caro's。
This　was　not　a　mere　conjecturehe　had　known　her　long　and　thoroughly；
her　every　mood　and　temper。

A　heavy　wagon　passing　without　drowned　her　small　soft　voice　for　him；　but
the　audience　were　pleased；　and　she　blushed　at　their　applause。　　He　now
took　his　station　at　the　door；　and　when　the　people　had　done　pouring　out
he　found　her　within　awaiting　him。

They　climbed　homeward　slowly　by　the　Old　Road；　Pierston　dragging　himself
up　the　steep　by　the　wayside　hand…rail　and　pulling　Avice　after　him　upon
his　arm。　　At　the　top　they　turned　and　stood　still。　　To　the　left　of　th