the well-beloved--a sketch of a temperament-第25部分

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'This　is　where　I　used　to　sit　when　my　parents　occupied　the　house；'　he
said；　placing　himself　beside　that　corner　of　the　fireplace　which
commanded　a　view　through　the　window。　　'I　could　see　a　bough　of　tamarisk
wave　outside　at　that　time；　and；　beyond　the　bough；　the　same　abrupt
grassy　waste　towards　the　sea；　and　at　night　the　same　old　lightship
blinking　far　out　there。　　Place　yourself　on　the　spot；　to　please　me。'

She　set　her　chair　where　he　indicated；　and　Pierston　stood　close　beside
her；　directing　her　gaze　to　the　familiar　objects　he　had　regarded　thence
as　a　boy。　　Her　head　and　facethe　latter　thoughtful　and　worn　enough；
poor　thing；　to　suggest　a　married　life　none　too　comfortablewere　close
to　his　breast；　and；　with　a　few　inches　further　incline；　would　have
touched　it。

'And　now　you　are　the　inhabitant；　I　the　visitor；'　he　said。　　'I　am　glad
to　see　you　hereso　glad；　Avice！　　You　are　fairly　well　provided　forI
think　I　may　assume　that？'　　He　looked　round　the　room　at　the　solid
mahogany　furniture；　and　at　the　modern　piano　and　show　bookcase。

'Yes；　Ike　left　me　comfortable。　　'Twas　he　who　thought　of　moving　from　my
cottage　to　this　larger　house。　　He　bought　it；　and　I　can　live　here　as
long　as　I　choose　to。'

Apart　from　the　decline　of　his　adoration　to　friendship；　there　seemed　to
be　a　general　convergence　of　positions　which　suggested　that　he　might
make　amends　for　the　desertion　of　Avice　the　First　by　proposing　to　this
Avice　when　a　meet　time　should　arrive。　　If　he　did　not　love　her　as　he　had
done　when　she　was　a　slim　thing　catching　mice　in　his　rooms　in　London；　he
could　surely　be　content　at　his　age　with　comradeship。　　After　all　she　was
only　forty　to　his　sixty。　　The　feeling　that　he　really　could　be　thus
content　was　so　convincing　that　he　almost　believed　the　luxury　of　getting
old　and　reposeful　was　coming　to　his　restless；　wandering　heart　at　last。

'Well；　you　have　come　at　last；　sir；'　she　went　on；　'and　I　am　grateful　to
you。　　I　did　not　like　writing；　and　yet　I　wanted　to　be　straightforward。
Have　you　guessed　at　all　why　I　wished　to　see　you　so　much　that　I　could
not　help　sending　twice　to　you？'

'I　have　tried；　but　cannot。'

'Try　again。　　It　is　a　pretty　reason；　which　I　hope　you'll　forgive。'

'I　am　sure　I　sha'n't　unriddle　it。　　But　I'll　say　this　on　my　own　account
before　you　tell　me。　　I　have　always　taken　a　lingering　interest　in　you；
which　you　must　value　for　what　it　is　worth。　　It　originated；　so　far　as　it
concerns　you　personally；　with　the　sight　of　you　in　that　cottage　round
the　corner；　nineteen　or　twenty　years　ago；　when　I　became　tenant　of　the
castle　opposite。　　But　that　was　not　the　very　beginning。　　The　very
beginning　was　a　score　of　years　before　that；　when　I；　a　young　fellow　of
one…and…twenty；　coming　home　here；　from　London；　to　see　my　father；
encountered　a　tender　woman　as　like　you　as　your　double；　was　much
attracted　by　her　as　I　saw　her　day　after　day　flit　past　this　window；　till
I　made　it　my　business　to　accompany　her　in　her　walks　awhile。　　I；　as　you
know；　was　not　a　staunch　fellow；　and　it　all　ended　badly。　　But；　at　any
rate　you；　her　daughter；　and　I　are　friends。'

'Ah！　there　she　is！'　suddenly　exclaimed　Avice；　whose　attention　had
wandered　somewhat　from　his　retrospective　discourse。　　She　was　looking
from　the　window　towards　the　cliffs；　where；　upon　the　open　ground　quite
near　at　hand；　a　slender　female　form　was　seen　rambling　along。　　'She　is
out　for　a　walk；'　Avice　continued。　　'I　wonder　if　she　is　going　to　call
here　this　afternoon？　　She　is　living　at　the　castle　opposite　as
governess。'

'O；　she's'

'Yes。　　Her　education　was　very　thoroughbetter　even　than　her
grandmother's。　　I　was　the　neglected　one；　and　her　father　and　myself　both
vowed　that　there　should　be　no　complaint　on　that　score　about　her。　　We
christened　her　Avice；　to　keep　up　the　name；　as　you　requested。　　I　wish
you　could　speak　to　herI　am　sure　you　would　like　her。'

'Is　that　the　baby？'　faltered　Jocelyn。

'Yes；　the　baby。'

The　person　signified；　now　much　nearer；　was　a　still　more　modernized；　up…
to…date　edition　of　the　two　Avices　of　that　blood　with　whom　he　had　been
involved　more　or　less　for　the　last　forty　years。　　A　ladylike　creature
was　shealmost　elegant。　　She　was　altogether　finer　in　figure　than　her
mother　or　grandmother　had　ever　been；　which　made　her　more　of　a　woman　in
appearance　than　in　years。　　She　wore　a　large…disked　sun…hat；　with　a　brim
like　a　wheel　whose　spokes　were　radiating　folds　of　muslin　lining　the
brim；　a　black　margin　beyond　the　muslin　being　the　felloe。　　Beneath　this
brim　her　hair　was　massed　low　upon　her　brow；　the　colour　of　the　thick
tresses　being　probably；　from　her　complexion；　repeated　in　the　irises　of
her　large；　deep　eyes。　　Her　rather　nervous　lips　were　thin　and　closed；　so
that　they　only　appeared　as　a　delicate　red　line。　　A　changeable
temperament　was　shown　by　that　mouthquick　transitions　from　affection
to　aversion；　from　a　pout　to　a　smile。

It　was　Avice　the　Third。

Jocelyn　and　the　second　Avice　continued　to　gaze　ardently　at　her。

'Ah！　she　is　not　coming　in　now；　she　hasn't　time；'　murmured　the　mother；
with　some　disappointment。　　'Perhaps　she　means　to　run　across　in　the
evening。'

The　tall　girl；　in　fact；　went　past　and　on　till　she　was　out　of　sight。
Pierston　stood　as　in　a　dream。　　It　was　the　very　she；　in　all　essential
particulars；　and　with　an　intensification　of　general　charm；　who　had
kissed　him　forty　years　before。　　When　he　turned　his　head　from　the　window
his　eyes　fell　again　upon　the　intermediate　Avice　at　his　side。　　Before
but　the　relic　of　the　Well…Beloved；　she　had　now　become　its　empty　shrine。
Warm　friendship；　indeed；　he　felt　for　her；　but　whatever　that　might　have
done　towards　the　instauration　of　a　former　dream　was　now　hopelessly
barred　by　the　rivalry　of　the　thing　itself　in　the　guise　of　a　lineal
successor。



3。　II。　　MISGIVINGS　ON　THE　RE…EMBODIMENT

Pierston　had　been　about　to　leave；　but　he　sat　down　again　on　being　asked
if　he　would　stay　and　have　a　cup　of　tea。　　He　hardly　knew　for　a　moment
what　he　did；　a　dim　thought　that　Avicethe　renewed　Avicemight　come
into　the　house　made　his　reseating　himself　an　act　of　spontaneity。

He　forgot　that　twenty　years　earlier　he　had　called　the　now　Mrs。　Pierston
an　elf；　a　witch；　and　that　lapse　of　time　had　probably　not　diminished　the
subtleties　implied　by　those　epithets。　　He　did　not　know　that　she　had
noted　every　impression　that　her　daughter　had　made　upon　him。

How　he　contrived　to　attenuate　and　disperse　the　rather　tender
personalities　he　had　opened　up　with　the　new　Avice's　mother；　Pierston
never　exactly　defined。　　Perhaps　she　saw　more　than　he　thought　she　saw
read　something　in　his　faceknew　that　about　his　nature　which　he　gave
her　no　credit　for　knowing。　　Anyhow；　the　conversation　took　the　form　of　a
friendly　gossip　from　that　minute；　his　remarks　being　often　given　while
his　mind　was　turned　elsewhere。

But　a　chill　passed　through　Jocelyn　when　there　had　been　time　for
reflection。　　The　renewed　study　of　his　art　in　Rome　without　any
counterbalancing　practical　pursuit　had　nourished　and　developed　his
natural　responsiveness　to　impressions；　he　now　felt　that　his　old
trouble；　his　doomhis　curse；　indeed；　he　had　sometimes　called　itwas
come　back　again。　　His　divinity　was　not　yet　propitiated　for　that
original　sin　against　her　image　in　the　person　of　Avice　the　First；　and
now；　at　the　age　of　one…and…sixty；　he　was　urged　on　and　on　like　the　Jew
Ahasuerusor；　in　the　phrase　of　the　islanders　themselves；　like　a　blind
ram。

The　Goddess；　an　abstraction　to　the　general；　was　a　fairly　real　personage
to　Pierston。　　He　had　watched　the　marble　images　of　her　which　stood　in
his　working…room；　under　all　changes　of　light　and　shade　in　the
brightening　of　morning；　in　the　blackening　of　eve；　in　moonlight；　in
lamplight。　　Every　line　and　curve　of　her　body　none；　naturally；　knew
better　than　he；　and；　though　not　a　belief；　it　was；　as　has　been　stated；　a
formula；　a　superstition；　that　the　three　Avices　were　inter…penetrated
with　her　essence。

'And　the　next　Aviceyour　daughter；'　he　said　stumblingly；　'she　is；　you
say；　a　governess　at　the　castle　opposite？'

Mrs。　Pierston　reaffirmed　the　fact；　adding　that　the　girl　often　slept　at
home　because　she；　her　mother；　was　so　lonely。　　She　often　thought　she
would　like　to　keep　her　daughter　at　home　altogether。

'She　plays　that　instrument；　I　suppose？'　said　Pierston；　regarding　the
piano。

'Yes；　she　plays　beautifully；　she　had　the　best　instruction　that　masters
could　give　her。　　She　was　educated　at　Sandbourne。'

'Which　room　does　she　call　hers　when　at　home？'　he　asked　curiously。

'The　little　one　over　this。'

It　had　been　his　own。　　'Strange；'　he　murmured。

He　finished　tea；　and　sat　after　tea；　but　the　youthful　Avice　did　not
arrive。　　With　the　Avice　present　he　conversed　as　the　old　friendno
more。　　At　last　it　grew　dusk；　and　Pierston　could　not　find　an　excuse　for
staying　longer。

'I　hope　to　make　the　acquaintanceof　your　daughter；'　he　said　in
leaving；　knowing　that　he　might　have　added　with　predestinate　truth；　'of
my　new　tenderly…beloved。'

'I　hope　you　will；'　she　answered。　　'This　evening　she　evidently　has　gone
for　a　walk　instead　of　coming　here。'

'And；　by…the…bye；　you　have　not　told　me　what　you　especially　wanted　to
see　me　for？'

'Ah；　no。　　I　will　put　it　off。'

'Very　well。　　I　don't　pretend　to　guess。'

'I　must　tell　you　another　time。'

'If　it　is　any　little　business　in　connection　with　your　late　husband's
affairs；　do　command　me。　　I'll　do　anything　I　can。'

'Thank　you。　　And　I　shall　see　you　again　soon？'

'Certainly。　　Quite　soon。'

When　he　was　gone　she　looked　reflectively　at　the　spot　where　he　had　been
standing；　and　said：　　'Best　hold　my　tongue。　　It　will　work　of　itself；
without　my　telling。'

Jocelyn　went　from　the　house；　but　as　the　white　road　passed　under　his
feet　he　felt　in　no　mood　to　get　back　to　his　lodgings　in　the　town　on　the
mainland。　　He　lingered　about　upon　the　rugged　ground　for　a　long　while；
thinking　of　the　extraordinary　reproduction　of　the　original　girl　in　this
new　form　he　had　seen；　and　of　himself　as　of　a　foolish　dreamer　in　being
so　suddenly　fascinated　by　the　renewed　image　in　a　personality　not　one…
third　of　his　age。　　As　a　physical　fact；　no　doubt；　the　preservation　of
the　likeness　was　no　uncommon　thing　here；　but　it　helped　the　dream。

Passing　round　the　walls　of　the　new　castle　he　deviated　from　his　homeward
track　by　turning　down　the　familiar