the well-beloved--a sketch of a temperament-第27部分

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She　looked　him　curiously　up　and　down。

'I　know　you　would　make　anybody　a　very　nice　husband；'　she　said。　　'I　know
that　you　would　be　nicer　than　many　men　half　your　age；　and；　though　there
is　a　great　deal　of　difference　between　you　and　her；　there　have　been　more
unequal　marriages；　that's　true。　　Speaking　as　her　mother；　I　can　say　that
I　shouldn't　object　to　you；　sir；　for　her；　provided　she　liked　you。　　That
is　where　the　difficulty　will　lie。'

'I　wish　you　would　help　me　to　get　over　that　difficulty；'　he　said　gently。
'Remember；　I　brought　back　a　truant　husband　to　you　twenty　years　ago。'

'Yes；　you　did；'　she　assented；　'and；　though　I　may　say　no　great　things　as
to　happiness　came　of　it；　I've　always　seen　that　your　intentions　towards
me　were　none　the　less　noble　on　that　account。　　I　would　do　for　you　what　I
would　do　for　no　other　man；　and　there　is　one　reason　in　particular　which
inclines　me　to　help　you　with　Avicethat　I　should　feel　absolutely
certain　I　was　helping　her　to　a　kind　husband。'

'Well；　that　would　remain　to　be　seen。　　I　would；　at　any　rate；　try　to　be
worthy　of　your　opinion。　　Come；　Avice；　for　old　times'　sake；　you　must
help　me。　　You　never　felt　anything　but　friendship　in　those　days；　you
know；　and　that　makes　it　easy　and　proper　for　you　to　do　me　a　good　turn
now。'

After　a　little　more　conversation　his　old　friend　promised　that　she
really　would　do　everything　that　lay　in　her　power。　　She　did　not　say　how
simple　she　thought　him　not　to　perceive　that　she　had　already；　by　writing
to　him；　been　doing　everything　that　lay　in　her　power；　had　created　the
feeling　which　prompted　his　entreaty。　　And　to　show　her　good　faith　in
this　promise　she　asked　him　to　wait　till　later　in　the　evening；　when
Avice　might　possibly　run　across　to　see　her。

Pierston；　who　fancied　he　had　won　the　younger　Avice's　interest；　at
least；　by　the　part　he　had　played　upon　the　rocks　the　week　before；　had　a
dread　of　encountering　her　in　full　light　till　he　should　have　advanced　a
little　further　in　her　regard。　　He　accordingly　was　perplexed　at　this
proposal；　and；　seeing　his　hesitation；　Mrs。　Pierston　suggested　that　they
should　walk　together　in　the　direction　whence　Avice　would　come；　if　she
came　at　all。

He　welcomed　the　idea；　and　in　a　few　minutes　they　started；　strolling
along　under　the　now　strong　moonlight；　and　when　they　reached　the　gates
of　Sylvania　Castle　turning　back　again　towards　the　house。　　After　two　or
three　such　walks　up　and　down　the　gate　of　the　castle　grounds　clicked；
and　a　form　came　forth　which　proved　to　be　the　expected　one。

As　soon　as　they　met　the　girl　recognized　in　her　mother's　companion　the
gentleman　who　had　helped　her　on　the　shore；　and　she　seemed　really　glad
to　find　that　her　chivalrous　assistant　was　claimed　by　her　parent　as　an
old　friend。　　She　remembered　hearing　at　divers　times　about　this　worthy
London　man　of　talent　and　position；　whose　ancestry　were　people　of　her
own　isle；　and　possibly；　from　the　name；　of　a　common　stock　with　her　own。

'And　you　have　actually　lived　in　Sylvania　Castle　yourself；　Mr。
Pierston？'　asked　Avice　the　daughter；　with　her　innocent　young　voice。
'Was　it　long　ago？'

'Yes；　it　was　some　time　ago；'　replied　the　sculptor；　with　a　sinking　at
his　heart　lest　she　should　ask　how　long。

'It　must　have　been　when　I　was　awayor　when　I　was　very　little？'

'I　don't　think　you　were　away。'

'But　I　don't　think　I　could　have　been　here？'

'No；　perhaps　you　couldn't　have　been　here。'

'I　think　she　was　hiding　herself　in　the　parsley…bed；'　said　Avice's
mother　blandly。

They　talked　in　this　general　way　till　they　reached　Mrs。　Pierston's
house；　but　Jocelyn　resisted　both　the　widow's　invitation　and　the　desire
of　his　own　heart；　and　went　away　without　entering。　　To　risk；　by　visibly
confronting　her；　the　advantage　that　he　had　already　gained；　or　fancied
he　had　gained；　with　the　re…incarnate　Avice　required　more　courage　than
he　could　claim　in　his　present　mood。


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Such　evening　promenades　as　these　were　frequent　during　the　waxing　of
that　summer　moon。　　On　one　occasion；　as　they　were　all　good　walkers；　it
was　arranged　that　they　should　meet　halfway　between　the　island　and　the
town　in　which　Pierston　had　lodgings。　　It　was　impossible　that　by　this
time　the　pretty　young　governess　should　not　have　guessed　the　ultimate
reason　of　these　rambles　to　be　a　matrimonial　intention；　but　she　inclined
to　the　belief　that　the　widow　rather　than　herself　was　the　object　of
Pierston's　regard；　though　why　this　educated　and　apparently　wealthy　man
should　be　attracted　by　her　motherwhose　homeliness　was　apparent　enough
to　the　girl's　more　modern　trainingshe　could　not　comprehend。

They　met　accordingly　in　the　middle　of　the　Pebble…bank；　Pierston　coming
from　the　mainland；　and　the　women　from　the　peninsular　rock。　　Crossing
the　wooden　bridge　which　connected　the　bank　with　the　shore　proper　they
moved　in　the　direction　of　Henry　the　Eighth's　Castle；　on　the　verge　of
the　rag…stone　cliff。　　Like　the　Red　King's　Castle　on　the　island；　the
interior　was　open　to　the　sky；　and　when　they　entered　and　the　full　moon
streamed　down　upon　them　over　the　edge　of　the　enclosing　masonry；　the
whole　present　reality　faded　from　Jocelyn's　mind　under　the　press　of
memories。　　Neither　of　his　companions　guessed　what　Pierston　was　thinking
of。　　It　was　in　this　very　spot　that　he　was　to　have　met　the　grandmother
of　the　girl　at　his　side；　and　in　which　he　would　have　met　her　had　she
chosen　to　keep　the　appointment；　a　meeting　which　mightnay；　musthave
changed　the　whole　current　of　his　life。

Instead　of　that；　forty　years　had　passedforty　years　of　severance　from
Avice；　till　a　secondly　renewed　copy　of　his　sweetheart　had　arisen　to
fill　her　place。　　But　he；　alas；　was　not　renewed。　　And　of　all　this　the
pretty　young　thing　at　his　side　knew　nothing。

Taking　advantage　of　the　younger　woman's　retreat　to　view　the　sea　through
an　opening　of　the　walls；　Pierston　appealed　to　her　mother　in　a　whisper：
'Have　you　ever　given　her　a　hint　of　what　my　meaning　is？　　No？　　Then　I
think　you　might；　if　you　really　have　no　objection。'

Mrs。　Pierston；　as　the　widow；　was　far　from　being　so　coldly　disposed　in
her　own　person　towards　her　friend　as　in　the　days　when　he　wanted　to
marry　her。　　Had　she　now　been　the　object　of　his　wishes　he　would　not　have
needed　to　ask　her　twice。　　But　like　a　good　mother　she　stifled　all　this；
and　said　she　would　sound　Avice　there　and　then。

'Avice；　my　dear；'　she　said；　advancing　to　where　the　girl　mused　in　the
window…gap；　'what　do　you　think　of　Mr。　Pierston　paying　his　addresses　to
youcoming　courting；　as　_I_　call　it　in　my　old…fashioned　way。
Supposing　he　were　to；　would　you　encourage　him？'

'To　ME；　mother？'　said　Avice；　with　an　inquiring　laugh。　　'I　thoughthe
meant　you！'

'O　no；　he　doesn't　mean　me；'　said　her　mother　hastily。　　'He　is　nothing
more　than　my　friend。'

'I　don't　want　any　addresses；'　said　the　daughter。

'He　is　a　man　in　society；　and　would　take　you　to　an　elegant　house　in
London　suited　to　your　education；　instead　of　leaving　you　to　mope　here。'

'I　should　like　that　well　enough；'　replied　Avice　carelessly。

'Then　give　him　some　encouragement。'

'I　don't　care　enough　about　him　to　do　any　encouraging。　　It　is　his
business；　I　should　think；　to　do　all。'

She　spoke　in　her　lightest　vein；　but　the　result　was　that　when　Pierston；
who　had　discreetly　withdrawn；　returned　to　them；　she　walked　docilely；
though　perhaps　gloomily；　beside　him；　her　mother　dropping　to　the　rear。
They　came　to　a　rugged　descent；　and　Pierston　took　her　hand　to　help　her。
She　allowed　him　to　retain　it　when　they　arrived　on　level　ground。

Altogether　it　was　not　an　unsuccessful　evening　for　the　man　with　the
unanchored　heart；　though　possibly　initial　success　meant　worse　for　him
in　the　long　run　than　initial　failure。　　There　was　nothing　marvellous　in
the　fact　of　her　tractability　thus　far。　　In　his　modern　dress　and　style；
under　the　rays　of　the　moon；　he　looked　a　very　presentable　gentleman
indeed；　while　his　knowledge　of　art　and　his　travelled　manners　were　not
without　their　attractions　for　a　girl　who　with　one　hand　touched　the
educated　middle…class　and　with　the　other　the　rude　and　simple
inhabitants　of　the　isle。　　Her　intensely　modern　sympathies　were
quickened　by　her　peculiar　outlook。

Pierston　would　have　regarded　his　interest　in　her　as　overmuch　selfish　if
there　had　not　existed　a　redeeming　quality　in　the　substratum　of　old
pathetic　memory　by　which　such　love　had　been　createdwhich　still
permeated　it；　rendering　it　the　tenderest；　most　anxious；　most　protective
instinct　he　had　ever　known。　　It　may　have　had　in　its　composition　too
much　of　the　boyish　fervour　that　had　characterized　such　affection　when
he　was　cherry…cheeked；　and　light　in　the　foot　as　a　girl；　but；　if　it　was
all　this　feeling　of　youth；　it　was　more。

Mrs。　Pierston；　in　fearing　to　be　frank；　lest　she　might　seem　to　be
angling　for　his　fortune；　did　not　fully　divine　his　cheerful　readiness　to
offer　it；　if　by　so　doing　he　could　make　amends　for　his　infidelity　to　her
family　forty　years　back　in　the　past。　　Time　had　not　made　him　mercenary；
and　it　had　quenched　his　ambitions；　and　though　his　wish　to　wed　Avice　was
not　entirely　a　wish　to　enrich　her；　the　knowledge　that　she　would　be
enriched　beyond　anything　that　she　could　have　anticipated　was　what
allowed　him　to　indulge　his　love。

He　was　not　exactly　old　he　said　to　himself　the　next　morning　as　he　beheld
his　face　in　the　glass。　　And　he　looked　considerably　younger　than　he　was。
But　there　was　history　in　his　facedistinct　chapters　of　it；　his　brow
was　not　that　blank　page　it　once　had　been。　　He　knew　the　origin　of　that
line　in　his　forehead；　it　had　been　traced　in　the　course　of　a　month　or
two　by　past　troubles。　　He　remembered　the　coming　of　this　pale　wiry　hair；
it　had　been　brought　by　the　illness　in　Rome；　when　he　had　wished　each
night　that　he　might　never　wake　again。　　This　wrinkled　corner；　that　drawn
bit　of　skin；　they　had　resulted　from　those　months　of　despondency　when
all　seemed　going　against　his　art；　his　strength；　his　happiness。　　'You
cannot　live　your　life　and　keep　it；　Jocelyn；'　he　said。　　Time　was　against
him　and　love；　and　time　would　probably　win。

'When　I　went　away　from　the　first　Avice；'　he　continued　with　whimsical
misery；　'I　had　a　presentiment　that　I　should　ache　for　it　some　day。　　And
I　am　achinghave　ached　ever　since　this　jade　of　an　Ideal　learnt　the
unconscionable