the well-beloved--a sketch of a temperament-第29部分

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to　rent　Sylvania　Castle　as　he　had　formerly　donebetter　still　to　buy
it。　　If　life　could　offer　him　anything　worth　having　it　would　be　a　home
with　Avice　there　on　his　native　cliffs　to　the　end　of　his　days。

As　he　sat　thus　thinking；　and　the　daylight　increased；　he　discerned；　a
short　distance　before　him；　a　movement　of　something　ghostly。　　His
position　was　facing　the　window；　and　he　found　that　by　chance　the
looking…glass　had　swung　itself　vertical；　so　that　what　he　saw　was　his
own　shape。　　The　recognition　startled　him。　　The　person　he　appeared　was
too　grievously　far；　chronologically；　in　advance　of　the　person　he　felt
himself　to　be。　　Pierston　did　not　care　to　regard　the　figure　confronting
him　so　mockingly。　　Its　voice　seemed　to　say　'There's　tragedy　hanging　on
to　this！'　　But　the　question　of　age　being　pertinent　he　could　not　give
the　spectre　up；　and　ultimately　got　out　of　bed　under　the　weird
fascination　of　the　reflection。　　Whether　he　had　overwalked　himself
lately；　or　what　he　had　done；　he　knew　not；　but　never　had　he　seemed　so
aged　by　a　score　of　years　as　he　was　represented　in　the　glass　in　that
cold　grey　morning　light。　　While　his　soul　was　what　it　was；　why　should　he
have　been　encumbered　with　that　withering　carcase；　without　the　ability
to　shift　it　off　for　another；　as　his　ideal　Beloved　had　so　frequently
done？

By　reason　of　her　mother's　illness　Avice　was　now　living　in　the　house；
and；　on　going　downstairs；　he　found　that　they　were　to　breakfast　en　tete…
a…tete。　　She　was　not　then　in　the　room；　but　she　entered　in　the　course　of
a　few　minutes。　　Pierston　had　already　heard　that　the　widow　felt　better
this　morning；　and　elated　by　the　prospect　of　sitting　with　Avice　at　this
meal　he　went　forward　to　her　joyously。　　As　soon　as　she　saw　him　in　the
full　stroke　of　day　from　the　window　she　started；　and　he　then　remembered
that　it　was　their　first　meeting　under　the　solar　rays。

She　was　so　overcome　that　she　turned　and　left　the　room　as　if　she　had
forgotten　something；　when　she　re…entered　she　was　visibly　pale。　　She
recovered　herself；　and　apologized。　　She　had　been　sitting　up　the　night
before　the　last；　she　said；　and　was　not　quite　so　well　as　usual。

There　may　have　been　some　truth　in　this；　but　Pierston　could　not　get　over
that　first　scared　look　of　hers。　　It　was　enough　to　give　daytime
stability　to　his　night　views　of　a　possible　tragedy　lurking　in　this
wedding　project。　　He　determined　that；　at　any　cost　to　his　heart；　there
should　be　no　misapprehension　about　him　from　this　moment。

'Miss　Pierston；'　he　said　as　they　sat　down；　'since　it　is　well　you　should
know　all　the　truth　before　we　go　any　further；　that　there　may　be　no
awkward　discoveries　afterwards；　I　am　going　to　tell　you　something　about
myselfif　you　are　not　too　distressed　to　hear　it？'

'Nolet　me　hear　it。'

'I　was　once　the　lover　of　your　mother；　and　wanted　to　marry　her；　only　she
wouldn't；　or　rather　couldn't；　marry　me。'

'O　how　strange！'　said　the　girl；　looking　from　him　to　the　breakfast
things；　and　from　the　breakfast　things　to　him。　　'Mother　has　never　told
me　that。　　Yet　of　course；　you　might　have　been。　　I　mean；　you　are　old
enough。'

He　took　the　remark　as　a　satire　she　had　not　intended。　　'O　yesquite　old
enough；'　he　said　grimly。　　'Almost　too　old。'

'Too　old　for　mother？　　How's　that？'

'Because　I　belonged　to　your　grandmother。'

'No？　　How　can　that　be？'

'I　was　her　lover　likewise。　　I　should　have　married　her　if　I　had　gone
straight　on　instead　of　round　the　corner。'

'But　you　couldn't　have　been；　Mr。　Pierston！　　You　are　not　old　enough？
Why；　how　old　are　you？you　have　never　told　me。'

'I　am　very　old。'

'My　mother's；　and　my　grandmother's；'　said　she；　looking　at　him　no　longer
as　at　a　possible　husband；　but　as　a　strange　fossilized　relic　in　human
form。　　Pierston　saw　it；　but　meaning　to　give　up　the　game　he　did　not　care
to　spare　himself。

'Your　mother's　and　your　grandmother's　young　man；'　he　repeated。

'And　were　you　my　great…grandmother's　too？'　she　asked；　with　an　expectant
interest　in　his　case　as　a　drama　that　overcame　her　personal
considerations　for　a　moment。

'Nonot　your　great…grandmother's。　　Your　imagination　beats　even　my
confessions！。　。　。　　But　I　am　VERY　old；　as　you　see。'

'I　did　not　know　it！'　said　she　in　an　appalled　murmur。　　'You　do　not　look
so；　and　I　thought　that　what　you　looked　you　were。'

'And　youyou　are　very　young；'　he　continued。

A　stillness　followed；　during　which　she　sat　in　a　troubled　constraint；
regarding　him　now　and　then　with　something　in　her　open　eyes　and　large
pupils　that　might　have　been　sympathy　or　nervousness。　　Pierston　ate
scarce　any　breakfast；　and　rising　abruptly　from　the　table　said　he　would
take　a　walk　on　the　cliffs　as　the　morning　was　fine。

He　did　so；　proceeding　along　the　north…east　heights　for　nearly　a　mile。
He　had　virtually　given　Avice　up；　but　not　formally。　　His　intention　had
been　to　go　back　to　the　house　in　half…an…hour　and　pay　a　morning　visit　to
the　invalid；　but　by　not　returning　the　plans　of　the　previous　evening
might　be　allowed　to　lapse　silently；　as　mere　pourparlers　that　had　come
to　nothing　in　the　face　of　Avice's　want　of　love　for　him。　　Pierston
accordingly　went　straight　along；　and　in　the　course　of　an　hour　was　at
his　Budmouth　lodgings。

Nothing　occurred　till　the　evening　to　inform　him　how　his　absence　had
been　taken。　　Then　a　note　arrived　from　Mrs。　Pierston；　it　was　written　in
pencil；　evidently　as　she　lay。

'I　am　alarmed；'　she　said；　'at　your　going　so　suddenly。　　Avice　seems　to
think　she　has　offended　you。　　She　did　not　mean　to　do　that；　I　am　sure。
It　makes　me　dreadfully　anxious！　　Will　you　send　a　line？　　Surely　you　will
not　desert　us　nowmy　heart　is　so　set　on　my　child's　welfare！'

'Desert　you　I　won't；'　said　Jocelyn。　　'It　is　too　much　like　the　original
case。　　But　I　must　let　her　desert　me！'

On　his　return；　with　no　other　object　than　that　of　wishing　Mrs。　Pierston
good…bye；　he　found　her　painfully　agitated。　　She　clasped　his　hand　and
wetted　it　with　her　tears。

'O　don't　be　offended　with　her！'　she　cried。　　'She's　young。　　We　are　one
peopledon't　marry　a　kimberlin！　　It　will　break　my　heart　if　you　forsake
her　now！　　Avice！'

The　girl　came。　　'My　manner　was　hasty　and　thoughtless　this　morning；'　she
said　in　a　low　voice。　　'Please　pardon　me。　　I　wish　to　abide　by　my
promise。'

Her　mother；　still　tearful；　again　joined　their　hands；　and　the　engagement
stood　as　before。

Pierston　went　back　to　Budmouth；　but　dimly　seeing　how　curiously；　through
his　being　a　rich　suitor；　ideas　of　beneficence　and　reparation　were
retaining　him　in　the　course　arranged　by　her　mother；　and　urged　by　his
own　desire　in　the　face　of　his　understanding。



3。　V。　　ON　THE　VERGE　OF　POSSESSION

In　anticipation　of　his　marriage　Pierston　had　taken　a　new　red　house　of
the　approved　Kensington　pattern；　with　a　new　studio　at　the　back　as　large
as　a　mediaeval　barn。　　Hither；　in　collusion　with　the　elder　Avicewhose
health　had　mended　somewhathe　invited　mother　and　daughter　to　spend　a
week　or　two　with　him；　thinking　thereby　to　exercise　on　the　latter's
imagination　an　influence　which　was　not　practicable　while　he　was　a　guest
at　their　house；　and　by　interesting　his　betrothed　in　the　fitting　and
furnishing　of　this　residence　to　create　in　her　an　ambition　to　be　its
mistress。

It　was　a　pleasant；　reposeful　time　to　be　in　town。　　There　was　nobody　to
interrupt　them　in　their　proceedings；　and；　it　being　out　of　the　season；
the　largest　tradesmen　were　as　attentive　to　their　wants　as　if　those
firms　had　never　before　been　honoured　with　a　single　customer　whom　they
really　liked。　　Pierston　and　his　guests；　almost　equally　inexperienced
for　the　sculptor　had　nearly　forgotten　what　knowledge　of　householding　he
had　acquired　earlier　in　lifecould　consider　and　practise　thoroughly　a
species　of　skeleton…drill　in　receiving　visitors　when　the　pair　should
announce　themselves　as　married　and　at　home　in　the　coming　winter　season。

Avice　was　charming；　even　if　a　little　cold。　　He　congratulated　himself
yet　again　that　time　should　have　reserved　for　him　this　final　chance　for
one　of　the　line。　　She　was　somewhat　like　her　mother；　whom　he　had　loved
in　the　flesh；　but　she　had　the　soul　of　her　grandmother；　whom　he　had
loved　in　the　spiritand；　for　that　matter；　loved　now。　　Only　one
criticism　had　he　to　pass　upon　his　choice：　　though　in　outward　semblance
her　grandam　idealized；　she　had　not　the　first　Avice's　candour；　but
rather　her　mother's　closeness。　　He　never　knew　exactly　what　she　was
thinking　and　feeling。　　Yet　he　seemed　to　have　such　prescriptive　rights
in　women　of　her　blood　that　her　occasional　want　of　confidence　did　not
deeply　trouble　him。

It　was　one　of　those　ripe　and　mellow　afternoons　that　sometimes　colour
London　with　their　golden　light　at　this　time　of　the　year；　and　produce
those　marvellous　sunset　effects　which；　if　they　were　not　known　to　be
made　up　of　kitchen　coal…smoke　and　animal　exhalations；　would　be
rapturously　applauded。　　Behind　the　perpendicular；　oblique；　zigzagged；
and　curved　zinc　'tall…boys；'　that　formed　a　grey　pattern　not　unlike
early　Gothic　numerals　against　the　sky；　the　men　and　women　on　the　tops　of
the　omnibuses　saw　an　irradiation　of　topaz　hues；　darkened　here　and　there
into　richest　russet。

There　had　been　a　sharp　shower　during　the　afternoon；　and　Pierstonwho
had　to　take　care　of　himselfhad　worn　a　pair　of　goloshes　on　his　short
walk　in　the　street。　　He　noiselessly　entered　the　studio；　inside　which
some　gleams　of　the　same　mellow　light　had　managed　to　creep；　and　where　he
guessed　he　should　find　his　prospective　wife　and　mother…in…law　awaiting
him　with　tea。　　But　only　Avice　was　there；　seated　beside　the　teapot　of
brown　delf；　which；　as　artists；　they　affected；　her　back　being　toward
him。　　She　was　holding　her　handkerchief　to　her　eyes；　and　he　saw　that　she
was　weeping　silently。

In　another　moment　he　perceived　that　she　was　weeping　over　a　book。　　By
this　time　she　had　heard　him；　and　came　forward。　　He　made　it　appear　that
he　had　not　noticed　her　distress；　and　they　discussed　some　arrangements
of　furniture。　　When　he　had　taken　a　cup　of　tea　she　went　away；　leaving
the　book　behind　her。

Pierston　took　it　up。　　The　volume　was　an　old　school…book；　Stievenard's
'Lectures　Francaises；'　with　her　name　in　it　as　a　pupil　at　Sandbourne
High　School；　and　date…markings　denoting　lessons　taken　at　a
comparatively　recent　time；　for　Avice　had　been　but　a　novice　as　governess
when　he　discov