the well-beloved--a sketch of a temperament-第5部分

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Her　clothing　offered　more　resistance　to　the　wind　than　his；　and　she　was
consequently　in　the　greater　danger。　　It　was　impossible　to　refuse　his
proffered　aid。　　First　he　gave　his　arm；　but　the　wind　tore　them　apart　as
easily　as　coupled　cherries。　　He　steadied　her　bodily　by　encircling　her
waist　with　his　arm；　and　she　made　no　objection。


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Somewhere　about　this　timeit　might　have　been　sooner；　it　might　have
been　laterhe　became　conscious　of　a　sensation　which；　in　its　incipient
and　unrecognized　form；　had　lurked　within　him　from　some　unnoticed　moment
when　he　was　sitting　close　to　his　new　friend　under　the　lerret。　　Though　a
young　man；　he　was　too　old　a　hand　not　to　know　what　this　was；　and　felt
alarmedeven　dismayed。　　It　meant　a　possible　migration　of　the　Well…
Beloved。　　The　thing　had　not；　however；　taken　place；　and　he　went　on
thinking　how　soft　and　warm　the　lady　was　in　her　fur　covering；　as　he　held
her　so　tightly；　the　only　dry　spots　in　the　clothing　of　either　being　her
left　side　and　his　right；　where　they　excluded　the　rain　by　their　mutual
pressure。

As　soon　as　they　had　crossed　the　ferry…bridge　there　was　a　little　more
shelter；　but　he　did　not　relinquish　his　hold　till　she　requested　him。
They　passed　the　ruined　castle；　and　having　left　the　island　far　behind
them　trod　mile　after　mile　till　they　drew　near　to　the　outskirts　of　the
neighbouring　watering…place。　　Into　it　they　plodded　without　pause；
crossing　the　harbour　bridge　about　midnight；　wet　to　the　skin。

He　pitied　her；　and；　while　he　wondered　at　it；　admired　her　determination。
The　houses　facing　the　bay　now　sheltered　them　completely；　and　they
reached　the　vicinity　of　the　new　railway　terminus　（which　the　station　was
at　this　date）　without　difficulty。　　As　he　had　said；　there　was　only　one
house　open　hereabout；　a　little　temperance　inn；　where　the　people　stayed
up　for　the　arrival　of　the　morning　mail　and　passengers　from　the　Channel
boats。　　Their　application　for　admission　led　to　the　withdrawal　of　a
bolt；　and　they　stood　within　the　gaslight　of　the　passage。

He　could　see　now　that　though　she　was　such　a　fine　figure；　quite　as　tall
as　himself；　she　was　but　in　the　bloom　of　young　womanhood。　　Her　face　was
certainly　striking；　though　rather　by　its　imperiousness　than　its　beauty；
and　the　beating　of　the　wind　and　rain　and　spray　had　inflamed　her　cheeks
to　peony　hues。

She　persisted　in　the　determination　to　go　on　to　London　by　an　early
morning　train；　and　he　therefore　offered　advice　on　lesser　matters　only。
'In　that　case；'　he　said；　'you　must　go　up　to　your　room　and　send　down
your　things；　that　they　may　be　dried　by　the　fire　immediately；　or　they
will　not　be　ready。　　I　will　tell　the　servant　to　do　this；　and　send　you　up
something　to　eat。'

She　assented　to　his　proposal；　without；　however；　showing　any　marks　of
gratitude；　and　when　she　had　gone　Pierston　despatched　her　the　light
supper　promised　by　the　sleepy　girl　who　was　'night　porter'　at　this
establishment。　　He　felt　ravenously　hungry　himself；　and　set　about　drying
his　clothes　as　well　as　he　could；　and　eating　at　the　same　time。

At　first　he　was　in　doubt　what　to　do；　but　soon　decided　to　stay　where　he
was　till　the　morrow。　　By　the　aid　of　some　temporary　wraps；　and　some
slippers　from　the　cupboard；　he　was　contriving　to　make　himself
comfortable　when　the　maid…servant　came　downstairs　with　a　damp　armful　of
woman's　raiment。

Pierston　withdrew　from　the　fire。　　The　maid…servant　knelt　down　before
the　blaze　and　held　up　with　extended　arms　one　of　the　habiliments　of　the
Juno　upstairs；　from　which　a　cloud　of　steam　began　to　rise。　　As　she
knelt；　the　girl　nodded　forward；　recovered　herself；　and　nodded　again。

'You　are　sleepy；　my　girl；'　said　Pierston。

'Yes；　sir；　I　have　been　up　a　long　time。　　When　nobody　comes　I　lie　down　on
the　couch　in　the　other　room。'

'Then　I'll　relieve　you　of　that；　go　and　lie　down　in　the　other　room；　just
as　if　we　were　not　here。　　I'll　dry　the　clothing　and　put　the　articles
here　in　a　heap；　which　you　can　take　up　to　the　young　lady　in　the
morning。'

The　'night　porter'　thanked　him　and　left　the　room；　and　he　soon　heard　her
snoring　from　the　adjoining　apartment。　　Then　Jocelyn　opened　proceedings；
overhauling　the　robes　and　extending　them　one　by　one。　　As　the　steam　went
up　he　fell　into　a　reverie。　　He　again　became　conscious　of　the　change
which　had　been　initiated　during　the　walk。　　The　Well…Beloved　was　moving
househad　gone　over　to　the　wearer　of　this　attire。

In　the　course　of　ten　minutes　he　adored　her。

And　how　about　little　Avice　Caro？　　He　did　not　think　of　her　as　before。

He　was　not　sure　that　he　had　ever　seen　the　real　Beloved　in　that　friend
of　his　youth；　solicitous　as　he　was　for　her　welfare。　　But；　loving　her　or
not；　he　perceived　that　the　spirit；　emanation；　idealism；　which　called
itself　his　Love　was　flitting　stealthily　from　some　remoter　figure　to　the
near　one　in　the　chamber　overhead。

Avice　had　not　kept　her　engagement　to　meet　him　in　the　lonely　ruin；
fearing　her　own　imaginings。　　But　he；　in　fact；　more　than　she；　had　been
educated　out　of　the　island　innocence　that　had　upheld　old　manners；　and
this　was　the　strange　consequence　of　Avice's　misapprehension。



1。　VI。　　ON　THE　BRINK

Miss　Bencomb　was　leaving　the　hotel　for　the　railway；　which　was　quite
near　at　hand；　and　had　only　recently　been　opened；　as　if　on　purpose　for
this　event。　　At　Jocelyn's　suggestion　she　wrote　a　message　to　inform　her
father　that　she　had　gone　to　her　aunt's；　with　a　view　to　allaying　anxiety
and　deterring　pursuit。　　They　walked　together　to　the　platform　and　bade
each　other　good…bye；　each　obtained　a　ticket　independently；　and　Jocelyn
got　his　luggage　from　the　cloak…room。

On　the　platform　they　encountered　each　other　again；　and　there　was　a
light　in　their　glances　at　each　other　which　said；　as　by　a　flash…
telegraph：　　'We　are　bound　for　the　same　town；　why　not　enter　the　same
compartment？'

They　did。

She　took　a　corner　seat；　with　her　back　to　the　engine；　he　sat　opposite。
The　guard　looked　in；　thought　they　were　lovers；　and　did　not　show　other
travellers　into　that　compartment。　　They　talked　on　strictly　ordinary
matters；　what　she　thought　he　did　not　know；　but　at　every　stopping
station　he　dreaded　intrusion。　　Before　they　were　halfway　to　London　the
event　he　had　just　begun　to　realize　was　a　patent　fact。　　The　Beloved　was
again　embodied；　she　filled　every　fibre　and　curve　of　this　woman's　form。

Drawing　near　the　great　London　station　was　like　drawing　near　Doomsday。
How　should　he　leave　her　in　the　turmoil　of　a　crowded　city　street？　　She
seemed　quite　unprepared　for　the　rattle　of　the　scene。　　He　asked　her
where　her　aunt　lived。

'Bayswater；'　said　Miss　Bencomb。

He　called　a　cab；　and　proposed　that　she　should　share　it　till　they
arrived　at　her　aunt's；　whose　residence　lay　not　much　out　of　the　way　to
his　own。　　Try　as　he　would　he　could　not　ascertain　if　she　understood　his
feelings；　but　she　assented　to　his　offer　and　entered　the　vehicle。

'We　are　old　friends；'　he　said；　as　they　drove　onward。

'Indeed；　we　are；'　she　answered；　without　smiling。

'But　hereditarily　we　are　mortal　enemies；　dear　Juliet。'

'YesWhat　did　you　say？'

'I　said　Juliet。'

She　laughed　in　a　half…proud　way；　and　murmured：　　'Your　father　is　my
father's　enemy；　and　my　father　is　mine。　　Yes；　it　is　so。'　　And　then　their
eyes　caught　each　other's　glance。　　'My　queenly　darling！'　he　burst　out；
'instead　of　going　to　your　aunt's；　will　you　come　and　marry　me？'

A　flush　covered　her　over；　which　seemed　akin　to　a　flush　of　rage。　　It　was
not　exactly　that；　but　she　was　excited。　　She　did　not　answer；　and　he
feared　he　had　mortally　offended　her　dignity。　　Perhaps　she　had　only　made
use　of　him　as　a　convenient　aid　to　her　intentions。　　However；　he　went　on…
…

'Your　father　would　not　be　able　to　reclaim　you　then！　　After　all；　this　is
not　so　precipitate　as　it　seems。　　You　know　all　about　me；　my　history；　my
prospects。　　I　know　all　about　you。　　Our　families　have　been　neighbours　on
that　isle　for　hundreds　of　years；　though　you　are　now　such　a　London
product。'

'Will　you　ever　be　a　Royal　Academician？'　she　asked　musingly；　her
excitement　having　calmed　down。

'I　hope　to　beI　WILL　be；　if　you　will　be　my　wife。'

His　companion　looked　at　him　long。

'Think　what　a　short　way　out　of　your　difficulty　this　would　be；'　he
continued。　　'No　bother　about　aunts；　no　fetching　home　by　an　angry
father。'

It　seemed　to　decide　her。　　She　yielded　to　his　embrace。

'How　long　will　it　take　to　marry？'　Miss　Bencomb　asked　by…and…by；　with
obvious　self…repression。

'We　could　do　it　to…morrow。　　I　could　get　to　Doctors'　Commons　by　noon　to…
day；　and　the　licence　would　be　ready　by　to…morrow　morning。'

'I　won't　go　to　my　aunt's；　I　will　be　an　independent　woman！　　I　have　been
reprimanded　as　if　I　were　a　child　of　six。　　I'll　be　your　wife　if　it　is　as
easy　as　you　say。'

They　stopped　the　cab　while　they　held　a　consultation。　　Pierston　had
rooms　and　a　studio　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Campden　Hill；　but　it　would
be　hardly　desirable　to　take　her　thither　till　they　were　married。　　They
decided　to　go　to　an　hotel。

Changing　their　direction；　therefore；　they　went　back　to　the　Strand；　and
soon　ensconced　themselves　in　one　of　the　venerable　old　taverns　of　Covent
Garden；　a　precinct　which　in　those　days　was　frequented　by　West…country
people。　　Jocelyn　then　left　her　and　proceeded　on　his　errand　eastward。

It　was　about　three　o'clock　when；　having　arranged　all　preliminaries
necessitated　by　this　sudden　change　of　front；　he　began　strolling　slowly
back；　he　felt　bewildered；　and　to　walk　was　a　relief。　　Gazing
occasionally　into　this　shop　window　and　that；　he　called　a　hansom　as　by
an　inspiration；　and　directed　the　driver　to　'Mellstock　Gardens。'
Arrived　here；　he　rang　the　bell　of　a　studio；　and　in　a　minute　or　two　it
was　answered　by　a　young　man　in　shirt…sleeves；　about　his　own　age；　with　a
great　smeared　palette　on　his　left　thumb。

'O；　you；　Pierston！　　I　thought　you　were　in　the　country。　　Come　in。　　I'm
awfully　glad　of　this。　　I　am　here　in　town　finishing　off　a　painting　for
an　American；　who　wants　to　take　it　back　with　him。'

Pierston　followed　his　friend　into　the　painting…room；　where　a　pretty
young　woman　was　sitting　sewing。　　At　a　signal　from　the　painter　she
disappeared　without　speaking。

'I　can　see　from　your　face　you　have　something　to　say；　so　we'll　have　it
all　to　ourselves。　　You　are　in　some　trouble？