the well-beloved--a sketch of a temperament-第7部分

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…her　or　anybody　elsein　such　circumstances。

'Certainly　not；'　said　Somers。　　'Though；　if　anybody；　little　Avice。　　But
not　even　her。　　You　are　like　other　men；　only　rather　worse。　　Essentially；
all　men　are　fickle；　like　you；　but　not　with　such　perceptiveness。'

'Surely　fickle　is　not　the　word？　　Fickleness　means　getting　weary　of　a
thing　while　the　thing　remains　the　same。　　But　I　have　always　been
faithful　to　the　elusive　creature　whom　I　have　never　been　able　to　get　a
firm　hold　of；　unless　I　have　done　so　now。　　And　let　me　tell　you　that　her
flitting　from　each　to　each　individual　has　been　anything　but　a　pleasure
for　mecertainly　not　a　wanton　game　of　my　instigation。　　To　see　the
creature　who　has　hitherto　been　perfect；　divine；　lose　under　your　very
gaze　the　divinity　which　has　informed　her；　grow　commonplace；　turn　from
flame　to　ashes；　from　a　radiant　vitality　to　a　relic；　is　anything　but　a
pleasure　for　any　man；　and　has　been　nothing　less　than　a　racking
spectacle　to　my　sight。　　Each　mournful　emptied　shape　stands　ever　after
like　the　nest　of　some　beautiful　bird　from　which　the　inhabitant　has
departed　and　left　it　to　fill　with　snow。　　I　have　been　absolutely
miserable　when　I　have　looked　in　a　face　for　her　I　used　to　see　there；　and
could　see　her　there　no　more。'

'You　ought　not　to　marry；'　repeated　Somers。

'Perhaps　I　oughtn't　to！　　Though　poor　Marcia　will　be　compromised；　I'm
afraid；　if　I　don't。　。　。　。　　Was　I　not　right　in　saying　I　am　accursed　in
this　thing？　　Fortunately　nobody　but　myself　has　suffered　on　account　of
it　till　now。　　Knowing　what　to　expect；　I　have　seldom　ventured　on　a　close
acquaintance　with　any　woman；　in　fear　of　prematurely　driving　away　the
dear　one　in　her；　who；　however；　has　in　time　gone　off　just　the　same。'

Pierston　soon　after　took　his　leave。　　A　friend's　advice　on　such　a
subject　weighs　little。　　He　quickly　returned　to　Miss　Bencomb。

She　was　different　now。　　Anxiety　had　visibly　brought　her　down　a　notch　or
two；　undone　a　few　degrees　of　that　haughty　curl　which　her　lip　could
occasionally　assume。　　'How　long　you　have　been　away！'　she　said　with　a
show　of　impatience。

'Never　mind；　darling。　　It　is　all　arranged；'　said　he。　　'We　shall　be　able
to　marry　in　a　few　days。'

'Not　to…morrow？'

'We　can't　to…morrow。　　We　have　not　been　here　quite　long　enough。'

'But　how　did　the　people　at　Doctors'　Commons　know　that？'

'WellI　forgot　that　residence；　real　or　assumed；　was　necessary；　and
unfortunately　admitted　that　we　had　only　just　arrived。'

'O　how　stupid！　　But　it　can't　be　helped　now。　　I　think；　dear；　I　should
have　known　better；　however！'



1。　VIII。　　'TOO　LIKE　THE　LIGHTNING'

They　lived　on　at　the　hotel　some　days　longer；　eyed　curiously　by　the
chambermaids；　and　burst　in　upon　every　now　and　then　by　the　waiters　as　if
accidentally。　　When　they　were　walking　together；　mostly　in　back　streets
for　fear　of　being　recognized；　Marcia　was　often　silent；　and　her
imperious　face　looked　gloomy。

'Dummy！'　he　said　playfully；　on　one　of　these　occasions。

'I　am　vexed　that　by　your　admissions　at　Doctors'　Commons　you　prevented
them　giving　you　the　licence　at　once！　　It　is　not　nice；　my　living　on　with
you　like　this！'

'But　we　are　going　to　marry；　dear！'

'Yes；'　she　murmured；　and　fell　into　reverie　again。　　'What　a　sudden
resolve　it　was　of　ours！'　she　continued。　　'I　wish　I　could　get　my　father
and　mother's　consent　to　our　marriage。　。　。　。　　As　we　can't　complete　it
for　another　day　or　two；　a　letter　might　be　sent　to　them　and　their　answer
received？　　I　have　a　mind　to　write。'

Pierston　expressed　his　doubts　of　the　wisdom　of　this　course；　which
seemed　to　make　her　desire　it　the　more；　and　the　result　was　a　tiff
between　them。　　'Since　we　are　obliged　to　delay　it；　I　won't　marry　without
their　consent！'　she　cried　at　last　passionately。

'Very　well　then；　dear。　　Write；'　he　said。

When　they　were　again　indoors；　she　sat　down　to　a　note；　but　after　a　while
threw　aside　her　pen　despairingly。　　'No：　　I　cannot　do　it！'　she　said。　　'I
can't　bend　my　pride　to　such　a　job。　　Will　YOU　write　for　me；　Jocelyn？'

'I？　　I　don't　see　why　I　should　be　the　one；　particularly　as　I　think　it
premature。'

'But　you　have　not　quarrelled　with　my　father　as　I　have　done。'

'Well　no。　　But　there　is　a　long…standing　antagonism；　which　would　make　it
odd　in　me　to　be　the　writer。　　Wait　till　we　are　married；　and　then　I　will
write。　　Not　till　then。'

'Then　I　suppose　I　must。　　You　don't　know　my　father。　　He　might　forgive　me
marrying　into　any　other　family　without　his　knowledge；　but　he　thinks
yours　such　a　mean　one；　and　so　resents　the　trade　rivalry；　that　he　would
never　pardon　till　the　day　of　his　death　my　becoming　a　Pierston　secretly。
I　didn't　see　it　at　first。'

This　remark　caused　an　unpleasant　jar　on　the　mind　of　Pierston。　　Despite
his　independent　artistic　position　in　London；　he　was　staunch　to　the
simple　old　parent　who　had　stubbornly　held　out　for　so　many　years　against
Bencomb's　encroaching　trade；　and　whose　money　had　educated　and
maintained　Jocelyn　as　an　art…student　in　the　best　schools。　　So　he　begged
her　to　say　no　more　about　his　mean　family；　and　she　silently　resumed　her
letter；　giving　an　address　at　a　post…office　that　their　quarters　might
not　be　discovered；　at　least　just　yet。

No　reply　came　by　return　of　post；　but；　rather　ominously；　some　letters
for　Marcia　that　had　arrived　at　her　father's　since　her　departure　were
sent　on　in　silence　to　the　address　given。　　She　opened　them　one　by　one；
till　on　reading　the　last；　she　exclaimed；　'Good　gracious！'　and　burst
into　laughter。

'What　is　it？'　asked　Pierston。

Marcia　began　to　read　the　letter　aloud。　　It　came　from　a　faithful　lover
of　hers；　a　youthful　Jersey　gentleman；　who　stated　that　he　was　soon　going
to　start　for　England　to　claim　his　darling；　according　to　her　plighted
word。

She　was　half　risible；　half　concerned。　　'What　shall　I　do？'　she　said。

'Do？　　My　dear　girl；　it　seems　to　me　that　there　is　only　one　thing　to　do；
and　that　a　very　obvious　thing。　　Tell　him　as　soon　as　possible　that　you
are　just　on　the　point　of　marriage。'

Marcia　thereupon　wrote　out　a　reply　to　that　effect；　Jocelyn　helping　her
to　shape　the　phrases　as　gently　as　possible。

'I　repeat'　（her　letter　concluded）　'that　I　had　quite　forgotten！　　I　am
deeply　sorry；　but　that　is　the　truth。　　I　have　told　my　intended　husband
everything；　and　he　is　looking　over　my　shoulder　as　I　write。'

Said　Jocelyn　when　he　saw　this　set　down：　　'You　might　leave　out　the　last
few　words。　　They　are　rather　an　extra　stab　for　the　poor　boy。'

'Stab？　　It　is　not　that；　dear。　　Why　does　he　want　to　come　bothering　me？
Jocelyn；　you　ought　to　be　very　proud　that　I　have　put　you　in　my　letter　at
all。　　You　said　yesterday　that　I　was　conceited　in　declaring　I　might　have
married　that　science…man　I　told　you　of。　　But　now　you　see　there　was　yet
another　available。'

He；　gloomily：　　'Well；　I　don't　care　to　hear　about　that。　　To　my　mind　this
sort　of　thing　is　decidedly　unpleasant；　though　you　treat　it　so　lightly。'

'Well；'　she　pouted；　'I　have　only　done　half　what　you　have　done！'

'What's　that？'

'I　have　only　proved　false　through　forgetfulness；　but　you　have　while
remembering！'

'O　yes；　of　course　you　can　use　Avice　Caro　as　a　retort。　　But　don't　vex　me
about　her；　and　make　me　do　such　an　unexpected　thing　as　regret　the
falseness。'

She　shut　her　mouth　tight；　and　her　face　flushed。

The　next　morning　there　did　come　an　answer　to　the　letter　asking　her
parents'　consent　to　her　union　with　him；　but　to　Marcia's　amazement　her
father　took　a　line　quite　other　than　the　one　she　had　expected　him　to
take。　　Whether　she　had　compromised　herself　or　whether　she　had　not
seemed　a　question　for　the　future　rather　than　the　present　with　him；　a
native　islander；　born　when　old　island　marriage　views　prevailed　in
families；　he　was　fixed　in　his　disapproval　of　her　marriage　with　a　hated
Pierston。　　He　did　not　consent；　he　would　not　say　more　till　he　could　see
her：　　if　she　had　any　sense　at　all　she　would；　if　still　unmarried；　return
to　the　home　from　which　she　had　evidently　been　enticed。　　He　would　then
see　what　he　could　do　for　her　in　the　desperate　circumstances　she　had
made　for　herself；　otherwise　he　would　do　nothing。

Pierston　could　not　help　being　sarcastic　at　her　father's　evidently　low
estimate　of　him　and　his　belongings；　and　Marcia　took　umbrage　at　his
sarcasms。

'I　am　the　one　deserving　of　satire　if　anybody！'　she　said。　　'I　begin　to
feel　I　was　a　foolish　girl　to　run　away　from　a　father　for　such　a　trumpery
reason　as　a　little　scolding　because　I　had　exceeded　my　allowance。'

'I　advised　you　to　go　back；　Marcie。'

'In　a　sort　of　way：　　not　in　the　right　tone。　　You　spoke　most
contemptuously　of　my　father's　honesty　as　a　merchant。'

'I　couldn't　speak　otherwise　of　him　than　I　did；　I'm　afraid；　knowing
what'。

'What　have　you　to　say　against　him？'

'Nothingto　you；　Marcie；　beyond　what　is　matter　of　common　notoriety。
Everybody　knows　that　at　one　time　he　made　it　the　business　of　his　life　to
ruin　my　father；　and　the　way　he　alludes　to　me　in　that　letter　shows　that
his　enmity　still　continues。'

'That　miser　ruined　by　an　open…handed　man　like　my　father！'　said　she。
'It　is　like　your　people's　misrepresentations　to　say　that！'

Marcia's　eyes　flashed；　and　her　face　burnt　with　an　angry　heat；　the
enhanced　beauty　which　this　warmth　might　have　brought　being　killed　by
the　rectilinear　sternness　of　countenance　that　came　therewith。

'Marciathis　temper　is　too　exasperating！　　I　could　give　you　every　step
of　the　proceeding　in　detailanybody　couldthe　getting　the　quarries
one　by　one；　and　everything；　my　father　only　holding　his　own　by　the　most
desperate　courage。　　There　is　no　blinking　facts。　　Our　parents'　relations
are　an　ugly　fact　in　the　circumstances　of　us　two　people　who　want　to
marry；　and　we　are　just　beginning　to　perceive　it；　and　how　we　are　going
to　get　over　it　I　cannot　tell。'

She　said　steadily：　　'I　don't　think　we　shall　get　over　it　at　all！'

'We　may　notwe　may　notaltogether；'　Pierston　murmured；　as　he　gazed　at
the　fine　picture　of　scorn　presented　by　his　Juno's　classical　face　and
dark　eyes。

'Unless　you　beg　my　pardon　for　having　behaved　so！'

Pierston　could　not　quite　bring　himself　to　see　that　he　had　behaved　badly
to　his　too　imperious　lady；　and　declined　to　ask　forgiveness　for　what　he
had　not　done。

She　thereupon　left　the　room。　　Later　in　the　day　she　re…entered　and　broke
a　silence　by　saying　bitterly：　　'I　showed　tempe