the well-beloved--a sketch of a temperament-第8部分

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She　thereupon　left　the　room。　　Later　in　the　day　she　re…entered　and　broke
a　silence　by　saying　bitterly：　　'I　showed　temper　just　now；　as　you　told
me。　　But　things　have　causes；　and　it　is　perhaps　a　mistake　that　you
should　have　deserted　Avice　for　me。　　Instead　of　wedding　Rosaline；　Romeo
must　needs　go　eloping　with　Juliet。　　It　was　a　fortunate　thing　for　the
affections　of　those　two　Veronese　lovers　that　they　died　when　they　did。
In　a　short　time　the　enmity　of　their　families　would　have　proved　a
fruitful　source　of　dissension；　Juliet　would　have　gone　back　to　her
people；　he　to　his；　the　subject　would　have　split　them　as　much　as　it
splits　us。'

Pierston　laughed　a　little。　　But　Marcia　was　painfully　serious；　as　he
found　at　tea…time；　when　she　said　that　since　his　refusal　to　beg　her
pardon　she　had　been　thinking　over　the　matter；　and　had　resolved　to　go　to
her　aunt's　after　allat　any　rate　till　her　father　could　be　induced　to
agree　to　their　union。　　Pierston　was　as　chilled　by　this　resolve　of　hers
as　he　was　surprised　at　her　independence　in　circumstances　which　usually
make　women　the　reverse。　　But　he　put　no　obstacles　in　her　way；　and；　with
a　kiss　strangely　cold　after　their　recent　ardour；　the　Romeo　of　the
freestone　Montagues　went　out　of　the　hotel；　to　avoid　even　the　appearance
of　coercing　his　Juliet　of　the　rival　house。　　When　he　returned　she　was
gone。


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A　correspondence　began　between　these　too…hastily　pledged　ones；　and　it
was　carried　on　in　terms　of　serious　reasoning　upon　their　awkward
situation　on　account　of　the　family　feud。　　They　saw　their　recent　love　as
what　it　was：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'Too　rash；　too　unadvised；　too　sudden；
　　　　　　Too　like　the　lightning。　。　。'

They　saw　it　with　an　eye　whose　calmness；　coldness；　and；　it　must　be
added；　wisdom；　did　not　promise　well　for　their　reunion。

Their　debates　were　clinched　by　a　final　letter　from　Marcia；　sent　from　no
other　place　than　her　recently　left　home　in　the　Isle。　　She　informed　him
that　her　father　had　appeared　suddenly　at　her　aunt's；　and　had　induced
her　to　go　home　with　him。　　She　had　told　her　father　all　the　circumstances
of　their　elopement；　and　what　mere　accidents　had　caused　it：　　he　had
persuaded　her　on　what　she　had　almost　been　convinced　of　by　their
disagreement；　that　all　thought　of　their　marriage　should　be　at　least
postponed　for　the　present；　any　awkwardness　and　even　scandal　being
better　than　that　they　should　immediately　unite　themselves　for　life　on
the　strength　of　a　two　or　three　days'　resultless　passion；　and　be　the
wretched　victims　of　a　situation　they　could　never　change。

Pierston　saw　plainly　enough　that　he　owed　it　to　her　father　being　a　born
islander；　with　all　the　ancient　island　notions　of　matrimony　lying
underneath　his　acquired　conventions；　that　the　stone…merchant　did　not
immediately　insist　upon　the　usual　remedy　for　a　daughter's　precipitancy
in　such　cases；　but　preferred　to　await　issues。

But　the　young　man　still　thought　that　Marcia　herself；　when　her　temper
had　quite　cooled；　and　she　was　more　conscious　of　her　real　position；
would　return　to　him；　in　spite　of　the　family　hostility。　　There　was　no
social　reason　against　such　a　step。　　In　birth　the　pair　were　about　on　one
plane；　and　though　Marcia's　family　had　gained　a　start　in　the
accumulation　of　wealth；　and　in　the　beginnings　of　social　distinction；
which　lent　colour　to　the　feeling　that　the　advantages　of　the　match　would
be　mainly　on　one　side；　Pierston　was　a　sculptor　who　might　rise　to　fame；
so　that　potentially　their　marriage　could　not　be　considered　inauspicious
for　a　woman　who；　beyond　being　the　probable　heiress　to　a　considerable
fortune；　had　no　exceptional　opportunities。

Thus；　though　disillusioned；　he　felt　bound　in　honour　to　remain　on　call
at　his　London　address　as　long　as　there　was　the　slightest　chance　of
Marcia's　reappearance；　or　of　the　arrival　of　some　message　requesting　him
to　join　her；　that　they　might；　after　all；　go　to　the　altar　together。　　Yet
in　the　night　he　seemed　to　hear　sardonic　voices；　and　laughter　in　the
wind　at　this　development　of　his　little　romance；　and　during　the　slow　and
colourless　days　he　had　to　sit　and　behold　the　mournful　departure　of　his
Well…Beloved　from　the　form　he　had　lately　cherished；　till　she　had　almost
vanished　away。　　The　exact　moment　of　her　complete　withdrawal　Pierston
knew　not；　but　not　many　lines　of　her　were　longer　discernible　in　Marcia's
remembered　contours；　nor　many　sounds　of　her　in　Marcia's　recalled
accents。　　Their　acquaintance；　though　so　fervid；　had　been　too　brief　for
such　lingering。

There　came　a　time　when　he　learnt；　through　a　trustworthy　channel；　two
pieces　of　news　affecting　himself。　　One　was　the　marriage　of　Avice　Caro
with　her　cousin；　the　other　that　the　Bencombs　had　started　on　a　tour
round　the　world；　which　was　to　include　a　visit　to　a　relation　of　Mr。
Bencomb's　who　was　a　banker　in　San　Francisco。　　Since　retiring　from　his
former　large　business　the　stone　merchant　had　not　known　what　to　do　with
his　leisure；　and　finding　that　travel　benefited　his　health　he　had
decided　to　indulge　himself　thus。　　Although　he　was　not　so　informed；
Pierston　concluded　that　Marcia　had　discovered　that　nothing　was　likely
to　happen　as　a　consequence　of　their　elopement；　and　that　she　had
accompanied　her　parents。　　He　was　more　than　ever　struck　with　what　this
signifiedher　father's　obstinate　antagonism　to　her　union　with　one　of
his　blood　and　name。



1。　IX。　　FAMILIAR　PHENOMENA　IN　THE　DISTANCE

By　degrees　Pierston　began　to　trace　again　the　customary　lines　of　his
existence；　and　his　profession　occupied　him　much　as　of　old。　　The　next
year　or　two　only　once　brought　him　tidings；　through　some　residents　at
his　former　home；　of　the　movements　of　the　Bencombs。　　The　extended　voyage
of　Marcia's　parents　had　given　them　quite　a　zest　for　other　scenes　and
countries；　and　it　was　said　that　her　father；　a　man　still　in　vigorous
health　except　at　brief　intervals；　was　utilizing　the　outlook　which　his
cosmopolitanism　afforded　him　by　investing　capital　in　foreign
undertakings。　　What　he　had　supposed　turned　out　to　be　true；　Marcia　was
with　them；　no　necessity　for　joining　him　had　arisen；　and　thus　the
separation　of　himself　and　his　nearly　married　wife　by　common　consent　was
likely　to　be　a　permanent　one。

It　seemed　as　if　he　would　scarce　ever　again　discover　the　carnate
dwelling…place　of　the　haunting　minion　of　his　imagination。　　Having　gone
so　near　to　matrimony　with　Marcia　as　to　apply　for　a　licence；　he　had　felt
for　a　long　while　morally　bound　to　her　by　the　incipient　contract；　and
would　not　intentionally　look　about　him　in　search　of　the　vanished
Ideality。　　Thus　during　the　first　year　of　Miss　Bencomb's　absence；　when
absolutely　bound　to　keep　faith　with　the　elusive　one's　late　incarnation
if　she　should　return　to　claim　him；　this　man　of　the　odd　fancy　would
sometimes　tremble　at　the　thought　of　what　would　become　of　his　solemn
intention　if　the　Phantom　were　suddenly　to　disclose　herself　in　an
unexpected　quarter；　and　seduce　him　before　he　was　aware。　　Once　or　twice
he　imagined　that　he　saw　her　in　the　distanceat　the　end　of　a　street；　on
the　far　sands　of　a　shore；　in　a　window；　in　a　meadow；　at　the　opposite
side　of　a　railway　station；　but　he　determinedly　turned　on　his　heel；　and
walked　the　other　way。

During　the　many　uneventful　seasons　that　followed　Marcia's　stroke　of
independence　（for　which　he　was　not　without　a　secret　admiration　at
times）；　Jocelyn　threw　into　plastic　creations　that　ever…bubbling　spring
of　emotion　which；　without　some　conduit　into　space；　will　surge　upwards
and　ruin　all　but　the　greatest　men。　　It　was　probably　owing　to　this；
certainly　not　on　account　of　any　care　or　anxiety　for　such　a　result；　that
he　was　successful　in　his　art；　successful　by　a　seemingly　sudden　spurt；
which　carried　him　at　one　bound　over　the　hindrances　of　years。

He　prospered　without　effort。　　He　was　A。R。A。

But　recognitions　of　this　sort；　social　distinctions；　which　he　had　once
coveted　so　keenly；　seemed　to　have　no　utility　for　him　now。　　By　the
accident　of　being　a　bachelor；　he　was　floating　in　society　without　any
soul…anchorage　or　shrine　that　he　could　call　his　own；　and；　for　want　of　a
domestic　centre　round　which　honours　might　crystallize；　they　dispersed
impalpably　without　accumulating　and　adding　weight　to　his　material　well…
being。

He　would　have　gone　on　working　with　his　chisel　with　just　as　much　zest　if
his　creations　had　been　doomed　to　meet　no　mortal　eye　but　his　own。　　This
indifference　to　the　popular　reception　of　his　dream…figures　lent　him　a
curious　artistic　aplomb　that　carried　him　through　the　gusts　of　opinion
without　suffering　them　to　disturb　his　inherent　bias。

The　study　of　beauty　was　his　only　joy　for　years　onward。　　In　the　streets
he　would　observe　a　face；　or　a　fraction　of　a　face；　which　seemed　to
express　to　a　hair's…breadth　in　mutable　flesh　what　he　was　at　that　moment
wishing　to　express　in　durable　shape。　　He　would　dodge　and　follow　the
owner　like　a　detective；　in　omnibus；　in　cab；　in　steam…boat；　through
crowds；　into　shops；　churches；　theatres；　public…houses；　and　slums
mostly；　when　at　close　quarters；　to　be　disappointed　for　his　pains。

In　these　professional　beauty…chases　he　sometimes　cast　his　eye　across
the　Thames　to　the　wharves　on　the　south　side；　and　to　that　particular　one
whereat　his　father's　tons　of　freestone　were　daily　landed　from　the
ketches　of　the　south　coast。　　He　could　occasionally　discern　the　white
blocks　lying　there；　vast　cubes　so　persistently　nibbled　by　his　parent
from　his　island　rock　in　the　English　Channel；　that　it　seemed　as　if　in
time　it　would　be　nibbled　all　away。

One　thing　it　passed　him　to　understand：　　on　what　field　of　observation
the　poets　and　philosophers　based　their　assumption　that　the　passion　of
love　was　intensest　in　youth　and　burnt　lower　as　maturity　advanced。　　It
was　possibly　because　of　his　utter　domestic　loneliness　that；　during　the
productive　interval　which　followed　the　first　years　of　Marcia's
departure；　when　he　was　drifting　along　from　five…and…twenty　to　eight…
and…thirty；　Pierston　occasionally　loved　with　an　ardourthough；　it　is
true；　also　with　a　self…controlunknown　to　him　when　he　was　green　in
judgment。


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His　whimsical　isle…bred　fancy　had　grown　to　be　such　an　emotion　that　the
Well…Belovednow　again　visiblewas　always　existing　somewhere　near
him。　　For