the well-beloved--a sketch of a temperament-第9部分

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Well…Belovednow　again　visiblewas　always　existing　somewhere　near
him。　　For　months　he　would　find　her　on　the　stage　of　a　theatre：　　then　she
would　flit　away；　leaving　the　poor；　empty　carcase　that　had　lodged　her　to
mumm　on　as　best　it　could　without　hera　sorry　lay　figure　to　his　eyes；
heaped　with　imperfections　and　sullied　with　commonplace。　　She　would
reappear；　it　might　be；　in　an　at　first　unnoticed　lady；　met　at　some
fashionable　evening　party；　exhibition；　bazaar；　or　dinner；　to　flit　from
her；　in　turn；　after　a　few　months；　and　stand　as　a　graceful　shop…girl　at
some　large　drapery　warehouse　into　which　he　had　strayed　on　an
unaccustomed　errand。　　Then　she　would　forsake　this　figure　and　redisclose
herself　in　the　guise　of　some　popular　authoress；　piano…player；　or
fiddleress；　at　whose　shrine　he　would　worship　for　perhaps　a　twelvemonth。
Once　she　was　a　dancing…girl　at　the　Royal　Moorish　Palace　of　Varieties；
though　during　her　whole　continuance　at　that　establishment　he　never　once
exchanged　a　word　with　her；　nor　did　she　first　or　last　ever　dream　of　his
existence。　　He　knew　that　a　ten…minutes'　conversation　in　the　wings　with
the　substance　would　send　the　elusive　haunter　scurrying　fearfully　away
into　some　other　even　less　accessible　mask…figure。

She　was　a　blonde；　a　brunette；　tall；　petite；　svelte；　straight…featured；
full；　curvilinear。　　Only　one　quality　remained　unalterable：　　her
instability　of　tenure。　　In　Borne's　phrase；　nothing　was　permanent　in　her
but　change。

'It　is　odd；'　he　said　to　himself；　'that　this　experience　of　mine；　or
idiosyncrasy；　or　whatever　it　is；　which　would　be　sheer　waste　of　time　for
other　men；　creates　sober　business　for　me。'　　For　all　these　dreams　he
translated　into　plaster；　and　found　that　by　them　he　was　hitting　a　public
taste　he　had　never　deliberately　aimed　at；　and　mostly　despised。　　He　was；
in　short；　in　danger　of　drifting　away　from　a　solid　artistic　reputation
to　a　popularity　which　might　possibly　be　as　brief　as　it　would　be
brilliant　and　exciting。

'You　will　be　caught　some　day；　my　friend；'　Somers　would　occasionally
observe　to　him。　　'I　don't　mean　to　say　entangled　in　anything
discreditable；　for　I　admit　that　you　are　in　practice　as　ideal　as　in
theory。　　I　mean　the　process　will　be　reversed。　　Some　woman；　whose　Well…
Beloved　flits　about　as　yours　does　now；　will　catch　your　eye；　and　you'll
stick　to　her　like　a　limpet；　while　she　follows　her　Phantom　and　leaves
you　to　ache　as　you　will。'

'You　may　be　right；　but　I　think　you　are　wrong；'　said　Pierston。　　'As
flesh　she　dies　daily；　like　the　Apostle's　corporeal　self；　because　when　I
grapple　with　the　reality　she's　no　longer　in　it；　so　that　I　cannot　stick
to　one　incarnation　if　I　would。'

'Wait　till　you　are　older；'　said　Somers。



PART　SECOND　　　　A　YOUNG　MAN　OF　FORTY



　　　　　'Since　Love　will　needs　that　I　shall　love；
　　　　　　Of　very　force　I　must　agree：
　　　　　　And　since　no　chance　may　it　remove
　　　　　　In　wealth　and　in　adversity
　　　　　　I　shall　alway　myself　apply
　　　　　　To　serve　and　suffer　patiently。'
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Sir　T。　Wyatt。



2。　I。　　THE　OLD　PHANTOM　BECOMES　DISTINCT

In　the　course　of　these　long　years　Pierston's　artistic　emotions　were
abruptly　suspended　by　the　news　of　his　father's　sudden　death　at
Sandbourne；　whither　the　stone…merchant　had　gone　for　a　change　of　air　by
the　advice　of　his　physician。

Mr。　Pierston；　senior；　it　must　be　admitted；　had　been　something　miserly
in　his　home　life；　as　Marcia　had　so　rashly　reminded　his　son。　　But　he　had
never　stinted　Jocelyn。　　He　had　been　rather　a　hard　taskmaster；　though　as
a　paymaster　trustworthy；　a　ready…money　man；　just　and　ungenerous。　　To
every　one's　surprise；　the　capital　he　had　accumulated　in　the　stone　trade
was　of　large　amount　for　a　business　so　unostentatiously　carried　onmuch
larger　than　Jocelyn　had　ever　regarded　as　possible。　　While　the　son　had
been　modelling　and　chipping　his　ephemeral　fancies　into　perennial
shapes；　the　father　had　been　persistently　chiselling　for　half　a　century
at　the　crude　original　matter　of　those　shapes；　the　stern；　isolated　rock
in　the　Channel；　and　by　the　aid　of　his　cranes　and　pulleys；　his　trolleys
and　his　boats；　had　sent　off　his　spoil　to　all　parts　of　Great　Britain。
When　Jocelyn　had　wound　up　everything　and　disposed　of　the　business；　as
recommended　by　his　father's　will；　he　found　himself　enabled　to　add　about
eighty　thousand　pounds　to　the　twelve　thousand　which　he　already
possessed　from　professional　and　other　sources。

After　arranging　for　the　sale　of　some　freehold　properties　in　the　island
other　than　quarriesfor　he　did　not　intend　to　reside　therehe　returned
to　town。　　He　often　wondered　what　had　become　of　Marcia。　　He　had　promised
never　to　trouble　her；　nor　for　a　whole　twenty　years　had　he　done　so；
though　he　had　often　sighed　for　her　as　a　friend　of　sterling　common　sense
in　practical　difficulties。

Her　parents　were；　he　believed；　dead；　and　she；　he　knew；　had　never　gone
back　to　the　isle。　　Possibly　she　had　formed　some　new　tie　abroad；　and　had
made　it　next　to　impossible　to　discover　her　by　her　old　name。

A　reposeful　time　ensued。　　Almost　his　first　entry　into　society　after　his
father's　death　occurred　one　evening；　when；　for　want　of　knowing　what
better　to　do；　he　responded　to　an　invitation　sent　by　one　of　the　few
ladies　of　rank　whom　he　numbered　among　his　friends；　and　set　out　in　a　cab
for　the　square　wherein　she　lived　during　three　or　four　months　of　the
year。

The　hansom　turned　the　corner；　and　he　obtained　a　raking　view　of　the
houses　along　the　north　side；　of　which　hers　was　one；　with　the　familiar
linkman　at　the　door。　　There　were　Chinese　lanterns；　too；　on　the　balcony。
He　perceived　in　a　moment　that　the　customary　'small　and　early'　reception
had　resolved　itself　on　this　occasion　into　something　very　like　great　and
late。　　He　remembered　that　there　had　just　been　a　political　crisis；　which
accounted　for　the　enlargement　of　the　Countess　of　Channelcliffe's
assembly；　for　hers　was　one　of　the　neutral　or　non…political　houses　at
which　party　politics　are　more　freely　agitated　than　at　the　professedly
party　gatherings。

There　was　such　a　string　of　carriages　that　Pierston　did　not　wait　to　take
his　turn　at　the　door；　but　unobtrusively　alighted　some　yards　off　and
walked　forward。　　He　had　to　pause　a　moment　behind　the　wall　of　spectators
which　barred　his　way；　and　as　he　paused　some　ladies　in　white　cloaks
crossed　from　their　carriages　to　the　door　on　the　carpet　laid　for　the
purpose。　　He　had　not　seen　their　faces；　nothing　of　them　but　vague　forms；
and　yet　he　was　suddenly　seized　with　a　presentiment。　　Its　gist　was　that
he　might　be　going　to　re…encounter　the　Well…Beloved　that　night：　　after
her　recent　long　hiding　she　meant　to　reappear　and　intoxicate　him。　　That
liquid　sparkle　of　her　eye；　that　lingual　music；　that　turn　of　the　head；
how　well　he　knew　it　all；　despite　the　many　superficial　changes；　and　how
instantly　he　would　recognize　it　under　whatever　complexion；　contour；
accent；　height；　or　carriage　that　it　might　choose　to　masquerade！

Pierston's　other　conjecture；　that　the　night　was　to　be　a　lively
political　one；　received　confirmation　as　soon　as　he　reached　the　hall；
where　a　simmer　of　excitement　was　perceptible　as　surplus　or　overflow
from　above　down　the　staircasea　feature　which　he　had　always　noticed　to
be　present　when　any　climax　or　sensation　had　been　reached　in　the　world
of　party　and　faction。

'And　where　have　you　been　keeping　yourself　so　long；　young　man？'　said　his
hostess　archly；　when　he　had　shaken　hands　with　her。　　（Pierston　was
always　regarded　as　a　young　man；　though　he　was　now　about　forty。）　　'O
yes；　of　course；　I　remember；'　she　added；　looking　serious　in　a　moment　at
thought　of　his　loss。　　The　Countess　was　a　woman　with　a　good…natured
manner　verging　on　that　oft…claimed　feminine　quality；　humour；　and　was
quickly　sympathetic。

She　then　began　to　tell　him　of　a　scandal　in　the　political　side　to　which
she　nominally　belonged；　one　that　had　come　out　of　the　present　crisis；
and　that；　as　for　herself；　she　had　sworn　to　abjure　politics　for　ever　on
account　of　it；　so　that　he　was　to　regard　her　forthwith　as　a　more　neutral
householder　than　ever。　　By　this　time　some　more　people　had　surged
upstairs；　and　Pierston　prepared　to　move　on。

'You　are　looking　for　somebodyI　can　see　that；'　said　she。

'Yesa　lady；'　said　Pierston。

'Tell　me　her　name；　and　I'll　try　to　think　if　she's　here。'

'I　cannot；　I　don't　know　it；'　he　said。

'Indeed！　What　is　she　like？'

'I　cannot　describe　her；　not　even　her　complexion　or　dress。'

Lady　Channelcliffe　looked　a　pout；　as　if　she　thought　he　were　teasing
her；　and　he　moved　on　in　the　current。　　The　fact　was　that；　for　a　moment；
Pierston　fancied　he　had　made　the　sensational　discovery　that　the　One　he
was　in　search　of　lurked　in　the　person　of　the　very　hostess　he　had
conversed　with；　who　was　charming　always；　and　particularly　charming　to…
night；　he　was　just　feeling　an　incipient　consternation　at　the
possibility　of　such　a　jade's　trick　in　his　Beloved；　who　had　once　before
chosen　to　embody　herself　as　a　married　woman；　though；　happily；　at　that
time　with　no　serious　results。　　However；　he　felt　that　he　had　been
mistaken；　and　that　the　fancy　had　been　solely　owing　to　the　highly
charged　electric　condition　in　which　he　had　arrived　by　reason　of　his
recent　isolation。

The　whole　set　of　rooms　formed　one　great　utterance　of　the　opinions　of
the　hour。　　The　gods　of　party　were　present　with　their　embattled
seraphim；　but　the　brilliancy　of　manner　and　form　in　the　handling　of
public　questions　was　only　less　conspicuous　than　the　paucity　of　original
ideas。　　No　principles　of　wise　government　had　place　in　any　mind；　a　blunt
and　jolly　personalism　as　to　the　Ins　and　Outs　animating　all。　　But
Jocelyn's　interest　did　not　run　in　this　stream：　　he　was　like　a　stone　in
a　purling　brook；　waiting　for　some　peculiar　floating　object　to　be
brought　towards　him　and　to　stick　upon　his　mental　surface。

Thus　looking　for　the　next　new　version　of　the　fair　figure；　he　did　not
consider　at　the　moment；　though　he　had　done　so　at　other　times；　that　this
presentiment　of　meeting　her　was；　of　all　presentiments；　just　the　sort　of
one　to　work　out　its　own　fulfilment。

He　looked　for　her　in　the　knot　of　persons　gathered　round　a　past　Prime
Minister　who　was　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　largest　room　discoursing
in　the　genial；　almost　jovial；　manner　natural　to　him　at　these　times。
The　two　o