the well-beloved--a sketch of a temperament-第24部分

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indifference。

At　first　Pierston　had　sent　her　sums　of　money　privately；　fearing　lest
her　husband　should　deny　her　material　comforts；　but　he　soon　found；　to
his　great　relief；　that　such　help　was　unnecessary；　social　ambition
prompting　Ike　to　set　up　as　quite　a　gentleman…islander；　and　to　allow
Avice　a　scope　for　show　which　he　would　never　have　allowed　in　mere
kindness。

Being　in　Rome；　as　aforesaid；　Pierston　returned　one　evening　to　his　hotel
to　dine；　after　spending　the　afternoon　among　the　busts　in　the　long
gallery　of　the　Vatican。　　The　unconscious　habit；　common　to　so　many
people；　of　tracing　likes　in　unlikes　had　often　led　him　to　discern；　or　to
fancy　he　discerned；　in　the　Roman　atmosphere；　in　its　lights　and　shades；
and　particularly　in　its　reflected　or　secondary　lights；　something
resembling　the　atmosphere　of　his　native　promontory。　　Perhaps　it　was
that　in　each　case　the　eye　was　mostly　resting　on　stonethat　the
quarries　of　ruins　in　the　Eternal　City　reminded　him　of　the　quarries　of
maiden　rock　at　home。

This　being　in　his　mind　when　he　sat　down　to　dinner　at　the　common　table；
he　was　surprised　to　hear　an　American　gentleman；　who　sat　opposite；
mention　the　name　of　Pierston's　birthplace。　　The　American　was　talking　to
a　friend　about　a　ladyan　English　widow；　whose　acquaintance　they　had
renewed　somewhere　in　the　Channel　Islands　during　a　recent　tour；　after
having　known　her　as　a　young　woman　who　came　to　San　Francisco　with　her
father　and　mother　many　years　before。　　Her　father　was　then　a　rich　man
just　retired　from　the　business　of　a　stone…merchant　in　the　Isle　of
Slingers；　but　he　had　engaged　in　large　speculations；　and　had　lost　nearly
all　his　fortune。　　Jocelyn　further　gathered　that　the　widowed　daughter's
name　was　Mrs。　Leverre；　that　she　had　a　step…son；　her　husband　having　been
a　Jersey　gentleman；　a　widower；　and　that　the　step…son　seemed　to　be　a
promising　and　interesting　young　man。

Pierston　was　instantly　struck　with　the　perception　that　these　and　other
allusions；　though　general；　were　in　accord　with　the　history　of　his　long…
lost　Marcia。　　He　hardly　felt　any　desire　to　hunt　her　up　after　nearly　two
score　years　of　separation；　but　he　was　impressed　enough　to　resolve　to
exchange　a　word　with　the　strangers　as　soon　as　he　could　get　opportunity。

He　could　not　well　attract　their　attention　through　the　plants　upon　the
wide　table；　and　even　if　he　had　been　able　he　was　disinclined　to　ask
questions　in　public。　　He　waited　on　till　dinner　was　over；　and　when　the
strangers　withdrew　Pierston　withdrew　in　their　rear。

They　were　not　in　the　drawing…room；　and　he　found　that　they　had　gone　out。
There　was　no　chance　of　overtaking　them；　but　Pierston；　waked　to
restlessness　by　their　remarks；　wandered　up　and　down　the　adjoining
Piazza　di　Spagna；　thinking　they　might　return。　　The　streets　below　were
immersed　in　shade；　the　front　of　the　church　of　the　Trinita　de'　Monti　at
the　top　was　flooded　with　orange　light；　the　gloom　of　evening　gradually
intensifying　upon　the　broad；　long　flight　of　steps；　which　foot…
passengers　incessantly　ascended　and　descended　with　the　insignificance
of　ants；　the　dusk　wrapped　up　the　house　to　the　left；　in　which　Shelley
had　lived；　and　that　to　the　right；　in　which　Keats　had　died。

Getting　back　to　the　hotel　he　learnt　that　the　Americans　had　only　dropped
in　to　dine；　and　were　staying　elsewhere。　　He　saw　no　more　of　them；　and　on
reflection　he　was　not　deeply　concerned；　for　what　earthly　woman；　going
off　in　a　freak　as　Marcia　had　done；　and　keeping　silence　so　long；　would
care　for　a　belated　friendship　with　him　now　in　the　sere；　even　if　he　were
to　take　the　trouble　to　discover　her。


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Thus　much　Marcia。　　The　other　thread　of　his　connection　with　the　ancient
Isle　of　Slingers　was　stirred　by　a　letter　he　received　from　Avice　a
little　after　this　date；　in　which　she　stated　that　her　husband　Ike　had
been　killed　in　his　own　quarry　by　an　accident　within　the　past　year；　that
she　herself　had　been　ill；　and　though　well　again；　and　left　amply
provided　for；　she　would　like　to　see　him　if　he　ever　came　that　way。

As　she　had　not　communicated　for　several　long　years；　her　expressed　wish
to　see　him　now　was　likely　to　be　prompted　by　something　more；　something
newer；　than　memories　of　him。　　Yet　the　manner　of　her　writing　precluded
all　suspicion　that　she　was　thinking　of　him　as　an　old　lover　whose　suit
events　had　now　made　practicable。　　He　told　her　he　was　sorry　to　hear　that
she　had　been　ill；　and　that　he　would　certainly　take　an　early　opportunity
of　going　down　to　her　home　on　his　next　visit　to　England。

He　did　more。　　Her　request　had　revived　thoughts　of　his　old　home　and　its
associations；　and　instead　of　awaiting　other　reasons　for　a　return　he
made　her　the　operating　one。　　About　a　week　later　he　stood　once　again　at
the　foot　of　the　familiar　steep　whereon　the　houses　at　the　entrance　to
the　Isle　were　perched　like　grey　pigeons　on　a　roof…side。

At　Top…o'…Hillas　the　summit　of　the　rock　was　mostly　calledhe　stood
looking　at　the　busy　doings　in　the　quarries　beyond；　where　the　numerous
black　hoisting…cranes　scattered　over　the　central　plateau　had　the
appearance　of　a　swarm　of　crane…flies　resting　there。　　He　went　a　little
further；　made　some　general　inquiries　about　the　accident　which　had
carried　off　Avice's　husband　in　the　previous　year；　and　learnt　that
though　now　a　widow；　she　had　plenty　of　friends　and　sympathizers　about
her；　which　rendered　any　immediate　attention　to　her　on　his　part
unnecessary。　　Considering；　therefore；　that　there　was　no　great　reason
why　he　should　call　on　her　so　soon；　and　without　warning；　he　turned　back。
Perhaps　after　all　her　request　had　been　dictated　by　a　momentary　feeling
only；　and　a　considerable　strangeness　to　each　other　must　naturally　be
the　result　of　a　score　of　dividing　years。　　Descending　to　the　bottom　he
took　his　seat　in　the　train　on　the　shore；　which　soon　carried　him　along
the　Bank；　and　round　to　the　watering…place　five　miles　off；　at　which　he
had　taken　up　his　quarters　for　a　few　days。

Here；　as　he　stayed　on；　his　local　interests　revived。　　Whenever　he　went
out　he　could　see　the　island　that　was　once　his　home　lying　like　a　great
snail　upon　the　sea　across　the　bay。　　It　was　the　spring　of　the　year；
local　steamers　had　begun　to　run；　and　he　was　never　tired　of　standing　on
the　thinly　occupied　deck　of　one　of　these　as　it　skirted　the　island　and
revealed　to　him　on　the　cliffs　far　up　its　height　the　ruins　of　Red…King
Castle；　behind　which　the　little　village　of　East　Quarriers　lay。

Thus　matters　went　on；　if　they　did　not　rather　stand　still；　for　several
days　before　Pierston　redeemed　his　vague　promise　to　seek　Avice　out。　　And
in　the　meantime　he　was　surprised　by　the　arrival　of　another　letter　from
her　by　a　roundabout　route。　　She　had　heard；　she　said；　that　he　had　been
on　the　island；　and　imagined　him　therefore　to　be　staying　somewhere　near。
Why　did　he　not　call　as　he　had　told　her　he　would　do？　　She　was　always
thinking　of　him；　and　wishing　to　see　him。

Her　tone　was　anxious；　and　there　was　no　doubt　that　she　really　had
something　to　say　which　she　did　not　want　to　write。　　He　wondered　what　it
could　be；　and　started　the　same　afternoon。

Avice；　who　had　been　little　in　his　mind　of　late　years；　began　to　renew
for　herself　a　distinct　position　therein。　　He　was　fully　aware　that　since
his　earlier　manhood　a　change　had　come　over　his　regard　of　womankind。
Once　the　individual　had　been　nothing　more　to　him　than　the　temporary
abiding…place　of　the　typical　or　ideal；　now　his　heart　showed　its　bent　to
be　a　growing　fidelity　to　the　specimen；　with　all　her　pathetic　flaws　of
detail；　which　flaws；　so　far　from　sending　him　further；　increased　his
tenderness。　　This　maturer　feeling；　if　finer　and　higher；　was　less
convenient　than　the　old。　　Ardours　of　passion　could　be　felt　as　in　youth
without　the　recuperative　intervals　which　had　accompanied　evanescence。

The　first　sensation　was　to　find　that　she　had　long　ceased　to　live　in　the
little　freehold　cottage　she　had　occupied　of　old。　　In　answer　to　his
inquiries　he　was　directed　along　the　road　to　the　west　of　the　modern
castle；　past　the　entrance　on　that　side；　and　onward　to　the　very　house
that　had　once　been　his　own　home。　　There　it　stood　as　of　yore；　facing　up
the　Channel；　a　comfortable　roomy　structure；　the　euonymus　and　other
shrubs；　which　alone　would　stand　in　the　teeth　of　the　salt　wind；　living
on　at　about　the　same　stature　in　front　of　it；　but　the　paint…work　much
renewed。　　A　thriving　man　had　resided　there　of　late；　evidently。

The　widow　in　mourning　who　received　him　in　the　front　parlour　was；　alas！
but　the　sorry　shadow　of　Avice　the　Second。　　How　could　he　have　fancied
otherwise　after　twenty　years？　　Yet　he　had　been　led　to　fancy　otherwise；
almost　without　knowing　it；　by　feeling　himself　unaltered。　　Indeed；
curiously　enough；　nearly　the　first　words　she　said　to　him　were：　　'Why
you　are　just　the　same！'

'Just　the　same。　　Yes；　I　am；　Avice；'　he　answered　sadly；　for　this
inability　to　ossify　with　the　rest　of　his　generation　threw　him　out　of
proportion　with　the　time。　　Moreover；　while　wearing　the　aspect　of
comedy；　it　was　of　the　nature　of　tragedy。

'It　is　well　to　be　you；　sir；'　she　went　on。　　'I　have　had　troubles　to　take
the　bloom　off　me！'

'Yes；　I　have　been　sorry　for　you。'

She　continued　to　regard　him　curiously；　with　humorous　interest；　and　he
knew　what　was　passing　in　her　mind：　　that　this　man；　to　whom　she　had
formerly　looked　up　as　to　a　person　far　in　advance　of　her　along　the　lane
of　life；　seemed　now　to　be　a　well…adjusted　contemporary；　the　pair　of
them　observing　the　world　with　fairly　level　eyes。

He　had　come　to　her　with　warmth　for　a　vision　which；　on　reaching　her；　he
found　to　have　departed；　and；　though　fairly　weaned　by　the　natural
reality；　he　was　so　far　staunch　as　to　linger　hankeringly。　　They　talked
of　past　days；　his　old　attachment；　which　she　had　then　despised；　being
now　far　more　absorbing　and　present　to　her　than　to　himself。

She　unmistakably　won　upon　him　as　he　sat　on。　　A　curious　closeness
between　them　had　been　produced　in　his　imagination　by　the　discovery　that
she　was　passing　her　life　within　the　house　of　his　own　childhood。　　Her
similar　surname　meant　little　here；　but　it　was　also　his；　and；　added　to
the　identity　of　domicile；　lent　a　strong　suggestiveness　to　the　accident。

'This　is　where　I　used　to　sit　when　my　parents　occupied　the　house；'　he
said；　plac