第156章

第156章itwastrue.thoughmr.rivershadstartedatthefirstofthosemusicalaccents,asifathunderbolthadsplitacloudoverhishead,hestoodyet,atthecloseofthesentence,inthesameattitudeinwhichthespeakerhadsurprisedhim—hisarmrestingonthegate,hisfacedirectedtowardsthewest.heturnedatlast,withmeasureddeliberation.avision,asitseemedtome,hadrisenathisside.thereappeared,withinthreefeetofhim,aformcladinpurewhite—ayouthful,gracefulform:full,yetfineincontour;andwhen,afterbendingtocaresscarlo,itliftedupitshead,andthrewbackalongveil,therebloomedunderhisglanceafaceofperfectbeauty.perfectbeautyisastrongexpression;butidonotretraceorqualifyit:assweetfeaturesaseverthetemperateclimeofalbionmoulded;aspurehuesofroseandlilyaseverherhumidgalesandvapouryskiesgeneratedandscreened,justified,inthisinstance,theterm.nocharmwaswanting,nodefectwasperceptible;theyounggirlhadregularanddelicatelineaments;eyesshapedandcolouredasweseetheminlovelypictures,large,anddark,andfull;thelongandshadowyeyelashwhichencirclesafineeyewithsosoftafascination;thepencilledbrowwhichgivessuchclearness;thewhitesmoothforehead,whichaddssuchreposetothelivelierbeautiesoftintandray;thecheekoval,fresh,andsmooth;thelips,freshtoo,ruddy,healthy,sweetlyformed;theevenandgleamingteethwithoutflaw;thesmalldimpledchin;theornamentofrich,plenteoustresses—alladvantages,inshort,which,combined,realisetheidealofbeauty,werefullyhers.iwondered,asilookedatthisfaircreature:iadmiredherwithmywholeheart.naturehadsurelyformedherinapartialmood;and,forgettingherusualstintedstep-motherdoleofgifts,hadendowedthis,herdarling,withagrand-dame’sbounty.

whatdidst.johnriversthinkofthisearthlyangel?inaturallyaskedmyselfthatquestionasisawhimturntoherandlookather;and,asnaturally,isoughttheanswertotheinquiryinhiscountenance.hehadalreadywithdrawnhiseyefromtheperi,andwaslookingatahumbletuftofdaisieswhichgrewbythewicket.

“alovelyevening,butlateforyoutobeoutalone,”hesaid,ashecrushedthesnowyheadsoftheclosedflowerswithhisfoot.

“oh,ionlycamehomefroms—”(shementionedthenameofalargetownsometwentymilesdistant)“thisafternoon.papatoldmeyouhadopenedyourschool,andthatthenewmistresswascome;andsoiputonmybonnetaftertea,andranupthevalleytoseeher:thisisshe?”pointingtome.

“itis,”saidst.john.

“doyouthinkyoushalllikemorton?”sheaskedofme,withadirectandnaivesimplicityoftoneandmanner,pleasing,ifchild-like.

“ihopeishall.ihavemanyinducementstodoso.”

“didyoufindyourscholarsasattentiveasyouexpected?”

“quite.”

“doyoulikeyourhouse?”

“verymuch.”

“haveifurnisheditnicely?”

“verynicely,indeed.”

“andmadeagoodchoiceofanattendantforyouinalicewood?”

“youhaveindeed.sheisteachableandhandy.”(thisthen,ithought,ismissoliver,theheiress;favoured,itseems,inthegiftsoffortune,aswellasinthoseofnature!whathappycombinationoftheplanetspresidedoverherbirth,iwonder?)

“ishallcomeupandhelpyoutoteachsometimes,”sheadded.“itwillbeachangeformetovisityounowandthen;andilikeachange.mr.rivers,ihavebeensogayduringmystayats—.lastnight,orratherthismorning,iwasdancingtilltwoo’clock.the—thregimentarestationedtheresincetheriots;andtheofficersarethemostagreeablemenintheworld:theyputallouryoungknife-grindersandscissormerchantstoshame.”

itseemedtomethatmr.st.john’sunderlipprotruded,andhisupperlipcurledamoment.hismouthcertainlylookedagooddealcompressed,andthelowerpartofhisfaceunusuallysternandsquare,asthelaughinggirlgavehimthisinformation.heliftedhisgaze,too,fromthedaisies,andturneditonher.anunsmiling,asearching,ameaninggazeitwas.sheanswereditwithasecondlaugh,andlaughterwellbecameheryouth,herroses,herdimples,herbrighteyes.

ashestood,muteandgrave,sheagainfelltocaressingcarlo.“poorcarlolovesme,”saidshe.“heisnotsternanddistanttohisfriends;andifhecouldspeak,hewouldnotbesilent.”

asshepattedthedog’shead,bendingwithnativegracebeforehisyoungandausteremaster,isawaglowrisetothatmaster’sface.isawhissolemneyemeltwithsuddenfire,andflickerwithresistlessemotion.flushedandkindledthus,helookednearlyasbeautifulforamanassheforawoman.hischestheavedonce,asifhislargeheart,wearyofdespoticconstriction,hadexpanded,despitethewill,andmadeavigorousboundfortheattainmentofliberty.buthecurbedit,ithink,asaresoluteriderwouldcurbarearingsteed.herespondedneitherbywordnormovementtothegentleadvancesmadehim.

“papasaysyounevercometoseeusnow,”continuedmissoliver,lookingup.“youarequiteastrangeratvalehall.heisalonethisevening,andnotverywell:willyoureturnwithmeandvisithim?”

“itisnotaseasonablehourtointrudeonmr.oliver,”answeredst.john.

“notaseasonablehour!butideclareitis.itisjustthehourwhenpapamostwantscompany:whentheworksareclosedandhehasnobusinesstooccupyhim.now,mr.rivers,docome.whyareyousoveryshy,andsoverysombre?”shefilledupthehiatushissilenceleftbyareplyofherown.

“iforgot!”sheexclaimed,shakingherbeautifulcurledhead,asifshockedatherself.“iamsogiddyandthoughtless!doexcuseme.ithadslippedmymemorythatyouhavegoodreasonstobeindisposedforjoininginmychatter.dianaandmaryhaveleftyou,andmoorhouseisshutup,andyouaresolonely.iamsureipityyou.docomeandseepapa.”

“notto-night,missrosamond,notto-night.”

mr.st.johnspokealmostlikeanautomaton:himselfonlyknewtheeffortitcosthimthustorefuse.

“well,ifyouaresoobstinate,iwillleaveyou;foridarenotstayanylonger:thedewbeginstofall.goodevening!”

sheheldoutherhand.hejusttouchedit.“goodevening!”herepeated,inavoicelowandhollowasanecho.sheturned,butinamomentreturned.

“areyouwell?”sheasked.wellmightsheputthequestion:hisfacewasblanchedashergown.

“quitewell,”heenunciated;and,withabow,heleftthegate.shewentoneway;heanother.sheturnedtwicetogazeafterhimasshetrippedfairy-likedownthefield;he,ashestrodefirmlyacross,neverturnedatall.

thisspectacleofanother’ssufferingandsacrificeraptmythoughtsfromexclusivemeditationonmyown.dianarivershaddesignatedherbrother“inexorableasdeath.”shehadnoterated.