The Hand of Ethelberta

t the house of a gentleman called Doncastle, who live

it may be stated that a slight laugh from far down the throat and a slight narrowing of the eye were equivalent as indices of the degree of mirth felt to a Ha-ha-ha! and a shaking of the sho

amed Ladywell and the lady on his right hand, had enlarged its ground by degrees, as a subject will extend on those rare occasions when it happens to be one about which each person has thought something beforehand, instead of, as in the natural order of things

ve the originality which such a style must naturally pos

minine hand,'

metimes knew secrets, thoug

mbics?' said a gentleman in spectacles, glancing round, and giving emphasis to his inquiry by cau

man who knew such things as that, and hung forward to listen. But Lad

fact, the Seven Days' Review said they were Anacreonti

ctacles looked down again, being a nervous person, who never had time t

thoress, Mr. Neigh?

that I do,'

aused ten seconds where other people only paused one; as he moved his chin in speaking, motes of light

day; and you ought at a

I should have done it immediately, because I

hat wa

tminster Abbey myself at that time;

n't follow it up. A man o

f the respectable householder in me. Besides, so many other men

ain married lady, who wore archaeological jewellery, was saying at this time. 'But I know that I have

ad shirt-front, 'that an estimate which depends upon feeli

ow flitted to

fore the understanding, it saves the judgment a w

eft her cheeks and mouth like metal at a white heat in the uninterrupted light. 'I think the liveliness of those ballads as great a recommendation as any. After all, enough misery

ave ended happily, or that Othello should have discovered the p

f people who have seen those plays would have driven home more cheerfully afterwards if by some contrivance the characte

dy-and much may be said on both sides. It is not to be denied that the ano

had been one of the shooting-party at Sa

warm in her ass

to be none left for practical ones. Whatever seems to be the most prominent vice, or the most prominen

her warmth of feeling a

uld be without losing their proper character of indifference to the whole matter. 'Warm sentiment of

reeing with every one, particularly those who were diametrically opposed to each other, 'I could no m

through half she says? I

risky to calculate people's ways of living from thei

metimes happens with young persons. 'I don't think that she has written a word more than what every woman would deny f

a! Ca

me,' said a rather stupi

-la-lal'-

la-lal'-l

a-lal'-la-

-la-l

re is nothing left. Yet she is p

ion?' continued Ladywell, paying no attention to the previous speaker. He lingered for a reply, and then impulsively

ut Ladywell, though not experienced enough to be quite free from enthusiasm, was too experienced to m

o me yesterday about these very poe

e only just now doubting whether the sex of the writer could b

another, 'now we have fou

n possessing incomparably superior knowledge of the poetess. 'I beg pardon really, but don't press me on the matter. Up

l be del

way, "Between U. and E., Ladywell, I believe there is a close aff

empt at appreciation; but a weird silence ensued, during which t

ow, the "E" of the poe

ch there was a laugh-not from anything connected with what he said, but si

they all began laughing-but, then, the Colonel said it in such a queer way, you know. But you were asking me a

be the means of making you betra

ed; we wo

-this is really too bad!-you m

betray anybody

world,' said Mr. Doncastle blandly, 'and puts her experience of the comedy

the ideas themselves,' observed Neigh. 'The woman has made a great talk about herself; and I am quite weary of peo

ment, and all who dabble in it placed with him who can cite

heir host, who was his uncle: 'Your butler Chick

ery well,' said

t a-very extr

castle, looking up surprised. '

matter to mention. He read

't thi

egan talking about the poems during dinner. Perhaps h

e, how long?-five months, I think, and he was fifteen years in his last place. It certainly is a new sid

,' said Mr. Jones, 'I may say that I

m to be the last man-servant in London to infringe such an elementary rule. If he did so this

e forgotten the circumstance if Mr. Neigh's words had not brought it to my mind. It was rea

nd upon it,' said Neigh. 'If I had such a man belonging to

n inch than is commendable, you know. I am quite aware as I glance down the papers and prints any morning that Chickerel's eyes have been over the ground before mine, and that he genera

negative ones are moved on to the place of positives; we thank bare justice as we used only to thank gener

Chickerel is even a better trained fellow than

t at its vigorous periods, which seemed designed to hide t

etter disguise for an artful man than a perfectly impassible demeanour. He is t

, laughing; and the subject then became compounded with other mat

*

duties, a thorough knowledge of all that appertained to them, a general desire to live on without troubling his mind about anything which did not concern him. Any person interested in the matter would have assumed without hesitation that the estimate his employer had given of Chickerel was a true one-more, that not only would the butler under all ordinary circumstances resolutely prevent his face from showing curiosity in an unbeco

ely extinguishing it anywhere; his nose was of the knotty shape in the gristle and earthward tendency in the flesh which is commonly said to carry sound judgment above it, his eyes were thoughtful, and his face was thin-a contour which, if it at once abstracted

a low-crowned hat, and instead of knocking his heels on the pavement walked with a gait as delicate as a lady's. Going out of the area-door with a cigar in his mouth, he mounted the steps hastily to keep an appointment round the corner-the keeping of which as a priva

lk at dinner was about your verses, of course. The thing was brought up by a young fellow named Ladywell-do you know him? He is a painter by profession, but he has a pretty good private income beyond what he gets by practising his line of business among the nobility, and that I expect is not little, for he is well known, and encouraged bec

my own and her mother's certain knowledge only twenty-one last birthday, and has as bright a heart as anybody in London." One of them actually said that you must be fifty to have got such an experience. Her guess was a very shrewd one in the bottom of it, however, fo

and don't value what's given. I am not sure, but I think that after the women had gone upstairs the others turned their thoughts upon you again; what they said about you I don't know, for if there's one thing I hate 'tis hanging about the doors when the men begin to get moved by their wine, which they

s do the less w

book of select piec

rom the outside, and so getting on a little has this good in it, you still keep in your old class where your feelings are, and are thoughtfully treated by this class: while by getting on too much you are sneered at by your new acquaintance, who don't know the skill of your rise, and you are parted from and forgot by the old ones who do. Whatever happens, don't be too quick to feel. You will surely get some hard blows when you are found out, for if the great can

with her. She is quite right: she cannot keep us, and to recognize us would do you n