desperate remedies-第20章

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It　was　late　summer；　the　estate…agency；　building；　engineering；　and
surveying　worlds　were　dull。　　There　were　forty…five　replies　to　the
advertisement。

Mr。　Nyttleton　spread　them　one　by　one　before　Miss　Aldclyffe。　　'You
will　probably　like　to　read　some　of　them　yourself；　madam？'　he　said。

'Yes；　certainly；'　said　she。

'I　will　not　trouble　you　with　those　which　are　from　persons　manifestly
unfit　at　first　sight；'　he　continued；　and　began　selecting　from　the
heap　twos　and　threes　which　he　had　marked；　collecting　others　into　his
hand。

'The　man　we　want　lies　among　these；　if　my　judgment　doesn't　deceive
me；　and　from　them　it　would　be　advisable　to　select　a　certain　number
to　be　communicated　with。'

'I　should　like　to　see　every　oneonly　just　to　glance　them　over
exactly　as　they　came；'　she　said　suasively。

He　looked　as　if　he　thought　this　a　waste　of　his　time；　but　dismissing
his　sentiment　unfolded　each　singly　and　laid　it　before　her。　　As　he
laid　them　out；　it　struck　him　that　she　studied　them　quite　as　rapidly
as　he　could　spread　them。　　He　slyly　glanced　up　from　the　outer　corner
of　his　eye　to　hers；　and　noticed　that　all　she　did　was　look　at　the
name　at　the　bottom　of　the　letter；　and　then　put　the　enclosure　aside
without　further　ceremony。　　He　thought　this　an　odd　way　of　inquiring
into　the　merits　of　forty…five　men　who　at　considerable　trouble　gave
in　detail　reasons　why　they　believed　themselves　well　qualified　for　a
certain　post。　　She　came　to　the　final　one；　and　put　it　down　with　the
rest。

Then　the　lady　said　that　in　her　opinion　it　would　be　best　to　get　as
many　replies　as　they　possibly　could　before　selecting'to　give　us　a
wider　choice。　　What　do　you　think；　Mr。　Nyttleton？'

It　seemed　to　him；　he　said；　that　a　greater　number　than　those　they
already　had　would　scarcely　be　necessary；　and　if　they　waited　for
more；　there　would　be　this　disadvantage　attending　it；　that　some　of
those　they　now　could　command　would　possibly　not　be　available。

'Never　mind；　we　will　run　that　risk；'　said　Miss　Aldclyffe。　　'Let　the
advertisement　be　inserted　once　more；　and　then　we　will　certainly
settle　the　matter。'

Mr。　Nyttleton　bowed；　and　seemed　to　think　Miss　Aldclyffe；　for　a
single　woman；　and　one　who　till　so　very　recently　had　never　concerned
herself　with　business　of　any　kind；　a　very　meddlesome　client。　　But
she　was　rich；　and　handsome　still。　　'She's　a　new　broom　in　estate…
management　as　yet；'　he　thought。　　'She　will　soon　get　tired　of　this；'
and　he　parted　from　her　without　a　sentiment　which　could　mar　his
habitual　blandness。

The　two　ladies　then　proceeded　westward。　　Dismissing　the　cab　in
Waterloo　Place；　they　went　along　Pall　Mall　on　foot；　where　in　place　of
the　usual　well…dressed　clubbistsrubicund　with　alcoholwere　to　be
seen；　in　linen　pinafores；　flocks　of　house…painters　pallid　from　white
lead。　　When　they　had　reached　the　Green　Park；　Cytherea　proposed　that
they　should　sit　down　awhile　under　the　young　elms　at　the　brow　of　the
hill。　　This　they　didthe　growl　of　Piccadilly　on　their　left　hand
the　monastic　seclusion　of　the　Palace　on　their　right：　　before　them；
the　clock　tower　of　the　Houses　of　Parliament；　standing　forth　with　a
metallic　lustre　against　a　livid　Lambeth　sky。

Miss　Aldclyffe　still　carried　in　her　hand　a　copy　of　the　newspaper；
and　while　Cytherea　had　been　interesting　herself　in　the　picture
around；　glanced　again　at　the　advertisement。

She　heaved　a　slight　sigh；　and　began　to　fold　it　up　again。　　In　the
action　her　eye　caught　sight　of　two　consecutive　advertisements　on　the
cover；　one　relating　to　some　lecture　on　Art；　and　addressed　to　members
of　the　Institute　of　Architects。　　The　other　emanated　from　the　same
source；　but　was　addressed　to　the　public；　and　stated　that　the
exhibition　of　drawings　at　the　Institute's　rooms　would　close　at　the
end　of　that　week。

Her　eye　lighted　up。　　She　sent　Cytherea　back　to　the　hotel　in　a　cab；
then　turned　round　by　Piccadilly　into　Bond　Street；　and　proceeded　to
the　rooms　of　the　Institute。　　The　secretary　was　sitting　in　the　lobby。
After　making　her　payment；　and　looking　at　a　few　of　the　drawings　on
the　walls；　in　the　company　of　three　gentlemen；　the　only　other
visitors　to　the　exhibition；　she　turned　back　and　asked　if　she　might
be　allowed　to　see　a　list　of　the　members。　　She　was　a　little　connected
with　the　architectural　world；　she　said；　with　a　smile；　and　was
interested　in　some　of　the　names。

'Here　it　is；　madam；'　he　replied；　politely　handing　her　a　pamphlet
containing　the　names。

Miss　Aldclyffe　turned　the　leaves　till　she　came　to　the　letter　M。　　The
name　she　hoped　to　find　there　was　there；　with　the　address　appended；
as　was　the　case　with　all　the　rest。

The　address　was　at　some　chambers　in　a　street　not　far　from　Charing
Cross。　　'Chambers；'　as　a　residence；　had　always　been　assumed　by　the
lady　to　imply　the　condition　of　a　bachelor。　　She　murmured　two　words；
'There　still。'

Another　request　had　yet　to　be　made；　but　it　was　of　a　more　noticeable
kind　than　the　first；　and　might　compromise　the　secrecy　with　which　she
wished　to　act　throughout　this　episode。　　Her　object　was　to　get　one　of
the　envelopes　lying　on　the　secretary's　table；　stamped　with　the　die
of　the　Institute；　and　in　order　to　get　it　she　was　about　to　ask　if　she
might　write　a　note。

But　the　secretary's　back　chanced　to　be　turned；　and　he　now　went
towards　one　of　the　men　at　the　other　end　of　the　room；　who　had　called
him　to　ask　some　question　relating　to　an　etching　on　the　wall。　　Quick
as　thought；　Miss　Aldclyffe　stood　before　the　table；　slipped　her　hand
behind　her；　took　one　of　the　envelopes　and　put　it　in　her　pocket。

She　sauntered　round　the　rooms　for　two　or　three　minutes　longer；　then
withdrew　and　returned　to　her　hotel。

Here　she　cut　the　Knapwater　advertisement　from　the　paper；　put　it　into
the　envelope　she　had　stolen；　embossed　with　the　society's　stamp；　and
directed　it　in　a　round　clerkly　hand　to　the　address　she　had　seen　in
the　list　of　members'　names　submitted　to　her：

　　　　　AENEAS　MANSTON；　ESQ。；
　　　　　　　　　　WYKEHAM　CHAMBERS；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SPRING　GARDENS。

This　ended　her　first　day's　work　in　London。

4。　　FROM　AUGUST　THE　TWENTY…SIXTH　TO　SEPTEMBER　THE　FIRST

The　two　Cythereas　continued　at　the　Westminster　Hotel；　Miss　Aldclyffe
informing　her　companion　that　business　would　detain　them　in　London
another　week。　　The　days　passed　as　slowly　and　quietly　as　days　can
pass　in　a　city　at　that　time　of　the　year；　the　shuttered　windows　about
the　squares　and　terraces　confronting　their　eyes　like　the　white　and
sightless　orbs　of　blind　men。　　On　Thursday　Mr。　Nyttleton　called；
bringing　the　whole　number　of　replies　to　the　advertisement。　　Cytherea
was　present　at　the　interview；　by　Miss　Aldclyffe's　requesteither
from　whim　or　design。

Ten　additional　letters　were　the　result　of　the　second　week's
insertion；　making　fifty…five　in　all。　　Miss　Aldclyffe　looked　them
over　as　before。　　One　was　signed

AENEAS　MANSTON；
　　　　　133；　TURNGATE　STREET；
　　　　　　　　　　LIVERPOOL。

'Now；　then；　Mr。　Nyttleton；　will　you　make　a　selection；　and　I　will　add
one　or　two；'　Miss　Aldclyffe　said。

Mr。　Nyttleton　scanned　the　whole　heap　of　letters；　testimonials；　and
references；　sorting　them　into　two　heaps。　　Manston's　missive；　after　a
mere　glance；　was　thrown　amongst　the　summarily　rejected　ones。

Miss　Aldclyffe　read；　or　pretended　to　read　after　the　lawyer。　　When　he
had　finished；　five　lay　in　the　group　he　had　selected。　　'Would　you
like　to　add　to　the　number？'　he　said；　turning　to　the　lady。

'No；'　she　said　carelessly。　　'Well；　two　or　three　additional　ones
rather　took　my　fancy；'　she　added；　searching　for　some　in　the　larger
collection。

She　drew　out　three。　　One　was　Manston's。

'These　eight；　then；　shall　be　communicated　with；'　said　the　lawyer；
taking　up　the　eight　letters　and　placing　them　by　themselves。

They　stood　up。　　'If　I　myself；　Miss　Aldclyffe；　were　only　concerned
personally；'　he　said；　in　an　off…hand　way；　and　holding　up　a　letter
singly；　'I　should　choose　this　man　unhesitatingly。　　He　writes
honestly；　is　not　afraid　to　name　what　he　does　not　consider　himself
well　acquainted　witha　rare　thing　to　find　in　answers　to
advertisements；　he　is　well　recommended；　and　possesses　some　qualities
rarely　found　in　combination。　　Oddly　enough；　he　is　not　really　a
steward。　　He　was　bred　a　farmer；　studied　building　affairs；　served　on
an　estate　for　some　time；　then　went　with　an　architect；　and　is　now
well　qualified　as　architect；　estate　agent；　and　surveyor。　　That　man
is　sure　to　have　a　fine　head　for　a　manor　like　yours。'　　He　tapped　the
letter　as　he　spoke。　　'Yes；　I　should　choose　him　without　hesitation
speaking　personally。'

'And　I　think；'　she　said　artificially；　'I　should　choose　this　one　as　a
matter　of　mere　personal　whim；　which；　of　course；　can't　be　given　way
to　when　practical　questions　have　to　be　considered。'

Cytherea；　after　looking　out　of　the　window；　and　then　at　the
newspapers；　had　become　interested　in　the　proceedings　between　the
clever　Miss　Aldclyffe　and　the　keen　old　lawyer；　which　reminded　her　of
a　game　at　cards。　　She　looked　inquiringly　at　the　two　lettersone　in
Miss　Aldclyffe's　hand；　the　other　in　Mr。　Nyttleton's。

'What　is　the　name　of　your　man？'　said　Miss　Aldclyffe。

'His　name'　said　the　lawyer；　looking　down　the　page；　'what　is　his
name？it　is　Edward　Springrove。'

Miss　Aldclyffe　glanced　towards　Cytherea；　who　was　getting　red　and
pale　by　turns。　　She　looked　imploringly　at　Miss　Aldclyffe。

'The　name　of　my　man；'　said　Miss　Aldclyffe；　looking　at　her　letter　in
turn；　'is；　I　thinkyesAEneas　Manston。'

5。　　SEPTEMBER　THE　THIRD

The　next　morning　but　one　was　appointed　for　the　interviews；　which
were　to　be　at　the　lawyer's　offices。　　Mr。　Nyttleton　and　Mr。　Tayling
were　both　in　town　for　the　day；　and　the　candidates　were　admitted　one
by　one　into　a　private　room。　　In　the　window　recess　was　seated　Miss
Aldclyffe；　wearing　her　veil　down。

The　lawyer　had；　in　his　letters　to　the　selected　number；　timed　each
candidate　at　an　interval　of　ten　or　fifteen　minutes　from　those
preceding　and　following。　　They　were　shown　in　as　they　arrived；　and
had　short　conversations　with　Mr。　Nyttletonterse；　and　to　the　point。
Miss　Aldclyffe　neither　moved　nor　spoke　during　this　proceeding；　it
might　have　been　supposed　that　she　was　quite　unmindful　of　it；　had　it
not　been　for　what　was　revealed　by　a　keen　penetration　of　the　veil
covering　her　countenancethe　rays　from　two　bright　black　eyes；
directed　towards　the　lawyer　and　his　interlocutor。

Springrove　came　fifth；　Manston　seventh。　　When　the　examination　of　all
was　ended；　and　the　last　man　had　retired；　Nyttleton；　again　as　at　the
former　time；　blandly　asked　his　client　which　of　the　eight　she
personally　preferred。　　'I　still　think　the　fifth　we　spoke　to；
Springrove；　the　man　whose　letter　I　pounced　upon　at　first；　to　be　by
far　the　best　qualified；　in　short；　most　suitable　generally。'

'I　am　sorry　to　say　that　I　differ　from　you；　I　lean　to　my　first　notion
stillthat　MrMr。　Manston　is　most　desirable　in　tone　and　bearing；
and　even　specifically；　I　think　he　would　suit　me　best　in　the　long…
run。'

Mr。　Nyttleton　looked　out　of　the　window　at　the　whitened　wall　of　the
court。

'Of　course；　madam；　your　opinion　may　be　perfectly　sound　and　reliable；
a　sort　of　instinct；　I　know；　often　leads　ladies　by　a　short　cut　to
conclusions　truer　than　those　come　to　by　men　after　laborious　round…
about　calculations；　based　on　long　experience。　　I　must　say　I
shouldn't　recommend　him。'

'Why；　pray？'