desperate remedies-第21章

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about　calculations；　based　on　long　experience。　　I　must　say　I
shouldn't　recommend　him。'

'Why；　pray？'

'Well；　let　us　look　first　at　his　letter　of　answer　to　the
advertisement。　　He　didn't　reply　till　the　last　insertion；　that's　one
thing。　　His　letter　is　bold　and　frank　in　tone；　so　bold　and　frank　that
the　second　thought　after　reading　it　is　that　not　honesty；　but
unscrupulousness　of　conscience　dictated　it。　　It　is　written　in　an
indifferent　mood；　as　if　he　felt　that　he　was　humbugging　us　in　his
statement　that　he　was　the　right　man　for　such　an　office；　that　he
tried　hard　to　get　it　only　as　a　matter　of　form　which　required　that　he
should　neglect　no　opportunity　that　came　in　his　way。'

'You　may　be　right；　Mr。　Nyttleton；　but　I　don't　quite　see　the　grounds
of　your　reasoning。'

'He　has　been；　as　you　perceive；　almost　entirely　used　to　the　office
duties　of　a　city　architect；　the　experience　we　don't　want。　　You　want
a　man　whose　acquaintance　with　rural　landed　properties　is　more
practical　and　closersomebody　who；　if　he　has　not　filled　exactly
such　an　office　before；　has　lived　a　country　life；　knows　the　ins　and
outs　of　country　tenancies；　building；　farming；　and　so　on。'

'He's　by　far　the　most　intellectual　looking　of　them　all。'

'Yes；　he　may　beyour　opinion；　Miss　Aldclyffe；　is　worth　more　than
mine　in　that　matter。　　And　more　than　you　say；　he　is　a　man　of　parts
his　brain　power　would　soon　enable　him　to　master　details　and　fit　him
for　the　post；　I　don't　much　doubt　that。　　But　to　speak　clearly'　（here
his　words　started　off　at　a　jog…trot）　'I　wouldn't　run　the　risk　of
placing　the　management　of　an　estate　of　mine　in　his　hands　on　any
account　whatever。　　There；　that's　flat　and　plain；　madam。'

'But；　definitely；'　she　said；　with　a　show　of　impatience；　'what　is
your　reason？'

'He　is　a　voluptuary　with　activity；　which　is　a　very　bad　form　of　man
as　bad　as　it　is　rare。'

'Oh。　　Thank　you　for　your　explicit　statement；　Mr。　Nyttleton；'　said
Miss　Aldclyffe；　starting　a　little　and　flushing　with　displeasure。

Mr。　Nyttleton　nodded　slightly；　as　a　sort　of　neutral　motion；　simply
signifying　a　receipt　of　the　information；　good　or　bad。

'And　I　really　think　it　is　hardly　worth　while　to　trouble　you　further
in　this；'　continued　the　lady。　　'He's　quite　good　enough　for　a　little
insignificant　place　like　mine　at　Knapwater；　and　I　know　that　I　could
not　get　on　with　one　of　the　others　for　a　single　month。　　We'll　try
him。'

'Certainly；　Miss　Aldclyffe；'　said　the　lawyer。　　And　Mr。　Manston　was
written　to；　to　the　effect　that　he　was　the　successful　competitor。

'Did　you　see　how　unmistakably　her　temper　was　getting　the　better　of
her；　that　minute　you　were　in　the　room？'　said　Nyttleton　to　Tayling；
when　their　client　had　left　the　house。　　Nyttleton　was　a　man　who
surveyed　everybody's　character　in　a　sunless　and　shadowless　northern
light。　　A　culpable　slyness；　which　marked　him　as　a　boy；　had　been
moulded　by　Time；　the　Improver；　into　honourable　circumspection。

We　frequently　find　that　the　quality　which；　conjoined　with　the
simplicity　of　the　child；　is　vice；　is　virtue　when　it　pervades　the
knowledge　of　the　man。

'She　was　as　near　as　damn…it　to　boiling　over　when　I　added　up　her
man；'　continued　Nyttleton。　　'His　handsome　face　is　his　qualification
in　her　eyes。　　They　have　met　before；　I　saw　that。'

'He　didn't　seem　conscious　of　it；'　said　the　junior。

'He　didn't。　　That　was　rather　puzzling　to　me。　　But　still；　if　ever　a
woman's　face　spoke　out　plainly　that　she　was　in　love　with　a　man；　hers
did　that　she　was　with　him。　　Poor　old　maid；　she's　almost　old　enough
to　be　his　mother。　　If　that　Manston's　a　schemer　he'll　marry　her；　as
sure　as　I　am　Nyttleton。　　Let's　hope　he's　honest；　however。'

'I　don't　think　she's　in　love　with　him；'　said　Tayling。　　He　had　seen
but　little　of　the　pair；　and　yet　he　could　not　reconcile　what　he　had
noticed　in　Miss　Aldclyffe's　behaviour　with　the　idea　that　it　was　the
bearing　of　a　woman　towards　her　lover。

'Well；　your　experience　of　the　fiery　phenomenon　is　more　recent　than
mine；'　rejoined　Nyttleton　carelessly。　　'And　you　may　remember　the
nature　of　it　best。'



VIII。　　THE　EVENTS　OF　EIGHTEEN　DAYS

1。　　FROM　THE　THIRD　TO　THE　NINETEENTH　OF　SEPTEMBER

Miss　Aldclyffe's　tenderness　towards　Cytherea；　between　the　hours　of
her　irascibility；　increased　till　it　became　no　less　than　doting
fondness。　　Like　Nature　in　the　tropics；　with　her　hurricanes　and　the
subsequent　luxuriant　vegetation　effacing　their　ravages；　Miss
Aldclyffe　compensated　for　her　outbursts　by　excess　of　generosity
afterwards。　　She　seemed　to　be　completely　won　out　of　herself　by　close
contact　with　a　young　woman　whose　modesty　was　absolutely　unimpaired；
and　whose　artlessness　was　as　perfect　as　was　compatible　with　the
complexity　necessary　to　produce　the　due　charm　of　womanhood。
Cytherea；　on　her　part；　perceived　with　honest　satisfaction　that　her
influence　for　good　over　Miss　Aldclyffe　was　considerable。　　Ideas　and
habits　peculiar　to　the　younger；　which　the　elder　lady　had　originally
imitated　as　a　mere　whim；　she　grew　in　course　of　time　to　take　a
positive　delight　in。　　Among　others　were　evening　and　morning　prayers；
dreaming　over　out…door　scenes；　learning　a　verse　from　some　poem
whilst　dressing。

Yet　try　to　force　her　sympathies　as　much　as　she　would；　Cytherea　could
feel　no　more　than　thankful　for　this；　even　if　she　always　felt　as　much
as　thankful。　　The　mysterious　cloud　hanging　over　the　past　life　of　her
companion；　of　which　the　uncertain　light　already　thrown　upon　it　only
seemed　to　render　still　darker　the　unpenetrated　remainder；　nourished
in　her　a　feeling　which　was　scarcely　too　slight　to　be　called　dread。
She　would　have　infinitely　preferred　to　be　treated　distantly；　as　the
mere　dependent；　by　such　a　changeable　naturelike　a　fountain；　always
herself；　yet　always　another。　　That　a　crime　of　any　deep　dye　had　ever
been　perpetrated　or　participated　in　by　her　namesake；　she　would　not
believe；　but　the　reckless　adventuring　of　the　lady's　youth　seemed
connected　with　deeds　of　darkness　rather　than　of　light。

Sometimes　Miss　Aldclyffe　appeared　to　be　on　the　point　of　making　some
absorbing　confidence；　but　reflection　invariably　restrained　her。
Cytherea　hoped　that　such　a　confidence　would　come　with　time；　and　that
she　might　thus　be　a　means　of　soothing　a　mind　which　had　obviously
known　extreme　suffering。

But　Miss　Aldclyffe's　reticence　concerning　her　past　was　not　imitated
by　Cytherea。　　Though　she　never　disclosed　the　one　fact　of　her
knowledge　that　the　love…suit　between　Miss　Aldclyffe　and　her　father
terminated　abnormally；　the　maiden's　natural　ingenuousness　on
subjects　not　set　down　for　special　guard　had　enabled　Miss　Aldclyffe
to　worm　from　her；　fragment　by　fragment；　every　detail　of　her　father's
history。　　Cytherea　saw　how　deeply　Miss　Aldclyffe　sympathizedand　it
compensated　her；　to　some　extent；　for　the　hasty　resentments　of　other
times。

Thus　uncertainly　she　lived　on。　　It　was　perceived　by　the　servants　of
the　House　that　some　secret　bond　of　connection　existed　between　Miss
Aldclyffe　and　her　companion。　　But　they　were　woman　and　woman；　not
woman　and　man；　the　facts　were　ethereal　and　refined；　and　so　they
could　not　be　worked　up　into　a　taking　story。　　Whether；　as　old　critics
disputed；　a　supernatural　machinery　be　necessary　to　an　epic　or　no；　an
ungodly　machinery　is　decidedly　necessary　to　a　scandal。

Another　letter　had　come　to　her　from　Edwardvery　short；　but　full　of
entreaty；　asking　why　she　would　not　write　just　one　linejust　one
line　of　cold　friendship　at　least？　　She　then　allowed　herself　to
think；　little　by　little；　whether　she　had　not　perhaps　been　too　harsh
with　him；　and　at　last　wondered　if　he　were　really　much　to　blame　for
being　engaged　to　another　woman。　　'Ah；　Brain；　there　is　one　in　me
stronger　than　you！'　she　said。　　The　young　maid　now　continually　pulled
out　his　letter；　read　it　and　re…read　it；　almost　crying　with　pity　the
while；　to　think　what　wretched　suspense　he　must　be　enduring　at　her
silence；　till　her　heart　chid　her　for　her　cruelty。　　She　felt　that　she
must　send　him　a　lineone　little　linejust　a　wee　line　to　keep　him
alive；　poor　thing；　sighing　like　Donna　Clara

　　　　　'Ah；　were　he　now　before　me；
　　　　　　　　In　spite　of　injured　pride；
　　　　　　I　fear　my　eyes　would　pardon
　　　　　　　　Before　my　tongue　could　chide。'

2。　　SEPTEMBER　THE　TWENTIETH。　　THREE　TO　FOUR　P。M。

It　was　the　third　week　in　September；　about　five　weeks　after
Cytherea's　arrival；　when　Miss　Aldclyffe　requested　her　one　day　to　go
through　the　village　of　Carriford　and　assist　herself　in　collecting
the　subscriptions　made　by　some　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　parish　to　a
religious　society　she　patronized。　　Miss　Aldclyffe　formed　one　of　what
was　called　a　Ladies'　Association；　each　member　of　which　collected
tributary　streams　of　shillings　from　her　inferiors；　to　add　to　her　own
pound　at　the　end。

Miss　Aldclyffe　took　particular　interest　in　Cytherea's　appearance
that　afternoon；　and　the　object　of　her　attention　was；　indeed；
gratifying　to　look　at。　　The　sight　of　the　lithe　girl；　set　off　by　an
airy　dress；　coquettish　jacket；　flexible　hat；　a　ray　of　starlight　in
each　eye　and　a　war　of　lilies　and　roses　in　each　cheek；　was　a　palpable
pleasure　to　the　mistress　of　the　mansion；　yet　a　pleasure　which
appeared　to　partake　less　of　the　nature　of　affectionate　satisfaction
than　of　mental　gratification。

Eight　names　were　printed　in　the　report　as　belonging　to　Miss
Aldclyffe's　list；　with　the　amount　of　subscription…money　attached　to
each。

'I　will　collect　the　first　four；　whilst　you　do　the　same　with　the　last
four；'　said　Miss　Aldclyffe。

The　names　of　two　tradespeople　stood　first　in　Cytherea's　share：　　then
came　a　Miss　Hinton：　　last　of　all　in　the　printed　list　was　Mr。
Springrove　the　elder。　　Underneath　his　name　was　pencilled；　in　Miss
Aldclyffe's　handwriting；　'Mr。　Manston。'

Manston　had　arrived　on　the　estate；　in　the　capacity　of　steward；　three
or　four　days　previously；　and　occupied　the　old　manor…house；　which　had
been　altered　and　repaired　for　his　reception。

'Call　on　Mr。　Manston；'　said　the　lady　impressively；　looking　at　the
name　written　under　Cytherea's　portion　of　the　list。

'But　he　does　not　subscribe　yet？'

'I　know　it；　but　call　and　leave　him　a　report。　　Don't　forget　it。'

'Say　you　would　be　pleased　if　he　would　subscribe？'

'Yessay　I　should　be　pleased　if　he　would；'　repeated　Miss　Aldclyffe；
smiling。　　'Good…bye。　　Don't　hurry　in　your　walk。　　If　you　can't　get
easily　through　your　task　to…day　put　off　some　of　it　till　to…morrow。'

Each　then　started　on　her　rounds：　　Cytherea　going　in　the　first　place
to　the　old　manor…house。　　Mr。　Manston　was　not　indoors；　which　was　a
relief　to　her。　　She　called　then　on　the　two　gentleman…farmers'　wives；
who　soon　transacted　their　business　with　her；　frigidly　indifferent　to
her　personality。　　A　person　who　socially　is　nothing　is　thought　less
of　by　people　who　are　not　much　than　by　those　who　are　a　great　deal。

She　then　turned　towards　Peakhill　Cottage；　the　residence　of　Miss
Hinton；　who　lived　there　happily　enough；　with　an　elderly　servant　and
a　house…dog　as　companions。　　Her　father；　and　last　remaining　parent；
had　retired　thither　four　years　before　this　time；　after　having　filled
the　post　of　editor　to　the　Casterbridge　Chronicle　for　eighteen　or
twenty　years。　　There　he　died　soon　after；　and　though　comparatively　a
poor　man；　he　left　his　daughter　sufficiently　well　provided　for　as　a
modest　fundholder　and　claimant　of