desperate remedies-第26章

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evening；　without　meeting　his　eyes；　she　went　down　the　steps；　leaving
him　standing　at　the　door。

'O；　how　is　it　that　man　has　so　fascinated　me？'　was　all　she　could
think。　　Her　own　self；　as　she　had　sat　spell…bound　before　him；　was　all
she　could　see。　　Her　gait　was　constrained；　from　the　knowledge　that
his　eyes　were　upon　her　until　she　had　passed　the　hollow　by　the
waterfall；　and　by　ascending　the　rise　had　become　hidden　from　his　view
by　the　boughs　of　the　overhanging　trees。

5。　　SIX　TO　SEVEN　P。M。

The　wet　shining　road　threw　the　western　glare　into　her　eyes　with　an
invidious　lustre　which　rendered　the　restlessness　of　her　mood　more
wearying。　　Her　thoughts　flew　from　idea　to　idea　without　asking　for
the　slightest　link　of　connection　between　one　and　another。　　One
moment　she　was　full　of　the　wild　music　and　stirring　scene　with
Manston…the　next；　Edward's　image　rose　before　her　like　a　shadowy
ghost。　　Then　Manston's　black　eyes　seemed　piercing　her　again；　and　the
reckless　voluptuous　mouth　appeared　bending　to　the　curves　of　his
special　words。　　What　could　be　those　troubles　to　which　he　had
alluded？　　Perhaps　Miss　Aldclyffe　was　at　the　bottom　of　them。　　Sad　at
heart　she　paced　on：　　her　life　was　bewildering　her。

On　coming　into　Miss　Aldclyffe's　presence　Cytherea　told　her　of　the
incident；　not　without　a　fear　that　she　would　burst　into　one　of　her
ungovernable　fits　of　temper　at　learning　Cytherea's　slight　departure
from　the　programme。　　But；　strangely　to　Cytherea；　Miss　Aldclyffe
looked　delighted。　　The　usual　cross…examination　followed。

'And　so　you　were　with　him　all　that　time？'　said　the　lady；　with
assumed　severity。

'Yes；　I　was。'

'I　did　not　tell　you　to　call　at　the　Old　House　twice。'

'I　didn't　call；　as　I　have　said。　　He　made　me　come　into　the　porch。'

'What　remarks　did　he　make；　do　you　say？'

'That　the　lightning　was　not　so　bad　as　I　thought。'

'A　very　important　remark；　that。　　Did　he'　she　turned　her　glance
full　upon　the　girl；　and　eyeing　her　searchingly；　said

'Did　he　say　anything　about　ME？'

'Nothing；'　said　Cytherea；　returning　her　gaze　calmly；　'except　that　I
was　to　give　you　the　subscription。'

'You　are　quite　sure？'

'Quite。'

'I　believe　you。　　Did　he　say　anything　striking　or　strange　about
himself？'

'Only　one　thingthat　he　was　troubled；'

'Troubled！'

After　saying　the　word；　Miss　Aldclyffe　relapsed　into　silence。　　Such
behaviour　as　this　had　ended；　on　most　previous　occasions；　by　her
making　a　confession；　and　Cytherea　expected　one　now。　　But　for　once
she　was　mistaken；　nothing　more　was　said。

When　she　had　returned　to　her　room　she　sat　down　and　penned　a　farewell
letter　to　Edward　Springrove；　as　little　able　as　any　other　excitable
and　brimming　young　woman　of　nineteen　to　feel　that　the　wisest　and
only　dignified　course　at　that　juncture　was　to　do　nothing　at　all。
She　told　him　that；　to　her　painful　surprise；　she　had　learnt　that　his
engagement　to　another　woman　was　a　matter　of　notoriety。　　She　insisted
that　all　honour　bade　him　marry　his　early　lovea　woman　far　better
than　her　unworthy　self；　who　only　deserved　to　be　forgotten；　and
begged　him　to　remember　that　he　was　not　to　see　her　face　again。　　She
upbraided　him　for　levity　and　cruelty　in　meeting　her　so　frequently　at
Budmouth；　and　above　all　in　stealing　the　kiss　from　her　lips　on　the
last　evening　of　the　water　excursions。　　'I　never；　never　can　forget
it！'　she　said；　and　then　felt　a　sensation　of　having　done　her　duty；
ostensibly　persuading　herself　that　her　reproaches　and　commands　were
of　such　a　force　that　no　man　to　whom　they　were　uttered　could　ever
approach　her　more。

Yet　it　was　all　unconsciously　said　in　words　which　betrayed　a
lingering　tenderness　of　love　at　every　unguarded　turn。　　Like　Beatrice
accusing　Dante　from　the　chariot；　try　as　she　might　to　play　the
superior　being　who　contemned　such　mere　eye…sensuousness；　she
betrayed　at　every　point　a　pretty　woman's　jealousy　of　a　rival；　and
covertly　gave　her　old　lover　hints　for　excusing　himself　at　each　fresh
indictment。

This　done；　Cytherea；　still　in　a　practical　mood；　upbraided　herself
with　weakness　in　allowing　a　stranger　like　Mr。　Manston　to　influence
her　as　he　had　done　that　evening。　　What　right　on　earth　had　he　to
suggest　so　suddenly　that　she　might　meet　him　at　the　waterfall　to
receive　his　music？　　She　would　have　given　much　to　be　able　to
annihilate　the　ascendency　he　had　obtained　over　her　during　that
extraordinary　interval　of　melodious　sound。　　Not　being　able　to　endure
the　notion　of　his　living　a　minute　longer　in　the　belief　he　was　then
holding；　she　took　her　pen　and　wrote　to　him　also：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'KNAPWATER　HOUSE
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　September　20th。

'I　find　I　cannot　meet　you　at　seven　o'clock　by　the　waterfall　as　I
promised。　　The　emotion　I　felt　made　me　forgetful　of　realities。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'C。　GRAYE。'



A　great　statesman　thinks　several　times；　and　acts；　a　young　lady　acts；
and　thinks　several　times。　　When；　a　few　minutes　later；　she　saw　the
postman　carry　off　the　bag　containing　one　of　the　letters；　and　a
messenger　with　the　other；　she；　for　the　first　time；　asked　herself　the
question　whether　she　had　acted　very　wisely　in　writing　to　either　of
the　two　men　who　had　so　influenced　her。



IX。　　THE　EVENTS　OF　TEN　WEEKS

1。　　FROM　SEPTEMBER　THE　TWENTY…FIRST　TO　THE　MIDDLE　OF　NOVEMBER

The　foremost　figure　within　Cytherea's　horizon；　exclusive　of　the
inmates　of　Knapwater　House；　was　now　the　steward；　Mr。　Manston。　　It
was　impossible　that　they　should　live　within　a　quarter　of　a　mile　of
each　other；　be　engaged　in　the　same　service；　and　attend　the　same
church；　without　meeting　at　some　spot　or　another；　twice　or　thrice　a
week。　　On　Sundays；　in　her　pew；　when　by　chance　she　turned　her　head；
Cytherea　found　his　eyes　waiting　desirously　for　a　glimpse　of　hers；
and；　at　first　more　strangely；　the　eyes　of　Miss　Aldclyffe　furtively
resting　on　him。　　On　coming　out　of　church　he　frequently　walked　beside
Cytherea　till　she　reached　the　gate　at　which　residents　in　the　House
turned　into　the　shrubbery。　　By　degrees　a　conjecture　grew　to　a
certainty。　　She　knew　that　he　loved　her。

But　a　strange　fact　was　connected　with　the　development　of　his　love。
He　was　palpably　making　the　strongest　efforts　to　subdue；　or　at　least
to　hide；　the　weakness；　and　as　it　sometimes　seemed；　rather　from　his
own　conscience　than　from　surrounding　eyes。　　Hence　she　found　that　not
one　of　his　encounters　with　her　was　anything　more　than　the　result　of
pure　accident。　　He　made　no　advances　whatever：　　without　avoiding　her；
he　never　sought　her：　　the　words　he　had　whispered　at　their　first
interview　now　proved　themselves　to　be　quite　as　much　the　result　of
unguarded　impulse　as　was　her　answer。　　Something　held　him　back；　bound
his　impulse　down；　but　she　saw　that　it　was　neither　pride　of　his
person；　nor　fear　that　she　would　refuse　hima　course　she
unhesitatingly　resolved　to　take　should　he　think　fit　to　declare
himself。　　She　was　interested　in　him　and　his　marvellous　beauty；　as
she　might　have　been　in　some　fascinating　panther　or　leopardfor　some
undefinable　reason　she　shrank　from　him；　even　whilst　she　admired。
The　keynote　of　her　nature；　a　warm　'precipitance　of　soul；'　as
Coleridge　happily　writes　it；　which　Manston　had　so　directly　pounced
upon　at　their　very　first　interview；　gave　her　now　a　tremulous　sense
of　being　in　some　way　in　his　power。

The　state　of　mind　was；　on　the　whole；　a　dangerous　one　for　a　young　and
inexperienced　woman；　and　perhaps　the　circumstance　which；　more　than
any　other；　led　her　to　cherish　Edward's　image　now；　was　that　he　had
taken　no　notice　of　the　receipt　of　her　letter；　stating　that　she
discarded　him。　　It　was　plain　then；　she　said；　that　he　did　not　care
deeply　for　her；　and　she　thereupon　could　not　quite　leave　off　caring
deeply　for　him：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'Ingenium　mulierum；
　　　　　Nolunt　ubi　velis；　ubi　nolis　cupiunt　ultro。'

The　month　of　October　passed；　and　November　began　its　course。　　The
inhabitants　of　the　village　of　Carriford　grew　weary　of　supposing　that
Miss　Aldclyffe　was　going　to　marry　her　steward。　　New　whispers　arose
and　became　very　distinct　（though　they　did　not　reach　Miss　Aldclyffe's
ears）　to　the　effect　that　the　steward　was　deeply　in　love　with
Cytherea　Graye。　　Indeed；　the　fact　became　so　obvious　that　there　was
nothing　left　to　say　about　it　except　that　their　marriage　would　be　an
excellent　one　for　both；for　her　in　point　of　comfortand　for　him　in
point　of　love。

As　circles　in　a　pond　grow　wider　and　wider；　the　next　fact；　which　at
first　had　been　patent　only　to　Cytherea　herself；　in　due　time　spread
to　her　neighbours；　and　they；　too；　wondered　that　he　made　no　overt
advances。　　By　the　middle　of　November；　a　theory　made　up　of　a
combination　of　the　other　two　was　received　with　general　favour：　　its
substance　being　that　a　guilty　intrigue　had　been　commenced　between
Manston　and　Miss　Aldclyffe；　some　years　before；　when　he　was　a　very
young　man；　and　she　still　in　the　enjoyment　of　some　womanly　beauty；
but　now　that　her　seniority　began　to　grow　emphatic　she　was　becoming
distasteful　to　him。　　His　fear　of　the　effect　of　the　lady's　jealousy
would；　they　said；　thus　lead　him　to　conceal　from　her　his　new
attachment　to　Cytherea。　　Almost　the　only　woman　who　did　not　believe
this　was　Cytherea　herself；　on　unmistakable　grounds；　which　were
hidden　from　all　besides。　　It　was　not　only　in　public；　but　even　more
markedly　in　secluded　places；　on　occasions　when　gallantry　would　have
been　safe　from　all　discovery；　that　this　guarded　course　of　action　was
pursued；　all　the　strength　of　a　consuming　passion　burning　in　his　eyes
the　while。

2。　　NOVEMBER　THE　EIGHTEENTH

It　was　on　a　Friday　in　this　month　of　November　that　Owen　Graye　paid　a
visit　to　his　sister。

His　zealous　integrity　still　retained　for　him　the　situation　at
Budmouth；　and　in　order　that　there　should　be　as　little　interruption
as　possible　to　his　duties　there；　he　had　decided　not　to　come　to
Knapwater　till　late　in　the　afternoon；　and　to　return　to　Budmouth　by
the　first　train　the　next　morning；　Miss　Aldclyffe　having　made　a　point
of　frequently　offering　him　lodging　for　an　unlimited　period；　to　the
great　pleasure　of　Cytherea。

He　reached　the　house　about　four　o'clock；　and　ringing　the　bell；　asked
of　the　page　who　answered　it　for　Miss　Graye。

When　Graye　spoke　the　name　of　his　sister；　Manston；　who　was　just
coming　out　from　an　interview　with　Miss　Aldclyffe；　passed　him　in　the
vestibule　and　heard　the　question。　　The　steward's　face　grew　hot；　and
he　secretly　clenched　his　hands。　　He　half　crossed　the　court；　then
turned　his　head　and　saw　that　the　lad　still　stood　at　the　door；　though
Owen　had　been　shown　into　the　house。　　Manston　went　back　to　him。

'Who　was　that　man？'　he　said。

'I　don't　know；　sir。'

'Has　he　ever　been　here　before？'

'Yes；　sir。'

'How　many　times？'

'Three。'

'You　are　sure　you　don't　know　him？'

'I　think　he　is　Miss　Graye's　brother；　sir。'

'Then；　why　the　devil　didn't　you　say　so　before！'　Manston　exclaimed；
and　again　went　on　his　way。

'Of　course；　that　was　not　the　man　of　my　dreamsof　course；　it
couldn't　be！'　he　said　to　himself。　　'That　I　should　be　such　a　fool
such　an　utter　fool。　　Good　God！　to　allow　a　girl　to　influence　me　like
this；　day　after　day；　till　I　am　jealous　of　her　very　brother。　　A
lady's　dependent；　a　waif；　a　helpless　thing　entirely　at　the　mercy　of
the　world；　yes；　curse　it；　that