desperate remedies-第29章

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as　she　turned　on　her　foot　to　go　home；　'good　people　like　you　may　say
so；　but　I　have　always　found　Providence　a　different　sort　of　feller。'

5。　　NOVEMBER　THE　TWENTIETH

It　was　Miss　Aldclyffe's　custom；　a　custom　originated　by　her　father；
and　nourished　by　her　own　exclusiveness；　to　unlock　the　post…bag
herself　every　morning；　instead　of　allowing　the　duty　to　devolve　on
the　butler；　as　was　the　case　in　most　of　the　neighbouring　county
families。　　The　bag　was　brought　upstairs　each　morning　to　her
dressing…room；　where　she　took　out　the　contents；　mostly　in　the
presence　of　her　maid　and　Cytherea；　who　had　the　entree　of　the　chamber
at　all　hours；　and　attended　there　in　the　morning　at　a　kind　of
reception　on　a　small　scale；　which　was　held　by　Miss　Aldclyffe　of　her
namesake　only。

Here　she　read　her　letters　before　the　glass；　whilst　undergoing　the
operation　of　being　brushed　and　dressed。

'What　woman　can　this　be；　I　wonder？'　she　said　on　the　morning
succeeding　that　of　the　last　section。　　'〃London；　N。！〃　　It　is　the
first　time　in　my　life　I　ever　had　a　letter　from　that　outlandish
place；　the　North　side　of　London。'

Cytherea　had　just　come　into　her　presence　to　learn　if　there　was
anything　for　herself；　and　on　being　thus　addressed；　walked　up　to　Miss
Aldclyffe's　corner　of　the　room　to　look　at　the　curiosity　which　had
raised　such　an　exclamation。　　But　the　lady；　having　opened　the
envelope　and　read　a　few　lines；　put　it　quickly　in　her　pocket；　before
Cytherea　could　reach　her　side。

'O；　'tis　nothing；'　she　said。　　She　proceeded　to　make　general　remarks
in　a　noticeably　forced　tone　of　sang…froid；　from　which　she　soon
lapsed　into　silence。　　Not　another　word　was　said　about　the　letter：
she　seemed　very　anxious　to　get　her　dressing　done；　and　the　room
cleared。　　Thereupon　Cytherea　went　away　to　the　other　window；　and　a
few　minutes　later　left　the　room　to　follow　her　own　pursuits。

It　was　late　when　Miss　Aldclyffe　descended　to　the　breakfast…table　and
then　she　seemed　there　to　no　purpose；　tea；　coffee；　eggs；　cutlets；　and
all　their　accessories；　were　left　absolutely　untasted。　　The　next　that
was　seen　of　her　was　when　walking　up　and　down　the　south　terrace；　and
round　the　flower…beds；　her　face　was　pale；　and　her　tread　was　fitful；
and　she　crumpled　a　letter　in　her　hand。

Dinner…time　came　round　as　usual；　she　did　not　speak　ten　words；　or
indeed　seem　conscious　of　the　meal；　for　all　that　Miss　Aldclyffe　did
in　the　way　of　eating；　dinner　might　have　been　taken　out　as　intact　as
it　was　taken　in。

In　her　own　private　apartment　Miss　Aldclyffe　again　pulled　out　the
letter　of　the　morning。　　One　passage　in　it　ran　thus：

'Of　course；　being　his　wife；　I　could　publish　the　fact；　and　compel　him
to　acknowledge　me　at　any　moment；　notwithstanding　his　threats；　and
reasonings　that　it　will　be　better　to　wait。　　I　have　waited；　and
waited　again；　and　the　time　for　such　acknowledgment　seems　no　nearer
than　at　first。　　To　show　you　how　patiently　I　have　waited　I　can　tell
you　that　not　till　a　fortnight　ago；　when　by　stress　of　circumstances　I
had　been　driven　to　new　lodgings；　have　I　ever　assumed　my　married
name；　solely　on　account　of　its　having　been　his　request　all　along
that　I　should　not　do　it。　　This　writing　to　you；　madam；　is　my　first
disobedience；　and　I　am　justified　in　it。　　A　woman　who　is　driven　to
visit　her　husband　like　a　thief　in　the　night　and　then　sent　away　like
a　street　dogleft　to　get　up；　unbolt；　unbar；　and　find　her　way　out　of
the　house　as　she　best　mayis　justified　in　doing　anything。

'But　should　I　demand　of　him　a　restitution　of　rights；　there　would　be
involved　a　publicity　which　I　could　not　endure；　and　a　noisy　scandal
flinging　my　name　the　length　and　breadth　of　the　country。

'What　I　still　prefer　to　any　such　violent　means　is　that　you　reason
with　him　privately；　and　compel　him　to　bring　me　home　to　your　parish
in　a　decent　and　careful　manner；　in　the　way　that　would　be　adopted　by
any　respectable　man；　whose　wife　had　been　living　away　from　him　for
some　time；　by　reason；　say；　of　peculiar　family　circumstances　which
had　caused　disunion；　but　not　enmity；　and　who　at　length　was　enabled
to　reinstate　her　in　his　house。

'You　will；　I　know；　oblige　me　in　this；　especially　as　knowledge　of　a
peculiar　transaction　of　your　own；　which　took　place　some　years　ago；
has　lately　come　to　me　in　a　singular　way。　　I　will　not　at　present
trouble　you　by　describing　how。　　It　is　enough；　that　I　alone；　of　all
people　living；　know　ALL　THE　SIDES　OF　THE　STORY；　　those　from　whom　I
collected　it　having　each　only　a　partial　knowledge　which　confuses
them　and　points　to　nothing。　　One　person　knows　of　your　early
engagement　and　its　sudden　termination；　another；　of　the　reason　of
those　strange　meetings　at　inns　and　coffee…houses；　another；　of　what
was　sufficient　to　cause　all　this；　and　so　on。　　I　know　what　fits　one
and　all　the　circumstances　like　a　key；　and　shows　them　to　be　the
natural　outcrop　of　a　rational　（though　rather　rash）　line　of　conduct
for　a　young　lady。　　You　will　at　once　perceive　how　it　was　that　some　at
least　of　these　things　were　revealed　to　me。

'This　knowledge　then；　common　to；　and　secretly　treasured　by　us　both；
is　the　ground　upon　which　I　beg　for　your　friendship　and　help；　with　a
feeling　that　you　will　be　too　generous　to　refuse　it　to　me。

'I　may　add　that；　as　yet；　my　husband　knows　nothing　of　this；　neither
need　he　if　you　remember　my　request。'



'A　threata　flat　stinging　threat！　as　delicately　wrapped　up　in　words
as　the　woman　could　do　it；　a　threat　from　a　miserable　unknown　creature
to　an　Aldclyffe；　and　not　the　least　proud　member　of　the　family
either！　　A　threat　on　his　accountO；　O！　shall　it　be？'

Presently　this　humour　of　defiance　vanished；　and　the　members　of　her
body　became　supple　again；　her　proceedings　proving　that　it　was
absolutely　necessary　to　give　way；　Aldclyffe　as　she　was。　　She　wrote　a
short　answer　to　Mrs。　Manston；　saying　civilly　that　Mr。　Manston's
possession　of　such　a　near　relation　was　a　fact　quite　new　to　herself；
and　that　she　would　see　what　could　be　done　in　such　an　unfortunate
affair。

6。　　NOVEMBER　THE　TWENTY…FIRST

Manston　received　a　message　the　next　day　requesting　his　attendance　at
the　House　punctually　at　eight　o'clock　the　ensuing　evening。　　Miss
Aldclyffe　was　brave　and　imperious；　but　with　the　purpose　she　had　in
view　she　could　not　look　him　in　the　face　whilst　daylight　shone　upon
her。

The　steward　was　shown　into　the　library。　　On　entering　it；　he　was
immediately　struck　with　the　unusual　gloom　which　pervaded　the
apartment。　　The　fire　was　dead　and　dull；　one　lamp；　and　that　a
comparatively　small　one；　was　burning　at　the　extreme　end；　leaving　the
main　proportion　of　the　lofty　and　sombre　room　in　an　artificial
twilight；　scarcely　powerful　enough　to　render　visible　the　titles　of
the　folio　and　quarto　volumes　which　were　jammed　into　the　lower　tiers
of　the　bookshelves。

After　keeping　him　waiting　for　more　than　twenty　minutes　（Miss
Aldclyffe　knew　that　excellent　recipe　for　taking　the　stiffness　out　of
human　flesh；　and　for　extracting　all　pre…arrangement　from　human
speech）　she　entered　the　room。

Manston　sought　her　eye　directly。　　The　hue　of　her　features　was　not
discernible；　but　the　calm　glance　she　flung　at　him；　from　which　all
attempt　at　returning　his　scrutiny　was　absent；　awoke　him　to　the
perception　that　probably　his　secret　was　by　some　means　or　other　known
to　her；　how　it　had　become　known　he　could　not　tell。

She　drew　forth　the　letter；　unfolded　it；　and　held　it　up　to　him；
letting　it　hang　by　one　corner　from　between　her　finger　and　thumb；　so
that　the　light　from　the　lamp；　though　remote；　fell　directly　upon　its
surface。

'You　know　whose　writing　this　is？'　she　said。

He　saw　the　strokes　plainly；　instantly　resolving　to　burn　his　ships
and　hazard　all　on　an　advance。

'My　wife's；'　he　said　calmly。

His　quiet　answer　threw　her　off　her　balance。　　She　had　no　more
expected　an　answer　than　does　a　preacher　when　he　exclaims　from　the
pulpit；　'Do　you　feel　your　sin？'　　She　had　clearly　expected　a　sudden
alarm。

'And　why　all　this　concealment？'　she　said　again；　her　voice　rising；　as
she　vainly　endeavoured　to　control　her　feelings；　whatever　they　were。

'It　doesn't　follow　that；　because　a　man　is　married；　he　must　tell
every　stranger　of　it；　madam；'　he　answered；　just　as　calmly　as　before。

'Stranger！　well；　perhaps　not；　but；　Mr。　Manston；　why　did　you　choose
to　conceal　it；　I　ask　again？　　I　have　a　perfect　right　to　ask　this
question；　as　you　will　perceive；　if　you　consider　the　terms　of　my
advertisement。'

'I　will　tell　you。　　There　were　two　simple　reasons。　　The　first　was
this　practical　one；　you　advertised　for　an　unmarried　man；　if　you
remember？'

'Of　course　I　remember。'

'Well；　an　incident　suggested　to　me　that　I　should　try　for　the
situation。　　I　was　married；　but；　knowing　that　in　getting　an　office
where　there　is　a　restriction　of　this　kind；　leaving　one's　wife　behind
is　always　accepted　as　a　fulfilment　of　the　condition；　I　left　her
behind　for　awhile。　　The　other　reason　is；　that　these　terms　of　yours
afforded　me　a　plausible　excuse　for　escaping　（for　a　short　time）　the
company　of　a　woman　I　had　been　mistaken　in　marrying。'

'Mistaken！　what　was　she？'　the　lady　inquired。

'A　third…rate　actress；　whom　I　met　with　during　my　stay　in　Liverpool
last　summer；　where　I　had　gone　to　fulfil　a　short　engagement　with　an
architect。'

'Where　did　she　come　from？'

'She　is　an　American　by　birth；　and　I　grew　to　dislike　her　when　we　had
been　married　a　week。'

'She　was　ugly；　I　imagine？'

'She　is　not　an　ugly　woman　by　any　means。'

'Up　to　the　ordinary　standard？'

'Quite　up　to　the　ordinary　standardindeed；　handsome。　　After　a　while
we　quarrelled　and　separated。'

'You　did　not　ill…use　her；　of　course？'　said　Miss　Aldclyffe；　with　a
little　sarcasm。

'I　did　not。'

'But　at　any　rate；　you　got　thoroughly　tired　of　her。'

Manston　looked　as　if　he　began　to　think　her　questions　put　of　place；
however；　he　said　quietly；　'I　did　get　tired　of　her。　　I　never　told　her
so；　but　we　separated；　I　to　come　here；　bringing　her　with　me　as　far　as
London　and　leaving　her　there　in　perfectly　comfortable　quarters；　and
though　your　advertisement　expressed　a　single　man；　I　have　always
intended　to　tell　you　the　whole　truth；　and　this　was　when　I　was　going
to　tell　it；　when　your　satisfaction　with　my　careful　management　of
your　affairs　should　have　proved　the　risk　to　be　a　safe　one　to　run。'

She　bowed。

'Then　I　saw　that　you　were　good　enough　to　be　interested　in　my　welfare
to　a　greater　extent　than　I　could　have　anticipated　or　hoped；　judging
you　by　the　frigidity　of　other　employers；　and　this　caused　me　to
hesitate。　　I　was　vexed　at　the　complication　of　affairs。　　So　matters
stood　till　three　nights　ago；　I　was　then　walking　home　from　the
pottery；　and　came　up　to　the　railway。　　The　down…train　came　along
close　to　me；　and　there；　sitting　at　a　carriage　window；　I　saw　my　wife：
she　had　found　out　my　address；　and　had　thereupon　determined　to　follow
me　here。　　I　had　not　been　home　many　minutes　before　she　came　in；　next
morning　early　she　left　again'

'Because　you　treated　her　so　cavalierly？'

'And　as　I　suppose；　wrote　to　you　directly。　　That's　the　whole　story　of
her；　madam。'　　Whatever　were　Manston's　real　feelings　towards　the　lady
who　had　received　his　explanation　in　these　supercilious　tones；　they
remained　locked　within　him　as　within　a　casket　of　steel。

'Did　your　friends　know　of　your　marriage；　Mr　Manston？'　she　continued。

'Nobody　at　all；