desperate remedies-第31章

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husband's　house；　as　she　had　done　on　her　first　visit。　　She　asked　one
of　the　porters　if　he　could　find　a　lad　to　go　with　her　and　carry　her
bag：　　he　offered　to　do　it　himself。

The　porter　was　a　good…tempered；　shallow…minded；　ignorant　man。　　Mrs。
Manston；　being　apparently　in　very　gloomy　spirits；　would　probably
have　preferred　walking　beside　him　without　saying　a　word：　　but　her
companion　would　not　allow　silence　to　continue　between　them　for　a
longer　period　than　two　or　three　minutes　together。

He　had　volunteered　several　remarks　upon　her　arrival；　chiefly　to　the
effect　that　it　was　very　unfortunate　Mr。　Manston　had　not　come　to　the
station　for　her；　when　she　suddenly　asked　him　concerning　the
inhabitants　of　the　parish。

He　told　her　categorically　the　names　of　the　chieffirst　the　chief
possessors　of　property；　then　of　brains；　then　of　good　looks。　　As
first　among　the　latter　he　mentioned　Miss　Cytherea　Graye。

After　getting　him　to　describe　her　appearance　as　completely　as　lay　in
his　power；　she　wormed　out　of　him　the　statement　that　everybody　had
been　sayingbefore　Mrs。　Manston's　existence　was　heard　ofhow　well
the　handsome　Mr。　Manston　and　the　beautiful　Miss　Graye　were　suited
for　each　other　as　man　and　wife；　and　that　Miss　Aldclyffe　was　the　only
one　in　the　parish　who　took　no　interest　in　bringing　about　the　match。

'He　rather　liked　her　you　think？'

The　porter　began　to　think　he　had　been　too　explicit；　and　hastened　to
correct　the　error。

'O　no；　he　don't　care　a　bit　about　her；　ma'am；'　he　said　solemnly。

'Not　more　than　he　does　about　me？'

'Not　a　bit。'

'Then　that　must　be　little　indeed；'　Mrs。　Manston　murmured。　　She　stood
still；　as　if　reflecting　upon　the　painful　neglect　her　words　had
recalled　to　her　mind；　then；　with　a　sudden　impulse；　turned　round；　and
walked　petulantly　a　few　steps　back　again　in　the　direction　of　the
station。

The　porter　stood　still　and　looked　surprised。

'I'll　go　back　again；　yes；　indeed；　I'll　go　back　again！'　she　said
plaintively。　　Then　she　paused　and　looked　anxiously　up　and　down　the
deserted　road。

'No；　I　mustn't　go　back　now；'　she　continued；　in　a　tone　of
resignation。　　Seeing　that　the　porter　was　watching　her；　she　turned
about　and　came　on　as　before；　giving　vent　to　a　slight　laugh。

It　was　a　laugh　full　of　character；　the　low　forced　laugh　which　seeks
to　hide　the　painful　perception　of　a　humiliating　position　under　the
mask　of　indifference。

Altogether　her　conduct　had　shown　her　to　be　what　in　fact　she　was；　a
weak；　though　a　calculating　woman；　one　clever　to　conceive；　weak　to
execute：　　one　whose　best…laid　schemes　were　for　ever　liable　to　be
frustrated　by　the　ineradicable　blight　of　vacillation　at　the　critical
hour　of　action。

'O；　if　I　had　only　known　that　all　this　was　going　to　happen！'　she
murmured　again；　as　they　paced　along　upon　the　rustling　leaves。

'What　did　you　say；　ma'am？'　said　the　porter。

'O；　nothing　particular；　we　are　getting　near　the　old　manor…house　by
this　time；　I　imagine？'

'Very　near　now；　ma'am。'

They　soon　reached　Manston's　residence；　round　which　the　wind　blew
mournfully　and　chill。

Passing　under　the　detached　gateway；　they　entered　the　porch。　　The
porter　stepped　forward；　knocked　heavily　and　waited。

Nobody　came。

Mrs。　Manston　then　advanced　to　the　door　and　gave　a　different　series
of　rappingsless　forcible；　but　more　sustained。

There　was　not　a　movement　of　any　kind　inside；　not　a　ray　of　light
visible；　nothing　but　the　echo　of　her　own　knocks　through　the
passages；　and　the　dry　scratching　of　the　withered　leaves　blown　about
her　feet　upon　the　floor　of　the　porch。

The　steward；　of　course；　was　not　at　home。　　Mrs。　Crickett；　not
expecting　that　anybody　would　arrive　till　the　time　of　the　later
train；　had　set　the　place　in　order；　laid　the　supper…table；　and　then
locked　the　door；　to　go　into　the　village　and　converse　with　her
friends。

'Is　there　an　inn　in　the　village？'　said　Mrs。　Manston；　after　the
fourth　and　loudest　rapping　upon　the　iron…studded　old　door　had
resulted　only　in　the　fourth　and　loudest　echo　from　the　passages
inside。

'Yes；　ma'am。'

'Who　keeps　it？'

'Farmer　Springrove。'

'I　will　go　there　to…night；'　she　said　decisively。　　'It　is　too　cold；
and　altogether　too　bad；　for　a　woman　to　wait　in　the　open　road　on
anybody's　account；　gentle　or　simple。'

They　went　down　the　park　and　through　the　gate；　into　the　village　of
Carriford。　　By　the　time　they　reached　the　Three　Tranters；　it　was
verging　upon　ten　o'clock。　　There；　on　the　spot　where　two　months
earlier　in　the　season　the　sunny　and　lively　group　of　villagers　making
cider　under　the　trees　had　greeted　Cytherea's　eyes；　was　nothing　now
intelligible　but　a　vast　cloak　of　darkness；　from　which　came　the　low
sough　of　the　elms；　and　the　occasional　creak　of　the　swinging　sign。

They　went　to　the　door；　Mrs。　Manston　shivering；　but　less　from　the
cold；　than　from　the　dreariness　of　her　emotions。　　Neglect　is　the
coldest　of　winter　winds。

It　so　happened　that　Edward　Springrove　was　expected　to　arrive　from
London　either　on　that　evening　or　the　next；　and　at　the　sound　of
voices　his　father　came　to　the　door　fully　expecting　to　see　him。　　A
picture　of　disappointment　seldom　witnessed　in　a　man's　face　was
visible　in　old　Mr。　Springrove's；　when　he　saw　that　the　comer　was　a
stranger。

Mrs。　Manston　asked　for　a　room；　and　one　that　had　been　prepared　for
Edward　was　immediately　named　as　being　ready　for　her；　another　being
adaptable　for　Edward；　should　he　come　in。

Without　taking　any　refreshment；　or　entering　any　room　downstairs；　or
even　lifting　her　veil；　she　walked　straight　along　the　passage　and　up
to　her　apartment；　the　chambermaid　preceding　her。

'If　Mr。　Manston　comes　to…night；'　she　said；　sitting　on　the　bed　as　she
had　come　in；　and　addressing　the　woman；　'tell　him　I　cannot　see　him。'

'Yes；　ma'am。'

The　woman　left　the　room；　and　Mrs。　Manston　locked　the　door。　　Before
the　servant　had　gone　down　more　than　two　or　three　stairs；　Mrs。
Manston　unfastened　the　door　again；　and　held　it　ajar。

'Bring　me　some　brandy；'　she　said。

The　chambermaid　went　down　to　the　bar　and　brought　up　the　spirit　in　a
tumbler。　　When　she　came　into　the　room；　Mrs。　Manston　had　not　removed
a　single　article　of　apparel；　and　was　walking　up　and　down；　as　if
still　quite　undecided　upon　the　course　it　was　best　to　adopt。

Outside　the　door；　when　it　was　closed　upon　her；　the　maid　paused　to
listen　for　an　instant。　　She　heard　Mrs。　Manston　talking　to　herself。

'This　is　welcome　home！'　she　said。

2。　　FROM　TEN　TO　HALF…PAST　ELEVEN　P。M。

A　strange　concurrence　of　phenomena　now　confronts　us。

During　the　autumn　in　which　the　past　scenes　were　enacted；　Mr。
Springrove　had　ploughed；　harrowed；　and　cleaned　a　narrow　and　shaded
piece　of　ground；　lying　at　the　back　of　his　house；　which　for　many
years　had　been　looked　upon　as　irreclaimable　waste。

The　couch…grass　extracted　from　the　soil　had　been　left　to　wither　in
the　sun；　afterwards　it　was　raked　together；　lighted　in　the　customary
way；　and　now　lay　smouldering　in　a　large　heap　in　the　middle　of　the
plot。

It　had　been　kindled　three　days　previous　to　Mrs。　Manston's　arrival；
and　one　or　two　villagers；　of　a　more　cautious　and　less　sanguine
temperament　than　Springrove；　had　suggested　that　the　fire　was　almost
too　near　the　back　of　the　house　for　its　continuance　to　be　unattended
with　risk；　for　though　no　danger　could　be　apprehended　whilst　the　air
remained　moderately　still；　a　brisk　breeze　blowing　towards　the　house
might　possibly　carry　a　spark　across。

'Ay；　that's　true　enough；'　said　Springrove。　　'I　must　look　round
before　going　to　bed　and　see　that　everything's　safe；　but　to　tell　the
truth　I　am　anxious　to　get　the　rubbish　burnt　up　before　the　rain　comes
to　wash　it　into　ground　again。　　As　to　carrying　the　couch　into　the
back　field　to　burn；　and　bringing　it　back　again；　why；　'tis　more　than
the　ashes　would　be　worth。'

'Well；　that's　very　true；'　said　the　neighbours；　and　passed　on。

Two　or　three　times　during　the　first　evening　after　the　heap　was　lit；
he　went　to　the　back　door　to　take　a　survey。　　Before　bolting　and
barring　up　for　the　night；　he　made　a　final　and　more　careful
examination。　　The　slowly…smoking　pile　showed　not　the　slightest　signs
of　activity。　　Springrove's　perfectly　sound　conclusion　was；　that　as
long　as　the　heap　was　not　stirred；　and　the　wind　continued　in　the
quarter　it　blew　from　then；　the　couch　would　not　flame；　and　that　there
could　be　no　shadow　of　danger　to　anything；　even　a　combustible
substance；　though　it　were　no　more　than　a　yard　off。

The　next　morning　the　burning　couch　was　discovered　in　precisely　the
same　state　as　when　he　had　gone　to　bed　the　preceding　night。　　The　heap
smoked　in　the　same　manner　the　whole　of　that　day：　　at　bed…time　the
farmer　looked　towards　it；　but　less　carefully　than　on　the　first
night。

The　morning　and　the　whole　of　the　third　day　still　saw　the　heap　in　its
old　smouldering　condition；　indeed；　the　smoke　was　less；　and　there
seemed　a　probability　that　it　might　have　to　be　re…kindled　on　the
morrow。

After　admitting　Mrs。　Manston　to　his　house　in　the　evening；　and
hearing　her　retire；　Mr。　Springrove　return　to　the　front　door　to
listen　for　a　sound　of　his　son；　and　inquired　concerning　him　of　the
railway…porter；　who　sat　for　a　while　in　the　kitchen。　　The　porter　had
not　noticed　young　Mr。　Springrove　get　out　of　the　train；　at　which
intelligence　the　old　man　concluded　that　he　would　probably　not　see
his　son　till　the　next　day；　as　Edward　had　hitherto　made　a　point　of
coming　by　the　train　which　had　brought　Mrs。　Manston。

Half…an…hour　later　the　porter　left　the　inn；　Springrove　at　the　same
time　going　to　the　door　to　listen　again　an　instant；　then　he　walked
round　and　in　at　the　back　of　the　house。

The　farmer　glanced　at　the　heap　casually　and　indifferently　in
passing；　two　nights　of　safety　seemed　to　ensure　the　third；　and　he　was
about　to　bolt　and　bar　as　usual；　when　the　idea　struck　him　that　there
was　just　a　possibility　of　his　son's　return　by　the　latest　train；
unlikely　as　it　was　that　he　would　be　so　delayed。　　The　old　man
thereupon　left　the　door　unfastened；　looked　to　his　usual　matters
indoors；　and　went　to　bed；　it　being　then　half…past　ten　o'clock。

Farmers　and　horticulturists　well　know　that　it　is　in　the　nature　of　a
heap　of　couch…grass；　when　kindled　in　calm　weather；　to　smoulder　for
many　days；　and　even　weeks；　until　the　whole　mass　is　reduced　to　a
powdery　charcoal　ash；　displaying　the　while　scarcely　a　sign　of
combustion　beyond　the　volcano…like　smoke　from　its　summit；　but　the
continuance　of　this　quiet　process　is　throughout　its　length　at　the
mercy　of　one　particular　whim　of　Nature：　　that　is；　a　sudden　breeze；
by　which　the　heap　is　liable　to　be　fanned　into　a　flame　so　brisk　as　to
consume　the　whole　in　an　hour　or　two。

Had　the　farmer　narrowly　watched　the　pile　when　he　went　to　close　the
door；　he　would　have　seen；　besides　the　familiar　twine　of　smoke　from
its　summit；　a　quivering　of　the　air　around　the　mass；　showing　that　a
considerable　heat　had　arisen　inside。

As　the　railway…porter　turned　the　corner　of　the　row　of　houses
adjoining　the　Three　Tranters；　a　brisk　new　wind　greeted　his　face；　and
spread　past　him　into　the　village。　　He　walked　along　the　high…road
till　he　came　to　a　gate；　about　three　hundred　yards　from　the　inn。
Over　the　gate　could　be　discerned　the　situation　of　the　building　he
had　just　quitted。　　He　carelessly　turned　his　head　in　passing；　and　saw
behind　him　a　clear　red　glow　indicating