desperate remedies-第34章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



A　feature　in　the　decline　of　town　fires　was　noticeably　absent　here
steam。　　There　was　present　what　is　not　observable　in　towns
incandescence。

The　heat；　and　the　smarting　effect　upon　their　eyes　of　the　strong
smoke　from　the　burning　oak　and　deal；　had　at　last　driven　the
villagers　back　from　the　road　in　front　of　the　houses；　and　they　now
stood　in　groups　in　the　churchyard；　the　surface　of　which；　raised　by
the　interments　of　generations；　stood　four　or　five　feet　above　the
level　of　the　road；　and　almost　even　with　the　top　of　the　low　wall
dividing　one　from　the　other。　　The　headstones　stood　forth　whitely
against　the　dark　grass　and　yews；　their　brightness　being　repeated　on
the　white　smock…frocks　of　some　of　the　labourers；　and　in　a　mellower；
ruddier　form　on　their　faces　and　hands；　on　those　of　the　grinning
gargoyles；　and　on　other　salient　stonework　of　the　weather…beaten
church　in　the　background。

The　rector　had　decided　that；　under　the　distressing　circumstances　of
the　case；　there　would　be　no　sacrilege　in　placing　in　the　church；　for
the　night；　the　pieces　of　furniture　and　utensils　which　had　been　saved
from　the　several　houses。　　There　was　no　other　place　of　safety　for
them；　and　they　accordingly　were　gathered　there。

6。　　HALF…PAST　TWELVE　TO　ONE　A。M。

Manston；　when　he　retired　to　meditate；　had　walked　round　the
churchyard；　and　now　entered　the　opened　door　of　the　building。

He　mechanically　pursued　his　way　round　the　piers　into　his　own　seat　in
the　north　aisle。　　The　lower　atmosphere　of　this　spot　was　shaded　by
its　own　wall　from　the　shine　which　streamed　in　over　the　window…sills
on　the　same　side。　　The　only　light　burning　inside　the　church　was　a
small　tallow　candle；　standing　in　the　font；　in　the　opposite　aisle　of
the　building　to　that　in　which　Manston　had　sat　down；　and　near　where
the　furniture　was　piled。　　The　candle's　mild　rays　were　overpowered　by
the　ruddier　light　from　the　ruins；　making　the　weak　flame　to　appear
like　the　moon　by　day。

Sitting　there　he　saw　Farmer　Springrove　enter　the　door；　followed　by
his　son　Edward；　still　carrying　his　travelling…bag　in　his　hand。　　They
were　speaking　of　the　sad　death　of　Mrs。　Manston；　but　the　subject　was
relinquished　for　that　of　the　houses　burnt。

This　row　of　houses；　running　from　the　inn　eastward；　had　been　built
under　the　following　circumstances：

Fifty　years　before　this　date；　the　spot　upon　which　the　cottages
afterwards　stood　was　a　blank　strip；　along　the　side　of　the　village
street；　difficult　to　cultivate；　on　account　of　the　outcrop　thereon　of
a　large　bed　of　flints　called　locally　a　'lanch'　or　'lanchet。'

The　Aldclyffe　then　in　possession　of　the　estate　conceived　the　idea
that　a　row　of　cottages　would　be　an　improvement　to　the　spot；　and
accordingly　granted　leases　of　portions　to　several　respectable
inhabitants。　　Each　lessee　was　to　be　subject　to　the　payment　of　a
merely　nominal　rent　for　the　whole　term　of　lives；　on　condition　that
he　built　his　own　cottage；　and　delivered　it　up　intact　at　the　end　of
the　term。

Those　who　had　built　had；　one　by　one；　relinquished　their　indentures；
either　by　sale　or　barter；　to　Farmer　Springrove's　father。　　New　lives
were　added　in　some　cases；　by　payment　of　a　sum　to　the　lord　of　the
manor；　etc。；　and　all　the　leases　were　now　held　by　the　farmer　himself；
as　one　of　the　chief　provisions　for　his　old　age。

The　steward　had　become　interested　in　the　following　conversation：

'Try　not　to　be　so　depressed；　father；　they　are　all　insured。'

The　words　came　from　Edward　in　an　anxious　tone。

'You　mistake；　Edward；　they　are　not　insured；'　returned　the　old　man
gloomily。

'Not？'　the　son　asked。

'Not　one！'　said　the　farmer。

'In　the　Helmet　Fire　Office；　surely？'

'They　were　insured　there　every　one。　　Six　months　ago　the　office；
which　had　been　raising　the　premiums　on　thatched　premises　higher　for
some　years；　gave　up　insuring　them　altogether；　as　two　or　three　other
fire…offices　had　done　previously；　on　account；　they　said；　of　the
uncertainty　and　greatness　of　the　risk　of　thatch　undetached。　　Ever
since　then　I　have　been　continually　intending　to　go　to　another
office；　but　have　never　gone。　　Who　expects　a　fire？'

'Do　you　remember　the　terms　of　the　leases？'　said　Edward；　still　more
uneasily。

'No；　not　particularly；'　said　his　father　absently。

'Where　are　they？'

'In　the　bureau　there；　that's　why　I　tried　to　save　it　first；　among
other　things。'

'Well；　we　must　see　to　that　at　once。'

'What　do　you　want？'

'The　key。'

They　went　into　the　south　aisle；　took　the　candle　from　the　font；　and
then　proceeded　to　open　the　bureau；　which　had　been　placed　in　a　corner
under　the　gallery。　　Both　leant　over　upon　the　flap；　Edward　holding
the　candle；　whilst　his　father　took　the　pieces　of　parchment　from　one
of　the　drawers；　and　spread　the　first　out　before　him。

'You　read　it；　Ted。　　I　can't　see　without　my　glasses。　　This　one　will
be　sufficient。　　The　terms　of　all　are　the　same。'

Edward　took　the　parchment；　and　read　quickly　and　indistinctly　for
some　time；　then　aloud　and　slowly　as　follows：

'And　the　said　John　Springrove　for　himself　his　heirs　executors　and
administrators　doth　covenant　and　agree　with　the　said　Gerald
Fellcourt　Aldclyffe　his　heirs　and　assigns　that　he　the　said　John
Springrove　his　heirs　and　assigns　during　the　said　term　shall　pay　unto
the　said　Gerald　Fellcourt　Aldclyffe　his　heirs　and　assigns　the　clear
yearly　rent　of　ten　shillings　and　sixpence。　。　。　。　　at　the　several
times　hereinbefore　appointed　for　the　payment　thereof　respectively。
And　also　shall　and　at　all　times　during　the　said　term　well　and
sufficiently　repair　and　keep　the　said　Cottage　or　Dwelling…house　and
all　other　the　premises　and　all　houses　or　buildings　erected　or　to　be
erected　thereupon　in　good　and　proper　repair　in　every　respect　without
exception　and　the　said　premises　in　such　good　repair　upon　the
determination　of　this　demise　shall　yield　up　unto　the　said　Gerald
Fellcourt　Aldclyffe　his　heirs　and　assigns。'

They　closed　the　bureau　and　turned　towards　the　door　of　the　church
without　speaking。

Manston　also　had　come　forward　out　of　the　gloom。　　Notwithstanding　the
farmer's　own　troubles；　an　instinctive　respect　and　generous　sense　of
sympathy　with　the　steward　for　his　awful　loss　caused　the　old　man　to
step　aside；　that　Manston　might　pass　out　without　speaking　to　them　if
he　chose　to　do　so。

'Who　is　he？'　whispered　Edward　to　his　father；　as　Manston　approached。

'Mr。　Manston；　the　steward。'

Manston　came　near；　and　passed　down　the　aisle　on　the　side　of　the
younger　man。　　Their　faces　came　almost　close　together：　　one　large
flame；　which　still　lingered　upon　the　ruins　outside；　threw　long
dancing　shadows　of　each　across　the　nave　till　they　bent　upwards
against　the　aisle　wall；　and　also　illuminated　their　eyes；　as　each　met
those　of　the　other。　　Edward　had　learnt；　by　a　letter　from　home；　of
the　steward's　passion　for　Cytherea；　and　his　mysterious　repression　of
it；　afterwards　explained　by　his　marriage。　　That　marriage　was　now
nought。　　Edward　realized　the　man's　newly　acquired　freedom；　and　felt
an　instinctive　enmity　towards　himhe　would　hardly　own　to　himself
why。　　The　steward；　too；　knew　Cytherea's　attachment　to　Edward；　and
looked　keenly　and　inscrutably　at　him。

7。　　ONE　TO　TWO　A。M。

Manston　went　homeward　alone；　his　heart　full　of　strange　emotions。
Entering　the　house；　and　dismissing　the　woman　to　her　own　home；　he　at
once　proceeded　upstairs　to　his　bedroom。

Reasoning　worldliness；　especially　when　allied　with　sensuousness；
cannot　repress　on　some　extreme　occasions　the　human　instinct　to　pour
out　the　soul　to　some　Being　or　Personality；　who　in　frigid　moments　is
dismissed　with　the　title　of　Chance；　or　at　most　Law。　　Manston　was
selfishly　and　inhumanly；　but　honestly　and　unutterably；　thankful　for
the　recent　catastrophe。　　Beside　his　bed；　for　that　first　time　during
a　period　of　nearly　twenty　years；　he　fell　down　upon　his　knees　in　a
passionate　outburst　of　feeling。

Many　minutes　passed　before　he　arose。　　He　walked　to　the　window；　and
then　seemed　to　remember　for　the　first　time　that　some　action　on　his
part　was　necessary　in　connection　with　the　sad　circumstance　of　the
night。

Leaving　the　house　at　once；　he　went　to　the　scene　of　the　fire；
arriving　there　in　time　to　hear　the　rector　making　an　arrangement　with
a　certain　number　of　men　to　watch　the　spot　till　morning。　　The　ashes
were　still　red…hot　and　flaming。　　Manston　found　that　nothing　could　be
done　towards　searching　them　at　that　hour　of　the　night。　　He　turned
homeward　again；　in　the　company　of　the　rector；　who　had　considerately
persuaded　him　to　retire　from　the　scene　for　a　while；　and　promised
that　as　soon　as　a　man　could　live　amid　the　embers　of　the　Three
Tranters　Inn；　they　should　be　carefully　searched　for　the　remains　of
his　unfortunate　wife。

Manston　then　went　indoors；　to　wait　for　morning。



XI。　　THE　EVENTS　OF　FIVE　DAYS

1。　　NOVEMBER　THE　TWENTY…NINTH

The　search　began　at　dawn；　but　a　quarter　past　nine　o'clock　came
without　bringing　any　result。　　Manston　ate　a　little　breakfast；　and
crossed　the　hollow　of　the　park　which　intervened　between　the　old　and
modern　manor…houses；　to　ask　for　an　interview　with　Miss　Aldclyffe。

He　met　her　midway。　　She　was　about　to　pay　him　a　visit　of　condolence；
and　to　place　every　man　on　the　estate　at　his　disposal；　that　the
search　for　any　relic　of　his　dead　and　destroyed　wife　might　not　be
delayed　an　instant。

He　accompanied　her　back　to　the　house。　　At　first　they　conversed　as　if
the　death　of　the　poor　woman　was　an　event　which　the　husband　must　of
necessity　deeply　lament；　and　when　all　under　this　head　that　social
form　seemed　to　require　had　been　uttered；　they　spoke　of　the　material
damage　done；　and　of　the　steps　which　had　better　be　taken　to　remedy
it。

It　was　not　till　both　were　shut　inside　her　private　room　that　she
spoke　to　him　in　her　blunt　and　cynical　manner。　　A　certain　newness　of
bearing　in　him；　peculiar　to　the　present　morning；　had　hitherto
forbidden　her　this　tone：　　the　demeanour　of　the　subject　of　her
favouritism　had　altered；　she　could　not　tell　in　what　way。　　He　was
entirely　a　changed　man。

'Are　you　really　sorry　for　your　poor　wife；　Mr。　Manston？'　she　said。

'Well；　I　am；'　he　answered　shortly。

'But　only　as　for　any　human　being　who　has　met　with　a　violent　death？'

He　confessed　it'For　she　was　not　a　good　woman；'　he　added。

'I　should　be　sorry　to　say　such　a　thing　now　the　poor　creature　is
dead；'　Miss　Aldclyffe　returned　reproachfully。

'Why？'　he　asked。　　'Why　should　I　praise　her　if　she　doesn't　deserve
it？　　I　say　exactly　what　I　have　often　admired　Sterne　for　saying　in
one　of　his　lettersthat　neither　reason　nor　Scripture　asks　us　to
speak　nothing　but　good　of　the　dead。　　And　now；　madam；'　he　continued；
after　a　short　interval　of　thought；　'I　may；　perhaps；　hope　that　you
will　assist　me；　or　rather　not　thwart　me；　in　endeavouring　to　win　the
love　of　a　young　lady　living　about　you；　one　in　whom　I　am　much
interested　already。'

'Cytherea！'

'Yes；　Cytherea。'

'You　have　been　loving　Cytherea　all　the　while？'

'Yes。'

Surprise　was　a　preface　to　much　agitation　in　her；　which　caused　her　to
rise　from　her　seat；　and　pace　to　the　side　of　the　room。　　The　steward
quietly　looked　on　and　added；　'I　have　been　loving　and　still　love
her。'

She　came　close　up　to　him；　wistfully　contemplating　his　face；　one　hand
moving　indecisively　at　her　side。

'And　your　secret　marriage　was；　then；　the　true　and　only　reason　for
tha