desperate remedies-第35章

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moving　indecisively　at　her　side。

'And　your　secret　marriage　was；　then；　the　true　and　only　reason　for
that　backwardness　regarding　the　courtship　of　Cytherea；　which；　they
tell　me；　has　been　the　talk　of　the　village；　not　your　indifference　to
her　attractions。'　　Her　voice　had　a　tone　of　conviction　in　it；　as　well
as　of　inquiry；　but　none　of　jealousy。

'Yes；'　he　said；　'and　not　a　dishonourable　one。　　What　held　me　back　was
just　that　one　thinga　sense　of　morality　that　perhaps；　madam；　you
did　not　give　me　credit　for。'　　The　latter　words　were　spoken　with　a
mien　and　tone　of　pride。

Miss　Aldclyffe　preserved　silence。

'And　now；'　he　went　on；　'I　may　as　well　say　a　word　in　vindication　of
my　conduct　lately；　at　the　risk；　too；　of　offending　you。　　My　actual
motive　in　submitting　to　your　order　that　I　should　send　for　my　late
wife；　and　live　with　her；　was　not　the　mercenary　policy　of　wishing　to
retain　an　office　which　brings　me　greater　comforts　than　any　I　have
enjoyed　before；　but　this　unquenchable　passion　for　Cytherea。　　Though
I　saw　the　weakness；　folly；　and　even　wickedness　of　it　continually；　it
still　forced　me　to　try　to　continue　near　her；　even　as　the　husband　of
another　woman。'

He　waited　for　her　to　speak：　　she　did　not。

'There's　a　great　obstacle　to　my　making　any　way　in　winning　Miss
Graye's　love；'　he　went　on。

'Yes；　Edward　Springrove；'　she　said　quietly。　　'I　know　it；　I　did　once
want　to　see　them　married；　they　have　had　a　slight　quarrel；　and　it
will　soon　be　made　up　again；　unless'　she　spoke　as　if　she　had　only
half　attended　to　Manston's　last　statement。

'He　is　already　engaged　to　be　married　to　somebody　else；'　said　the
steward。

'Pooh！'　said　she；　'you　mean　to　his　cousin　at　Peakhill；　that's
nothing　to　help　us；　he's　now　come　home　to　break　it　off。'

'He　must　not　break　it　off；'　said　Manston；　firmly　and　calmly。

His　tone　attracted　her；　startled　her。　　Recovering　herself；　she　said
haughtily；　'Well；　that's　your　affair；　not　mine。　　Though　my　wish　has
been　to　see　her　YOUR　wife；　I　can't　do　anything　dishonourable　to
bring　about　such　a　result。'

'But　it　must　be　MADE　your　affair；'　he　said　in　a　hard；　steady　voice；
looking　into　her　eyes；　as　if　he　saw　there　the　whole　panorama　of　her
past。

One　of　the　most　difficult　things　to　portray　by　written　words　is　that
peculiar　mixture　of　moods　expressed　in　a　woman's　countenance　when；
after　having　been　sedulously　engaged　in　establishing　another's
position；　she　suddenly　suspects　him　of　undermining　her　own。　　It　was
thus　that　Miss　Aldclyffe　looked　at　the　steward。

'Youknowsomethingof　me？'　she　faltered。

'I　know　all；'　he　said。

'Then　curse　that　wife　of　yours！　　She　wrote　and　said　she　wouldn't
tell　you！'　she　burst　out。　　'Couldn't　she　keep　her　word　for　a　day？'
She　reflected　and　then　said；　but　no　more　as　to　a　stranger；　'I　will
not　yield。　　I　have　committed　no　crime。　　I　yielded　to　her　threats　in
a　moment　of　weakness；　though　I　felt　inclined　to　defy　her　at　the
time：　　it　was　chiefly　because　I　was　mystified　as　to　how　she　got　to
know　of　it。　　Pooh！　I　will　put　up　with　threats　no　more。　　O；　can　YOU
threaten　me？'　she　added　softly；　as　if　she　had　for　the　moment
forgotten　to　whom　she　had　been　speaking。

'My　love　must　be　made　your　affair；'　he　repeated；　without　taking　his
eyes　from　her。

An　agony；　which　was　not　the　agony　of　being　discovered　in　a　secret；
obstructed　her　utterance　for　a　time。　　'How　can　you　turn　upon　me　so
when　I　schemed　to　get　you　hereschemed　that　you　might　win　her　till
I　found　you　were　married。　　O；　how　can　you！　　O！。　。　。　　O！'　　She　wept；
and　the　weeping　of　such　a　nature　was　as　harrowing　as　the　weeping　of
a　man。

'Your　getting　me　here　was　bad　policy　as　to　your　secretthe　most
absurd　thing　in　the　world；'　he　said；　not　heeding　her　distress。　　'I
knew　all；　except　the　identity　of　the　individual；　long　ago。　　Directly
I　found　that　my　coming　here　was　a　contrived　thing；　and　not　a　matter
of　chance；　it　fixed　my　attention　upon　you　at　once。　　All　that　was
required　was　the　mere　spark　of　life；　to　make　of　a　bundle　of
perceptions　an　organic　whole。'

'Policy；　how　can　you　talk　of　policy？　　Think；　do　think！　　And　how　can
you　threaten　me　when　you　knowyou　knowthat　I　would　befriend　you
readily　without　a　threat！'

'Yes；　yes；　I　think　you　would；'　he　said　more　kindly；　'but　your
indifference　for　so　many；　many　years　has　made　me　doubt　it。'

'No；　not　indifference'twas　enforced　silence。　　My　father　lived。'

He　took　her　hand；　and　held　it　gently。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*

'Now　listen；'　he　said；　more　quietly　and　humanly；　when　she　had　become
calmer：　　'Springrove　must　marry　the　woman　he's　engaged　to。　　You　may
make　him；　but　only　in　one　way。'

'Well：　　but　don't　speak　sternly；　AEneas！'

'Do　you　know　that　his　father　has　not　been　particularly　thriving　for
the　last　two　or　three　years？'

'I　have　heard　something　of　it；　once　or　twice；　though　his　rents　have
been　promptly　paid；　haven't　they？'

'O　yes；　and　do　you　know　the　terms　of　the　leases　of　the　houses　which
are　burnt？'　he　said；　explaining　to　her　that　by　those　terms　she　might
compel　him　even　to　rebuild　every　house。　　'The　case　is　the　clearest
case　of　fire　by　negligence　that　I　have　ever　known；　in　addition　to
that；'　he　continued。

'I　don't　want　them　rebuilt；　you　know　it　was　intended　by　my　father；
directly　they　fell　in；　to　clear　the　site　for　a　new　entrance　to　the
park？'

'Yes；　but　that　doesn't　affect　the　position；　which　is　that　Farmer
Springrove　is　in　your　power　to　an　extent　which　is　very　serious　for
him。'

'I　won't　do　it'tis　a　conspiracy。'

'Won't　you　for　me？'　he　said　eagerly。

Miss　Aldclyffe　changed　colour。

'I　don't　threaten　now；　I　implore；'　he　said。

'Because　you　might　threaten　if　you　chose；'　she　mournfully　answered。
'But　why　be　sowhen　your　marriage　with　her　was　my　own　pet　idea　long
before　it　was　yours？　　What　must　I　do？'

'Scarcely　anything：　　simply　this。　　When　I　have　seen　old　Mr。
Springrove；　which　I　shall　do　in　a　day　or　two；　and　told　him　that　he
will　be　expected　to　rebuild　the　houses；　do　you　see　the　young　man。
See　him　yourself；　in　order　that　the　proposals　made　may　not　appear　to
be　anything　more　than　an　impulse　of　your　own。　　You　or　he　will　bring
up　the　subject　of　the　houses。　　To　rebuild　them　would　be　a　matter　of
at　least　six　hundred　pounds；　and　he　will　almost　surely　say　that　we
are　hard　in　insisting　upon　the　extreme　letter　of　the　leases。　　Then
tell　him　that　scarcely　can　you　yourself　think　of　compelling　an　old
tenant　like　his　father　to　any　such　painful　extremethere　shall　be
no　compulsion　to　build；　simply　a　surrender　of　the　leases。　　Then
speak　feelingly　of　his　cousin；　as　a　woman　whom　you　respect　and　love；
and　whose　secret　you　have　learnt　to　be　that　she　is　heart…sick　with
hope　deferred。　　Beg　him　to　marry　her；　his　betrothed　and　your　friend；
as　some　return　for　your　consideration　towards　his　father。　　Don't
suggest　too　early　a　day　for　their　marriage；　or　he　will　suspect　you
of　some　motive　beyond　womanly　sympathy。　　Coax　him　to　make　a　promise
to　her　that　she　shall　be　his　wife　at　the　end　of　a　twelvemonth；　and
get　him；　on　assenting　to　this；　to　write　to　Cytherea；　entirely
renouncing　her。'

'She　has　already　asked　him　to　do　that。'

'So　much　the　betterand　telling　her；　too；　that　he　is　about　to
fulfil　his　long…standing　promise　to　marry　his　cousin。　　If　you　think
it　worth　while；　you　may　say　Cytherea　was　not　indisposed　to　think　of
me　before　she　knew　I　was　married。　　I　have　at　home　a　note　she　wrote
me　the　first　evening　I　saw　her；　which　looks　rather　warm；　and　which　I
could　show　you。　　Trust　me；　he　will　give　her　up。　　When　he　is　married
to　Adelaide　Hinton；　Cytherea　will　be　induced　to　marry　meperhaps
before；　a　woman's　pride　is　soon　wounded。'

'And　hadn't　I　better　write　to　Mr。　Nyttleton；　and　inquire　more
particularly　what's　the　law　upon　the　houses？'

'O　no；　there's　no　hurry　for　that。　　We　know　well　enough　how　the　case
standsquite　well　enough　to　talk　in　general　terms　about　it。　　And　I
want　the　pressure　to　be　put　upon　young　Springrove　before　he　goes
away　from　home　again。'

She　looked　at　him　furtively；　long；　and　sadly；　as　after　speaking　he
became　lost　in　thought；　his　eyes　listlessly　tracing　the　pattern　of
the　carpet。　　'Yes；　yes；　she　will　be　mine；'　he　whispered；　careless　of
Cytherea　Aldclyffe's　presence。　　At　last　he　raised　his　eyes
inquiringly。

'I　will　do　my　best；　AEneas；'　she　answered。

Talibus　incusat。　　Manston　then　left　the　house；　and　again　went
towards　the　blackened　ruins；　where　men　were　still　raking　and
probing。

2。　　FROM　NOVEMBER　THE　TWENTY…NINTH　TO　DECEMBER　THE　SECOND

The　smouldering　remnants　of　the　Three　Tranters　Inn　seemed　to　promise
that；　even　when　the　searchers　should　light　upon　the　remains　of　the
unfortunate　Mrs。　Manston；　very　little　would　be　discoverable。

Consisting　so　largely　of　the　charcoal　and　ashes　of　hard　dry　oak　and
chestnut；　intermingled　with　thatch；　the　interior　of　the　heap　was　one
glowing　mass　of　embers；　which；　on　being　stirred　about；　emitted
sparks　and　flame　long　after　it　was　dead　and　black　on　the　outside。
It　was　persistently　hoped；　however；　that　some　traces　of　the　body
would　survive　the　effect　of　the　hot　coals；　and　after　a　search
pursued　uninterruptedly　for　thirty　hours；　under　the　direction　of
Manston　himself；　enough　was　found　to　set　at　rest　any　doubts　of　her
fate。

The　melancholy　gleanings　consisted　of　her　watch；　bunch　of　keys；　a
few　coins；　and　two　charred　and　blackened　bones。

Two　days　later　the　official　inquiry　into　the　cause　of　her　death　was
held　at　the　Rising　Sun　Inn；　before　Mr。　Floy；　the　coroner；　and　a　jury
of　the　chief　inhabitants　of　the　district。　　The　little　tavernthe
only　remaining　one　in　the　villagewas　crowded　to　excess　by　the
neighbouring　peasantry　as　well　as　their　richer　employers：　　all　who
could　by　any　possibility　obtain　an　hour's　release　from　their　duties
being　present　as　listeners。

The　jury　viewed　the　sad　and　infinitesimal　remains；　which　were　folded
in　a　white　cambric　cloth；　and　laid　in　the　middle　of　a　well…finished
coffin　lined　with　white　silk　（by　Manston's　order）；　which　stood　in　an
adjoining　room；　the　bulk　of　the　coffin　being　completely　filled　in
with　carefully　arranged　flowers　and　evergreensalso　the　steward's
own　doing。

Abraham　Brown；　of　Hoxton；　Londonan　old　white…headed　man；　without
the　ruddiness　which　makes　white　hairs　so　pleasingwas　sworn；　and
deposed　that　he　kept　a　lodging…house　at　an　address　he　named。　　On　a
Saturday　evening　less　than　a　month　before　the　fire；　a　lady　came　to
him；　with　very　little　luggage；　and　took　the　front　room　on　the　second
floor。　　He　did　not　inquire　where　she　came　from；　as　she　paid　a　week
in　advance；　but　she　gave　her　name　as　Mrs。　Manston；　referring　him；　if
he　wished　for　any　guarantee　of　her　respectability；　to　Mr。　Manston；
Knapwater　Park。　　Here　she　lived　for　three　weeks；　rarely　going　out。
She　slept　away　from　her　lodgings　one　night　during　the　time。　　At　the
end　of　that　time；　on　the　twenty…eighth　of　November；　she　left　his
house　in　a　four…wheeled　cab；　about　twelve　o'clock　in　the　day；
telling　the　driver　to　take　her　to　the　Waterloo　Station。　　She　paid
all　her　lodging　expenses；　and　not　having　given　notice　the　full　week
previous　to　her　going　away；　offered　to　pay　for　the　next；　but　he　only
took　half。　　She　wore　a　thick　black　veil；　and　grey　waterproof　cloak；
when　she　left　him；　and　her　luggage　was　two　boxes；　one