desperate remedies-第37章

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second　person　in　warming　to　a　mood　of　defiance。　　It　seemed　as　if　she
were　prepared　to　put　up　with　a　cold　refusal；　but　that　her
haughtiness　resented　a　criticism　of　her　conduct　ending　in　a　rebuke。
By　this；　Manston's　discreditable　object；　which　had　been　made　hers　by
compulsion　only；　was　now　adopted　by　choice。　　She　flung　herself　into
the　work。

A　fiery　man　in　such　a　case　would　have　relinquished　persuasion　and
tried　palpable　force。　　A　fiery　woman　added　unscrupulousness　and
evolved　daring　strategy；　and　in　her　obstinacy；　and　to　sustain
herself　as　mistress；　she　descended　to　an　action　the　meanness　of
which　haunted　her　conscience　to　her　dying　hour。

'I　don't　quite　see；　Mr。　Springrove；'　she　said；　'that　I　am　altogether
what　you　are　pleased　to　call　a　stranger。　　I　have　known　your　family；
at　any　rate；　for　a　good　many　years；　and　I　know　Miss　Graye
particularly　well；　and　her　state　of　mind　with　regard　to　this
matter。'

Perplexed　love　makes　us　credulous　and　curious　as　old　women。　　Edward
was　willing；　he　owned　it　to　himself；　to　get　at　Cytherea's　state　of
mind；　even　through　so　dangerous　a　medium。

'A　letter　I　received　from　her'　he　said；　with　assumed　coldness；
'tells　me　clearly　enough　what　Miss　Graye's　mind　is。'

'You　think　she　still　loves　you？　　O　yes；　of　course　you　doall　men
are　like　that。'

'I　have　reason　to。'　　He　could　feign　no　further　than　the　first
speech。

'I　should　be　interested　in　knowing　what　reason？'　she　said；　with
sarcastic　archness。

Edward　felt　he　was　allowing　her　to　do；　in　fractional　parts；　what　he
rebelled　against　when　regarding　it　as　a　whole；　but　the　fact　that　his
antagonist　had　the　presence　of　a　queen；　and　features　only　in　the
early　evening　of　their　beauty；　was　not　without　its　influence　upon　a
keenly　conscious　man。　　Her　bearing　had　charmed　him　into　toleration；
as　Mary　Stuart's　charmed　the　indignant　Puritan　visitors。　　He　again
answered　her　honestly。

'The　best　of　reasonsthe　tone　of　her　letter。'

'Pooh；　Mr。　Springrove！'

'Not　at　all；　Miss　Aldclyffe！　　Miss　Graye　desired　that　we　should　be
strangers　to　each　other　for　the　simple　practical　reason　that
intimacy　could　only　make　wretched　complications　worse；　not　from　lack
of　lovelove　is　only　suppressed。'

'Don't　you　know　yet；　that　in　thus　putting　aside　a　man；　a　woman's
pity　for　the　pain　she　inflicts　gives　her　a　kindness　of　tone　which　is
often　mistaken　for　suppressed　love？'　said　Miss　Aldclyffe；　with　soft
insidiousness。

This　was　a　translation　of　the　ambiguity　of　Cytherea's　tone　which　he
had　certainly　never　thought　of；　and　he　was　too　ingenuous　not　to　own
it。

'I　had　never　thought　of　it；'　he　said。

'And　don't　believe　it？'

'Not　unless　there　was　some　other　evidence　to　support　the　view。'

She　paused　a　minute　and　then　began　hesitatingly

'My　intention　waswhat　I　did　not　dream　of　owning　to　youmy
intention　was　to　try　to　induce　you　to　fulfil　your　promise　to　Miss
Hinton　not　solely　on　her　account　and　yours　（though　partly）。　　I　love
Cytherea　Graye　with　all　my　soul；　and　I　want　to　see　her　happy　even
more　than　I　do　you。　　I　did　not　mean　to　drag　her　name　into　the　affair
at　all；　but　I　am　driven　to　say　that　she　wrote　that　letter　of
dismissal　to　youfor　it　was　a　most　pronounced　dismissalnot　on
account　of　your　engagement。　　She　is　old　enough　to　know　that
engagements　can　be　broken　as　easily　as　they　can　be　made。　　She　wrote
it　because　she　loved　another　man；　very　suddenly；　and　not　with　any
idea　or　hope　of　marrying　him；　but　none　the　less　deeply。'

'Who？'

'Mr。　Manston。'

'Good　…！　　I　can't　listen　to　you　for　an　instant；　madam；　why；　she
hadn't　seen　him！'

'She　had；　he　came　here　the　day　before　she　wrote　to　you；　and　I　could
prove　to　you；　if　it　were　worth　while；　that　on　that　day　she　went
voluntarily　to　his　house；　though　not　artfully　or　blamably；　stayed
for　two　hours　playing　and　singing；　that　no　sooner　did　she　leave　him
than　she　went　straight　home；　and　wrote　the　letter　saying　she　should
not　see　you　again；　entirely　because　she　had　seen　him　and　fallen
desperately　in　love　with　hima　perfectly　natural　thing　for　a　young
girl　to　do；　considering　that　he's　the　handsomest　man　in　the　county。
Why　else　should　she　not　have　written　to　you　before？'

'Because　I　was　such　abecause　she　did　not　know　of　the　connection
between　me　and　my　cousin　until　then。'

'I　must　think　she　did。'

'On　what　ground？'

'On　the　strong　ground　of　my　having　told　her　so；　distinctly；　the　very
first　day　she　came　to　live　with　me。'

'Well；　what　do　you　seek　to　impress　upon　me　after　all？　　Thisthat
the　day　Miss　Graye　wrote　to　me；　saying　it　was　better　that　we　should
part；　coincided　with　the　day　she　had　seen　a　certain　man'

'A　remarkably　handsome　and　talented　man。'

'Yes；　I　admit　that。'

'And　that　it　coincided　with　the　hour　just　subsequent　to　her　seeing
him。'

'Yes；　just　when　she　had　seen　him。'

'And　been　to　his　house　alone　with　him。'

'It　is　nothing。'

'And　stayed　there　playing　and　singing　with　him。'

'Admit　that；　too；'　he　said；　'an　accident　might　have　caused　it。'

'And　at　the　same　instant　that　she　wrote　your　dismissal　she　wrote　a
letter　referring　to　a　secret　appointment　with　him。'

'Never；　by　God；　madam！　never！'

'What　do　you　say；　sir？'

'Never。'

She　sneered。

'There's　no　accounting　for　beliefs；　and　the　whole　history　is　a　very
trivial　matter；　but　I　am　resolved　to　prove　that　a　lady's　word　is
truthful；　though　upon　a　matter　which　concerns　neither　you　nor
herself。　　You　shall　learn　that　she　DID　write　him　a　letter　concerning
an　assignationthat　is；　if　Mr。　Manston　still　has　it；　and　will　be
considerate　enough　to　lend　it　me。'

'But　besides；'　continued　Edward；　'a　married　man　to　do　what　would
cause　a　young　girl　to　write　a　note　of　the　kind　you　mention！'

She　flushed　a　little。

'That　I　don't　know　anything　about；'　she　stammered。　　'But　Cytherea
didn't；　of　course；　dream　any　more　than　I　did；　or　others　in　the
parish；　that　he　was　married。'

'Of　course　she　didn't。'

'And　I　have　reason　to　believe　that　he　told　her　of　the　fact　directly
afterwards；　that　she　might　not　compromise　herself；　or　allow　him　to。
It　is　notorious　that　he　struggled　honestly　and　hard　against　her
attractions；　and　succeeded　in　hiding　his　feelings；　if　not　in
quenching　them。'

'We'll　hope　that　he　did。'

'But　circumstances　are　changed　now。'

'Very　greatly　changed；'　he　murmured　abstractedly。

'You　must　remember；'　she　added　more　suasively；　'that　Miss　Graye　has
a　perfect　right　to　do　what　she　likes　with　her　ownher　heart；　that
is　to　say。'

Her　descent　from　irritation　was　caused　by　perceiving　that　Edward's
faith　was　really　disturbed　by　her　strong　assertions；　and　it
gratified　her。

Edward's　thoughts　flew　to　his　father；　and　the　object　of　his
interview　with　her。　　Tongue…fencing　was　utterly　distasteful　to　him。

'I　will　not　trouble　you　by　remaining　longer；　madam；'　he　remarked；
gloomily；　'our　conversation　has　ended　sadly　for　me。'

'Don't　think　so；'　she　said；　'and　don't　be　mistaken。　　I　am　older　than
you　are；　many　years　older；　and　I　know　many　things。'



Full　of　miserable　doubt；　and　bitterly　regretting　that　he　had　raised
his　father's　expectations　by　anticipations　impossible　of　fulfilment；
Edward　slowly　went　his　way　into　the　village；　and　approached　his
cousin's　house。　　The　farmer　was　at　the　door　looking　eagerly　for　him。
He　had　been　waiting　there　for　more　than　half…an…hour。　　His　eye
kindled　quickly。

'Well；　Ted；　what　does　she　say？'　he　asked；　in　the　intensely　sanguine
tones　which　fall　sadly　upon　a　listener's　ear；　because；　antecedently；
they　raise　pictures　of　inevitable　disappointment　for　the　speaker；　in
some　direction　or　another。

'Nothing　for　us　to　be　alarmed　at；'　said　Edward；　with　a　forced
cheerfulness。

'But　must　we　rebuild？'

'It　seems　we　must；　father。'

The　old　man's　eyes　swept　the　horizon；　then　he　turned　to　go　in；
without　making　another　observation。　　All　light　seemed　extinguished
in　him　again。　　When　Edward　went　in　he　found　his　father　with　the
bureau　open；　unfolding　the　leases　with　a　shaking　hand；　folding　them
up　again　without　reading　them；　then　putting　them　in　their　niche　only
to　remove　them　again。

Adelaide　was　in　the　room。　　She　said　thoughtfully　to　Edward；　as　she
watched　the　farmer

'I　hope　it　won't　kill　poor　uncle；　Edward。　　What　should　we　do　if
anything　were　to　happen　to　him？　　He　is　the　only　near　relative　you
and　I　have　in　the　world。'　　It　was　perfectly　true；　and　somehow　Edward
felt　more　bound　up　with　her　after　that　remark。

She　continued：　　'And　he　was　only　saying　so　hopefully　the　day　before
the　fire；　that　he　wouldn't　for　the　world　let　any　one　else　give　me
away　to　you　when　we　are　married。'

For　the　first　time　a　conscientious　doubt　arose　in　Edward's　mind　as
to　the　justice　of　the　course　he　was　pursuing　in　resolving　to　refuse
the　alternative　offered　by　Miss　Aldclyffe。　　Could　it　be　selfishness
as　well　as　independence？　　How　much　he　had　thought　of　his　own　heart；
how　little　he　had　thought　of　his　father's　peace　of　mind！

The　old　man　did　not　speak　again　till　supper…time；　when　he　began
asking　his　son　an　endless　number　of　hypothetical　questions　on　what
might　induce　Miss　Aldclyffe　to　listen　to　kinder　terms；　speaking　of
her　now　not　as　an　unfair　woman；　but　as　a　Lachesis　or　Fate　whose
course　it　behoved　nobody　to　condemn。　　In　his　earnestness　he　once
turned　his　eyes　on　Edward's　face：　　their　expression　was　woful：　　the
pupils　were　dilated　and　strange　in　aspect。

'If　she　will　only　agree　to　that！'　he　reiterated　for　the　hundredth
time；　increasing　the　sadness　of　his　listeners。

An　aristocratic　knocking　came　to　the　door；　and　Jane　entered　with　a
letter；　addressed

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'MR。　EDWARD　SPRINGROVE；　Junior。'

'Charles　from　Knapwater　House　brought　it；'　she　said。

'Miss　Aldclyffe's　writing；'　said　Mr。　Springrove；　before　Edward　had
recognized　it　himself。　　'Now　'tis　all　right；　she's　going　to　make　an
offer；　she　doesn't　want　the　houses　there；　not　she；　they　are　going　to
make　that　the　way　into　the　park。'

Edward　opened　the　seal　and　glanced　at　the　inside。　　He　said；　with　a
supreme　effort　of　self…command

'It　is　only　directed　by　Miss　Aldclyffe；　and　refers　to　nothing
connected　with　the　fire。　　I　wonder　at　her　taking　the　trouble　to　send
it　to…night。'

His　father　looked　absently　at　him　and　turned　away　again。　　Shortly
afterwards　they　retired　for　the　night。　　Alone　in　his　bedroom　Edward
opened　and　read　what　he　had　not　dared　to　refer　to　in　their　presence。

The　envelope　contained　another　envelope　in　Cytherea's　handwriting；
addressed　to　'　Manston；　Esq。；　Old　Manor　House。'　　Inside　this　was
the　note　she　had　written　to　the　steward　after　her　detention　in　his
house　by　the　thunderstorm

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'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。'

Miss　Aldclyffe　had　not　written　a　line；　and；　by　the　unvarying　rule
observable　when　words　are　not　an　absolute　necessity；　her　silence
seemed　ten　times　as　convincing　as　any　expression　of　opinion　could
have　been。

He　then；　step　by　step；　recalled　all　the　conversation　on　the　subject
of　Cytherea's　feelings　that　had　passed　between　himself　and　Miss
Aldclyffe　in