desperate remedies-第49章

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of　being　a　widowereverythingand　jumped　to　a　conclusion。

'You　are　not　his　wife；　Cythereacome　away；　he　has　a　wife　living！'
he　cried　in　an　agitated　whisper。　　'Owen　will　be　here　directly。'

She　started　up；　recognized　the　tidings　first；　the　bearer　of　them
afterwards。　　'Not　his　wife？　　O；　what　is　itwhatwho　is　living？'
She　awoke　by　degrees。　　'What　must　I　do？　　Edward；　it　is　you！　　Why　did
you　come？　　Where　is　Owen？'

'What　has　Manston　shown　you　in　proof　of　the　death　of　his　other　wife？
Tell　me　quick。'

'Nothingwe　have　never　spoken　of　the　subject。　　Where　is　my　brother
Owen？　　I　want　him；　I　want　him！'

'He　is　coming　by…and…by。　　Come　to　the　station　to　meet　himdo；'
implored　Springrove。　　'If　Mr。　Manston　comes；　he　will　keep　you　from
me：　　I　am　nobody；'　he　added　bitterly；　feeling　the　reproach　her　words
had　faintly　shadowed　forth。

'Mr。　Manston　is　only　gone　out　to　post　a　letter　he　has　just　written；'
she　said；　and　without　being　distinctly　cognizant　of　the　action；　she
wildly　looked　for　her　bonnet　and　cloak；　and　began　putting　them　on；
but　in　the　act　of　fastening　them　uttered　a　spasmodic　cry。

'No；　I'll　not　go　out　with　you；'　she　said；　flinging　the　articles　down
again。　　Running　to　the　door　she　flitted　along　the　passage；　and
downstairs。

'Give　me　a　private　roomquite　private；'　she　said　breathlessly　to
some　one　below。

'Number　twelve　is　a　single　room；　madam；　and　unoccupied；'　said　some
tongue　in　astonishment。

Without　waiting　for　any　person　to　show　her　into　it；　Cytherea　hurried
upstairs　again；　brushed　through　the　corridor；　entered　the　room
specified；　and　closed　the　door。　　Edward　heard　her　sob　out

'Nobody　but　Owen　shall　speak　to　menobody！'

'He　will　be　here　directly；'　said　Springrove；　close　against　the
panel；　and　then　went　towards　the　stairs。　　He　had　seen　her；　it　was
enough。

He　descended；　stepped　into　the　street；　and　hastened　to　meet　Owen　at
the　railway…station。

As　for　the　poor　maiden　who　had　received　the　news；　she　knew　not　what
to　think。　　She　listened　till　the　echo　of　Edward's　footsteps　had　died
away；　then　bowed　her　face　upon　the　bed。　　Her　sudden　impulse　had　been
to　escape　from　sight。　　Her　weariness　after　the　unwonted　strain；
mental　and　bodily；　which　had　been　put　upon　her　by　the　scenes　she　had
passed　through　during　the　long　day；　rendered　her　much　more　timid　and
shaken　by　her　position　than　she　would　naturally　have　been。　　She
thought　and　thought　of　that　single　fact　which　had　been　told　her
that　the　first　Mrs。　Manston　was　still　livingtill　her　brain　seemed
ready　to　burst　its　confinement　with　excess　of　throbbing。　　It　was
only　natural　that　she　should；　by　degrees；　be　unable　to　separate　the
discovery；　which　was　matter　of　fact；　from　the　suspicion　of　treachery
on　her　husband's　part；　which　was　only　matter　of　inference。　　And　thus
there　arose　in　her　a　personal　fear　of　him。

'Suppose　he　should　come　in　now　and　seize　me！'　　This　at　first　mere
frenzied　supposition　grew　by　degrees　to　a　definite　horror　of　his
presence；　and　especially　of　his　intense　gaze。　　Thus　she　raised
herself　to　a　heat　of　excitement；　which　was　none　the　less　real　for
being　vented　in　no　cry　of　any　kind。　　No；　she　could　not　meet
Manston's　eye　alone；　she　would　only　see　him　in　her　brother's
company。

Almost　delirious　with　this　idea；　she　ran　and　locked　the　door　to
prevent　all　possibility　of　her　intentions　being　nullified；　or　a　look
or　word　being　flung　at　her　by　anybody　whilst　she　knew　not　what　she
was。

8。　　HALF…PAST　EIGHT　O'CLOCK　P。M。

Then　Cytherea　felt　her　way　amid　the　darkness　of　the　room　till　she
came　to　the　head　of　the　bed；　where　she　searched　for　the　bell…rope
and　gave　it　a　pull。　　Her　summons　was　speedily　answered　by　the
landlady　herself；　whose　curiosity　to　know　the　meaning　of　these
strange　proceedings　knew　no　bounds。　　The　landlady　attempted　to　turn
the　handle　of　the　door。　　Cytherea　kept　the　door　locked。　　'Please
tell　Mr。　Manston　when　he　comes　that　I　am　ill；'　she　said　from　the
inside；　'and　that　I　cannot　see　him。'

'Certainly　I　will；　madam；'　said　the　landlady。　　'Won't　you　have　a
fire？'

'No；　thank　you。'

'Nor　a　light？'

'I　don't　want　one；　thank　you。'

'Nor　anything？'

'Nothing。'

The　landlady　withdrew；　thinking　her　visitor　half　insane。

Manston　came　in　about　five　minutes　later；　and　went　at　once　up　to　the
sitting…room；　fully　expecting　to　find　his　wife　there。　　He　looked
round；　rang；　and　was　told　the　words　Cytherea　had　said；　that　she　was
too　ill　to　be　seen。

'She　is　in　number　twelve　room；'　added　the　maid。

Manston　was　alarmed；　and　knocked　at　the　door。　　'Cytherea！'

'I　am　unwell；　I　cannot　see　you；'　she　said。

'Are　you　seriously　ill；　dearest？　　Surely　not。'

'No；　not　seriously。'

'Let　me　come　in；　I　will　get　a　doctor。'

'No；　he　can't　see　me　either。'

'She　won't　open　the　door；　sir；　not　to　nobody　at　all！'　said　the
chambermaid；　with　wonder…waiting　eyes。

'Hold　your　tongue；　and　be　off！'　said　Manston　with　a　snap。

The　maid　vanished。

'Come；　Cytherea；　this　is　foolishindeed　it　isnot　opening　the
door。　。　。　。　　I　cannot　comprehend　what　can　be　the　matter　with　you。
Nor　can　a　doctor　either；　unless　he　sees　you。'

Her　voice　had　trembled　more　and　more　at　each　answer　she　gave；　but
nothing　could　induce　her　to　come　out　and　confront　him。　　Hating
scenes；　Manston　went　back　to　the　sitting…room；　greatly　irritated　and
perplexed。

And　there　Cytherea　from　the　adjoining　room　could　hear　him　pacing　up
and　down。　　She　thought；　'Suppose　he　insists　upon　seeing　mehe
probably　mayand　will　burst　open　the　door！'　　This　notion　increased；
and　she　sank　into　a　corner　in　a　half…somnolent　state；　but　with　ears
alive　to　the　slightest　sound。　　Reason　could　not　overthrow　the
delirious　fancy　that　outside　her　door　stood　Manston　and　all　the
people　in　the　hotel；　waiting　to　laugh　her　to　scorn。

9。　　HALF…PAST　EIGHT　TO　ELEVEN　P。M。

In　the　meantime；　Springrove　was　pacing　up　and　down　the　arrival
platform　of　the　railway…station。　　Half…past　eight　o'clockthe　time
at　which　Owen's　train　was　duehad　come；　and　passed；　but　no　train
appeared。

'When　will　the　eight…thirty　train　be　in？'　he　asked　of　a　man　who　was
sweeping　the　mud　from　the　steps。

'She　is　not　expected　yet　this　hour。'

'How　is　that？'

'Christmas…time；　you　see；　'tis　always　so。　　People　are　running　about
to　see　their　friends。　　The　trains　have　been　like　it　ever　since
Christmas　Eve；　and　will　be　for　another　week　yet。'

Edward　again　went　on　walking　and　waiting　under　the　draughty　roof。
He　found　it　utterly　impossible　to　leave　the　spot。　　His　mind　was　so
intent　upon　the　importance　of　meeting　with　Owen；　and　informing　him
of　Cytherea's　whereabouts；　that　he　could　not　but　fancy　Owen　might
leave　the　station　unobserved　if　he　turned　his　back；　and　become　lost
to　him　in　the　streets　of　the　town。

The　hour　expired。　　Ten　o'clock　struck。　　'When　will　the　train　be　in？'
said　Edward　to　the　telegraph　clerk。

'In　five…and…thirty　minutes。　　She's　now　at　L。　　They　have　extra
passengers；　and　the　rails　are　bad　to…day。'

At　last；　at　a　quarter　to　eleven；　the　train　came　in。

The　first　to　alight　from　it　was　Owen；　looking　pale　and　cold。　　He
casually　glanced　round　upon　the　nearly　deserted　platform；　and　was
hurrying　to　the　outlet；　when　his　eyes　fell　upon　Edward。　　At　sight　of
his　friend　he　was　quite　bewildered；　and　could　not　speak。

'Here　I　am；　Mr。　Graye；'　said　Edward　cheerfully。　　'I　have　seen
Cytherea；　and　she　has　been　waiting　for　you　these　two　or　three
hours。'

Owen　took　Edward's　hand；　pressed　it；　and　looked　at　him　in　silence。
Such　was　the　concentration　of　his　mind；　that　not　till　many　minutes
after　did　he　think　of　inquiring　how　Springrove　had　contrived　to　be
there　before　him。

10。　　ELEVEN　O'CLOCK　P。M。

On　their　arrival　at　the　door　of　the　hotel；　it　was　arranged　between
Springrove　and　Graye　that　the　latter　only　should　enter；　Edward
waiting　outside。　　Owen　had　remembered　continually　what　his　friend
had　frequently　overlooked；　that　there　was　yet　a　possibility　of　his
sister　being　Manston's　wife；　and　the　recollection　taught　him　to
avoid　any　rashness　in　his　proceedings　which　might　lead　to　bitterness
hereafter。

Entering　the　room；　he　found　Manston　sitting　in　the　chair　which　had
been　occupied　by　Cytherea　on　Edward's　visit；　three　hours　earlier。
Before　Owen　had　spoken；　Manston　arose；　and　stepping　past　him　closed
the　door。　　His　face　appeared　harassedmuch　more　troubled　than　the
slight　circumstance　which　had　as　yet　come　to　his　knowledge　seemed　to
account　for。

Manston　could　form　no　reason　for　Owen's　presence；　but　intuitively
linked　it　with　Cytherea's　seclusion。　　'Altogether　this　is　most
unseemly；'　he　said；　'whatever　it　may　mean。'

'Don't　think　there　is　meant　anything　unfriendly　by　my　coming　here；'
said　Owen　earnestly；　'but　listen　to　this；　and　think　if　I　could　do
otherwise　than　come。'

He　took　from　his　pocket　the　confession　of　Chinney　the　porter；　as
hastily　written　out　by　the　vicar；　and　read　it　aloud。　　The　aspects　of
Manston's　face　whilst　he　listened　to　the　opening　words　were　strange；
dark；　and　mysterious　enough　to　have　justified　suspicions　that　no
deceit　could　be　too　complicated　for　the　possessor　of　such　impulses；
had　there　not　overridden　them　all；　as　the　reading　went　on；　a　new　and
irrepressible　expressionone　unmistakably　honest。　　It　was　that　of
unqualified　amazement　in　the　steward's　mind　at　the　news　he　heard。
Owen　looked　up　and　saw　it。　　The　sight　only　confirmed　him　in　the
belief　he　had　held　throughout；　in　antagonism　to　Edward's　suspicions。

There　could　no　longer　be　a　shadow　of　doubt　that　if　the　first　Mrs。
Manston　lived；　her　husband　was　ignorant　of　the　fact。　　What　he　could
have　feared　by　his　ghastly　look　at　first；　and　now　have　ceased　to
fear；　it　was　quite　futile　to　conjecture。

'Now　I　do　not　for　a　moment　doubt　your　complete　ignorance　of　the
whole　matter；　you　cannot　suppose　for　an　instant　that　I　do；'　said
Owen　when　he　had　finished　reading。　　'But　is　it　not　best　for　both
that　Cytherea　should　come　back　with　me　till　the　matter　is　cleared
up？　　In　fact；　under　the　circumstances；　no　other　course　is　left　open
to　me　than　to　request　it。'

Whatever　Manston's　original　feelings　had　been；　all　in　him　now　gave
way　to　irritation；　and　irritation　to　rage。　　He　paced　up　and　down　the
room　till　he　had　mastered　it；　then　said　in　ordinary　tones

'Certainly；　I　know　no　more　than　you　and　others　knowit　was　a
gratuitous　unpleasantness　in　you　to　say　you　did　not　doubt　me。　　Why
should　you；　or　anybody；　have　doubted　me？'

'Well；　where　is　my　sister？'　said　Owen。

'Locked　in　the　next　room。'

His　own　answer　reminded　Manston　that　Cytherea　must；　by　some
inscrutable　means；　have　had　an　inkling　of　the　event。

Owen　had　gone　to　the　door　of　Cytherea's　room。

'Cytherea；　darling'tis　Owen；'　he　said；　outside　the　door。　　A
rustling　of　clothes；　soft　footsteps；　and　a　voice　saying　from　the
inside；　'Is　it　really　you；　Owen；is　it　really？'

'It　is。'

'O；　will　you　take　care　of　me？'

'Always。'

She　unlocked　the　door；　and　retreated　again。　　Manston　came　forward
from　the　other　room　with　a　candle　in　his　hand；　as　Owen　pushed　open
the　door。

Her　frightened　eyes　were　unnaturally　large；　and　shone　like　stars　in
the　darkness　of　the　background；　as　the　light　fell　upon　them。　　She
leapt　up　to　Owen　in　one　bound；　her　small　taper　fingers　extended　like
the　leaves　of　a　lupine。　　Then　she　clasped　her　cold　and　tr