desperate remedies-第60章

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not　only　so；　but　to　look　closely　at　him；　if　his　purpose　were　to　be
accomplished。

He　shaped　a　plan。　　It　might　by　chance　be　effectual；　if　otherwise；　it
would　not　reveal　his　intention　to　her。　　When　Mrs。　Manston　was　within
speaking　distance；　he　went　up　to　her　and　said

'Will　you　kindly　tell　me　which　turning　will　take　me　to
Casterbridge？'

'The　second　on　the　right；'　said　Mrs。　Manston。

Owen　put　on　a　blank　look：　　he　held　his　hand　to　his　earconveying　to
the　lady　the　idea　that　he　was　deaf。

She　came　closer　and　said　more　distinctly

'The　second　turning　on　the　right。'

Owen　flushed　a　little。　　He　fancied　he　had　beheld　the　revelation　he
was　in　search　of。　　But　had　his　eyes　deceived　him？

Once　more　he　used　the　ruse；　still　drawing　nearer　and　intimating　by　a
glance　that　the　trouble　he　gave　her　was　very　distressing　to　him。

'How　very　deaf！'　she　murmured。　　She　exclaimed　loudly

'THE　SECOND　TURNING　TO　THE　RIGHT。'

She　had　advanced　her　face　to　within　a　foot　of　his　own；　and　in
speaking　mouthed　very　emphatically；　fixing　her　eyes　intently　upon
his。　　And　now　his　first　suspicion　was　indubitably　confirmed。　　Her
eyes　were　as　black　as　midnight。

All　this　feigning　was　most　distasteful　to　Graye。　　The　riddle　having
been　solved；　he　unconsciously　assumed　his　natural　look　before　she
had　withdrawn　her　face。　　She　found　him　to　be　peering　at　her　as　if　he
would　read　her　very　soulexpressing　with　his　eyes　the　notification
of　which；　apart　from　emotion；　the　eyes　are　more　capable　than　any
other…inquiry。

Her　face　changed　its　expressionthen　its　colour。　　The　natural　tint
of　the　lighter　portions　sank　to　an　ashy　gray；　the　pink　of　her　cheeks
grew　purpler。　　It　was　the　precise　result　which　would　remain　after
blood　had　left　the　face　of　one　whose　skin　was　dark；　and　artificially
coated　with　pearl…powder　and　carmine。

She　turned　her　head　and　moved　away；　murmuring　a　hasty　reply　to
Owen's　farewell　remark　of　'Good…day；'　and　with　a　kind　of　nervous
twitch　lifting　her　hand　and　smoothing　her　hair；　which　was　of　a
light…brown　colour。

'She　wears　false　hair；'　he　thought；　'or　has　changed　its　colour
artificially。　　Her　true　hair　matched　her　eyes。'

And　now；　in　spite　of　what　Mr。　Brown's　neighbours　had　said　about
nearly　recognizing　Mrs。　Manston　on　her　recent　visitwhich　might
have　meant　anything　or　nothing；　in　spite　of　the　photograph；　and　in
spite　of　his　previous　incredulity；　in　consequence　of　the　verse；　of
her　silence　and　backwardness　at　the　visit　to　Hoxton　with　Manston；
and　of　her　appearance　and　distress　at　the　present　moment；　Graye　had
a　conviction　that　the　woman　was　an　impostor。

What　could　be　Manston's　reason　for　such　an　astounding　trick　he　could
by　no　stretch　of　imagination　divine。

He　changed　his　direction　as　soon　as　the　woman　was　out　of　sight；　and
plodded　along　the　lanes　homeward　to　Tolchurch。

One　new　idea　was　suggested　to　him　by　his　desire　to　allay　Cytherea's
dread　of　being　claimed；　and　by　the　difficulty　of　believing　that　the
first　Mrs。　Manston　lost　her　life　as　supposed；　notwithstanding　the
inquest　and　verdict。　　Was　it　possible　that　the　real　Mrs。　Manston；
who　was　known　to　be　a　Philadelphian　by　birth；　had　returned　by　the
train　to　London；　as　the　porter　had　said；　and　then　left　the　country
under　an　assumed　name；　to　escape　that　worst　kind　of　widowhoodthe
misery　of　being　wedded　to　a　fickle；　faithless；　and　truant　husband？



In　her　complicated　distress　at　the　news　brought　by　her　brother；
Cytherea's　thoughts　at　length　reverted　to　her　friend；　the　Rector　of
Carriford。　　She　told　Owen　of　Mr。　Raunham's　warm…hearted　behaviour
towards　herself；　and　of　his　strongly　expressed　wish　to　aid　her。

'He　is　not　only　a　good；　but　a　sensible　man。　　We　seem　to　want　an　old
head　on　our　side。'

'And　he　is　a　magistrate；'　said　Owen　in　a　tone　of　concurrence。　　He
thought；　too；　that　no　harm　could　come　of　confiding　in　the　rector；
but　there　was　a　difficulty　in　bringing　about　the　confidence。　　He
wished　that　his　sister　and　himself　might　both　be　present　at　an
interview　with　Mr。　Raunham；　yet　it　would　be　unwise　for　them　to　call
on　him　together；　in　the　sight　of　all　the　servants　and　parish　of
Carriford。

There　could　be　no　objection　to　their　writing　him　a　letter。

No　sooner　was　the　thought　born　than　it　was　carried　out。　　They　wrote
to　him　at　once；　asking　him　to　have　the　goodness　to　give　them　some
advice　they　sadly　needed；　and　begging　that　he　would　accept　their
assurance　that　there　was　a　real　justification　for　the　additional
request　they　madethat　instead　of　their　calling　upon　him；　he　would
any　evening　of　the　week　come　to　their　cottage　at　Tolchurch。

2。　　MARCH　THE　TWENTIETH。　　SIX　TO　NINE　O'CLOCK　P。M。

Two　evenings　later；　to　the　total　disarrangement　of　his　dinner…hour；
Mr。　Raunham　appeared　at　Owen's　door。　　His　arrival　was　hailed　with
genuine　gratitude。　　The　horse　was　tied　to　the　palings；　and　the
rector　ushered　indoors　and　put　into　the　easy…chair。

Then　Graye　told　him　the　whole　story；　reminding　him　that　their　first
suspicions　had　been　of　a　totally　different　nature；　and　that　in
endeavouring　to　obtain　proof　of　their　truth　they　had　stumbled　upon
marks　which　had　surprised　them　into　these　new　uncertainties；　thrice
as　marvellous　as　the　first；　yet　more　prominent。

Cytherea's　heart　was　so　full　of　anxiety　that　it　superinduced　a
manner　of　confidence　which　was　a　death…blow　to　all　formality。　　Mr。
Raunham　took　her　hand　pityingly。

'It　is　a　serious　charge；'　he　said；　as　a　sort　of　original　twig　on
which　his　thoughts　might　precipitate　themselves。

'Assuming　for　a　moment　that　such　a　substitution　was　rendered　an　easy
matter　by　fortuitous　events；'　he　continued；　'there　is　this
consideration　to　be　placed　beside　itwhat　earthly　motive　can　Mr。
Manston　have　had　which　would　be　sufficiently　powerful　to　lead　him　to
run　such　a　very　great　risk？　　The　most　abandoned　roue　could　not；　at
that　particular　crisis；　have　taken　such　a　reckless　step　for　the　mere
pleasure　of　a　new　companion。'

Owen　had　seen　that　difficulty　about　the　motive；　Cytherea　had　not。

'Unfortunately　for　us；'　the　rector　resumed；　'no　more　evidence　is　to
be　obtained　from　the　porter；　Chinney。　　I　suppose　you　know　what
became　of　him？　　He　got　to　Liverpool　and　embarked；　intending　to　work
his　way　to　America；　but　on　the　passage　he　fell　overboard　and　was
drowned。　　But　there　is　no　doubt　of　the　truth　of　his　confessionin
fact；　his　conduct　tends　to　prove　it　trueand　no　moral　doubt　of　the
fact　that　the　real　Mrs。　Manston　left　here　to　go　back　by　that
morning's　train。　　This　being　the　case；　then；　why；　if　this　woman　is
not　she；　did　she　take　no　notice　of　the　advertisementI　mean　not
necessarily　a　friendly　notice；　but　from　the　information　it　afforded
her　have　rendered　it　impossible　that　she　should　be　personified
without　her　own　connivance？'

'I　think　that　argument　is　overthrown；'　Graye　said；　'by　my　earliest
assumption　of　her　hatred　of　him；　weariness　of　the　chain　which　bound
her　to　him；　and　a　resolve　to　begin　the　world　anew。　　Let's　suppose
she　has　married　another　mansomewhere　abroad；　say；　she　would　be
silent　for　her　own　sake。'

'You've　hit　the　only　genuine　possibility；'　said　Mr。　Raunham；　tapping
his　finger　upon　his　knee。　　'That　would　decidedly　dispose　of　the
second　difficulty。　　But　his　motive　would　be　as　mysterious　as　ever。'

Cytherea's　pictured　dreads　would　not　allow　her　mind　to　follow　their
conversation。　　'She's　burnt；'　she　said。　　'O　yes；　I　fearI　fear　she
is！'

'I　don't　think　we　can　seriously　believe　that　now；　after　what　has
happened；'　said　the　rector。

Still　straining　her　thought　towards　the　worst；　'Then；　perhaps；　the
first　Mrs。　Manston　was　not　his　wife；'　she　returned；　'and　then　I
should　be　his　wife　just　the　same；　shouldn't　I？'

'They　were　married　safely　enough；'　said　Owen。　　'There　is　abundance
of　circumstantial　evidence　to　prove　that。'

'Upon　the　whole；'　said　Mr。　Raunham；　'I　should　advise　your　asking　in
a　straightforward　way　for　legal　proof　from　the　steward　that　the
present　woman　is　really　his　original　wifea　thing　which；　to　my
mind；　you　should　have　done　at　the　outset。'　　He　turned　to　Cytherea
kindly；　and　asked　her　what　made　her　give　up　her　husband　so
unceremoniously。

She　could　not　tell　the　rector　of　her　aversion　to　Manston；　and　of　her
unquenched　love　for　Edward。

'Your　terrified　state　no　doubt；'　he　said；　answering　for　her；　in　the
manner　of　those　accustomed　to　the　pulpit。　　'But　into　such　a　solemn
compact　as　marriage；　all…important　considerations；　both　legally　and
morally；　enter；　it　was　your　duty　to　have　seen　everything　clearly
proved。　　Doubtless　Mr。　Manston　is　prepared　with　proofs；　but　as　it
concerns　nobody　but　yourself　that　her　identity　should　be　publicly
established　（and　by　your　absenteeism　you　act　as　if　you　were
satisfied）　he　has　not　troubled　to　exhibit　them。　　Nobody　else　has
taken　the　trouble　to　prove　what　does　not　affect　them　in　the　least
that's　the　way　of　the　world　always。　　You；　who　should　have　required
all　things　to　be　made　clear；　ran　away。'

'That　was　partly　my　doing；'　said　Owen。

The　same　explanationher　want　of　love　for　Manstonapplied　here
too；　but　she　shunned　the　revelation。

'But　never　mind；'　added　the　rector；　'it　was　all　the　greater　credit
to　your　womanhood；　perhaps。　　I　say；　then；　get　your　brother　to　write
a　line　to　Mr。　Manston；　saying　you　wish　to　be　satisfied　that　all　is
legally　clear　（in　case　you　should　want　to　marry　again；　for
instance）；　and　I　have　no　doubt　that　you　will　be。　　Or；　if　you　would
rather；　I'll　write　myself？'

'O　no；　sir；　no；'　pleaded　Cytherea；　beginning　to　blanch；　and
breathing　quickly。　　'Please　don't　say　anything。　　Let　me　live　here
with　Owen。　　I　am　so　afraid　it　will　turn　out　that　I　shall　have　to　go
to　Knapwater　and　be　his　wife；　and　I　don't　want　to　go。　　Do　conceal
what　we　have　told　you。　　Let　him　continue　his　deceptionit　is　much
the　best　for　me。'

Mr。　Raunham　at　length　divined　that　her　love　for　Manston；　if　it　had
ever　existed；　had　transmuted　itself　into　a　very　different　feeling
now。

'At　any　rate；'　he　said；　as　he　took　his　leave　and　mounted　his　mare；
'I　will　see　about　it。　　Rest　content；　Miss　Graye；　and　depend　upon　it
that　I　will　not　lead　you　into　difficulty。'

'Conceal　it；'　she　still　pleaded。

'We'll　seebut　of　course　I　must　do　my　duty。'

'Nodon't　do　your　duty！'　　She　looked　up　at　him　through　the　gloom；
illuminating　her　own　face　and　eyes　with　the　candle　she　held。

'I　will　consider；　then；'　said　Mr。　Raunham；　sensibly　moved。　　He
turned　his　horse's　head；　bade　them　a　warm　adieu；　and　left　the　door。

The　rector　of　Carriford　trotted　homewards　under　the　cold　and　clear
March　sky；　its　countless　stars　fluttering　like　bright　birds。　　He　was
unconscious　of　the　scene。　　Recovering　from　the　effect　of　Cytherea's
voice　and　glance　of　entreaty；　he　laid　the　subject　of　the　interview
clearly　before　himself。

The　suspicions　of　Cytherea　and　Owen　were　honest；　and　had　foundation…
…that　he　must　own。　　Was　hea　clergyman；　magistrate；　and
conscientious　manjustified　in　yielding　to　Cytherea's　importunities
to　keep　silence；　because　she　dreaded　the　possibility　of　a　return　to
Manston？　　Was　she　wise　in　her　request？　　Holding　her　present　belief；
and　with　no　definite　evidence　either　way；　she　could；　for　one　thing；
never　conscientiously　marry　any　one　else。　　Suppose　that　Cytherea
were　Manston's　wifei。e。；　that　the　first　wife　was　rea