desperate remedies-第61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！


never　conscientiously　marry　any　one　else。　　Suppose　that　Cytherea
were　Manston's　wifei。e。；　that　the　first　wife　was　really　burnt？
The　adultery　of　Manston　would　be　proved；　and；　Mr。　Raunham　thought；
cruelty　sufficient　to　bring　the　case　within　the　meaning　of　the
statute。　　Suppose　the　new　woman　was；　as　stated；　Mr。　Manston's
restored　wife？　　Cytherea　was　perfectly　safe　as　a　single　woman　whose
marriage　had　been　void。　　And　if　it　turned　out　that；　though　this
woman　was　not　Manston's　wife；　his　wife　was　still　living；　as　Owen　had
suggested；　in　America　or　elsewhere；　Cytherea　was　safe。

The　first　supposition　opened　up　the　worst　contingency。　　Was　she
really　safe　as　Manston's　wife？　　Doubtful。　　But；　however　that　might
be；　the　gentle；　defenceless　girl；　whom　it　seemed　nobody's　business
to　help　or　defend；　should　be　put　in　a　track　to　proceed　against　this
man。　　She　had　but　one　life；　and　the　superciliousness　with　which　all
the　world　now　regarded　her　should　be　compensated　in　some　measure　by
the　man　whose　carelessnessto　set　him　in　the　best　lighthad　caused
it。

Mr。　Raunham　felt　more　and　more　positively　that　his　duty　must　be
done。　　An　inquiry　must　be　made　into　the　matter。　　Immediately　on
reaching　home；　he　sat　down　and　wrote　a　plain　and　friendly　letter　to
Mr。　Manston；　and　despatched　it　at　once　to　him　by　hand。　　Then　he
flung　himself　back　in　his　chair；　and　went　on　with　his　meditation。
Was　there　anything　in　the　suspicion？　　There　could　be　nothing；
surely。　　Nothing　is　done　by　a　clever　man　without　a　motive；　and　what
conceivable　motive　could　Manston　have　for　such　abnormal　conduct？
Corinthian　that　he　might　be；　who　had　preyed　on　virginity　like　St。
George's　dragon；　he　would　never　have　been　absurd　enough　to　venture
on　such　a　course　for　the　possession　alone　of　the　womanthere　was　no
reason　for　itshe　was　inferior　to　Cytherea　in　every　respect；
physical　and　mental。

On　the　other　hand；　it　seemed　rather　odd；　when　he　analyzed　the
action；　that　a　woman　who　deliberately　hid　herself　from　her　husband
for　more　than　a　twelvemonth　should　be　brought　back　by　a　mere
advertisement。　　In　fact；　the　whole　business　had　worked　almost　too
smoothly　and　effectually　for　unpremeditated　sequence。　　It　was　too
much　like　the　indiscriminate　righting　of　everything　at　the　end　of　an
old　play。　　And　there　was　that　curious　business　of　the　keys　and
watch。　　Her　way　of　accounting　for　their　being　left　behind　by
forgetfulness　had　always　seemed　to　him　rather　forced。　　The　only
unforced　explanation　was　that　suggested　by　the　newspaper　writers
that　she　left　them　behind　on　purpose　to　blind　people　as　to　her
escape；　a　motive　which　would　have　clashed　with　the　possibility　of
her　being　fished　back　by　an　advertisement；　as　the　present　woman　had
been。　　Again；　there　were　the　two　charred　bones。　　He　shuffled　the
books　and　papers　in　his　study；　and　walked　about　the　room；　restlessly
musing　on　the　same　subject。　　The　parlour…maid　entered。

'Can　young　Mr。　Springrove　from　London　see　you　to…night；　sir？'

'Young　Mr。　Springrove？'　said　the　rector；　surprised。

'Yes；　sir。'

'Yes；　of　course　he　can　see　me。　　Tell　him　to　come　in。'

Edward　came　so　impatiently　into　the　room；　as　to　show　that　the　few
short　moments　his　announcement　had　occupied　had　been　irksome　to　him。
He　stood　in　the　doorway　with　the　same　black　bag　in　his　hand；　and　the
same　old　gray　cloak　on　his　shoulders；　that　he　had　worn　fifteen
months　earlier　when　returning　on　the　night　of　the　fire。　　This
appearance　of　his　conveyed　a　true　impression；　he　had　become　a
stagnant　man。　　But　he　was　excited　now。

'I　have　this　moment　come　from　London；'　he　said；　as　the　door　was
closed　behind　him。

The　prophetic　insight；　which　so　strangely　accompanies　critical
experiences；　prompted　Mr。　Raunham's　reply。

'About　the　Grayes　and　Manston？'

'Yes。　　That　woman　is　not　Mrs。　Manston。'

'Prove　it。'

'I　can　prove　that　she　is　somebody　elsethat　her　name　is　Anne
Seaway。'

'And　are　their　suspicions　true　indeed！'

'And　I　can　do　what's　more　to　the　purpose　at　present。'

'Suggest　Manston's　motive？'

'Only　suggest　it；　remember。　　But　my　assumption　fits　so　perfectly
with　the　facts　that　have　been　secretly　unearthed　and　conveyed　to　me；
that　I　can　hardly　conceive　of　another。'

There　was　in　Edward's　bearing　that　entire　unconsciousness　of　himself
which；　natural　to　wild　animals；　only　prevails　in　a　sensitive　man　at
moments　of　extreme　intentness。　　The　rector　saw　that　he　had　no
trivial　story　to　communicate；　whatever　the　story　was。

'Sit　down；'　said　Mr。　Raunham。　　'My　mind　has　been　on　the　stretch　all
the　evening　to　form　the　slightest　guess　at　such　an　object；　and　all
to　no　purposeentirely　to　no　purpose。　　Have　you　said　anything　to
Owen　Graye？'

'Nothingnor　to　anybody。　　I　could　not　trust　to　the　effect　a　letter
might　have　upon　yourself；　either；　the　intricacy　of　the　case　brings
me　to　this　interview。'

Whilst　Springrove　had　been　speaking　the　two　had　sat　down　together。
The　conversation；　hitherto　distinct　to　every　corner　of　the　room；　was
carried　on　now　in　tones　so　low　as　to　be　scarcely　audible　to　the
interlocutors；　and　in　phrases　which　hesitated　to　complete
themselves。　　Three…quarters　of　an　hour　passed。　　Then　Edward　arose；
came　out　of　the　rector's　study　and　again　flung　his　cloak　around　him。
Instead　of　going　thence　homeward；　he　went　first　to　the　Carriford
Road　Station　with　a　telegram；　having　despatched　which　he　proceeded
to　his　father's　house　for　the　first　time　since　his　arrival　in　the
village。

3。　　FROM　NINE　TO　TEN　O'CLOCK　P。M。

The　next　presentation　is　the　interior　of　the　Old　House　on　the
evening　of　the　preceding　section。　　The　steward　was　sitting　by　his
parlour　fire；　and　had　been　reading　the　letter　arrived　from　the
rectory。　　Opposite　to　him　sat　the　woman　known　to　the　village　and
neighbourhood　as　Mrs。　Manston。

'Things　are　looking　desperate　with　us；'　he　said　gloomily。　　His　gloom
was　not　that　of　the　hypochondriac；　but　the　legitimate　gloom　which
has　its　origin　in　a　syllogism。　　As　he　uttered　the　words　he　handed
the　letter　to　her。

'I　almost　expected　some　such　news　as　this；'　she　replied；　in　a　tone
of　much　greater　indifference。　　'I　knew　suspicion　lurked　in　the　eyes
of　that　young　man　who　stared　at　me　so　in　the　church　path：　　I　could
have　sworn　it。'

Manston　did　not　answer　for　some　time。　　His　face　was　worn　and
haggard；　latterly　his　head　had　not　been　carried　so　uprightly　as　of
old。　　'If　they　prove　you　to　bewho　you　are。　。　。　。　　Yes；　if　they
do；'　he　murmured。

'They　must　not　find　that　out；'　she　said；　in　a　positive　voice；　and
looking　at　him。　　'But　supposing　they　do；　the　trick　does　not　seem　to
me　to　be　so　serious　as　to　justify　that　wretched；　miserable；　horrible
look　of　yours。　　It　makes　my　flesh　creep；　it　is　perfectly　deathlike。'

He　did　not　reply；　and　she　continued；　'If　they　say　and　prove　that
Eunice　is　indeed　livingand　dear；　you　know　she　isshe　is　sure　to
come　back。'

This　remark　seemed　to　awaken　and　irritate　him　to　speech。　　Again；　as
he　had　done　a　hundred　times　during　their　residence　together；　he
categorized　the　events　connected　with　the　fire　at　the　Three
Tranters。　　He　dwelt　on　every　incident　of　that　night's　history；　and
endeavoured；　with　an　anxiety　which　was　extraordinary　in　the　apparent
circumstances；　to　prove　that　his　wife　must；　by　the　very　nature　of
things；　have　perished　in　the　flames。　　She　arose　from　her　seat；
crossed　the　hearthrug；　and　set　herself　to　soothe　him；　then　she
whispered　that　she　was　still　as　unbelieving　as　ever。　　'Come；
supposing　she　escapedjust　supposing　she　escapedwhere　is　she？'
coaxed　the　lady。

'Why　are　you　so　curious　continually？'　said　Manston。

'Because　I　am　a　woman　and　want　to　know。　　Now　where　is　she？'

'In　the　Flying　Isle　of　San　Borandan。'

'Witty　cruelty　is　the　cruellest　of　any。　　Ah；　wellif　she　is　in
England；　she　will　come　back。'

'She　is　not　in　England。'

'But　she　will　come　back？'

'No；　she　won't。　。　。　。　　Come；　madam；'　he　said；　arousing　himself；　'I
shall　not　answer　any　more　questions。'

'Ahahahshe　is　not　dead；'　the　woman　murmured　again　poutingly。

'She　is；　I　tell　you。'

'I　don't　think　so；　love。'

'She　was　burnt；　I　tell　you！'　he　exclaimed。

'Now　to　please　me；　admit　the　bare　possibility　of　her　being　alive
just　the　possibility。'

'O　yesto　please　you　I　will　admit　that；'　he　said　quickly。　　'Yes；　I
admit　the　possibility　of　her　being　alive；　to　please　you。'

She　looked　at　him　in　utter　perplexity。　　The　words　could　only　have
been　said　in　jest；　and　yet　they　seemed　to　savour　of　a　tone　the
furthest　remove　from　jesting。　　There　was　his　face　plain　to　her　eyes；
but　no　information　of　any　kind　was　to　be　read　there。

'It　is　only　natural　that　I　should　be　curious；'　she　murmured
pettishly；　'if　I　resemble　her　as　much　as　you　say　I　do。'

'You　are　handsomer；'　he　said；　'though　you　are　about　her　own　height
and　size。　　But　don't　worry　yourself。　　You　must　know　that　you　are
body　and　soul　united　with　me；　though　you　are　but　my　housekeeper。'

She　bridled　a　little　at　the　remark。　　'Wife；'　she　said；　'most
certainly　wife；　since　you　cannot　dismiss　me　without　losing　your
character　and　position；　and　incurring　heavy　penalties。'

'I　own　itit　was　well　said；　though　mistakenlyvery　mistakenly。'

'Don't　riddle　to　me　about　mistakenly　and　such　dark　things。　　Now　what
was　your　motive；　dearest；　in　running　the　risk　of　having　me　here？'

'Your　beauty；'　he　said。

'She　thanks　you　much　for　the　compliment；　but　will　not　take　it。
Come；　what　was　your　motive？'

'Your　wit。'

'No；　no；　not　my　wit。　　Wit　would　have　made　a　wife　of　me　by　this　time
instead　of　what　I　am。'

'Your　virtue。'

'Or　virtue　either。'

'I　tell　you　it　was　your　beautyreally。'

'But　I　cannot　help　seeing　and　hearing；　and　if　what　people　say　is
true；　I　am　not　nearly　so　good…looking　as　Cytherea；　and　several　years
older。'

The　aspect　of　Manston's　face　at　these　words　from　her　was　so
confirmatory　of　her　hint；　that　his　forced　reply　of　'O　no；'　tended　to
develop　her　chagrin。

'Mere　liking　or　love　for　me；'　she　resumed；　'would　not　have　sprung　up
all　of　a　sudden；　as　your　pretended　passion　did。　　You　had　been　to
London　several　times　between　the　time　of　the　fire　and　your　marriage
with　Cythereayou　had　never　visited　me　or　thought　of　my　existence
or　cared　that　I　was　out　of　a　situation　and　poor。　　But　the　week　after
you　married　her　and　were　separated　from　her；　off　you　rush　to　make
love　to　menot　first　to　me　either；　for　you　went　to　several　places
'

'No；　not　several　places。'

'Yes；　you　told　me　so　yourselfthat　you　went　first　to　the　only
lodging　in　which　your　wife　had　been　known　as　Mrs。　Manston；　and　when
you　found　that　the　lodging…house…keeper　had　gone　away　and　died；　and
that　nobody　else　in　the　street　had　any　definite　ideas　as　to　your
wife's　personal　appearance；　and　came　and　proposed　the　arrangement　we
carried　outthat　I　should　personate　her。　　Your　taking　all　this
trouble　shows　that　something　more　serious　than　love　had　to　do　with
the　matter。'

'Humbugwhat　trouble　after　all　did　I　take？　　When　I　found　Cytherea
would　not　stay　with　me　after　the　wedding　I　was　much　put　out　at　being
left　alone　again。　　Was　that　unnatural？'

'No。'

'And　those　favouring　accidents　you　mentionthat　nobody　knew　my
first　wifeseemed　an　arrangement　of　Providence　for　our　mutual
benefit；　and　merely　perfected　a　half…formed　impulsethat　I　should
call　you　my　first　wif