desperate remedies-第66章

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He　had　only　restored　to　its　place　a　small　phial　she　had　seen　there
before。　　It　was　labelled　'Battley's　Solution　of　Opium。'　　She　felt
relieved　that　her　life　had　not　been　attempted。　　That　was　to　have
been　her　sleeping…draught。　　No　time　was　to　be　lost　if　she　meant　to
be　a　match　for　him。　　She　followed　him　in　her　nightdress。　　When　she
reached　the　foot　of　the　staircase　he　was　in　the　office　and　had
closed　the　door；　under　which　a　faint　gleam　showed　that　he　had
obtained　a　light。　　She　crept　to　the　door；　but　could　not　venture　to
open　it；　however　slightly。　　Placing　her　ear　to　the　panel；　she　could
hear　him　tearing　up　papers　of　some　sort；　and　a　brighter　and
quivering　ray　of　light　coming　from　the　threshold　an　instant　later；
implied　that　he　was　burning　them。　　By　the　slight　noise　of　his
footsteps　on　the　uncarpeted　floor；　she　at　length　imagined　that　he
was　approaching　the　door。　　She　flitted　upstairs　again　and　crept　into
bed。

Manston　returned　to　the　bedroom　close　upon　her　heels；　and　entered
itagain　without　a　light。　　Standing　motionless　for　an　instant　to
assure　himself　that　she　still　slept；　he　went　to　the　drawer　in　which
their　ready…money　was　kept；　and　removed　the　casket　that　contained
it。　　Anne's　ear　distinctly　caught　the　rustle　of　notes；　and　the　chink
of　the　gold　as　he　handled　it。　　Some　he　placed　in　his　pocket；　some　he
returned　to　its　place。　　He　stood　thinking；　as　it　were　weighing　a
possibility。　　While　lingering　thus；　he　noticed　the　reflected　image
of　his　own　face　in　the　glasspale　and　spectre…like　in　its
indistinctness。　　The　sight　seemed　to　be　the　feather　which　turned　the
balance　of　indecision：　　he　drew　a　heavy　breath；　retired　from　the
room；　and　passed　downstairs。　　She　heard　him　unbar　the　back…door；　and
go　out　into　the　yard。

Feeling　safe　in　a　conclusion　that　he　did　not　intend　to　return　to　the
bedroom　again；　she　arose；　and　hastily　dressed　herself。　　On　going　to
the　door　of　the　apartment　she　found　that　he　had　locked　it　behind
him。　　'A　precautionit　can　be　no　more；'　she　muttered。　　Yet　she　was
all　the　more　perplexed　and　excited　on　this　account。　　Had　he　been
going　to　leave　home　immediately；　he　would　scarcely　have　taken　the
trouble　to　lock　her　in；　holding　the　belief　that　she　was　in　a　drugged
sleep。　　The　lock　shot　into　a　mortice；　so　that　there　was　no
possibility　of　her　pushing　back　the　bolt。　　How　should　she　follow
him？　　Easily。　　An　inner　closet　opened　from　the　bedroom：　　it　was
large；　and　had　some　time　heretofore　been　used　as　a　dressing　or　bath
room；　but　had　been　found　inconvenient　from　having　no　other　outlet　to
the　landing。　　The　window　of　this　little　room　looked　out　upon　the
roof　of　the　porch；　which　was　flat　and　covered　with　lead。　　Anne　took
a　pillow　from　the　bed；　gently　opened　the　casement　of　the　inner　room
and　stepped　forth　on　the　flat。　　There；　leaning　over　the　edge　of　the
small　parapet　that　ornamented　the　porch；　she　dropped　the　pillow　upon
the　gravel　path；　and　let　herself　down　over　the　parapet　by　her　hands
till　her　toes　swung　about　two　feet　from　the　ground。　　From　this
position　she　adroitly　alighted　upon　the　pillow；　and　stood　in　the
path。

Since　she　had　come　indoors　from　her　walk　in　the　early　part　of　the
evening　the　moon　had　risen。　　But　the　thick　clouds　overspreading　the
whole　landscape　rendered　the　dim　light　pervasive　and　grey：　　it
appeared　as　an　attribute　of　the　air。　　Anne　crept　round　to　the　back
of　the　house；　listening　intently。　　The　steward　had　had　at　least　ten
minutes'　start　of　her。　　She　had　waited　here　whilst　one　might　count
fifty；　when　she　heard　a　movement　in　the　outhousea　fragment　once
attached　to　the　main　building。　　This　outhouse　was　partitioned　into
an　outer　and　an　inner　room；　which　had　been　a　kitchen　and　a　scullery
before　the　connecting　erections　were　pulled　down；　but　they　were　now
used　respectively　as　a　brewhouse　and　workshop；　the　only　means　of
access　to　the　latter　being　through　the　brewhouse。　　The　outer　door　of
this　first　apartment　was　usually　fastened　by　a　padlock　on　the
exterior。　　It　was　now　closed；　but　not　fastened。　　Manston　was
evidently　in　the　outhouse。

She　slightly　moved　the　door。　　The　interior　of　the　brewhouse　was
wrapped　in　gloom；　but　a　streak　of　light　fell　towards　her　in　a　line
across　the　floor　from　the　inner　or　workshop　door；　which　was　not
quite　closed。　　This　light　was　unexpected；　none　having　been　visible
through　hole　or　crevice。　　Glancing　in；　the　woman　found　that　he　had
placed　cloths　and　mats　at　the　various　apertures；　and　hung　a　sack　at
the　window　to　prevent　the　egress　of　a　single　ray。　　She　could　also
perceive　from　where　she　stood　that　the　bar　of　light　fell　across　the
brewing…copper　just　outside　the　inner　door；　and　that　upon　it　lay　the
key　of　her　bedroom。　　The　illuminated　interior　of　the　workshop　was
also　partly　visible　from　her　position　through　the　two　half…open
doors。　　Manston　was　engaged　in　emptying　a　large　cupboard　of　the
tools；　gallipots；　and　old　iron　it　contained。　　When　it　was　quite
cleared　he　took　a　chisel；　and　with　it　began　to　withdraw　the　hooks
and　shoulder…nails　holding　the　cupboard　to　the　wall。　　All　these
being　loosened；　he　extended　his　arms；　lifted　the　cupboard　bodily
from　the　brackets　under　it；　and　deposited　it　on　the　floor　beside
him。

That　portion　of　the　wall　which　had　been　screened　by　the　cupboard　was
now　laid　bare。　　This；　it　appeared；　had　been　plastered　more　recently
than　the　bulk　of　the　outhouse。　　Manston　loosened　the　plaster　with
some　kind　of　tool；　flinging　the　pieces　into　a　basket　as　they　fell。
Having　now　stripped　clear　about　two　feet　area　of　wall；　he　inserted　a
crowbar　between　the　joints　of　the　bricks　beneath；　softly　wriggling
it　until　several　were　loosened。　　There　was　now　disclosed　the　mouth
of　an　old　oven；　which　was　apparently　contrived　in　the　thickness　of
the　wall；　and　having　fallen　into　disuse；　had　been　closed　up　with
bricks　in　this　manner。　　It　was　formed　after　the　simple　old…fashioned
plan　of　oven…buildinga　mere　oblate　cavity　without　a　flue。

Manston　now　stretched　his　arm　into　the　oven；　dragged　forth　a　heavy
weight　of　great　bulk；　and　let　it　slide　to　the　ground。　　The　woman　who
watched　him　could　see　the　object　plainly。　　It　was　a　common　corn…
sack；　nearly　full；　and　was　tied　at　the　mouth　in　the　usual　way。

The　steward　had　once　or　twice　started　up；　as　if　he　had　heard　sounds；
and　his　motions　now　became　more　cat…like　still。　　On　a　sudden　he　put
out　the　light。　　Anne　had　made　no　noise；　yet　a　foreign　noise　of　some
kind　had　certainly　been　made　in　the　intervening　portion　of　the
house。　　She　heard　it。　　'One　of　the　rats；'　she　thought。

He　seemed　soon　to　recover　from　his　alarm；　but　changed　his　tactics
completely。　　He　did　not　light　his　candlegoing　on　with　his　work　in
the　dark。　　She　had　only　sounds　to　go　by　now；　and；　judging　as　well　as
she　could　from　these；　he　was　piling　up　the　bricks　which　closed　the
oven's　mouth　as　they　had　been　before　he　disturbed　them。　　The　query
that　had　not　left　her　brain　all　the　interval　of　her　inspectionhow
should　she　get　back　into　her　bedroom　again？now　received　a
solution。　　Whilst　he　was　replacing　the　cupboard；　she　would　glide
across　the　brewhouse；　take　the　key　from　the　top　of　the　copper；　run
upstairs；　unlock　the　door；　and　bring　back　the　key　again：　　if　he
returned　to　bed；　which　was　unlikely；　he　would　think　the　lock　had
failed　to　catch　in　the　staple。　　This　thought　and　intention；
occupying　such　length　of　words；　flashed　upon　her　in　an　instant；　and
hardly　disturbed　her　strong　curiosity　to　stay　and　learn　the　meaning
of　his　actions　in　the　workshop。

Slipping　sideways　through　the　first　door　and　closing　it　behind　her；
she　advanced　into　the　darkness　towards　the　second；　making　every
individual　footfall　with　the　greatest　care；　lest　the　fragments　of
rubbish　on　the　floor　should　crackle　beneath　her　tread。　　She　soon
stood　close　by　the　copper；　and　not　more　than　a　foot　from　the　door　of
the　room　occupied　by　Manston　himself；　from　which　position　she　could
distinctly　hear　him　breathe　between　each　exertion；　although　it　was
far　too　dark　to　discern　anything　of　him。

To　secure　the　key　of　her　chamber　was　her　first　anxiety；　and
accordingly　she　cautiously　reached　out　with　her　hand　to　where　it
lay。　　Instead　of　touching　it；　her　fingers　came　in　contact　with　the
boot　of　a　human　being。

She　drooped　faint　in　a　cold　sweat。　　It　was　the　foot　either　of　a　man
or　woman；　standing　on　the　brewing…copper　where　the　key　had　lain。　　A
warm　foot；　covered　with　a　polished　boot。

The　startling　discovery　so　terrified　her　that　she　could　hardly
repress　a　sound。　　She　withdrew　her　hand　with　a　motion　like　the
flight　of　an　arrow。　　Her　touch　was　so　light　that　the　leather　seemed
to　have　been　thick　enough　to　keep　the　owner　of　the　foot　in　entire
ignorance　of　it；　and　the　noise　of　Manston's　scraping　might　have　been
quite　sufficient　to　drown　the　slight　rustle　of　her　dress。

The　person　was　obviously　not　the　steward：　　he　was　still　busy。　　It
was　somebody　who；　since　the　light　had　been　extinguished；　had　taken
advantage　of　the　gloom；　to　come　from　some　dark　recess　in　the
brewhouse　and　stand　upon　the　brickwork　of　the　copper。　　The　fear
which　had　at　first　paralyzed　her　lessened　with　the　birth　of　a　sense
that　fear　now　was　utter　failure：　　she　was　in　a　desperate　position
and　must　abide　by　the　consequences。　　The　motionless　person　on　the
copper　was；　equally　with　Manston；　quite　unconscious　of　her
proximity；　and　she　ventured　to　advance　her　hand　again；　feeling
behind　the　feet；　till　she　found　the　key。　　On　its　return　to　her　side；
her　finger…tip　skimmed　the　lower　verge　of　a　trousers…leg。

It　was　a　man；　then；　who　stood　there。　　To　go　to　the　door　just　at　this
time　was　impolitic；　and　she　shrank　back　into　an　inner　corner　to
wait。　　The　comparative　security　from　discovery　that　her　new　position
ensured　resuscitated　reason　a　little；　and　empowered　her　to　form　some
logical　inferences：

1。　　The　man　who　stood　on　the　copper　had　taken　advantage　of　the
darkness　to　get　there；　as　she　had　to　enter。

2。　　The　man　must　have　been　hidden　in　the　outhouse　before　she　had
reached　the　door。

3。　　He　must　be　watching　Manston　with　much　calculation　and　system；
and　for　purposes　of　his　own。

She　could　now　tell　by　the　noises　that　Manston　had　completed　his　re…
erection　of　the　cupboard。　　She　heard　him　replacing　the　articles　it
had　containedbottle　by　bottle；　tool　by　toolafter　which　he　came
into　the　brewhouse；　went　to　the　window；　and　pulled　down　the　cloths
covering　it；　but　the　window　being　rather　small；　this　unveiling
scarcely　relieved　the　darkness　of　the　interior。　　He　returned　to　the
workshop；　hoisted　something　to　his　back　by　a　jerk；　and　felt　about
the　room　for　some　other　article。　　Having　found　it；　he　emerged　from
the　inner　door；　crossed　the　brewhouse；　and　went　into　the　yard。
Directly　he　stepped　out　she　could　see　his　outline　by　the　light　of
the　clouded　and　weakly　moon。　　The　sack　was　slung　at　his　back；　and　in
his　hand　he　carried　a　spade。

Anne　now　waited　in　her　corner　in　breathless　suspense　for　the
proceedings　of　the　other　man。　　In　about　half…a…minute　she　heard　him
descend　from　the　copper；　and　then　the　square　opening　of　the　doorway
showed　the　outline　of　this　other　watcher　passing　through　it
likewise。　　The　form　was　that　of　a　broad…shouldered　man　enveloped　in
a　long　coat。　　He　vanished　after　the　steward。

The　woman　vented　a　sigh　of　relief；　and　m