desperate remedies-第7章

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the　partition　dividing　this　room　from　the　bar　to　enable　the　landlord
to　see　if　his　visitors；　who　sat　there；　wanted　anything。　　A　curious
awkwardness　and　melancholy　about　the　behaviour　of　the　girl　who
called；　caused　my　informant　to　look　frequently　at　her　through　the
partition。　　She　seemed　weary　of　her　life；　and　sat　with　her　face
buried　in　her　hands；　evidently　quite　out　of　her　element　in　such　a
house。　　Then　a　woman　much　older　came　in　and　greeted　Miss　Taylor　by
name。　　The　man　distinctly　heard　the　following　words　pass　between
them：

'〃Why　have　you　not　brought　him？〃

'〃He　is　ill；　he　is　not　likely　to　live　through　the　night。〃

'At　this　announcement　from　the　elderly　woman；　the　young　lady　fell　to
the　floor　in　a　swoon；　apparently　overcome　by　the　news。　　The　landlord
ran　in　and　lifted　her　up。　　Well；　do　what　they　would　they　could　not
for　a　long　time　bring　her　back　to　consciousness；　and　began　to　be
much　alarmed。　　〃Who　is　she？〃　the　innkeeper　said　to　the　other　woman。
〃I　know　her；〃　the　other　said；　with　deep　meaning　in　her　tone。　　The
elderly　and　young　woman　seemed　allied；　and　yet　strangers。

'She　now　showed　signs　of　life；　and　it　struck　him　（he　was　plainly　of
an　inquisitive　turn）；　that　in　her　half…bewildered　state　he　might　get
some　information　from　her。　　He　stooped　over　her；　put　his　mouth　to
her　ear；　and　said　sharply；　〃What's　your　name？〃　　〃To　catch　a　woman
napping　is　difficult；　even　when　she's　half　dead；　but　I　did　it；〃　says
the　gatekeeper。　　When　he　asked　her　her　name；　she　said　immediately

'〃Cytherea〃and　stopped　suddenly。'

'My　own　name！'　said　Cytherea。

'Yesyour　name。　　Well；　the　gateman　thought　at　the　time　it　might　be
equally　with　Jane　a　name　she　had　invented　for　the　occasion；　that
they　might　not　trace　her；　but　I　think　it　was　truth　unconsciously
uttered；　for　she　added　directly　afterwards：　　〃O；　what　have　I　said！〃
and　was　quite　overcome　againthis　time　with　fright。　　Her　vexation
that　the　woman　now　doubted　the　genuineness　of　her　other　name　was
very　much　greater　than　that　the　innkeeper　did；　and　it　is　evident
that　to　blind　the　woman　was　her　main　object。　　He　also　learnt　from
words　the　elderly　woman　casually　dropped；　that　meetings　of　the　same
kind　had　been　held　before；　and　that　the　falseness　of　the　soi…disant
Miss　Jane　Taylor's　name　had　never　been　suspected　by　this　dependent
or　confederate　till　then。

'She　recovered；　rested　there　for　an　hour；　and　first　sending　off　her
companion　peremptorily　（which　was　another　odd　thing）；　she　left　the
house；　offering　the　landlord　all　the　money　she　had　to　say　nothing
about　the　circumstance。　　He　has　never　seen　her　since；　according　to
his　own　account。　　I　said　to　him　again　and　again；　〃Did　you　find　any
more　particulars　afterwards？〃　　〃Not　a　syllable；〃　he　said。　　O；　he
should　never　hear　any　more　of　that！　too　many　years　had　passed　since
it　happened。　　〃At　any　rate；　you　found　out　her　surname？〃　I　said。
〃Well；　well；　that's　my　secret；〃　he　went　on。　　〃Perhaps　I　should　never
have　been　in　this　part　of　the　world　if　it　hadn't　been　for　that。　　I
failed　as　a　publican；　you　know。〃　　I　imagine　the　situation　of　gateman
was　given　him　and　his　debts　paid　off　as　a　bribe　to　silence；　but　I
can't　say。　　〃Ah；　yes！〃　he　said；　with　a　long　breath。　　〃I　have　never
heard　that　name　mentioned　since　that　time　till　to…night；　and　then
there　instantly　rose　to　my　eyes　the　vision　of　that　young　lady　lying
in　a　fainting　fit。〃　　He　then　stopped　talking　and　fell　asleep。
Telling　the　story　must　have　relieved　him　as　it　did　the　Ancient
Mariner；　for　he　did　not　move　a　muscle　or　make　another　sound　for　the
remainder　of　the　night。　　Now　isn't　that　an　odd　story？'

'It　is　indeed；'　Cytherea　murmured。　　'Very；　very　strange。'

'Why　should　she　have　said　your　most　uncommon　name？'　continued　Owen。
'The　man　was　evidently　truthful；　for　there　was　not　motive　sufficient
for　his　invention　of　such　a　tale；　and　he　could　not　have　done　it
either。'

Cytherea　looked　long　at　her　brother。　　'Don't　you　recognize　anything
else　in　connection　with　the　story？'　she　said。

'What？'　he　asked。

'Do　you　remember　what　poor　papa　once　let　dropthat　Cytherea　was　the
name　of　his　first　sweetheart　in　Bloomsbury；　who　so　mysteriously
renounced　him？　　A　sort　of　intuition　tells　me　that　this　was　the　same
woman。'

'O　nonot　likely；'　said　her　brother　sceptically。

'How　not　likely；　Owen？　　There's　not　another　woman　of　the　name　in
England。　　In　what　year　used　papa　to　say　the　event　took　place？'

'Eighteen　hundred　and　thirty…five。'

'And　when　were　the　Houses　of　Parliament　burnt？stop；　I　can　tell
you。'　　She　searched　their　little　stock　of　books　for　a　list　of　dates；
and　found　one　in　an　old　school　history。

'The　Houses　of　Parliament　were　burnt　down　in　the　evening　of　the
sixteenth　of　October；　eighteen　hundred　and　thirty…four。'

'Nearly　a　year　and　a　quarter　before　she　met　father；'　remarked　Owen。

They　were　silent。　　'If　papa　had　been　alive；　what　a　wonderful
absorbing　interest　this　story　would　have　had　for　him；'　said　Cytherea
by…and…by。　　'And　how　strangely　knowledge　comes　to　us。　　We　might　have
searched　for　a　clue　to　her　secret　half　the　world　over；　and　never
found　one。　　If　we　had　really　had　any　motive　for　trying　to　discover
more　of　the　sad　history　than　papa　told　us；　we　should　have　gone　to
Bloomsbury；　but　not　caring　to　do　so；　we　go　two　hundred　miles　in　the
opposite　direction；　and　there　find　information　waiting　to　be　told
us。　　What　could　have　been　the　secret；　Owen？'

'Heaven　knows。　　But　our　having　heard　a　little　more　of　her　in　this
way　（if　she　is　the　same　woman）　is　a　mere　coincidence　after　alla
family　story　to　tell　our　friends　if　we　ever　have　any。　　But　we　shall
never　know　any　more　of　the　episode　nowtrust　our　fates　for　that。'

Cytherea　sat　silently　thinking。

'There　was　no　answer　this　morning　to　your　advertisement；　Cytherea？'
he　continued。

'None。'

'I　could　see　that　by　your　looks　when　I　came　in。'

'Fancy　not　getting　a　single　one；'　she　said　sadly。　　'Surely　there
must　be　people　somewhere　who　want　governesses？'

'Yes；　but　those　who　want　them；　and　can　afford　to　have　them；　get　them
mostly　by　friends'　recommendations；　whilst　those　who　want　them；　and
can't　afford　to　have　them；　make　use　of　their　poor　relations。'

'What　shall　I　do？'

'Never　mind　it。　　Go　on　living　with　me。　　Don't　let　the　difficulty
trouble　your　mind　so；　you　think　about　it　all　day。　　I　can　keep　you；
Cythie；　in　a　plain　way　of　living。　　Twenty…five　shillings　a　week　do
not　amount　to　much　truly；　but　then　many　mechanics　have　no　more；　and
we　live　quite　as　sparingly　as　journeymen　mechanics。　。　。　　It　is　a
meagre　narrow　life　we　are　drifting　into；'　he　added　gloomily；　'but　it
is　a　degree　more　tolerable　than　the　worrying　sensation　of　all　the
world　being　ashamed　of　you；　which　we　experienced　at　Hocbridge。'

'I　couldn't　go　back　there　again；'　she　said。

'Nor　I。　　O；　I　don't　regret　our　course　for　a　moment。　　We　did　quite
right　in　dropping　out　of　the　world。'　　The　sneering　tones　of　the
remark　were　almost　too　laboured　to　be　real。　　'Besides；'　he
continued；　'something　better　for　me　is　sure　to　turn　up　soon。　　I　wish
my　engagement　here　was　a　permanent　one　instead　of　for　only　two
months。　　It　may；　certainly；　be　for　a　longer　time；　but　all　is
uncertain。'

'I　wish　I　could　get　something　to　do；　and　I　must　too；'　she　said
firmly。　　'Suppose；　as　is　very　probable；　you　are　not　wanted　after　the
beginning　of　Octoberthe　time　Mr。　Gradfield　mentionedwhat　should
we　do　if　I　were　dependent　on　you　only　throughout　the　winter？'

They　pondered　on　numerous　schemes　by　which　a　young　lady　might　be
supposed　to　earn　a　decent　livelihoodmore　or　less　convenient　and
feasible　in　imagination；　but　relinquished　them　all　until　advertising
had　been　once　more　tried；　this　time　taking　lower　ground。　　Cytherea
was　vexed　at　her　temerity　in　having　represented　to　the　world　that　so
inexperienced　a　being　as　herself　was　a　qualified　governess；　and　had
a　fancy　that　this　presumption　of　hers　might　be　one　reason　why　no
ladies　applied。　　The　new　and　humbler　attempt　appeared　in　the
following　form：

'NURSERY　GOVERNESS　OR　USEFUL　COMPANION。　　A　young　person　wishes　to
hear　of　a　situation　in　either　of　the　above　capacities。　　Salary　very
moderate。　　She　is　a　good　needle…womanAddress　G。；　3　Cross　Street；
Budmouth。'

In　the　evening　they　went　to　post　the　letter；　and　then　walked　up　and
down　the　Parade　for　a　while。　　Soon　they　met　Springrove；　said　a　few
words　to　him；　and　passed　on。　　Owen　noticed　that　his　sister's　face
had　become　crimson。　　Rather　oddly　they　met　Springrove　again　in　a　few
minutes。　　This　time　the　three　walked　a　little　way　together；　Edward
ostensibly　talking　to　Owen；　though　with　a　single　thought　to　the
reception　of　his　words　by　the　maiden　at　the　farther　side；　upon　whom
his　gaze　was　mostly　resting；　and　who　was　attentively　listening
looking　fixedly　upon　the　pavement　the　while。　　It　has　been　said　that
men　love　with　their　eyes；　women　with　their　ears。

As　Owen　and　himself　were　little　more　than　acquaintances　as　yet；　and
as　Springrove　was　wanting　in　the　assurance　of　many　men　of　his　age；
it　now　became　necessary　to　wish　his　friends　good…evening；　or　to　find
a　reason　for　continuing　near　Cytherea　by　saying　some　nice　new　thing。
He　thought　of　a　new　thing；　he　proposed　a　pull　across　the　bay。　　This
was　assented　to。　　They　went　to　the　pier；　stepped　into　one　of　the
gaily　painted　boats　moored　alongside　and　sheered　off。　　Cytherea　sat
in　the　stern　steering。

They　rowed　that　evening；　the　next　came；　and　with　it　the　necessity　of
rowing　again。　　Then　the　next；　and　the　next；　Cytherea　always　sitting
in　the　stern　with　the　tiller　ropes　in　her　hand。　　The　curves　of　her
figure　welded　with　those　of　the　fragile　boat　in　perfect
continuation；　as　she　girlishly　yielded　herself　to　its　heaving　and
sinking；　seeming　to　form　with　it　an　organic　whole。

Then　Owen　was　inclined　to　test　his　skill　in　paddling　a　canoe。
Edward　did　not　like　canoes；　and　the　issue　was；　that；　having　seen
Owen　on　board；　Springrove　proposed　to　pull　off　after　him　with　a　pair
of　sculls；　but　not　considering　himself　sufficiently　accomplished　to
do　finished　rowing　before　a　parade　full　of　promenaders　when　there
was　a　little　swell　on；　and　with　the　rudder　unshipped　in　addition；　he
begged　that　Cytherea　might　come　with　him　and　steer　as　before。　　She
stepped　in；　and　they　floated　along　in　the　wake　of　her　brother。　　Thus
passed　the　fifth　evening　on　the　water。

But　the　sympathetic　pair　were　thrown　into　still　closer
companionship；　and　much　more　exclusive　connection。

2。　　JULY　THE　TWENTY…NINTH

It　was　a　sad　time　for　Cythereathe　last　day　of　Springrove's
management　at　Gradfield's；　and　the　last　evening　before　his　return
from　Budmouth　to　his　father's　house；　previous　to　his　departure　for
London。

Graye　had　been　requested　by　the　architect　to　survey　a　plot　of　land
nearly　twenty　miles　off；　which；　with　the　journey　to　and　fro；　would
occupy　him　the　whole　day；　and　prevent　his　returning　till　late　in　the
evening。　　Cytherea　made　a　companion　of　her　landlady　to　the　extent　of
sharing　meals　and　sitting　with　her　during　the　morning　of　her
brother's　absence。　　Mid…day　found　her　restless　and　miserable　under
this　arrangement。　　All　the　afternoon　she　sat　alone；　looking　out　of
the　window　for　she　scarcely　knew　whom；　and　hoping　she　scarcely　knew
what。　　Half…past　five　o'clock　camethe　end　of　Springrove's　official
da