desperate remedies-第15章

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One　from　Miss　Aldclyffe；　simply　stating　that　she　wished　Cytherea　to
come　on　trial：　　that　she　would　require　her　to　be　at　Knapwater　House
by　Monday　evening。

The　other　was　from　Edward　Springrove。　　He　told　her　that　she　was　the
bright　spot　of　his　life：　　that　her　existence　was　far　dearer　to　him
than　his　own：　　that　he　had　never　known　what　it　was　to　love　till　he
had　met　her。　　True；　he　had　felt　passing　attachments　to　other　faces
from　time　to　time；　but　they　all　had　been　weak　inclinations　towards
those　faces　as　they　then　appeared。　　He　loved　her　past　and　future；　as
well　as　her　present。　　He　pictured　her　as　a　child：　　he　loved　her。　　He
pictured　her　of　sage　years：　　he　loved　her。　　He　pictured　her　in
trouble；　he　loved　her。　　Homely　friendship　entered　into　his　love　for
her；　without　which　all　love　was　evanescent。

He　would　make　one　depressing　statement。　　Uncontrollable
circumstances　（a　long　history；　with　which　it　was　impossible　to
acquaint　her　at　present）　operated　to　a　certain　extent　as　a　drag　upon
his　wishes。　　He　had　felt　this　more　strongly　at　the　time　of　their
parting　than　he　did　nowand　it　was　the　cause　of　his　abrupt
behaviour；　for　which　he　begged　her　to　forgive　him。　　He　saw　now　an
honourable　way　of　freeing　himself；　and　the　perception　had　prompted
him　to　write。　　In　the　meantime　might　he　indulge　in　the　hope　of
possessing　her　on　some　bright　future　day；　when　by　hard　labour
generated　from　her　own　encouraging　words；　he　had　placed　himself　in　a
position　she　would　think　worthy　to　be　shared　with　him？

Dear　little　letter；　she　huddled　it　up。　　So　much　more　important　a
love…letter　seems　to　a　girl　than　to　a　man。　　Springrove　was
unconsciously　clever　in　his　letters；　and　a　man　with　a　talent　of　that
kind　may　write　himself　up　to　a　hero　in　the　mind　of　a　young　woman　who
loves　him　without　knowing　much　about　him。　　Springrove　already　stood
a　cubit　higher　in　her　imagination　than　he　did　in　his　shoes。

During　the　day　she　flitted　about　the　room　in　an　ecstasy　of　pleasure；
packing　the　things　and　thinking　of　an　answer　which　should　be　worthy
of　the　tender　tone　of　the　question；　her　love　bubbling　from　her
involuntarily；　like　prophesyings　from　a　prophet。

In　the　afternoon　Owen　went　with　her　to　the　railway…station；　and　put
her　in　the　train　for　Carriford　Road；　the　station　nearest　to
Knapwater　House。

Half…an…hour　later　she　stepped　out　upon　the　platform；　and　found
nobody　there　to　receive　herthough　a　pony…carriage　was　waiting
outside。　　In　two　minutes　she　saw　a　melancholy　man　in　cheerful　livery
running　towards　her　from　a　public…house　close　adjoining；　who　proved
to　be　the　servant　sent　to　fetch　her。　　There　are　two　ways　of　getting
rid　of　sorrows：　　one　by　living　them　down；　the　other　by　drowning
them。　　The　coachman　drowned　his。

He　informed　her　that　her　luggage　would　be　fetched　by　a　spring…waggon
in　about　half…an…hour；　then　helped　her　into　the　chaise　and　drove
off。

Her　lover's　letter；　lying　close　against　her　neck；　fortified　her
against　the　restless　timidity　she　had　previously　felt　concerning
this　new　undertaking；　and　completely　furnished　her　with　the
confident　ease　of　mind　which　is　required　for　the　critical
observation　of　surrounding　objects。　　It　was　just　that　stage　in　the
slow　decline　of　the　summer　days；　when　the　deep；　dark；　and　vacuous
hot…weather　shadows　are　beginning　to　be　replaced　by　blue　ones　that
have　a　surface　and　substance　to　the　eye。　　They　trotted　along　the
turnpike　road　for　a　distance　of　about　a　mile；　which　brought　them
just　outside　the　village　of　Carriford；　and　then　turned　through　large
lodge…gates；　on　the　heavy　stone　piers　of　which　stood　a　pair　of
bitterns　cast　in　bronze。　　They　then　entered　the　park　and　wound　along
a　drive　shaded　by　old　and　drooping　lime…trees；　not　arranged　in　the
form　of　an　avenue；　but　standing　irregularly；　sometimes　leaving　the
track　completely　exposed　to　the　sky；　at　other　times　casting　a　shade
over　it；　which　almost　approached　gloomthe　under　surface　of　the
lowest　boughs　hanging　at　a　uniform　level　of　six　feet　above　the
grassthe　extreme　height　to　which　the　nibbling　mouths　of　the　cattle
could　reach。

'Is　that　the　house？'　said　Cytherea　expectantly；　catching　sight　of　a
grey　gable　between　the　trees；　and　losing　it　again。

'No；　that's　the　old　manor…houseor　rather　all　that's　left　of　it。
The　Aldycliffes　used　to　let　it　sometimes；　but　it　was　oftener　empty。
'Tis　now　divided　into　three　cottages。　　Respectable　people　didn't
care　to　live　there。'

'Why　didn't　they？'

'Well；　'tis　so　awkward　and　unhandy。　　You　see　so　much　of　it　has　been
pulled　down；　and　the　rooms　that　are　left　won't　do　very　well　for　a
small　residence。　　'Tis　so　dismal；　too；　and　like　most　old　houses
stands　too　low　down　in　the　hollow　to　be　healthy。'

'Do　they　tell　any　horrid　stories　about　it？'

'No；　not　a　single　one。'

'Ah；　that's　a　pity。'

'Yes；　that's　what　I　say。　　'Tis　jest　the　house　for　a　nice　ghastly
hair…on…end　story；　that　would　make　the　parish　religious。　　Perhaps　it
will　have　one　some　day　to　make　it　complete；　but　there's　not　a　word
of　the　kind　now。　　There；　I　wouldn't　live　there　for　all　that。　　In
fact；　I　couldn't。　　O　no；　I　couldn't。'

'Why　couldn't　you？'

'The　sounds。'

'What　are　they？'

'One　is　the　waterfall；　which　stands　so　close　by　that　you　can　hear
that　there　waterfall　in　every　room　of　the　house；　night　or　day；　ill
or　well。　　'Tis　enough　to　drive　anybody　mad：　　now　hark。'

He　stopped　the　horse。　　Above　the　slight　common　sounds　in　the　air
came　the　unvarying　steady　rush　of　falling　water　from　some　spot
unseen　on　account　of　the　thick　foliage　of　the　grove。

'There's　something　awful　in　the　timing　o'　that　sound；　ain't　there；
miss？'

'When　you　say　there　is；　there　really　seems　to　be。　　You　said　there
were　twowhat　is　the　other　horrid　sound？'

'The　pumping…engine。　　That's　close　by　the　Old　House；　and　sends　water
up　the　hill　and　all　over　the　Great　House。　　We　shall　hear　that
directly。　。　。　。　　There；　now　hark　again。'

From　the　same　direction　down　the　dell　they　could　now　hear　the
whistling　creak　of　cranks；　repeated　at　intervals　of　half…a…minute；
with　a　sousing　noise　between　each：　　a　creak；　a　souse；　then　another
creak；　and　so　on　continually。

'Now　if　anybody　could　make　shift　to　live　through　the　other　sounds；
these　would　finish　him　off；　don't　you　think　so；　miss？　　That　machine
goes　on　night　and　day；　summer　and　winter；　and　is　hardly　ever　greased
or　visited。　　Ah；　it　tries　the　nerves　at　night；　especially　if　you　are
not　very　well；　though　we　don't　often　hear　it　at　the　Great　House。'

'That　sound　is　certainly　very　dismal。　　They　might　have　the　wheel
greased。　　Does　Miss　Aldclyffe　take　any　interest　in　these　things？'

'Well；　scarcely；　you　see　her　father　doesn't　attend　to　that　sort　of
thing　as　he　used　to。　　The　engine　was　once　quite　his　hobby。　　But　now
he's　getten　old　and　very　seldom　goes　there。'

'How　many　are　there　in　family？'

'Only　her　father　and　herself。　　He's　a'　old　man　of　seventy。'

'I　had　thought　that　Miss　Aldclyffe　was　sole　mistress　of　the
property；　and　lived　here　alone。'

'No；　m'　　The　coachman　was　continually　checking　himself　thus；　being
about　to　style　her　miss　involuntarily；　and　then　recollecting　that　he
was　only　speaking　to　the　new　lady's…maid。

'She　will　soon　be　mistress；　however；　I　am　afraid；'　he　continued；　as
if　speaking　by　a　spirit　of　prophecy　denied　to　ordinary　humanity。
'The　poor　old　gentleman　has　decayed　very　fast　lately。'　　The　man　then
drew　a　long　breath。

'Why　did　you　breathe　sadly　like　that？'　said　Cytherea。

'Ah！。　。　。　　When　he's　dead　peace　will　be　all　over　with　us　old
servants。　　I　expect　to　see　the　old　house　turned　inside　out。'

'She　will　marry；　do　you　mean？'

'Marrynot　she！　　I　wish　she　would。　　No；　in　her　soul　she's　as
solitary　as　Robinson　Crusoe；　though　she　has　acquaintances　in　plenty；
if　not　relations。　　There's　the　rector；　Mr。　Raunhamhe's　a　relation
by　marriageyet　she's　quite　distant　towards　him。　　And　people　say
that　if　she　keeps　single　there　will　be　hardly　a　life　between　Mr。
Raunham　and　the　heirship　of　the　estate。　　Dang　it；　she　don't　care。
She's　an　extraordinary　picture　of　womankindvery　extraordinary。'

'In　what　way　besides？'

'You'll　know　soon　enough；　miss。　　She　has　had　seven　lady's…maids　this
last　twelvemonth。　　I　assure　you　'tis　one　body's　work　t