desperate remedies-第16章

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last　twelvemonth。　　I　assure　you　'tis　one　body's　work　to　fetch　'em
from　the　station　and　take　'em　back　again。　　The　Lord　must　be　a
neglectful　party　at　heart；　or　he'd　never　permit　such　overbearen
goings　on！'

'Does　she　dismiss　them　directly　they　come！'

'Not　at　allshe　never　dismisses　themthey　go　theirselves。　　Ye　see
'tis　like　this。　　She's　got　a　very　quick　temper；　she　flees　in　a
passion　with　them　for　nothing　at　all；　next　mornen　they　come　up　and
say　they　are　going；　she's　sorry　for　it　and　wishes　they'd　stay；　but
she's　as　proud　as　a　lucifer；　and　her　pride　won't　let　her　say；
〃Stay；〃　and　away　they　go。　　'Tis　like　this　in　fact。　　If　you　say　to
her　about　anybody；　〃Ah；　poor　thing！〃　she　says；　〃Pooh！　indeed！〃　　If
you　say；　〃Pooh；　indeed！〃　　〃Ah；　poor　thing！〃　she　says　directly。　　She
hangs　the　chief　baker；　as　mid　be；　and　restores　the　chief　butler；　as
mid　be；　though　the　devil　but　Pharaoh　herself　can　see　the　difference
between　'em。'

Cytherea　was　silent。　　She　feared　she　might　be　again　a　burden　to　her
brother。

'However；　you　stand　a　very　good　chance；'　the　man　went　on；　'for　I
think　she　likes　you　more　than　common。　　I　have　never　known　her　send
the　pony…carriage　to　meet　one　before；　'tis　always　the　trap；　but　this
time　she　said；　in　a　very　particular　ladylike　tone；　〃Roobert；　gaow
with　the　pony…kerriage。〃。　。　。　　There；　'tis　true；　pony　and　carriage
too　are　getten　rather　shabby　now；'　he　added；　looking　round　upon　the
vehicle　as　if　to　keep　Cytherea's　pride　within　reasonable　limits。

''Tis　to　be　hoped　you'll　please　in　dressen　her　to…night。'

'Why　to…night？'

'There's　a　dinner…party　of　seventeen；　'tis　her　father's　birthday；
and　she's　very　particular　about　her　looks　at　such　times。　Now　see；
this　is　the　house。　　Livelier　up　here；　isn't　it；　miss？'

They　were　now　on　rising　ground；　and　had　just　emerged　from　a　clump　of
trees。　　Still　a　little　higher　than　where　they　stood　was　situated　the
mansion；　called　Knapwater　House；　the　offices　gradually　losing
themselves　among　the　trees　behind。

2。　　EVENING

The　house　was　regularly　and　substantially　built　of　clean　grey
freestone　throughout；　in　that　plainer　fashion　of　Greek　classicism
which　prevailed　at　the　latter　end　of　the　last　century；　when　the
copyists　called　designers　had　grown　weary　of　fantastic　variations　in
the　Roman　orders。　　The　main　block　approximated　to　a　square　on　the
ground　plan；　having　a　projection　in　the　centre　of　each　side；
surmounted　by　a　pediment。　　From　each　angle　of　the　inferior　side　ran
a　line　of　buildings　lower　than　the　rest；　turning　inwards　again　at
their　further　end；　and　forming　within　them　a　spacious　open　court；
within　which　resounded　an　echo　of　astonishing　clearness。　　These
erections　were　in　their　turn　backed　by　ivy…covered　ice…houses；
laundries；　and　stables；　the　whole　mass　of　subsidiary　buildings　being
half　buried　beneath　close…set　shrubs　and　trees。

There　was　opening　sufficient　through　the　foliage　on　the　right　hand
to　enable　her　on　nearer　approach　to　form　an　idea　of　the　arrangement
of　the　remoter　or　lawn　front　also。　　The　natural　features　and　contour
of　this　quarter　of　the　site　had　evidently　dictated　the　position　of
the　house　primarily；　and　were　of　the　ordinary；　and　upon　the　whole；
most　satisfactory　kind；　namely；　a　broad；　graceful　slope　running　from
the　terrace　beneath　the　walls　to　the　margin　of　a　placid　lake　lying
below；　upon　the　surface　of　which　a　dozen　swans　and　a　green　punt
floated　at　leisure。　　An　irregular　wooded　island　stood　in　the　midst
of　the　lake；　beyond　this　and　the　further　margin　of　the　water　were
plantations　and　greensward　of　varied　outlines；　the　trees
heightening；　by　half　veiling；　the　softness　of　the　exquisite
landscape　stretching　behind。

The　glimpses　she　had　obtained　of　this　portion　were　now　checked　by
the　angle　of　the　building。　　In　a　minute　or　two　they　reached　the　side
door；　at　which　Cytherea　alighted。　　She　was　welcomed　by　an　elderly
woman　of　lengthy　smiles　and　general　pleasantness；　who　announced
herself　to　be　Mrs。　Morris；　the　housekeeper。

'Mrs。　Graye；　I　believe？'　she　said。

'I　am　notO　yes；　yes；　we　are　all　mistresses；'　said　Cytherea；
smiling；　but　forcedly。　　The　title　accorded　her　seemed　disagreeably
like　the　first　slight　scar　of　a　brand；　and　she　thought　of　Owen's
prophecy。

Mrs。　Morris　led　her　into　a　comfortable　parlour　called　The　Room。
Here　tea　was　made　ready；　and　Cytherea　sat　down；　looking；　whenever
occasion　allowed；　at　Mrs。　Morris　with　great　interest　and　curiosity；
to　discover；　if　possible；　something　in　her　which　should　give　a　clue
to　the　secret　of　her　knowledge　of　herself；　and　the　recommendation
based　upon　it。　　But　nothing　was　to　be　learnt；　at　any　rate　just　then。
Mrs。　Morris　was　perpetually　getting　up；　feeling　in　her　pockets；
going　to　cupboards；　leaving　the　room　two　or　three　minutes；　and
trotting　back　again。

'You'll　excuse　me；　Mrs。　Graye；'　she　said；　'but　'tis　the　old
gentleman's　birthday；　and　they　always　have　a　lot　of　people　to　dinner
on　that　day；　though　he's　getting　up　in　years　now。　　However；　none　of
them　are　sleepersshe　generally　keeps　the　house　pretty　clear　of
lodgers　（being　a　lady　with　no　intimate　friends；　though　many
acquaintances）；　which；　though　it　gives　us　less　to　do；　makes　it　all
the　duller　for　the　younger　maids　in　the　house。'　　Mrs。　Morris　then
proceeded　to　give　in　fragmentary　speeches　an　outline　of　the
constitution　and　government　of　the　estate。

'Now；　are　you　sure　you　have　quite　done　tea？　　Not　a　bit　or　drop　more？
Why；　you've　eaten　nothing；　I'm　sure。　。　。　。　　Well；　now；　it　is　rather
inconvenient　that　the　other　maid　is　not　here　to　show　you　the　ways　of
the　house　a　little；　but　she　left　last　Saturday；　and　Miss　Aldclyffe
has　been　making　shift　with　poor　old　clumsy　me　for　a　maid　all
yesterday　and　this　morning。　　She　is　not　come　in　yet。　　I　expect　she
will　ask　for　you；　Mrs。　Graye；　the　first　thing。　。　。　。　　I　was　going　to
say　that　if　you　have　really　done　tea；　I　will　take　you　upstairs；　and
show　you　through　the　wardrobesMiss　Aldclyffe's　things　are　not　laid
out　for　to…night　yet。'

She　preceded　Cytherea　upstairs；　pointed　out　her　own　room；　and　then
took　her　into　Miss　Aldclyffe's　dressing…room；　on　the　first…floor；
where；　after　explaining　the　whereabouts　of　various　articles　of
apparel；　the　housekeeper　left　her；　telling　her　that　she　had　an　hour
yet　upon　her　hands　before　dressing…time。　　Cytherea　laid　out　upon　the
bed　in　the　next　room　all　that　she　had　been　told　would　be　required
that　evening；　and　then　went　again　to　the　little　room　which　had　been
appropriated　to　herself。

Here　she　sat　down　by　the　open　window；　leant　out　upon　the　sill　like
another　Blessed　Damozel；　and　listlessly　looked　down　upon　the
brilliant　pattern　of　colours　formed　by　the　flower…beds　on　the　lawn
now　richly　crowded　with　late　summer　blossom。　　But　the　vivacity　of
spirit　which　had　hitherto　enlivened　her；　was　fast　ebbing　under　the
pressure　of　prosaic　realities；　and　the　warm　scarlet　of　the
geraniums；　glowing　most　conspicuously；　and　mingling　with　the　vivid
cold　red　and　green　of　the　verbenas；　the　rich　depth　of　the　dahlia；
and　the　ripe　mellowness　of　the　calceolaria；　backed　by　the　pale　hue
of　a　flock　of　meek　sheep　feeding　in　the　open　park；　close　to　the
other　side　of　the　fence；　were；　to　a　great　extent；　lost　upon　her
eyes。　　She　was　thinking　that　nothing　seemed　worth　while；　that　it　was
possible　she　might　die　in　a　workhouse；　and　what　did　it　matter？　　The
petty；　vulgar　details　of　servitude　that　she　had　just　passed　through；
her　dependence　upon　the　whims　of　a　strange　woman；　the　necessity　of
quenching　all　individuality　of　character　in　herself；　and
relinquishing　her　own　peculiar　tastes　to　help　on　the　wheel　of　this
alien　establishment；　made　her　sick　and　sad；　and　she　almost　longed　to
pursue　some　free；　out…of…doors　employment；　sleep　under　trees　or　a
hut；　and　know　no　enemy　but　winter　and　cold　weather；　like　shepherds
and　cowkeepers；　and　birds　and　animalsay；　like　the　sheep　she　saw
there　under　her　window。　　She　looked　sympathizingly　at　them　for
several　minutes；　imagining　their　enjoyment　of　the　rich　grass。

'Yeslike　those　sheep；'　she　said　aloud；　and　her　face　reddened　with
surprise　at　a　discovery　she　made　that　very　instant。

The　flock　consisted　of　some　ninety　or　a　hundred　young　stock　ewes：
the　surface　of　their　fleece　was　as　r