desperate remedies-第19章

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Cytherea；　after　letting　down　Miss　Aldclyffe's　hair；　adopted　some
plan　with　it　to　which　the　lady　had　not　been　accustomed。　　A　rapid
revulsion　to　irritation　ensued。　　The　maiden's　mere　touch　seemed　to
discharge　the　pent…up　regret　of　the　lady　as　if　she　had　been　a　jar　of
electricity。

'How　strangely　you　treat　my　hair！'　she　exclaimed。

A　silence。

'I　have　told　you　what　I　never　tell　my　maids　as　a　rule；　of　course
NOTHING　that　I　say　in　this　room　is　to　be　mentioned　outside　it。'　　She
spoke　crossly　no　less　than　emphatically。

'It　shall　not　be；　madam；'　said　Cytherea；　agitated　and　vexed　that　the
woman　of　her　romantic　wonderings　should　be　so　disagreeable　to　her。

'Why　on　earth　did　I　tell　you　of　my　past？'　she　went　on。

Cytherea　made　no　answer。

The　lady's　vexation　with　herself；　and　the　accident　which　had　led　to
the　disclosure　swelled　little　by　little　till　it　knew　no　bounds。　　But
what　was　done　could　not　be　undone；　and　though　Cytherea　had　shown　a
most　winning　responsiveness；　quarrel　Miss　Aldclyffe　must。　　She
recurred　to　the　subject　of　Cytherea's　want　of　expertness；　like　a
bitter　reviewer；　who　finding　the　sentiments　of　a　poet　unimpeachable；
quarrels　with　his　rhymes。

'Never；　never　before　did　I　serve　myself　such　a　trick　as　this　in
engaging　a　maid！'　　She　waited　for　an　expostulation：　　none　came。
Miss　Aldclyffe　tried　again。

'The　idea　of　my　taking　a　girl　without　asking　her　more　than　three
questions；　or　having　a　single　reference；　all　because　of　her　good　l
；　the　shape　of　her　face　and　body！　　It　WAS　a　fool's　trick。　　There；　I
am　served　right；　quite　rightby　being　deceived　in　such　a　way。'

'I　didn't　deceive　you；'　said　Cytherea。　　The　speech　was　an
unfortunate　one；　and　was　the　very　'fuel　to　maintain　its　fires'　that
the　other's　petulance　desired。

'You　did；'　she　said　hotly。

'I　told　you　I　couldn't　promise　to　be　acquainted　with　every　detail　of
routine　just　at　first。'

'Will　you　contradict　me　in　this　way！　　You　are　telling　untruths；　I
say。'

Cytherea's　lip　quivered。　　'I　would　answer　the　remark　ifif'

'If　what？'

'If　it　were　a　lady's！'

'You　girl　of　impudencewhat　do　you　say？　　Leave　the　room　this
instant；　I　tell　you。'

'And　I　tell　you　that　a　person　who　speaks　to　a　lady　as　you　do　to　me；
is　no　lady　herself！'

'To　a　lady？　　A　lady's…maid　speaks　in　this　way。　　The　idea！'

'Don't　〃lady's…maid〃　me：　　nobody　is　my　mistress　I　won't　have　it！'

'Good　Heavens！'

'I　wouldn't　have　comenoI　wouldn't！　if　I　had　known！'

'What？'

'That　you　were　such　an　ill…tempered；　unjust　woman！'

'Possest　beyond　the　Muse's　painting；'　Miss　Aldclyffe　exclaimed

'A　Woman；　am　I！　　I'll　teach　you　if　I　am　a　Woman！'　and　lifted　her
hand　as　if　she　would　have　liked　to　strike　her　companion。　　This　stung
the　maiden　into　absolute　defiance。

'I　dare　you　to　touch　me！'　she　cried。　　'Strike　me　if　you　dare；　madam！
I　am　not　afraid　of　youwhat　do　you　mean　by　such　an　action　as　that？'

Miss　Aldclyffe　was　disconcerted　at　this　unexpected　show　of　spirit；
and　ashamed　of　her　unladylike　impulse　now　it　was　put　into　words。
She　sank　back　in　the　chair。　　'I　was　not　going　to　strike　yougo　to
your　roomI　beg　you　to　go　to　your　room！'　she　repeated　in　a　husky
whisper。

Cytherea；　red　and　panting；　took　up　her　candlestick　and　advanced　to
the　table　to　get　a　light。　　As　she　stood　close　to　them　the　rays　from
the　candles　struck　sharply　on　her　face。　　She　usually　bore　a　much
stronger　likeness　to　her　mother　than　to　her　father；　but　now；　looking
with　a　grave；　reckless；　and　angered　expression　of　countenance　at　the
kindling　wick　as　she　held　it　slanting　into　the　other　flame；　her
father's　features　were　distinct　in　her。　　It　was　the　first　time　Miss
Aldclyffe　had　seen　her　in　a　passionate　mood；　and　wearing　that
expression　which　was　invariably　its　concomitant。　　It　was　Miss
Aldclyffe's　turn　to　start　now；　and　the　remark　she　made　was　an
instance　of　that　sudden　change　of　tone　from　high…flown　invective　to
the　pettiness　of　curiosity　which　so　often　makes　women's　quarrels
ridiculous。　　Even　Miss　Aldclyffe's　dignity　had　not　sufficient　power
to　postpone　the　absorbing　desire　she　now　felt　to　settle　the　strange
suspicion　that　had　entered　her　head。

'You　spell　your　name　the　common　way；　G；　R；　E；　Y；　don't　you？'　she
said；　with　assumed　indifference。

'No；'　said　Cytherea；　poised　on　the　side　of　her　foot；　and　still
looking　into　the　flame。

'Yes；　surely？　　The　name　was　spelt　that　way　on　your　boxes：　　I　looked
and　saw　it　myself。'

The　enigma　of　Miss　Aldclyffe's　mistake　was　solved。　　'O；　was　it？'
said　Cytherea。　　　'Ah；　I　remember　Mrs。　Jackson；　the　lodging…house
keeper　at　Budmouth；　labelled　them。　　We　spell　our　name　G；　R；　A；　Y；
E。'

'What　was　your　father's　trade？'

Cytherea　thought　it　would　be　useless　to　attempt　to　conceal　facts　any
longer。　　'His　was　not　a　trade；'　she　said。　　'He　was　an　architect。'

'The　idea　of　your　being　an　architect's　daughter！'

'There's　nothing　to　offend；　you　in　that；　I　hope？'

'O　no。'

'Why　did　you　say　〃the　idea〃？'

'Leave　that　alone。　　Did　he　ever　visit　in　Gower　Street；　Bloomsbury；
one　Christmas；　many　years　ago？but　you　would　not　know　that。'

'I　have　heard　him　say　that　Mr。　Huntway；　a　curate　somewhere　in　that
part　of　London；　and　who　died　there；　was　an　old　college　friend　of
his。'

'What　is　your　Christian　name？'

'Cytherea。'

'No！　　And　is　it　really？　　And　you　knew　that　face　I　showed　you？　　Yes；
I　see　you　did。'　　Miss　Aldclyffe　stopped；　and　closed　her　lips
impassibly。　　She　was　a　little　agitated。

'Do　you　want　me　any　longer？'　said　Cytherea；　standing　candle　in　hand
and　looking　quietly　in　Miss　Aldclyffe's　face。

'Wellno：　　no　longer；'　said　the　other　lingeringly。

'With　your　permission；　I　will　leave　the　house　to　morrow　morning；
madam。'

'Ah。'　　Miss　Aldclyffe　had　no　notion　of　what　she　was　saying。

'And　I　know　you　will　be　so　good　as　not　to　intrude　upon　me　during　the
short　remainder　of　my　stay？'

Saying　this　Cytherea　left　the　room　before　her　companion　had
answered。　　Miss　Aldclyffe；　then；　had　recognized　her　at　last；　and　had
been　curious　about　her　name　from　the　beginning。

The　other　members　of　the　household　had　retired　to　rest。　　As　Cytherea
went　along　the　passage　leading　to　her　room　her　skirts　rustled
against　the　partition。　　A　door　on　her　left　opened；　and　Mrs。　Morris
looked　out。

'I　waited　out　of　bed　till　you　came　up；'　she　said；　'it　being　your
first　night；　in　case　you　should　be　at　a　loss　for　anything。　　How　have
you　got　on　with　Miss　Aldclyffe？'

'Pretty　wellthough　not　so　well　as　I　could　have　wished。'

'Has　she　been　scolding？'

'A　little。'

'She's　a　very　odd　lady'tis　all　one　way　or　the　other　with　her。
She's　not　bad　at　heart；　but　unbearable　in　close　quarters。　　Those　of
us　who　don't　have　much　to　do　with　her　personally；　stay　on　for　years
and　years。'

'Has　Miss　Aldclyffe's　family　always　been　rich？'　said　Cytherea。

'O　no。　　The　property；　with　the　name；　came　from　her　mother's　uncle。
Her　family　is　a　branch　of　the　old　Aldclyffe　family　on　the　maternal
side。　　Her　mother　married　a　Bradleigha　mere　nobody　at　that　time
and　was　on　that　account　cut　by　her　relations。　　But　very　singularly
the　other　branch　of　the　family　died　out　one　by　onethree　of　them；
and　Miss　Aldclyffe's　great…uncle　then　left　all　his　property；
including　this　estate；　to　Captain　Bradleigh　and　his　wifeMiss
Aldclyffe's　father　and　motheron　condition　that　they　took　the　old
family　name　as　well。　　There's　all　about　it　in　the　〃Landed　Gentry。〃
'Tis　a　thing　very　often　done。'

'O；　I　see。　　Thank　you。　　Well；　now　I　am　going。　　Good…night。'



VI。　　THE　EVENTS　OF　TWELVE　HOURS

1。　　AUGUST　THE　NINTH。　　ONE　TO　TWO　O'CLOCK　A。M。

Cytherea　entered　her　bedroom；　and　flung　herself　on　the；　bed；
bewildered　by　a　whirl　of　thought。　　Only　one　subject　was　clear　in　her
mind；　and　it　was　that；　in　spite　of　family　discoveries；　that　day　was
to　be　the　first　and　last　of　her　experience　as　a　lady's…maid。
Starvation　itself　should　not　compel　her　to　hold　such　a　humiliating
post　for　another　instant。　　'Ah；'　she　thought；　with　a　sigh；　at　the
martyrdom　of　her　last　little　fragment　of　self…conceit；　'Owen　knows
everything　better　than　I。'

She　jumped　up　and　began　making　ready　for　her　departure　in　the
morning；　the　tears　streaming　down　when　she　grieved　and　wondered　what
practical　matter　on　earth