desperate remedies-第24章
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'No； thank you； Mrs。 Morris；' she said； keeping the door closed。
Despite the incivility of the action； Cytherea could not bear to let
a pleasant person see her face then。
Immediate revocationeven if revocation would be more effective by
postponementis the impulse of young wounded natures。 Cytherea
went to her blotting…book； took out the long letter so carefully
written； so full of gushing remarks and tender hints； and sealed up
so neatly with a little seal bearing 'Good Faith' as its motto； tore
the missive into fifty pieces； and threw them into the grate。 It
was then the bitterest of anguishes to look upon some of the words
she had so lovingly written； and see them existing only in mutilated
forms without meaningto feel that his eye would never read them；
nobody ever know how ardently she had penned them。
Pity for one's self for being wasted is mostly present in these
moods of abnegation。
The meaning of all his allusions； his abruptness in telling her of
his love； his constraint at first； then his desperate manner of
speaking； was clear。 They must have been the last flickerings of a
conscience not quite dead to all sense of perfidiousness and
fickleness。 Now he had gone to London： she would be dismissed from
his memory； in the same way as Miss Aldclyffe had said。 And here
she was in Edward's own parish； reminded continually of him by what
she saw and heard。 The landscape； yesterday so much and so bright
to her； was now but as the banquet…hall desertedall gone but
herself。
Miss Aldclyffe had wormed her secret out of her； and would now be
continually mocking her for her trusting simplicity in believing
him。 It was altogether unbearable： she would not stay there。
She went downstairs and found Miss Aldclyffe had gone into the
breakfast…room； but that Captain Aldclyffe； who rose later with
increasing infirmities； had not yet made his appearance。 Cytherea
entered。 Miss Aldclyffe was looking out of the window； watching a
trail of white smoke along the distant landscapesignifying a
passing train。 At Cytherea's entry she turned and looked inquiry。
'I must tell you now；' began Cytherea； in a tremulous voice。
'Well； what？' Miss Aldclyffe said。
'I am not going to stay with you。 I must go awaya very long way。
I am very sorry； but indeed I can't remain！'
'Poohwhat shall we hear next？' Miss Aldclyffe surveyed Cytherea's
face with leisurely criticism。 'You are breaking your heart again
about that worthless young Springrove。 I knew how it would be。 It
is as Hallam says of Julietwhat little reason you may have
possessed originally has all been whirled away by this love。 I
shan't take this notice； mind。'
'Do let me go！'
Miss Aldclyffe took her new pet's hand； and said with severity； 'As
to hindering you； if you are determined to go； of course that's
absurd。 But you are not now in a state of mind fit for deciding
upon any such proceeding； and I shall not listen to what you have to
say。 Now； Cythie； come with me； we'll let this volcano burst and
spend itself； and after that we'll see what had better be done。'
She took Cytherea into her workroom； opened a drawer； and drew forth
a roll of linen。
'This is some embroidery I began one day； and now I should like it
finished。'
She then preceded the maiden upstairs to Cytherea's own room。
'There；' she said； 'now sit down here； go on with this work； and
remember one thingthat you are not to leave the room on any
pretext whatever for two hours unless I send for youI insist
kindly； dear。 Whilst you stitchyou are to stitch； recollect； and
not go mooning out of the windowthink over the whole matter； and
get cooled； don't let the foolish love…affair prevent your thinking
as a woman of the world。 If at the end of that time you still say
you must leave me； you may。 I will have no more to say in the
matter。 Come； sit down； and promise to sit here the time I name。'
To hearts in a despairing mood； compulsion seems a relief； and
docility was at all times natural to Cytherea。 She promised； and
sat down。 Miss Aldclyffe shut the door upon her and retreated。
She sewed； stopped to think； shed a tear or two； recollected the
articles of the treaty； and sewed again； and at length fell into a
reverie which took no account whatever of the lapse of time。
4。 TEN TO TWELVE O'CLOCK A。M。
A quarter of an hour might have passed when her thoughts became
attracted from the past to the present by unwonted movements
downstairs。 She opened the door and listened。
There were hurryings along passages； opening and shutting of doors；
trampling in the stable…yard。 She went across into another bedroom；
from which a view of the stable…yard could be obtained； and arrived
there just in time to see the figure of the man who had driven her
from the station vanishing down the coach…road on a black horse
galloping at the top of the animal's speed。
Another man went off in the direction of the village。
Whatever had occurred； it did not seem to be her duty to inquire or
meddle with it； stranger and dependent as she was； unless she were
requested to； especially after Miss Aldclyffe's strict charge to
her。 She sat down again； determined to let no idle curiosity
influence her movements。
Her window commanded the front of the house； and the next thing she
saw was a clergyman walk up and enter the door。
All was silent again till； a long time after the first man had left；
he returned again on the same horse； now matted with sweat and
trotting behind a carriage in which sat an elderly gentleman driven
by a lad in livery。 These came to the house； entered； and all was
again the same as before。
The whole householdmaster； mistress； and servantsappeared to
have forgotten the very existence of such a being as Cytherea。 She
almost wished she had not vowed to have no idle curiosity。
Half…an…hour later； the carriage drove off with the elderly
gentleman； and two or three messengers left the house； speeding in
various directions。 Rustics in smock…frocks began to hang about the
road opposite the house； or lean against trees； looking idly at the
windows and chimneys。
A tap came to Cytherea's door。 She opened it to a young maid…
servant。
'Miss Aldclyffe wishes to see you； ma'am。' Cytherea hastened down。
Miss Aldclyffe was standing on the hearthrug； her elbow on the
mantel； her hand to her temples； her eyes on the ground； perfectly
calm； but very pale。
'Cytherea；' she said in a whisper； 'come here。'
Cytherea went close。
'Something very serious has taken place；' she said again； and then
paused； with a tremulous movement of her mouth。
'Yes；' said Cytherea。
'My father。 He was found dead in his bed this morning。'
'Dead！' echoed the younger woman。 It seemed impossible that the
announcement could be true； that knowledge of so great a fact could
be contained in a statement so small。
'Yes； dead；' murmured Miss Aldclyffe solemnly。 'He died alone；
though within a few feet of me。 The room we slept in is exactly
over his own。'
Cytherea said hurriedly； 'Do they know at what hour？'
'The doctor says it must have been between two and three o'clock
this morning。'
'Then I heard him！'
'Heard him？'
'Heard him die！'
'You heard him die？ What did you hear？'
'A sound I heard once before in my lifeat the deathbed of my
mother。 I could not identify itthough I recognized it。 Then the
dog howled： you remarked it。 I did not think it worth while to
tell you what I had heard a little earlier。' She looked agonized。
'It would have been useless；' said Miss Aldclyffe。 'All was over by
that time。' She addressed herself as much as Cytherea when she
continued； 'Is it a Providence who sent you here at this juncture
that I might not be left entirely alone？'
Till this instant Miss Aldclyffe had forgotten the reason of
Cytherea's seclusion in her own room。 So had Cytherea herself。 The
fact now recurred to both in one moment。
'Do you still wish to go？' said Miss Aldclyffe anxiously。
'I don't want to go now；' Cytherea had remarked simultaneously with
the other's question。 She was pondering on the strange likeness
which Miss Aldclyffe's bereavement bore
