desperate remedies-第25章

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which　Miss　Aldclyffe's　bereavement　bore　to　her　own；　it　had　the
appearance　of　being　still　another　call　to　her　not　to　forsake　this
woman　so　linked　to　her　life；　for　the　sake　of　any　trivial　vexation。

Miss　Aldclyffe　held　her　almost　as　a　lover　would　have　held　her；　and
said　musingly

'We　get　more　and　more　into　one　groove。　　I　now　am　left　fatherless　and
motherless　as　you　were。'　　Other　ties　lay　behind　in　her　thoughts；　but
she　did　not　mention　them。

'You　loved　your　father；　Cytherea；　and　wept　for　him？'

'Yes；　I　did。　　Poor　papa！'

'I　was　always　at　variance　with　mine；　and　can't　weep　for　him　now！
But　you　must　stay　here　always；　and　make　a　better　woman　of　me。'

The　compact　was　thus　sealed；　and　Cytherea；　in　spite　of　the　failure
of　her　advertisements；　was　installed　as　a　veritable　Companion。　　And；
once　more　in　the　history　of　human　endeavour；　a　position　which　it　was
impossible　to　reach　by　any　direct　attempt；　was　come　to　by　the
seeker's　swerving　from　the　path；　and　regarding　the　original　object
as　one　of　secondary　importance。



VII。　　THE　EVENTS　OF　EIGHTEEN　DAYS

1。　　AUGUST　THE　SEVENTEENTH

The　time　of　day　was　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon。　　The　place　was
the　lady's　study　or　boudoir；　Knapwater　House。　　The　person　was　Miss
Aldclyffe　sitting　there　alone；　clothed　in　deep　mourning。

The　funeral　of　the　old　Captain　had　taken　place；　and　his　will　had
been　read。　　It　was　very　concise；　and　had　been　executed　about　five
years　previous　to　his　death。　　It　was　attested　by　his　solicitors；
Messrs。　Nyttleton　and　Tayling；　of　Lincoln's　Inn　Fields。　　The　whole
of　his　estate；　real　and　personal；　was　bequeathed　to　his　daughter
Cytherea；　for　her　sole　and　absolute　use；　subject　only　to　the　payment
of　a　legacy　to　the　rector；　their　relative；　and　a　few　small　amounts
to　the　servants。

Miss　Aldclyffe　had　not　chosen　the　easiest　chair　of　her　boudoir　to
sit　in；　or　even　a　chair　of　ordinary　comfort；　but　an　uncomfortable；
high；　narrow…backed；　oak　framed　and　seated　chair；　which　was　allowed
to　remain　in　the　room　only　on　the　ground　of　being　a　companion　in
artistic　quaintness　to　an　old　coffer　beside　it；　and　was　never　used
except　to　stand　in　to　reach　for　a　book　from　the　highest　row　of
shelves。　　But　she　had　sat　erect　in　this　chair　for　more　than　an　hour；
for　the　reason　that　she　was　utterly　unconscious　of　what　her　actions
and　bodily　feelings　were。　　The　chair　had　stood　nearest　her　path　on
entering　the　room；　and　she　had　gone　to　it　in　a　dream。

She　sat　in　the　attitude　which　denotes　unflagging；　intense；
concentrated　thoughtas　if　she　were　cast　in　bronze。　　Her　feet　were
together；　her　body　bent　a　little　forward；　and　quite　unsupported　by
the　back　of　the　chair；　her　hands　on　her　knees；　her　eyes　fixed
intently　on　the　corner　of　a　footstool。

At　last　she　moved　and　tapped　her　fingers　upon　the　table　at　her　side。
Her　pent…up　ideas　had　finally　found　some　channel　to　advance　in。
Motions　became　more　and　more　frequent　as　she　laboured　to　carry
further　and　further　the　problem　which　occupied　her　brain。　　She　sat
back　and　drew　a　long　breath：　　she　sat　sideways　and　leant　her
forehead　upon　her　hand。　　Later　still　she　arose；　walked　up　and　down
the　roomat　first　abstractedly；　with　her　features　as　firmly　set　as
ever；　but　by　degrees　her　brow　relaxed；　her　footsteps　became　lighter
and　more　leisurely；　her　head　rode　gracefully　and　was　no　longer
bowed。　　She　plumed　herself　like　a　swan　after　exertion。

'Yes；'　she　said　aloud。　　'To　get　HIM　here　without　letting　him　know
that　I　have　any　other　object　than　that　of　getting　a　useful　man
that's　the　difficultyand　that　I　think　I　can　master。'

She　rang　for　the　new　maid；　a　placid　woman　of　forty　with　a　few　grey
hairs。

'Ask　Miss　Graye　if　she　can　come　to　me。'

Cytherea　was　not　far　off；　and　came　in。

'Do　you　know　anything　about　architects　and　surveyors？'　said　Miss
Aldclyffe　abruptly。

'Know　anything？'　replied　Cytherea；　poising　herself　on　her　toe　to
consider　the　compass　of　the　question。

'Yesknow　anything；'　said　Miss　Aldclyffe。

'Owen　is　an　architect　and　surveyor's　draughtsman；'　the　maiden　said；
and　thought　of　somebody　else　who　was　likewise。

'Yes！　that's　why　I　asked　you。　　What　are　the　different　kinds　of　work
comprised　in　an　architect's　practice？　　They　lay　out　estates；　and
superintend　the　various　works　done　upon　them；　I　should　think；　among
other　things？'

'Those　are；　more　properly；　a　land　or　building　steward's　dutiesat
least　I　have　always　imagined　so。　　Country　architects　include　those
things　in　their　practice；　city　architects　don't。'

'I　know　that；　child。　　But　a　steward's　is　an　indefinite　fast　and
loose　profession；　it　seems　to　me。　　Shouldn't　you　think　that　a　man
who　had　been　brought　up　as　an　architect　would　do　for　a　steward？'

Cytherea　had　doubts　whether　an　architect　pure　would　do。

The　chief　pleasure　connected　with　asking　an　opinion　lies　in　not
adopting　it。　　Miss　Aldclyffe　replied　decisively

'Nonsense；　of　course　he　would。　　Your　brother　Owen　makes　plans　for
country　buildingssuch　as　cottages；　stables；　homesteads；　and　so
on？'

'Yes；　he　does。'

'And　superintends　the　building　of　them？'

'Yes；　he　will　soon。'

'And　he　surveys　land？'

'O　yes。'

'And　he　knows　about　hedges　and　ditcheshow　wide　they　ought　to　be；
boundaries；　levelling；　planting　trees　to　keep　away　the　winds；
measuring　timber；　houses　for　ninety…nine　years；　and　such　things？'

'I　have　never　heard　him　say　that；　but　I　think　Mr。　Gradfield　does
those　things。　　Owen；　I　am　afraid；　is　inexperienced　as　yet。'

'Yes；　your　brother　is　not　old　enough　for　such　a　post　yet；　of　course。
And　then　there　are　rent…days；　the　audit　and　winding　up　of
tradesmen's　accounts。　　I　am　afraid；　Cytherea；　you　don't　know　much
more　about　the　matter　than　I　do　myself。　。　。　。　　I　am　going　out　just
now；'　she　continued。　　'I　shall　not　want　you　to　walk　with　me　to…day。
Run　away　till　dinner…time。'

Miss　Aldclyffe　went　out　of　doors；　and　down　the　steps　to　the　lawn：
then　turning　to　the　left；　through　a　shrubbery；　she　opened　a　wicket
and　passed　into　a　neglected　and　leafy　carriage…drive；　leading　down
the　hill。　　This　she　followed　till　she　reached　the　point　of　its
greatest　depression；　which　was　also　the　lowest　ground　in　the　whole
grove。

The　trees　here　were　so　interlaced；　and　hung　their　branches　so　near
the　ground；　that　a　whole　summer's　day　was　scarcely　long　enough　to
change　the　air　pervading　the　spot　from　its　normal　state　of　coolness
to　even　a　temporary　warmth。　　The　unvarying　freshness　was　helped　by
the　nearness　of　the　ground　to　the　level　of　the　springs；　and　by　the
presence　of　a　deep；　sluggish　stream　close　by；　equally　well　shaded　by
bushes　and　a　high　wall。　　Following　the　road；　which　now　ran　along　at
the　margin　of　the　stream；　she　came　to　an　opening　in　the　wall；　on　the
other　side　of　the　water；　revealing　a　large　rectangular　nook　from
which　the　stream　proceeded；　covered　with　froth；　and　accompanied　by　a
dull　roar。　　Two　more　steps；　and　she　was　opposite　the　nook；　in　full
view　of　the　cascade　forming　its　further　boundary。　　Over　the　top
could　be　seen　the　bright　outer　sky　in　the　form　of　a　crescent；　caused
by　the　curve　of　a　bridge　across　the　rapids；　and　the　trees　above。

Beautiful　as　was　the　scene　she　did　not　look　in　that　direction。　　The
same　standing…ground　afforded　another　prospect；　straight　in　the
front；　less　sombre　than　the　water　on　the　right　or　the　trees　all
around。　　The　avenue　and　grove　which　flanked　it　abruptly　terminated　a
few　yards　ahead；　where　the　ground　began　to　rise；　and　on　the　remote
edge　of　the　greensward　thus　laid　open；　stood　all　that　remained　of
the　original　manor…house；　to　which　the　dark　margin…line　of　the　trees
in　the　avenue　formed　an　adequate　and　well…fitting　frame。　　It　was　the
picture　thus　presented　that　was　now　interesting　Miss　Aldclyffenot
artistically　or　historically；　but　practicallyas　regarded　its
fitness　for　adaptation　to　modern　requirements。

In　front；　detached　from　everything　else；　rose　the　most　ancient
portion　of　the　structurean　old　arched　gateway；　flanked　by　the
bases　of　two　small　towers；　and　nearly　covered　with　creepers；　which
had　clambered　over　the　eaves　of　the　sinking　roof；　and　up　the　gable
to　the　crest　of　the　Aldclyffe　family　perched　on　the　apex。　　Behind
this；　at　a　distance　of　ten　or　twenty　yards；　came　the　only　portion