desperate remedies-第27章
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which enclosed them。 Well…painted respectability extended over；
within； and around the doorstep； and in the carefully swept yard not
a particle of dust was visible。
Mr。 Nyttleton； who had just come up from Margate； where he was
staying with his family； was standing at the top of his own
staircase as the pair ascended。 He politely took them inside。
'Is there a comfortable room in which this young lady can sit during
our interview？' said Miss Aldclyffe。
It was rather a favourite habit of hers to make much of Cytherea
when they were out； and snub her for it afterwards when they got
home。
'CertainlyMr。 Tayling's。' Cytherea was shown into an inner room。
Social definitions are all made relatively： an absolute datum is
only imagined。 The small gentry about Knapwater seemed unpractised
to Miss Aldclyffe； Miss Aldclyffe herself seemed unpractised to Mr。
Nyttleton's experienced old eyes。
'Now then；' the lady said； when she was alone with the lawyer； 'what
is the result of our advertisement？'
It was late summer； the estate…agency； building； engineering； and
surveying worlds were dull。 There were forty…five replies to the
advertisement。
Mr。 Nyttleton spread them one by one before Miss Aldclyffe。 'You
will probably like to read some of them yourself； madam？' he said。
'Yes； certainly；' said she。
'I will not trouble you with those which are from persons manifestly
unfit at first sight；' he continued； and began selecting from the
heap twos and threes which he had marked； collecting others into his
hand。
'The man we want lies among these； if my judgment doesn't deceive
me； and from them it would be advisable to select a certain number
to be communicated with。'
'I should like to see every oneonly just to glance them over
exactly as they came；' she said suasively。
He looked as if he thought this a waste of his time； but dismissing
his sentiment unfolded each singly and laid it before her。 As he
laid them out； it struck him that she studied them quite as rapidly
as he could spread them。 He slyly glanced up from the outer corner
of his eye to hers； and noticed that all she did was look at the
name at the bottom of the letter； and then put the enclosure aside
without further ceremony。 He thought this an odd way of inquiring
into the merits of forty…five men who at considerable trouble gave
in detail reasons why they believed themselves well qualified for a
certain post。 She came to the final one； and put it down with the
rest。
Then the lady said that in her opinion it would be best to get as
many replies as they possibly could before selecting'to give us a
wider choice。 What do you think； Mr。 Nyttleton？'
It seemed to him； he said； that a greater number than those they
already had would scarcely be necessary； and if they waited for
more； there would be this disadvantage attending it； that some of
those they now could command would possibly not be available。
'Never mind； we will run that risk；' said Miss Aldclyffe。 'Let the
advertisement be inserted once more； and then we will certainly
settle the matter。'
Mr。 Nyttleton bowed； and seemed to think Miss Aldclyffe； for a
single woman； and one who till so very recently had never concerned
herself with business of any kind； a very meddlesome client。 But
she was rich； and handsome still。 'She's a new broom in estate…
management as yet；' he thought。 'She will soon get tired of this；'
and he parted from her without a sentiment which could mar his
habitual blandness。
The two ladies then proceeded westward。 Dismissing the cab in
Waterloo Place； they went along Pall Mall on foot； where in place of
the usual well…dressed clubbistsrubicund with alcoholwere to be
seen； in linen pinafores； flocks of house…painters pallid from white
lead。 When they had reached the Green Park； Cytherea proposed that
they should sit down awhile under the young elms at the brow of the
hill。 This they didthe growl of Piccadilly on their left hand
the monastic seclusion of the Palace on their right： before them；
the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament； standing forth with a
metallic lustre against a livid Lambeth sky。
Miss Aldclyffe still carried in her hand a copy of the newspaper；
and while Cytherea had been interesting herself in the picture
around； glanced again at the advertisement。
She heaved a slight sigh； and began to fold it up again。 In the
action her eye caught sight of two consecutive advertisements on the
cover； one relating to some lecture on Art； and addressed to members
of the Institute of Architects。 The other emanated from the same
source； but was addressed to the public； and stated that the
exhibition of drawings at the Institute's rooms would close at the
end of that week。
Her eye lighted up。 She sent Cytherea back to the hotel in a cab；
then turned round by Piccadilly into Bond Street； and proceeded to
the rooms of the Institute。 The secretary was sitting in the lobby。
After making her payment； and looking at a few of the drawings on
the walls； in the company of three gentlemen； the only other
visitors to the exhibition； she turned back and asked if she might
be allowed to see a list of the members。 She was a little connected
with the architectural world； she said； with a smile； and was
interested in some of the names。
'Here it is； madam；' he replied； politely handing her a pamphlet
containing the names。
Miss Aldclyffe turned the leaves till she came to the letter M。 The
name she hoped to find there was there； with the address appended；
as was the case with all the rest。
The address was at some chambers in a street not far from Charing
Cross。 'Chambers；' as a residence； had always been assumed by the
lady to imply the condition of a bachelor。 She murmured two words；
'There still。'
Another request had yet to be made； but it was of a more noticeable
kind than the first； and might compromise the secrecy with which she
wished to act throughout this episode。 Her object was to get one of
the envelopes lying on the secretary's table； stamped with the die
of the Institute； and in order to get it she was about to ask if she
might write a note。
But the secretary's back chanced to be turned； and he now went
towards one of the men at the other end of the room； who had called
him to ask some question relating to an etching on the wall。 Quick
as thought； Miss Aldclyffe stood before the table； slipped her hand
behind her； took one of the envelopes and put it in her pocket。
She sauntered round the rooms for two or three minutes longer； then
withdrew and returned to her hotel。
Here she cut the Knapwater advertisement from the paper； put it into
the envelope she had stolen； embossed with the society's stamp； and
directed it in a round clerkly hand to the address she had seen in
the list of members' names submitted to her：
AENEAS MANSTON； ESQ。；
WYKEHAM CHAMBERS；
SPRING GARDENS。
This ended her first day's work in London。
4。 FROM AUGUST THE TWENTY…SIXTH TO SEPTEMBER THE FIRST
The two Cythereas continued at the Westminster Hotel； Miss Aldclyffe
informing her companion that business would detain them in London
another week。 The days passed as slowly and quietly as days can
pass in a city at that time of the year； the shuttered windows about
the squares and terraces confronting their eyes like the white and
sightless orbs of blind men。 On Thursday Mr。 Nyttleton called；
bringing the whole number of replies to the advertisement。 Cytherea
was present at the interview； by Miss Aldclyffe's requesteither
from whim or design。
Ten additional letters were the result of the second week's
insertion； making fifty…five in all。 Miss Aldclyffe looked them
over as before。 One was signed
AENEAS MANSTON；
133； TURNGATE STREET；
LIVERPOOL。
'Now； then； Mr。 Nyttleton； will you make a selection； and I will add
one or two；' Miss Aldclyffe said。
Mr。 Nyttleton scanned the whole heap of letters； testimonials； and
references； sorting them into two heaps。 Manston's missive； after a
mere glance； was thrown amongst the summarily rejected ones。
Miss Aldclyffe read； or pretended to read
