desperate remedies-第28章
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mere glance； was thrown amongst the summarily rejected ones。
Miss Aldclyffe read； or pretended to read after the lawyer。 When he
had finished； five lay in the group he had selected。 'Would you
like to add to the number？' he said； turning to the lady。
'No；' she said carelessly。 'Well； two or three additional ones
rather took my fancy；' she added； searching for some in the larger
collection。
She drew out three。 One was Manston's。
'These eight； then； shall be communicated with；' said the lawyer；
taking up the eight letters and placing them by themselves。
They stood up。 'If I myself； Miss Aldclyffe； were only concerned
personally；' he said； in an off…hand way； and holding up a letter
singly； 'I should choose this man unhesitatingly。 He writes
honestly； is not afraid to name what he does not consider himself
well acquainted witha rare thing to find in answers to
advertisements； he is well recommended； and possesses some qualities
rarely found in combination。 Oddly enough； he is not really a
steward。 He was bred a farmer； studied building affairs； served on
an estate for some time； then went with an architect； and is now
well qualified as architect； estate agent； and surveyor。 That man
is sure to have a fine head for a manor like yours。' He tapped the
letter as he spoke。 'Yes； I should choose him without hesitation
speaking personally。'
'And I think；' she said artificially； 'I should choose this one as a
matter of mere personal whim； which； of course； can't be given way
to when practical questions have to be considered。'
Cytherea； after looking out of the window； and then at the
newspapers； had become interested in the proceedings between the
clever Miss Aldclyffe and the keen old lawyer； which reminded her of
a game at cards。 She looked inquiringly at the two lettersone in
Miss Aldclyffe's hand； the other in Mr。 Nyttleton's。
'What is the name of your man？' said Miss Aldclyffe。
'His name' said the lawyer； looking down the page； 'what is his
name？it is Edward Springrove。'
Miss Aldclyffe glanced towards Cytherea； who was getting red and
pale by turns。 She looked imploringly at Miss Aldclyffe。
'The name of my man；' said Miss Aldclyffe； looking at her letter in
turn； 'is； I thinkyesAEneas Manston。'
5。 SEPTEMBER THE THIRD
The next morning but one was appointed for the interviews； which
were to be at the lawyer's offices。 Mr。 Nyttleton and Mr。 Tayling
were both in town for the day； and the candidates were admitted one
by one into a private room。 In the window recess was seated Miss
Aldclyffe； wearing her veil down。
The lawyer had； in his letters to the selected number； timed each
candidate at an interval of ten or fifteen minutes from those
preceding and following。 They were shown in as they arrived； and
had short conversations with Mr。 Nyttletonterse； and to the point。
Miss Aldclyffe neither moved nor spoke during this proceeding； it
might have been supposed that she was quite unmindful of it； had it
not been for what was revealed by a keen penetration of the veil
covering her countenancethe rays from two bright black eyes；
directed towards the lawyer and his interlocutor。
Springrove came fifth； Manston seventh。 When the examination of all
was ended； and the last man had retired； Nyttleton； again as at the
former time； blandly asked his client which of the eight she
personally preferred。 'I still think the fifth we spoke to；
Springrove； the man whose letter I pounced upon at first； to be by
far the best qualified； in short； most suitable generally。'
'I am sorry to say that I differ from you； I lean to my first notion
stillthat MrMr。 Manston is most desirable in tone and bearing；
and even specifically； I think he would suit me best in the long…
run。'
Mr。 Nyttleton looked out of the window at the whitened wall of the
court。
'Of course； madam； your opinion may be perfectly sound and reliable；
a sort of instinct； I know； often leads ladies by a short cut to
conclusions truer than those come to by men after laborious round…
about calculations； based on long experience。 I must say I
shouldn't recommend him。'
'Why； pray？'
'Well； let us look first at his letter of answer to the
advertisement。 He didn't reply till the last insertion； that's one
thing。 His letter is bold and frank in tone； so bold and frank that
the second thought after reading it is that not honesty； but
unscrupulousness of conscience dictated it。 It is written in an
indifferent mood； as if he felt that he was humbugging us in his
statement that he was the right man for such an office； that he
tried hard to get it only as a matter of form which required that he
should neglect no opportunity that came in his way。'
'You may be right； Mr。 Nyttleton； but I don't quite see the grounds
of your reasoning。'
'He has been； as you perceive； almost entirely used to the office
duties of a city architect； the experience we don't want。 You want
a man whose acquaintance with rural landed properties is more
practical and closersomebody who； if he has not filled exactly
such an office before； has lived a country life； knows the ins and
outs of country tenancies； building； farming； and so on。'
'He's by far the most intellectual looking of them all。'
'Yes； he may beyour opinion； Miss Aldclyffe； is worth more than
mine in that matter。 And more than you say； he is a man of parts
his brain power would soon enable him to master details and fit him
for the post； I don't much doubt that。 But to speak clearly' （here
his words started off at a jog…trot） 'I wouldn't run the risk of
placing the management of an estate of mine in his hands on any
account whatever。 There； that's flat and plain； madam。'
'But； definitely；' she said； with a show of impatience； 'what is
your reason？'
'He is a voluptuary with activity； which is a very bad form of man
as bad as it is rare。'
'Oh。 Thank you for your explicit statement； Mr。 Nyttleton；' said
Miss Aldclyffe； starting a little and flushing with displeasure。
Mr。 Nyttleton nodded slightly； as a sort of neutral motion； simply
signifying a receipt of the information； good or bad。
'And I really think it is hardly worth while to trouble you further
in this；' continued the lady。 'He's quite good enough for a little
insignificant place like mine at Knapwater； and I know that I could
not get on with one of the others for a single month。 We'll try
him。'
'Certainly； Miss Aldclyffe；' said the lawyer。 And Mr。 Manston was
written to； to the effect that he was the successful competitor。
'Did you see how unmistakably her temper was getting the better of
her； that minute you were in the room？' said Nyttleton to Tayling；
when their client had left the house。 Nyttleton was a man who
surveyed everybody's character in a sunless and shadowless northern
light。 A culpable slyness； which marked him as a boy； had been
moulded by Time； the Improver； into honourable circumspection。
We frequently find that the quality which； conjoined with the
simplicity of the child； is vice； is virtue when it pervades the
knowledge of the man。
'She was as near as damn…it to boiling over when I added up her
man；' continued Nyttleton。 'His handsome face is his qualification
in her eyes。 They have met before； I saw that。'
'He didn't seem conscious of it；' said the junior。
'He didn't。 That was rather puzzling to me。 But still； if ever a
woman's face spoke out plainly that she was in love with a man； hers
did that she was with him。 Poor old maid； she's almost old enough
to be his mother。 If that Manston's a schemer he'll marry her； as
sure as I am Nyttleton。 Let's hope he's honest； however。'
'I don't think she's in love with him；' said Tayling。 He had seen
but little of the pair； and yet he could not reconcile what he had
noticed in Miss Aldclyffe's behaviour with the idea that it was the
bearing of a woman towards her lover。
'Well； your experience of the fiery phenomenon is more recent than
mine；' rejoined Nyttleton carelessly。 'And you may remember the
nature of it best。'
VIII。 THE EVENTS OF EIGHTEEN DAYS
1。 FROM THE THIRD TO THE NINETEENTH OF SEPTEMBER
Miss Aldclyf
