desperate remedies-第39章

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the　village　again；　and　called　at　once　on　the　postmistress；　Elizabeth
Leat；　an　intimate　friend　of　hers；　and　a　female　who　sported　several
unique　diseases　and　afflictions。

Mrs。　Crickett　unfolded　the　paper；　took　out　the　hair；　and　waved　it　on
high　before　the　perplexed　eyes　of　Elizabeth；　which　immediately
mooned　and　wandered　after　it　like　a　cat's。

'What　is　it？'　said　Mrs。　Leat；　contracting　her　eyelids；　and
stretching　out　towards　the　invisible　object　a　narrow　bony　hand　that
would　have　been　an　unmitigated　delight　to　the　pencil　of　Carlo
Crivelli。

'You　shall　hear；'　said　Mrs。　Crickett；　complacently　gathering　up　the
treasure　into　her　own　fat　hand；　and　the　secret　was　then　solemnly
imparted；　together　with　the　accident　of　its　discovery。

A　shaving…glass　was　taken　down　from　a　nail；　laid　on　its　back　in　the
middle　of　a　table　by　the　window；　and　the　hair　spread　carefully　out
upon　it。　　The　pair　then　bent　over　the　table　from　opposite　sides；
their　elbows　on　the　edge；　their　hands　supporting　their　heads；　their
foreheads　nearly　touching；　and　their　eyes　upon　the　hair。

'He　ha'　been　mad　a'ter　my　lady　Cytherea；'　said　Mrs。　Crickett；　'and
'tis　my　very　belief　the　hair　is'

'No　'tidn'。　　Hers　idn'　so　dark　as　that；'　said　Elizabeth。

'Elizabeth；　you　know　that　as　the　faithful　wife　of　a　servant　of　the
Church；　I　should　be　glad　to　think　as　you　do　about　the　girl。　　Mind　I
don't　wish　to　say　anything　against　Miss　Graye；　but　this　I　do　say；
that　I　believe　her　to　be　a　nameless　thing；　and　she's　no　right　to
stick　a　moral　clock　in　her　face；　and　deceive　the　country　in　such　a
way。　　If　she　wasn't　of　a　bad　stock　at　the　outset　she　was　bad　in　the
planten；　and　if　she　wasn't　bad　in　the　planten；　she　was　bad　in　the
growen；　and　if　not　in　the　growen；　she's　made　bad　by　what　she's　gone
through　since。'

'But　I　have　another　reason　for　knowing　it　idn'　hers；'　said　Mrs。
Leat。

'Ah！　　I　know　whose　it　is　thenMiss　Aldclyffe's；　upon　my　song！'

''Tis　the　colour　of　hers；　but　I　don't　believe　it　to　be　hers　either。'

'Don't　you　believe　what　they　d'　say　about　her　and　him？'

'I　say　nothen　about　that；　but　you　don't　know　what　I　know　about　his
letters。'

'What　about　'em？'

'He　d'　post　all　his　letters　here　except　those　for　one　person；　and
they　he　d'　take　to　Budmouth。　　My　son　is　in　Budmouth　Post　Office；　as
you　know；　and　as　he　d'　sit　at　desk　he　can　see　over　the　blind　of　the
window　all　the　people　who　d'　post　letters。　　Mr。　Manston　d'
unvariably　go　there　wi'　letters　for　that　person；　my　boy　d'　know　'em
by　sight　well　enough　now。'

'Is　it　a　she？'

''Tis　a　she。'

'What's　her　name？'

'The　little　stunpoll　of　a　fellow　couldn't　call　to　mind　more　than
that　'tis　Miss　Somebody；　of　London。　　However；　that's　the　woman　who
ha'　been　here；　depend　upon'ta　wicked　onesome　poor　street…wench
escaped　from　Sodom；　I　warrant　ye。'

'Only　to　find　herself　in　Gomorrah；　seemingly。'

'That　may　be。'

'No；　no；　Mrs。　Leat；　this　is　clear　to　me。　　'Tis　no　miss　who　came　here
to　see　our　steward　last　nightwhenever　she　came　or　wherever　she
vanished。　　Do　you　think　he　would　ha'　let　a　miss　get　here　how　she
could；　go　away　how　she　would；　without　breakfast　or　help　of　any
kind？'

Elizabeth　shook　her　headMrs。　Crickett　looked　at　her　solemnly。

'I　say　I　know　she　had　no　help　of　any　kind；　I　know　it　was　so；　for　the
grate　was　quite　cold　when　I　touched　it　this　morning　with　these
fingers；　and　he　was　still　in　bed。　　No；　he　wouldn't　take　the　trouble
to　write　letters　to　a　girl　and　then　treat　her　so　off…hand　as　that。
There's　a　tie　between　'em　stronger　than　feelen。　　She's　his　wife。'

'He　married！　　The　Lord　so　's；　what　shall　we　hear　next？　　Do　he　look
married　now？　　His　are　not　the　abashed　eyes　and　lips　of　a　married
man。'

'Perhaps　she's　a　tame　onebut　she's　his　wife　still。'

'No；　no：　　he's　not　a　married　man。'

'Yes；　yes；　he　is。　　I've　had　three；　and　I　ought　to　know。'

'Well；　well；'　said　Mrs。　Leat；　giving　way。　　'Whatever　may　be　the
truth　on't　I　trust　Providence　will　settle　it　all　for　the　best；　as　He
always　do。'

'Ay；　ay；　Elizabeth；'　rejoined　Mrs。　Crickett　with　a　satirical　sigh；
as　she　turned　on　her　foot　to　go　home；　'good　people　like　you　may　say
so；　but　I　have　always　found　Providence　a　different　sort　of　feller。'

5。　　NOVEMBER　THE　TWENTIETH

It　was　Miss　Aldclyffe's　custom；　a　custom　originated　by　her　father；
and　nourished　by　her　own　exclusiveness；　to　unlock　the　post…bag
herself　every　morning；　instead　of　allowing　the　duty　to　devolve　on
the　butler；　as　was　the　case　in　most　of　the　neighbouring　county
families。　　The　bag　was　brought　upstairs　each　morning　to　her
dressing…room；　where　she　took　out　the　contents；　mostly　in　the
presence　of　her　maid　and　Cytherea；　who　had　the　entree　of　the　chamber
at　all　hours；　and　attended　there　in　the　morning　at　a　kind　of
reception　on　a　small　scale；　which　was　held　by　Miss　Aldclyffe　of　her
namesake　only。

Here　she　read　her　letters　before　the　glass；　whilst　undergoing　the
operation　of　being　brushed　and　dressed。

'What　woman　can　this　be；　I　wonder？'　she　said　on　the　morning
succeeding　that　of　the　last　section。　　'〃London；　N。！〃　　It　is　the
first　time　in　my　life　I　ever　had　a　letter　from　that　outlandish
place；　the　North　side　of　London。'

Cytherea　had　just　come　into　her　presence　to　learn　if　there　was
anything　for　herself；　and　on　being　thus　addressed；　walked　up　to　Miss
Aldclyffe's　corner　of　the　room　to　look　at　the　curiosity　which　had
raised　such　an　exclamation。　　But　the　lady；　having　opened　the
envelope　and　read　a　few　lines；　put　it　quickly　in　her　pocket；　before
Cytherea　could　reach　her　side。

'O；　'tis　nothing；'　she　said。　　She　proceeded　to　make　general　remarks
in　a　noticeably　forced　tone　of　sang…froid；　from　which　she　soon
lapsed　into　silence。　　Not　another　word　was　said　about　the　letter：
she　seemed　very　anxious　to　get　her　dressing　done；　and　the　room
cleared。　　Thereupon　Cytherea　went　away　to　the　other　window；　and　a
few　minutes　later　left　the　room　to　follow　her　own　pursuits。

It　was　late　when　Miss　Aldclyffe　descended　to　the　breakfast…table　and
then　she　seemed　there　to　no　purpose；　tea；　coffee；　eggs；　cutlets；　and
all　their　accessories；　were　left　absolutely　untasted。　　The　next　that
was　seen　of　her　was　when　walking　up　and　down　the　south　terrace；　and
round　the　flower…beds；　her　face　was　pale；　and　her　tread　was　fitful；
and　she　crumpled　a　letter　in　her　hand。

Dinner…time　came　round　as　usual；　she　did　not　speak　ten　words；　or
indeed　seem　conscious　of　the　meal；　for　all　that　Miss　Aldclyffe　did
in　the　way　of　eating；　dinner　might　have　been　taken　out　as　intact　as
it　was　taken　in。

In　her　own　private　apartment　Miss　Aldclyffe　again　pulled　out　the
letter　of　the　morning。　　One　passage　in　it　ran　thus：

'Of　course；　being　his　wife；　I　could　publish　the　fact；　and　compel　him
to　acknowledge　me　at　any　moment；　notwithstanding　his　threats；　and
reasonings　that　it　will　be　better　to　wait。　　I　have　waited；　and
waited　again；　and　the　time　for　such　acknowledgment　seems　no　nearer
than　at　first。　　To　show　you　how　patiently　I　have　waited　I　can　tell
you　that　not　till　a　fortnight　ago；　when　by　stress　of　circumstances　I
had　been　driven　to　new　lodgings；　have　I　ever　assumed　my　married
name；　solely　on　account　of　its　having　been　his　request　all　along
that　I　should　not　do　it。　　This　writing　to　you；　madam；　is　my　first
disobedience；　and　I　am　justified　in　it。　　A　woman　who　is　driven　to
visit　her　husband　like　a　thief　in　the　night　and　then　sent　away　like
a　street　dogleft　to　get　up；　unbolt；　unbar；　and　find　her　way　out　of
the　house　as　she　best　mayis　justified　in　doing　anything。

'But　should　I　demand　of　him　a　restitution　of　rights；　there　would　be
involved　a　publicity　which　I　could　not　endure；　and　a　noisy　scandal
flinging　my　name　the　length　and　breadth　of　the　country。

'What　I　still　prefer　to　any　such　violent　means　is　that　you　reason
with　him　privately；　and　compel　him　to　bring　me　home　to　your　parish
in　a　decent　and　careful　manner；　in　the　way　that　would　be　adopted　by
any　respectable　man；　whose　wife　had　been　living　away　from　him　for
some　time；　by　reason；　say；　of　peculiar　family　circumstances　which
had　caused　disunion；　but　not　enmity；　and　who　at　length　was　enabled
to　reinstate　her　in　his　house。

'You　will；　I　know；　oblige　me　in　this；　especially　as　knowledge　of　a
peculiar　tra