desperate remedies-第40章

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to　reinstate　her　in　his　house。

'You　will；　I　know；　oblige　me　in　this；　especially　as　knowledge　of　a
peculiar　transaction　of　your　own；　which　took　place　some　years　ago；
has　lately　come　to　me　in　a　singular　way。　　I　will　not　at　present
trouble　you　by　describing　how。　　It　is　enough；　that　I　alone；　of　all
people　living；　know　ALL　THE　SIDES　OF　THE　STORY；　　those　from　whom　I
collected　it　having　each　only　a　partial　knowledge　which　confuses
them　and　points　to　nothing。　　One　person　knows　of　your　early
engagement　and　its　sudden　termination；　another；　of　the　reason　of
those　strange　meetings　at　inns　and　coffee…houses；　another；　of　what
was　sufficient　to　cause　all　this；　and　so　on。　　I　know　what　fits　one
and　all　the　circumstances　like　a　key；　and　shows　them　to　be　the
natural　outcrop　of　a　rational　（though　rather　rash）　line　of　conduct
for　a　young　lady。　　You　will　at　once　perceive　how　it　was　that　some　at
least　of　these　things　were　revealed　to　me。

'This　knowledge　then；　common　to；　and　secretly　treasured　by　us　both；
is　the　ground　upon　which　I　beg　for　your　friendship　and　help；　with　a
feeling　that　you　will　be　too　generous　to　refuse　it　to　me。

'I　may　add　that；　as　yet；　my　husband　knows　nothing　of　this；　neither
need　he　if　you　remember　my　request。'



'A　threata　flat　stinging　threat！　as　delicately　wrapped　up　in　words
as　the　woman　could　do　it；　a　threat　from　a　miserable　unknown　creature
to　an　Aldclyffe；　and　not　the　least　proud　member　of　the　family
either！　　A　threat　on　his　accountO；　O！　shall　it　be？'

Presently　this　humour　of　defiance　vanished；　and　the　members　of　her
body　became　supple　again；　her　proceedings　proving　that　it　was
absolutely　necessary　to　give　way；　Aldclyffe　as　she　was。　　She　wrote　a
short　answer　to　Mrs。　Manston；　saying　civilly　that　Mr。　Manston's
possession　of　such　a　near　relation　was　a　fact　quite　new　to　herself；
and　that　she　would　see　what　could　be　done　in　such　an　unfortunate
affair。

6。　　NOVEMBER　THE　TWENTY…FIRST

Manston　received　a　message　the　next　day　requesting　his　attendance　at
the　House　punctually　at　eight　o'clock　the　ensuing　evening。　　Miss
Aldclyffe　was　brave　and　imperious；　but　with　the　purpose　she　had　in
view　she　could　not　look　him　in　the　face　whilst　daylight　shone　upon
her。

The　steward　was　shown　into　the　library。　　On　entering　it；　he　was
immediately　struck　with　the　unusual　gloom　which　pervaded　the
apartment。　　The　fire　was　dead　and　dull；　one　lamp；　and　that　a
comparatively　small　one；　was　burning　at　the　extreme　end；　leaving　the
main　proportion　of　the　lofty　and　sombre　room　in　an　artificial
twilight；　scarcely　powerful　enough　to　render　visible　the　titles　of
the　folio　and　quarto　volumes　which　were　jammed　into　the　lower　tiers
of　the　bookshelves。

After　keeping　him　waiting　for　more　than　twenty　minutes　（Miss
Aldclyffe　knew　that　excellent　recipe　for　taking　the　stiffness　out　of
human　flesh；　and　for　extracting　all　pre…arrangement　from　human
speech）　she　entered　the　room。

Manston　sought　her　eye　directly。　　The　hue　of　her　features　was　not
discernible；　but　the　calm　glance　she　flung　at　him；　from　which　all
attempt　at　returning　his　scrutiny　was　absent；　awoke　him　to　the
perception　that　probably　his　secret　was　by　some　means　or　other　known
to　her；　how　it　had　become　known　he　could　not　tell。

She　drew　forth　the　letter；　unfolded　it；　and　held　it　up　to　him；
letting　it　hang　by　one　corner　from　between　her　finger　and　thumb；　so
that　the　light　from　the　lamp；　though　remote；　fell　directly　upon　its
surface。

'You　know　whose　writing　this　is？'　she　said。

He　saw　the　strokes　plainly；　instantly　resolving　to　burn　his　ships
and　hazard　all　on　an　advance。

'My　wife's；'　he　said　calmly。

His　quiet　answer　threw　her　off　her　balance。　　She　had　no　more
expected　an　answer　than　does　a　preacher　when　he　exclaims　from　the
pulpit；　'Do　you　feel　your　sin？'　　She　had　clearly　expected　a　sudden
alarm。

'And　why　all　this　concealment？'　she　said　again；　her　voice　rising；　as
she　vainly　endeavoured　to　control　her　feelings；　whatever　they　were。

'It　doesn't　follow　that；　because　a　man　is　married；　he　must　tell
every　stranger　of　it；　madam；'　he　answered；　just　as　calmly　as　before。

'Stranger！　well；　perhaps　not；　but；　Mr。　Manston；　why　did　you　choose
to　conceal　it；　I　ask　again？　　I　have　a　perfect　right　to　ask　this
question；　as　you　will　perceive；　if　you　consider　the　terms　of　my
advertisement。'

'I　will　tell　you。　　There　were　two　simple　reasons。　　The　first　was
this　practical　one；　you　advertised　for　an　unmarried　man；　if　you
remember？'

'Of　course　I　remember。'

'Well；　an　incident　suggested　to　me　that　I　should　try　for　the
situation。　　I　was　married；　but；　knowing　that　in　getting　an　office
where　there　is　a　restriction　of　this　kind；　leaving　one's　wife　behind
is　always　accepted　as　a　fulfilment　of　the　condition；　I　left　her
behind　for　awhile。　　The　other　reason　is；　that　these　terms　of　yours
afforded　me　a　plausible　excuse　for　escaping　（for　a　short　time）　the
company　of　a　woman　I　had　been　mistaken　in　marrying。'

'Mistaken！　what　was　she？'　the　lady　inquired。

'A　third…rate　actress；　whom　I　met　with　during　my　stay　in　Liverpool
last　summer；　where　I　had　gone　to　fulfil　a　short　engagement　with　an
architect。'

'Where　did　she　come　from？'

'She　is　an　American　by　birth；　and　I　grew　to　dislike　her　when　we　had
been　married　a　week。'

'She　was　ugly；　I　imagine？'

'She　is　not　an　ugly　woman　by　any　means。'

'Up　to　the　ordinary　standard？'

'Quite　up　to　the　ordinary　standardindeed；　handsome。　　After　a　while
we　quarrelled　and　separated。'

'You　did　not　ill…use　her；　of　course？'　said　Miss　Aldclyffe；　with　a
little　sarcasm。

'I　did　not。'

'But　at　any　rate；　you　got　thoroughly　tired　of　her。'

Manston　looked　as　if　he　began　to　think　her　questions　put　of　place；
however；　he　said　quietly；　'I　did　get　tired　of　her。　　I　never　told　her
so；　but　we　separated；　I　to　come　here；　bringing　her　with　me　as　far　as
London　and　leaving　her　there　in　perfectly　comfortable　quarters；　and
though　your　advertisement　expressed　a　single　man；　I　have　always
intended　to　tell　you　the　whole　truth；　and　this　was　when　I　was　going
to　tell　it；　when　your　satisfaction　with　my　careful　management　of
your　affairs　should　have　proved　the　risk　to　be　a　safe　one　to　run。'

She　bowed。

'Then　I　saw　that　you　were　good　enough　to　be　interested　in　my　welfare
to　a　greater　extent　than　I　could　have　anticipated　or　hoped；　judging
you　by　the　frigidity　of　other　employers；　and　this　caused　me　to
hesitate。　　I　was　vexed　at　the　complication　of　affairs。　　So　matters
stood　till　three　nights　ago；　I　was　then　walking　home　from　the
pottery；　and　came　up　to　the　railway。　　The　down…train　came　along
close　to　me；　and　there；　sitting　at　a　carriage　window；　I　saw　my　wife：
she　had　found　out　my　address；　and　had　thereupon　determined　to　follow
me　here。　　I　had　not　been　home　many　minutes　before　she　came　in；　next
morning　early　she　left　again'

'Because　you　treated　her　so　cavalierly？'

'And　as　I　suppose；　wrote　to　you　directly。　　That's　the　whole　story　of
her；　madam。'　　Whatever　were　Manston's　real　feelings　towards　the　lady
who　had　received　his　explanation　in　these　supercilious　tones；　they
remained　locked　within　him　as　within　a　casket　of　steel。

'Did　your　friends　know　of　your　marriage；　Mr　Manston？'　she　continued。

'Nobody　at　all；　we　kept　it　a　secret　for　various　reasons。'

'It　is　true　then　that；　as　your　wife　tells　me　in　this　letter；　she　has
not　passed　as　Mrs。　Manston　till　within　these　last　few　days？'

'It　is　quite　true；　I　was　in　receipt　of　a　very　small　and　uncertain
income　when　we　married；　and　so　she　continued　playing　at　the　theatre
as　before　our　marriage；　and　in　her　maiden　name。'

'Has　she　any　friends？'

'I　have　never　heard　that　she　has　any　in　England。　　She　came　over　here
on　some　theatrical　speculation；　as　one　of　a　company　who　were　going
to　do　much；　but　who　never　did　anything；　and　here　she　has　remained。'

A　pause　ensued；　which　was　terminated　by　Miss　Aldclyffe。

'I　understand；'　she　said。　　'Now；　though　I　have　no　direct　right　to
concern　myself　with　your　private　affairs　（beyond　those　which　arise
from　your　misleading　me　and　getting　the　office　you　hold）'

'As　to　that；　madam；'　he　interrupted；　rather　hotly；　'as　to　coming
here；　I　am　vexed　as　much　as　you。　　Somebody；　a　member　of　the
Institute　of　Architect