desperate remedies-第48章
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bring about such a result。'
'But it must be MADE your affair；' he said in a hard； steady voice；
looking into her eyes； as if he saw there the whole panorama of her
past。
One of the most difficult things to portray by written words is that
peculiar mixture of moods expressed in a woman's countenance when；
after having been sedulously engaged in establishing another's
position； she suddenly suspects him of undermining her own。 It was
thus that Miss Aldclyffe looked at the steward。
'Youknowsomethingof me？' she faltered。
'I know all；' he said。
'Then curse that wife of yours！ She wrote and said she wouldn't
tell you！' she burst out。 'Couldn't she keep her word for a day？'
She reflected and then said； but no more as to a stranger； 'I will
not yield。 I have committed no crime。 I yielded to her threats in
a moment of weakness； though I felt inclined to defy her at the
time： it was chiefly because I was mystified as to how she got to
know of it。 Pooh！ I will put up with threats no more。 O； can YOU
threaten me？' she added softly； as if she had for the moment
forgotten to whom she had been speaking。
'My love must be made your affair；' he repeated； without taking his
eyes from her。
An agony； which was not the agony of being discovered in a secret；
obstructed her utterance for a time。 'How can you turn upon me so
when I schemed to get you hereschemed that you might win her till
I found you were married。 O； how can you！ O！。 。 。 O！' She wept；
and the weeping of such a nature was as harrowing as the weeping of
a man。
'Your getting me here was bad policy as to your secretthe most
absurd thing in the world；' he said； not heeding her distress。 'I
knew all； except the identity of the individual； long ago。 Directly
I found that my coming here was a contrived thing； and not a matter
of chance； it fixed my attention upon you at once。 All that was
required was the mere spark of life； to make of a bundle of
perceptions an organic whole。'
'Policy； how can you talk of policy？ Think； do think！ And how can
you threaten me when you knowyou knowthat I would befriend you
readily without a threat！'
'Yes； yes； I think you would；' he said more kindly； 'but your
indifference for so many； many years has made me doubt it。'
'No； not indifference'twas enforced silence。 My father lived。'
He took her hand； and held it gently。
* * *
'Now listen；' he said； more quietly and humanly； when she had become
calmer： 'Springrove must marry the woman he's engaged to。 You may
make him； but only in one way。'
'Well： but don't speak sternly； AEneas！'
'Do you know that his father has not been particularly thriving for
the last two or three years？'
'I have heard something of it； once or twice； though his rents have
been promptly paid； haven't they？'
'O yes； and do you know the terms of the leases of the houses which
are burnt？' he said； explaining to her that by those terms she might
compel him even to rebuild every house。 'The case is the clearest
case of fire by negligence that I have ever known； in addition to
that；' he continued。
'I don't want them rebuilt； you know it was intended by my father；
directly they fell in； to clear the site for a new entrance to the
park？'
'Yes； but that doesn't affect the position； which is that Farmer
Springrove is in your power to an extent which is very serious for
him。'
'I won't do it'tis a conspiracy。'
'Won't you for me？' he said eagerly。
Miss Aldclyffe changed colour。
'I don't threaten now； I implore；' he said。
'Because you might threaten if you chose；' she mournfully answered。
'But why be sowhen your marriage with her was my own pet idea long
before it was yours？ What must I do？'
'Scarcely anything： simply this。 When I have seen old Mr。
Springrove； which I shall do in a day or two； and told him that he
will be expected to rebuild the houses； do you see the young man。
See him yourself； in order that the proposals made may not appear to
be anything more than an impulse of your own。 You or he will bring
up the subject of the houses。 To rebuild them would be a matter of
at least six hundred pounds； and he will almost surely say that we
are hard in insisting upon the extreme letter of the leases。 Then
tell him that scarcely can you yourself think of compelling an old
tenant like his father to any such painful extremethere shall be
no compulsion to build； simply a surrender of the leases。 Then
speak feelingly of his cousin； as a woman whom you respect and love；
and whose secret you have learnt to be that she is heart…sick with
hope deferred。 Beg him to marry her； his betrothed and your friend；
as some return for your consideration towards his father。 Don't
suggest too early a day for their marriage； or he will suspect you
of some motive beyond womanly sympathy。 Coax him to make a promise
to her that she shall be his wife at the end of a twelvemonth； and
get him； on assenting to this； to write to Cytherea； entirely
renouncing her。'
'She has already asked him to do that。'
'So much the betterand telling her； too； that he is about to
fulfil his long…standing promise to marry his cousin。 If you think
it worth while； you may say Cytherea was not indisposed to think of
me before she knew I was married。 I have at home a note she wrote
me the first evening I saw her； which looks rather warm； and which I
could show you。 Trust me； he will give her up。 When he is married
to Adelaide Hinton； Cytherea will be induced to marry meperhaps
before； a woman's pride is soon wounded。'
'And hadn't I better write to Mr。 Nyttleton； and inquire more
particularly what's the law upon the houses？'
'O no； there's no hurry for that。 We know well enough how the case
standsquite well enough to talk in general terms about it。 And I
want the pressure to be put upon young Springrove before he goes
away from home again。'
She looked at him furtively； long； and sadly； as after speaking he
became lost in thought； his eyes listlessly tracing the pattern of
the carpet。 'Yes； yes； she will be mine；' he whispered； careless of
Cytherea Aldclyffe's presence。 At last he raised his eyes
inquiringly。
'I will do my best； AEneas；' she answered。
Talibus incusat。 Manston then left the house； and again went
towards the blackened ruins； where men were still raking and
probing。
2。 FROM NOVEMBER THE TWENTY…NINTH TO DECEMBER THE SECOND
The smouldering remnants of the Three Tranters Inn seemed to promise
that； even when the searchers should light upon the remains of the
unfortunate Mrs。 Manston； very little would be discoverable。
Consisting so largely of the charcoal and ashes of hard dry oak and
chestnut； intermingled with thatch； the interior of the heap was one
glowing mass of embers； which； on being stirred about； emitted
sparks and flame long after it was dead and black on the outside。
It was persistently hoped； however； that some traces of the body
would survive the effect of the hot coals； and after a search
pursued uninterruptedly for thirty hours； under the direction of
Manston himself； enough was found to set at rest any doubts of her
fate。
The melancholy gleanings consisted of her watch； bunch of keys； a
few coins； and two charred and blackened bones。
Two days later the official inquiry into the cause of her death was
held at the Rising Sun Inn； before Mr。 Floy； the coroner； and a jury
of the chief inhabitants of the district。 The little tavernthe
only remaining one in the villagewas crowded to excess by the
neighbouring peasantry as well as their richer employers： all who
could by any possibility obtain an hour's release from their duties
being present as listeners。
The jury viewed the sad and infinitesimal remains； which were folded
in a white cambric cloth； and laid in the middle of a well…finished
coffin lined with white silk （by Manston's order）； which stood in an
adjoining room； the bulk of the coffin being completely filled in
with carefully arranged flowers and evergreensalso the steward's
own doing。
Abraham Brown； of Hoxton； Londonan old white…headed man； without
the ruddiness which makes white ha
