desperate remedies-第54章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Cytherea looked into Miss Aldclyffe's face； her eyes grew round as
circles； and lines of wonderment came visibly upon her countenance。
She had not once regarded Manston as a lover since his wife's sudden
appearance and subsequent death。 The death of a wife； and such a
death； was an overwhelming matter in her ideas of things。
'Is it a man or woman？' she said； quite innocently。
'Mr。 Manston；' said Miss Aldclyffe quietly。
'Mr。 Manston attracted by me NOW？' said Cytherea； standing at gaze。
'Didn't you know it？'
'Certainly I did not。 Why； his poor wife has only been dead six
months。'
'Of course he knows that。 But loving is not done by months； or
method； or rule； or nobody would ever have invented such a phrase as
〃falling in love。〃 He does not want his love to be observed just
yet； on the very account you mention； but conceal it as he may from
himself and us； it exists definitelyand very intensely； I assure
you。'
'I suppose then； that if he can't help it； it is no harm of him；'
said Cytherea naively； and beginning to ponder。
'Of course it isn'tyou know that well enough。 She was a great
burden and trouble to him。 This may become a great good to you
both。'
A rush of feeling at remembering that the same woman； before
Manston's arrival； had just as frankly advocated Edward's claims；
checked Cytherea's utterance for awhile。
'There； don't look at me like that； for Heaven's sake！' said Miss
Aldclyffe。 'You could almost kill a person by the force of reproach
you can put into those eyes of yours； I verily believe。'
Edward once in the young lady's thoughts； there was no getting rid
of him。 She wanted to be alone。
'Do you want me here？' she said。
'Now there； there； you want to be off； and have a good cry；' said
Miss Aldclyffe； taking her hand。 'But you mustn't； my dear。
There's nothing in the past for you to regret。 Compare Mr。
Manston's honourable conduct towards his wife and yourself； with
Springrove towards his betrothed and yourself； and then see which
appears the more worthy of your thoughts。'
3。 FROM THE FOURTH OF MAY TO THE TWENTY…FIRST OF JUNE
The next stage in Manston's advances towards her hand was a clearly
defined courtship。 She was sadly perplexed； and some contrivance
was necessary on his part in order to meet with her。 But it is next
to impossible for an appreciative woman to have a positive
repugnance towards an unusually handsome and gifted man； even though
she may not be inclined to love him。 Hence Cytherea was not so
alarmed at the sight of him as to render a meeting and conversation
with her more than a matter of difficulty。
Coming and going from church was his grand opportunity。 Manston was
very religious now。 It is commonly said that no man was ever
converted by argument； but there is a single one which will make any
Laodicean in England； let him be once love…sick； wear prayer…books
and become a zealous Episcopalianthe argument that his sweetheart
can be seen from his pew。
Manston introduced into his method a system of bewitching flattery；
everywhere pervasive； yet； too； so transitory and intangible； that；
as in the case of the poet Wordsworth and the Wandering Voice；
though she felt it present； she could never find it。 As a foil to
heighten its effect； he occasionally spoke philosophically of the
evanescence of female beautythe worthlessness of mere appearance。
'Handsome is that handsome does' he considered a proverb which
should be written on the looking…glass of every woman in the land。
'Your form； your motions； your heart have won me；' he said； in a
tone of playful sadness。 'They are beautiful。 But I see these
things； and it comes into my mind that they are doomed； they are
gliding to nothing as I look。 Poor eyes； poor mouth； poor face；
poor maiden！ 〃Where will her glories be in twenty years？〃 I say。
〃Where will all of her be in a hundred？〃 Then I think it is cruel
that you should bloom a day； and fade for ever and ever。 It seems
hard and sad that you will die as ordinarily as I； and be buried； be
food for roots and worms； be forgotten and come to earth； and grow
up a mere blade of churchyard…grass and an ivy leaf。 Then； Miss
Graye； when I see you are a Lovely Nothing； I pity you； and the love
I feel then is better and sounder； larger and more lasting than that
I felt at the beginning。' Again an ardent flash of his handsome
eyes。
It was by this route that he ventured on an indirect declaration and
offer of his hand。
She implied in the same indirect manner that she did not love him
enough to accept it。
An actual refusal was more than he had expected。 Cursing himself
for what he called his egregious folly in making himself the slave
of a mere lady's attendant； and for having given the parish； should
they know of her refusal； a chance of sneering at himcertainly a
ground for thinking less of his standing than beforehe went home
to the Old House； and walked indecisively up and down his back…yard。
Turning aside； he leant his arms upon the edge of the rain…water…
butt standing in the corner； and looked into it。 The reflection
from the smooth stagnant surface tinged his face with the greenish
shades of Correggio's nudes。 Staves of sunlight slanted down
through the still pool； lighting it up with wonderful distinctness。
Hundreds of thousands of minute living creatures sported and tumbled
in its depth with every contortion that gaiety could suggest；
perfectly happy； though consisting only of a head； or a tail； or at
most a head and a tail； and all doomed to die within the twenty…four
hours。
'Damn my position！ Why shouldn't I be happy through my little day
too？ Let the parish sneer at my repulses； let it。 I'll get her； if
I move heaven and earth to do it！'
Indeed； the inexperienced Cytherea had； towards Edward in the first
place； and Manston afterwards； unconsciously adopted bearings that
would have been the very tactics of a professional fisher of men who
wished to have them each successively dangling at her heels。 For if
any rule at all can be laid down in a matter which； for men
collectively； is notoriously beyond regulation； it is that to snub a
petted man； and to pet a snubbed man； is the way to win in suits of
both kinds。 Manston with Springrove's encouragement would have
become indifferent。 Edward with Manston's repulses would have
sheered off at the outset； as he did afterwards。 Her supreme
indifference added fuel to Manston's ardourit completely disarmed
his pride。 The invulnerable Nobody seemed greater to him than a
susceptible Princess。
4。 FROM THE TWENTY…FIRST OF JUNE TO THE END OF JULY
Cytherea had in the meantime received the following letter from her
brother。 It was the first definite notification of the enlargement
of that cloud no bigger than a man's hand which had for nearly a
twelvemonth hung before them in the distance； and which was soon to
give a colour to their whole sky from horizon to horizon。
'BUDMOUTH REGIS；
Saturday。
'DARLING SIS；I have delayed telling you for a long time of a
little matter which； though not one to be seriously alarmed about；
is sufficiently vexing； and it would be unfair in me to keep it from
you any longer。 It is that for some time past I have again been
distressed by that lameness which I first distinctly felt when we
went to Lulstead Cove； and again when I left Knapwater that morning
early。 It is an unusual pain in my left leg； between the knee and
the ankle。 I had just found fresh symptoms of it when you were here
for that half…hour about a month agowhen you said in fun that I
began to move like an old man。 I had a good mind to tell you then；
but fancying it would go off in a few days； I thought it was not
worth while。 Since that time it has increased； but I am still able
to work in the office； sitting on the stool。 My great fear is that
Mr。 G。 will have some out…door measuring work for me to do soon； and
that I shall be obliged to decline it。 However； we will hope for
the best。 How it came； what was its origin； or what it tends to； I
cannot think。 You shall hear again in a day or two； if it is no
better
