desperate remedies-第58章

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sexton　with　the　keys　in　his　hand。

'We　are　going　inside　for　a　minute；'　said　Manston　to　him；　taking　the
keys　unceremoniously。　　'I　will　bring　them　to　you　when　we　return。'

The　sexton　nodded　his　assent；　and　Cytherea　and　Manston　walked　into
the　porch；　and　up　the　nave。

They　did　not　speak　a　word　during　their　progress；　or　in　any　way
interfere　with　the　stillness　and　silence　that　prevailed　everywhere
around　them。　　Everything　in　the　place　was　the　embodiment　of　decay：
the　fading　red　glare　from　the　setting　sun；　which　came　in　at　the　west
window；　emphasizing　the　end　of　the　day　and　all　its　cheerful　doings；
the　mildewed　walls；　the　uneven　paving…stones；　the　wormy　pews；　the
sense　of　recent　occupation；　and　the　dank　air　of　death　which　had
gathered　with　the　evening；　would　have　made　grave　a　lighter　mood　than
Cytherea's　was　then。

'What　sensations　does　the　place　impress　you　with？'　she　said　at　last；
very　sadly。

'I　feel　imperatively　called　upon　to　be　honest；　from　very　despair　of
achieving　anything　by　stratagem　in　a　world　where　the　materials　are
such　as　these。'　　He；　too；　spoke　in　a　depressed　voice；　purposely　or
otherwise。

'I　feel　as　if　I　were　almost　ashamed　to　be　seen　walking　such　a
world；'　she　murmured；　'that's　the　effect　it　has　upon　me；　but　it　does
not　induce　me　to　be　honest　particularly。'

He　took　her　hand　in　both　his；　and　looked　down　upon　the　lids　of　her
eyes。

'I　pity　you　sometimes；'　he　said　more　emphatically。

'I　am　pitiable；　perhaps；　so　are　many　people。　　Why　do　you　pity　me？'

'I　think　that　you　make　yourself　needlessly　sad。'

'Not　needlessly。'

'Yes；　needlessly。　　Why　should　you　be　separated　from　your　brother　so
much；　when　you　might　have　him　to　stay　with　you　till　he　is　well？'

'That　can't　be；'　she　said；　turning　away。

He　went　on；　'I　think　the　real　and　only　good　thing　that　can　be　done
for　him　is　to　get　him　away　from　Budmouth　awhile；　and　I　have　been
wondering　whether　it　could　not　be　managed　for　him　to　come　to　my
house　to　live　for　a　few　weeks。　　Only　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　you。
How　pleasant　it　would　be！'

'It　would。'

He　moved　himself　round　immediately　to　the　front　of　her；　and　held　her
hand　more　firmly；　as　he　continued；　'Cytherea；　why　do　you　say　〃It
would；〃　so　entirely　in　the　tone　of　abstract　supposition？　　I　want　him
there：　　I　want　him　to　be　my　brother；　too。　　Then　make　him　so；　and　be
my　wife！　　I　cannot　live　without　you。　　O　Cytherea。　　my　darling；　my
love；　come　and　be　my　wife！'

His　face　bent　closer　and　closer　to　hers；　and　the　last　words　sank　to
a　whisper　as　weak　as　the　emotion　inspiring　it　was　strong。

She　said　firmly　and　distinctly；　'Yes；　I　will。'

'Next　month？'　he　said　on　the　instant；　before　taking　breath。

'No；　not　next　month。'

'The　next？'

'No。'

'December？　　Christmas　Day；　say？'

'I　don't　mind。'

'O；　you　darling！'　　He　was　about　to　imprint　a　kiss　upon　her　pale；
cold　mouth；　but　she　hastily　covered　it　with　her　hand。

'Don't　kiss　meat　least　where　we　are　now！'　she　whispered
imploringly。

'Why？'

'We　are　too　near　God。'

He　gave　a　sudden　start；　and　his　face　flushed。　　She　had　spoken　so
emphatically　that　the　words　'Near　God'　echoed　back　again　through　the
hollow　building　from　the　far　end　of　the　chancel。

'What　a　thing　to　say！'　he　exclaimed；　'surely　a　pure　kiss　is　not
inappropriate　to　the　place　！'

'No；'　she　replied；　with　a　swelling　heart；　'I　don't　know　why　I　burst
out　soI　can't　tell　what　has　come　over　me！　　Will　you　forgive　me？'

'How　shall　I　say　〃Yes〃　without　judging　you？　　How　shall　I　say　〃No〃
without　losing　the　pleasure　of　saying　〃Yes？〃'　　He　was　himself　again。

'I　don't　know；'　she　absently　murmured。

'I'll　say　〃Yes；〃'　he　answered　daintily。　　'It　is　sweeter　to　fancy　we
are　forgiven；　than　to　think　we　have　not　sinned；　and　you　shall　have
the　sweetness　without　the　need。'

She　did　not　reply；　and　they　moved　away。　　The　church　was　nearly　dark
now；　and　melancholy　in　the　extreme。　　She　stood　beside　him　while　he
locked　the　door；　then　took　the　arm　he　gave　her；　and　wound　her　way
out　of　the　churchyard　with　him。　　Then　they　walked　to　the　house
together；　but　the　great　matter　having　been　set　at　rest；　she
persisted　in　talking　only　on　indifferent　subjects。

'Christmas　Day；　then；'　he　said；　as　they　were　parting　at　the　end　of
the　shrubbery。

'I　meant　Old　Christmas　Day；'　she　said　evasively。

'H'm；　people　do　not　usually　attach　that　meaning　to　the　words。'

'No；　but　I　should　like　it　best　if　it　could　not　be　till　then？'　　It
seemed　to　be　still　her　instinct　to　delay　the　marriage　to　the　utmost。

'Very　well；　love；'　he　said　gently。　　''Tis　a　fortnight　longer　still；
but　never　mind。　　Old　Christmas　Day。'

9。　　THE　ELEVENTH　OF　SEPTEMBER

'There。　　It　will　be　on　a　Friday！'

She　sat　upon　a　little　footstool　gazing　intently　into　the　fire。　　It
was　the　afternoon　of　the　day　following　that　of　the　steward's
successful　solicitation　of　her　hand。

'I　wonder　if　it　would　be　proper　in　me　to　run　across　the　park　and
tell　him　it　is　a　Friday？'　she　said　to　herself；　rising　to　her　feet；
looking　at　her　hat　lying　near；　and　then　out　of　the　window　towards
the　Old　House。　　Proper　or　not；　she　felt　that　she　must　at　all　hazards
remove　the　disagreeable；　though；　as　she　herself　owned；　unfounded
impression　the　coincidence　had　occasioned。　　She　left　the　house
directly；　and　went　to　search　for　him。

Manston　was　in　the　timber…yard；　looking　at　the　sawyers　as　they
worked。　　Cytherea　came　up　to　him　hesitatingly。　　Till　within　a
distance　of　a　few　yards　she　had　hurried　forward　with　alacritynow
that　the　practical　expression　of　his　face　became　visible　she　wished
almost　she　had　never　sought　him　on　such　an　errand；　in　his　business…
mood　he　was　perhaps　very　stern。

'It　will　be　on　a　Friday；'　she　said　confusedly；　and　without　any
preface。

'Come　this　way！'　said　Manston；　in　the　tone　he　used　for　workmen；　not
being　able　to　alter　at　an　instant's　notice。　　He　gave　her　his　arm　and
led　her　back　into　the　avenue；　by　which　time　he　was　lover　again。　　'On
a　Friday；　will　it；　dearest？　　You　do　not　mind　Fridays；　surely？
That's　nonsense。'

'Not　seriously　mind　them；　exactlybut　if　it　could　be　any　other
day？'

'Well；　let　us　say　Old　Christmas　Eve；　then。　　Shall　it　be　Old
Christmas　Eve？'

'Yes；　Old　Christmas　Eve。'

'Your　word　is　solemn；　and　irrevocable　now？'

'Certainly；　I　have　solemnly　pledged　my　word；　I　should　not　have
promised　to　marry　you　if　I　had　not　meant　it。　　Don't　think　I　should。'
She　spoke　the　words　with　a　dignified　impressiveness。

'You　must　not　be　vexed　at　my　remark；　dearest。　　Can　you　think　the
worse　of　an　ardent　man；　Cytherea；　for　showing　some　anxiety　in　love？'

'No；　no。'　　She　could　not　say　more。　　She　was　always　ill　at　ease　when
he　spoke　of　himself　as　a　piece　of　human　nature　in　that　analytical
way；　and　wanted　to　be　out　of　his　presence。　　The　time　of　day；　and　the
proximity　of　the　house；　afforded　her　a　means　of　escape。　　'I　must　be
with　Miss　Aldclyffe　nowwill　you　excuse　my　hasty　coming　and　going？'
she　said　prettily。　　Before　he　had　replied　she　had　parted　from　him。

'Cytherea；　was　it　Mr。　Manston　I　saw　you　scudding　away　from　in　the
avenue　just　now？'　said　Miss　Aldclyffe；　when　Cytherea　joined　her。

'Yes。'

'〃Yes。〃　　Come；　why　don't　you　say　more　than　that？　　I　hate　those
taciturn　〃Yesses〃　of　yours。　　I　tell　you　everything；　and　yet　you　are
as　close　as　wax　with　me。'

'I　parted　from　him　because　I　wanted　to　come　in。'

'What　a　novel　and　important　announcement！　　Well；　is　the　day　fixed？'

'Yes。'

Miss　Aldclyffe's　face　kindled　into　intense　interest　at　once。　　'Is　it
indeed？　　When　is　it　to　be？'

'On　Old　Christmas　Eve。'

'Old　Christmas　Eve。'　　Miss　Aldclyffe　drew　Cytherea　round　to　her
front；　and　took　a　hand　in　each　of　her　own。　　'And　then　you　will　be　a
bride！'　she　said　slowly；　looking　with　critical　thoughtfulness　upon
the　maiden's　delicately　rounded　cheeks。

The　normal　area　of　the　colour　upon　each　of　them　decreased
perceptibly　after　that　slow　and　emphatic　utterance　by　the　elder
lady。

Miss　Aldclyffe　continued　impressively；　'You　did　not　say　〃Old
Christmas　Eve〃　as　a　fiancee　should　have　said　the　words：　　and　you
don't　receive　my　remark　with　the　warm　excitement　that　foreshadows　a
bright　future。　。　。　　How　many　weeks　are　there　to　the　time？'

'I　have　not　reckoned　them。'

'Not？　　Fancy　a　gir