desperate remedies-第68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！


been　occupied　by　Cytherea　on　Edward's　visit；　three　hours　earlier。
Before　Owen　had　spoken；　Manston　arose；　and　stepping　past　him　closed
the　door。　　His　face　appeared　harassedmuch　more　troubled　than　the
slight　circumstance　which　had　as　yet　come　to　his　knowledge　seemed　to
account　for。

Manston　could　form　no　reason　for　Owen's　presence；　but　intuitively
linked　it　with　Cytherea's　seclusion。　　'Altogether　this　is　most
unseemly；'　he　said；　'whatever　it　may　mean。'

'Don't　think　there　is　meant　anything　unfriendly　by　my　coming　here；'
said　Owen　earnestly；　'but　listen　to　this；　and　think　if　I　could　do
otherwise　than　come。'

He　took　from　his　pocket　the　confession　of　Chinney　the　porter；　as
hastily　written　out　by　the　vicar；　and　read　it　aloud。　　The　aspects　of
Manston's　face　whilst　he　listened　to　the　opening　words　were　strange；
dark；　and　mysterious　enough　to　have　justified　suspicions　that　no
deceit　could　be　too　complicated　for　the　possessor　of　such　impulses；
had　there　not　overridden　them　all；　as　the　reading　went　on；　a　new　and
irrepressible　expressionone　unmistakably　honest。　　It　was　that　of
unqualified　amazement　in　the　steward's　mind　at　the　news　he　heard。
Owen　looked　up　and　saw　it。　　The　sight　only　confirmed　him　in　the
belief　he　had　held　throughout；　in　antagonism　to　Edward's　suspicions。

There　could　no　longer　be　a　shadow　of　doubt　that　if　the　first　Mrs。
Manston　lived；　her　husband　was　ignorant　of　the　fact。　　What　he　could
have　feared　by　his　ghastly　look　at　first；　and　now　have　ceased　to
fear；　it　was　quite　futile　to　conjecture。

'Now　I　do　not　for　a　moment　doubt　your　complete　ignorance　of　the
whole　matter；　you　cannot　suppose　for　an　instant　that　I　do；'　said
Owen　when　he　had　finished　reading。　　'But　is　it　not　best　for　both
that　Cytherea　should　come　back　with　me　till　the　matter　is　cleared
up？　　In　fact；　under　the　circumstances；　no　other　course　is　left　open
to　me　than　to　request　it。'

Whatever　Manston's　original　feelings　had　been；　all　in　him　now　gave
way　to　irritation；　and　irritation　to　rage。　　He　paced　up　and　down　the
room　till　he　had　mastered　it；　then　said　in　ordinary　tones

'Certainly；　I　know　no　more　than　you　and　others　knowit　was　a
gratuitous　unpleasantness　in　you　to　say　you　did　not　doubt　me。　　Why
should　you；　or　anybody；　have　doubted　me？'

'Well；　where　is　my　sister？'　said　Owen。

'Locked　in　the　next　room。'

His　own　answer　reminded　Manston　that　Cytherea　must；　by　some
inscrutable　means；　have　had　an　inkling　of　the　event。

Owen　had　gone　to　the　door　of　Cytherea's　room。

'Cytherea；　darling'tis　Owen；'　he　said；　outside　the　door。　　A
rustling　of　clothes；　soft　footsteps；　and　a　voice　saying　from　the
inside；　'Is　it　really　you；　Owen；is　it　really？'

'It　is。'

'O；　will　you　take　care　of　me？'

'Always。'

She　unlocked　the　door；　and　retreated　again。　　Manston　came　forward
from　the　other　room　with　a　candle　in　his　hand；　as　Owen　pushed　open
the　door。

Her　frightened　eyes　were　unnaturally　large；　and　shone　like　stars　in
the　darkness　of　the　background；　as　the　light　fell　upon　them。　　She
leapt　up　to　Owen　in　one　bound；　her　small　taper　fingers　extended　like
the　leaves　of　a　lupine。　　Then　she　clasped　her　cold　and　trembling
hands　round　his　neck　and　shivered。

The　sight　of　her　again　kindled　all　Manston's　passions　into　activity。
'She　shall　not　go　with　you；'　he　said　firmly；　and　stepping　a　pace　or
two　closer；　'unless　you　prove　that　she　is　not　my　wife；　and　you　can't
do　it！'

'This　is　proof；'　said　Owen；　holding　up　the　paper。

'No　proof　at　all；'　said　Manston　hotly。　　''Tis　not　a　death…bed
confession；　and　those　are　the　only　things　of　the　kind　held　as　good
evidence。'

'Send　for　a　lawyer；'　Owen　returned；　'and　let　him　tell　us　the　proper
course　to　adopt。'

'Never　mind　the　lawlet　me　go　with　Owen！'　cried　Cytherea；　still
holding　on　to　him。　　'You　will　let　me　go　with　him；　won't　you；　sir？'
she　said；　turning　appealingly　to　Manston。

'We'll　have　it　all　right　and　square；'　said　Manston；　with　more
quietness。　　'I　have　no　objection　to　your　brother　sending　for　a
lawyer；　if　he　wants　to。'

It　was　getting　on　for　twelve　o'clock；　but　the　proprietor　of　the
hotel　had　not　yet　gone　to　bed　on　account　of　the　mystery　on　the　first
floor；　which　was　an　occurrence　unusual　in　the　quiet　family　lodging。
Owen　looked　over　the　banisters；　and　saw　him　standing　in　the　hall。
It　struck　Graye　that　the　wisest　course　would　be　to　take　the　landlord
to　a　certain　extent　into　their　confidence；　appeal　to　his　honour　as　a
gentleman；　and　so　on；　in　order　to　acquire　the　information　he　wanted；
and　also　to　prevent　the　episode　of　the　evening　from　becoming　a
public　piece　of　news。　　He　called　the　landlord　up　to　where　they
stood；　and　told　him　the　main　facts　of　the　story。

The　landlord　was　fortunately　a　quiet；　prejudiced　man；　and　a
meditative　smoker。

'I　know　the　very　man　you　want　to　seethe　very　man；'　he　said；
looking　at　the　general　features　of　the　candle…flame。　　'Sharp　as　a
needle；　and　not　over…rich。　　Timms　will　put　you　all　straight　in　no
timetrust　Timms　for　that。'

'He's　in　bed　by　this　time　for　certain；'　said　Owen。

'Never　mind　thatTimms　knows　me；　I　know　him。　　He'll　oblige　me　as　a
personal　favour。　　Wait　here　a　bit。　　Perhaps；　too；　he's　up　at　some
party　or　anotherhe's　a　nice；　jovial　fellow；　sharp　as　a　needle；
too；　mind　you；　sharp　as　a　needle；　too。'

He　went　downstairs；　put　on　his　overcoat；　and　left　the　house；　the
three　persons　most　concerned　entering　the　room；　and　standing
motionless；　awkward；　and　silent　in　the　midst　of　it。　　Cytherea
pictured　to　herself　the　long　weary　minutes　she　would　have　to　stand
there；　whilst　a　sleepy　man　could　be　prepared　for　consultation；　till
the　constraint　between　them　seemed　unendurable　to　hershe　could
never　last　out　the　time。　　Owen　was　annoyed　that　Manston　had　not
quietly　arranged　with　him　at　once；　Manston　at　Owen's　homeliness　of
idea　in　proposing　to　send　for　an　attorney；　as　if　he　would　be　a
touchstone　of　infallible　proof。

Reflection　was　cut　short　by　the　approach　of　footsteps；　and　in　a　few
moments　the　proprietor　of　the　hotel　entered；　introducing　his　friend。
'Mr。　Timms　has　not　been　in　bed；'　he　said；　'he　had　just　returned　from
dining　with　a　few　friends；　so　there's　no　trouble　given。　　To　save
time　I　explained　the　matter　as　we　came　along。'

It　occurred　to　Owen　and　Manston　both　that　they　might　get　a　misty
exposition　of　the　law　from　Mr。　Timms　at　that　moment　of　concluding
dinner　with　a　few　friends。

'As　far　as　I　can　see；'　said　the　lawyer；　yawning；　and　turning　his
vision　inward　by　main　force；　'it　is　quite　a　matter　for　private
arrangement　between　the　parties；　whoever　the　parties　areat　least
at　present。　　I　speak　more　as　a　father　than　as　a　lawyer；　it　is　true；
but；　let　the　young　lady　stay　with　her　father；　or　guardian；　safe　out
of　shame's　way；　until　the　mystery　is　sifted；　whatever　the　mystery
is。　　Should　the　evidence　prove　to　be　false；　or　trumped　up　by　anybody
to　get　her　away　from　you；　her　husband；　you　may　sue　them　for　the
damages　accruing　from　the　delay。'

'Yes；　yes；'　said　Manston；　who　had　completely　recovered　his　self…
possession　and　common…sense；　'let　it　all　be　settled　by　herself。'
Turning　to　Cytherea　he　whispered　so　softly　that　Owen　did　not　hear
the　words

'Do　you　wish　to　go　back　with　your　brother；　dearest；　and　leave　me
here　miserable；　and　lonely；　or　will　you　stay　with　me；　your　own
husband。'

'I'll　go　back　with　Owen。'

'Very　well。'　　He　relinquished　his　coaxing　tone；　and　went　on　sternly：
'And　remember　this；　Cytherea；　I　am　as　innocent　of　deception　in　this
thing　as　you　are　yourself。　　Do　you　believe　me？'

'I　do；'　she　said。

'I　had　no　shadow　of　suspicion　that　my　first　wife　lived。　　I　don't
think　she　does　even　now。　　Do　you　believe　me？'

'I　believe　you；'　she　said。

'And　now；　good…evening；'　he　continued；　opening　the　door　and　politely
intimating　to　the　three　men　standing　by　that　there　was　no　further
necessity　for　their　remaining　in　his　room。　　'In　three　days　I　shall
claim　her。'

The　lawyer　and　the　hotel…keeper　retired　first。　　Owen；　gathering　up
as　much　of　his　sister's　clothing　as　lay　about　the　room；　took　her
upon　his　arm；　and　followed　them。　　Edward；　to　whom　she　owed
everything；　who　had　been　left　standing　in　the　street　like　a　dog
without　a　home；　was　utterly　forgotten。　　Owen　paid　the　landlord