desperate remedies-第69章

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without　a　home；　was　utterly　forgotten。　　Owen　paid　the　landlord　and
the　lawyer　for　the　trouble　he　had　occasioned　them；　looked　to　the
packing；　and　went　to　the　door。

A　fly；　which　somewhat　unaccountably　was　seen　lingering　in　front　of
the　house；　was　called　up；　and　Cytherea's　luggage　put　upon　it。

'Do　you　know　of　any　hotel　near　the　station　that　is　open　for　night
arrivals？'　Owen　inquired　of　the　driver。

'A　place　has　been　bespoke　for　you；　sir；　at　the　White　Unicornand
the　gentleman　wished　me　to　give　you　this。'

'Bespoken　by　Springrove；　who　ordered　the　fly；　of　course；'　said　Owen
to　himself。　　By　the　light　of　the　street…lamp　he　read　these　lines；
hurriedly　traced　in　pencil：

'I　have　gone　home　by　the　mail…train。　　It　is　better　for　all　parties
that　I　should　be　out　of　the　way。　　Tell　Cytherea　that　I　apologize　for
having　caused　her　such　unnecessary　pain；　as　it　seems　I　didbut　it
cannot　be　helped　now。　　　E。S。'

Owen　handed　his　sister　into　the　vehicle；　and　told　the　flyman　to
drive　on。

'Poor　SpringroveI　think　we　have　served　him　rather　badly；'　he　said
to　Cytherea；　repeating　the　words　of　the　note　to　her。

A　thrill　of　pleasure　passed　through　her　bosom　as　she　listened　to
them。　　They　were　the　genuine　reproach　of　a　lover　to　his　mistress；
the　trifling　coldness　of　her　answer　to　him　would　have　been　noticed
by　no　man　who　was　only　a　friend。　　But；　in　entertaining　that　sweet
thought；　she　had　forgotten　herself；　and　her　position　for　the
instant。

Was　she　still　Manston's　wifethat　was　the　terrible　supposition；　and
her　future　seemed　still　a　possible　misery　to　her。　　For；　on　account
of　the　late　jarring　accident；　a　life　with　Manston　which　would
otherwise　have　been　only　a　sadness；　must　become　a　burden　of
unutterable　sorrow。

Then　she　thought　of　the　misrepresentation　and　scandal　that　would
ensue　if　she　were　no　wife。　　One　cause　for　thankfulness　accompanied
the　reflection；　Edward　knew　the　truth。

They　soon　reached　the　quiet　old　inn；　which　had　been　selected　for
them　by　the　forethought　of　the　man　who　loved　her　well。　　Here　they
installed　themselves　for　the　night；　arranging　to　go　to　Budmouth　by
the　first　train　the　next　day。

At　this　hour　Edward　Springrove　was　fast　approaching　his　native
county　on　the　wheels　of　the　night…mail。



XIV。　　THE　EVENTS　OF　FIVE　WEEKS

1。　　FROM　THE　SIXTH　TO　THE　THIRTEENTH　OF　JANUARY

Manston　had　evidently　resolved　to　do　nothing　in　a　hurry。

This　much　was　plain；　that　his　earnest　desire　and　intention　was　to
raise　in　Cytherea's　bosom　no　feelings　of　permanent　aversion　to　him。
The　instant　after　the　first　burst　of　disappointment　had　escaped　him
in　the　hotel　at　Southampton；　he　had　seen　how　far　better　it　would　be
to　lose　her　presence　for　a　week　than　her　respect　for　ever。

'She　shall　be　mine；　I　will　claim　the　young　thing　yet；'　he　insisted。
And　then　he　seemed　to　reason　over　methods　for　compassing　that
object；　which；　to　all　those　who　were　in　any　degree　acquainted　with
the　recent　event；　appeared　the　least　likely　of　possible
contingencies。

He　returned　to　Knapwater　late　the　next　day；　and　was　preparing　to
call　on　Miss　Aldclyffe；　when　the　conclusion　forced　itself　upon　him
that　nothing　would　be　gained　by　such　a　step。　　No；　every　action　of
his　should　be　done　openlyeven　religiously。　　At　least；　he　called　on
the　rector；　and　stated　this　to　be　his　resolve。

'Certainly；'　said　Mr。　Raunham；　'it　is　best　to　proceed　candidly　and
fairly；　or　undue　suspicion　may　fall　on　you。　　You　should；　in　my
opinion；　take　active　steps　at　once。'

'I　will　do　the　utmost　that　lies　in　my　power　to　clear　up　the　mystery；
and　silence　the　hubbub　of　gossip　that　has　been　set　going　about　me。
But　what　can　I　do？　　They　say　that　the　man　who　comes　first　in　the
chain　of　inquiry　is　not　to　be　foundI　mean　the　porter。'

'I　am　sorry　to　say　that　he　is　not。　　When　I　returned　from　the　station
last　night；　after　seeing　Owen　Graye　off；　I　went　again　to　the　cottage
where　he　has　been　lodging；　to　get　more　intelligence；　as　I　thought。
He　was　not　there。　　He　had　gone　out　at　dusk；　saying　he　would　be　back
soon。　　But　he　has　not　come　back　yet。'

'I　rather　doubt　if　we　shall　see　him　again。'

'Had　I　known　of　this；　I　would　have　done　what　in　my　flurry　I　did　not
think　of　doingset　a　watch　upon　him。　　But　why　not　advertise　for
your　missing　wife　as　a　preliminary；　consulting　your　solicitor　in　the
meantime？'

'Advertise。　　I'll　think　about　it；'　said　Manston；　lingering　on　the
word　as　he　pronounced　it。　　'Yes；　that　seems　a　right　thingquite　a
right　thing。'

He　went　home　and　remained　moodily　indoors　all　the　next　day　and　the
nextfor　nearly　a　week；　in　short。　　Then；　one　evening　at　dusk；　he
went　out　with　an　uncertain　air　as　to　the　direction　of　his　walk；
which　resulted；　however；　in　leading　him　again　to　the　rectory。

He　saw　Mr。　Raunham。　　'Have　you　done　anything　yet？'　the　rector
inquired。

'NoI　have　not；'　said　Manston　absently。　　'But　I　am　going　to　set
about　it。'　　He　hesitated；　as　if　ashamed　of　some　weakness　he　was
about　to　betray。　　'My　object　in　calling　was　to　ask　if　you　had　heard
any　tidings　from　Budmouth　of　myCytherea。　　You　used　to　speak　of　her
as　one　you　were　interested　in。'

There　was；　at　any　rate；　real　sadness　in　Manston's　tone　now；　and　the
rector　paused　to　weigh　his　words　ere　he　replied。

'I　have　not　heard　directly　from　her；'　he　said　gently。　　'But　her
brother　has　communicated　with　some　people　in　the　parish'

'The　Springroves；　I　suppose；'　said　Manston　gloomily。

'Yes；　and　they　tell　me　that　she　is　very　ill；　and　I　am　sorry　to　say；
likely　to　be　for　some　days。'

'Surely；　surely；　I　must　go　and　see　her！'　Manston　cried。

'I　would　advise　you　not　to　go；'　said　Raunham。　　'But　do　this　instead…
…be　as　quick　as　you　can　in　making　a　movement　towards　ascertaining
the　truth　as　regards　the　existence　of　your　wife。　　You　see；　Mr。
Manston；　an　out…step　place　like　this　is　not　like　a　city；　and　there
is　nobody　to　busy　himself　for　the　good　of　the　community；　whilst　poor
Cytherea　and　her　brother　are　socially　too　dependent　to　be　able　to
make　much　stir　in　the　matter；　which　is　a　greater　reason　still　why
you　should　be　disinterestedly　prompt。'

The　steward　murmured　an　assent。　　Still　there　was　the　same
indecision！not　the　indecision　of　weaknessthe　indecision　of
conscious　perplexity。

On　Manston's　return　from　this　interview　at　the　rectory；　he　passed
the　door　of　the　Rising　Sun　Inn。　　Finding　he　had　no　light　for　his
cigar；　and　it　being　three…quarters　of　a　mile　to　his　residence　in　the
park；　he　entered　the　tavern　to　get　one。　　Nobody　was　in　the　outer
portion　of　the　front　room　where　Manston　stood；　but　a　space　round　the
fire　was　screened　off　from　the　remainder；　and　inside　the　high　oak
settle；　forming　a　part　of　the　screen；　he　heard　voices　conversing。
The　speakers　had　not　noticed　his　footsteps；　and　continued　their
discourse。

One　of　the　two　he　recognized　as　a　well…known　night…poacher；　the　man
who　had　met　him　with　tidings　of　his　wife's　death　on　the　evening　of
the　conflagration。　　The
other　seemed　to　be　a　stranger　following　the　same　mode　of　life。　　The
conversation　was　carried　on　in　the　emphatic　and　confidential　tone　of
men　who　are　slightly　intoxicated；　its　subject　being　an　unaccountable
experience　that　one　of　them　had　had　on　the　night　of　the　fire。

What　the　steward　heard　was　enough；　and　more　than　enough；　to　lead　him
to　forget　or　to　renounce　his　motive　in　entering。　　The　effect　upon
him　was　strange　and　strong。　　His　first　object　seemed　to　be　to　escape
from　the　house　again　without　being　seen　or　heard。

Having　accomplished　this；　he　went　in　at　the　park　gate；　and　strode
off　under　the　trees　to　the　Old　House。　　There　sitting　down　by　the
fire；　and　burying　himself　in　reflection；　he　allowed　the　minutes　to
pass　by　unheeded。　　First　the　candle　burnt　down　in　its　socket　and
stunk：　　he　did　not　notice　it。　　Then　the　fire　went　out：　　he　did　not
see　it。　　His　feet　grew　cold；　still　he　thought　on。

It　may　be　remarked　that　a　lady；　a　year　and　a　quarter　before　this
time；　had；　under　the　same　conditionsan　unrestricted　mental
absorptionshown　nearly　the　same　peculiarities　as　this　man　evinced
now。　　The　lady　was　Miss　Aldclyffe。

It　was　half…past　twelve　when　Manston　moved；　as　if　he　had　come　to　a
determination。

The　first　thing　he　did　the　next　morning　was　to　call　at　Knapwater