desperate remedies-第73章

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me；　though　under　themateriallyuntoward　conditions　I　have
mentioned；　would　make　us　happy；　it　would　give　her　a　locus　standi。
If　she　wished　to　be　out　of　the　sound　of　her　misfortunes　we　would　go
to　another　part　of　Englandemigratedo　anything。'

'I'll　call　Cytherea；'　said　Owen。　　'It　is　a　matter　which　she　alone
can　settle。'　　He　did　not　speak　warmly。　　His　pride　could　not　endure
the　pity　which　Edward's　visit　and　errand　tacitly　implied。　　Yet；　in
the　other　affair；　his　heart　went　with　Edward；　he　was　on　the　same
beat　for　paying　off　old　debts　himself。

'Cythie；　Mr。　Springrove　is　here；'　he　said；　at　the　foot　of　the
staircase。

His　sister　descended　the　creaking　old　steps　with　a　faltering　tread；
and　stood　in　the　firelight　from　the　hearth。　　She　extended　her　hand
to　Springrove；　welcoming　him　by　a　mere　motion　of　the　lip；　her　eyes
averteda　habit　which　had　engendered　itself　in　her　since　the
beginning　of　her　illness　and　defamation。　　Owen　opened　the　door　and
went　outleaving　the　lovers　alone。　　It　was　the　first　time　they　had
met　since　the　memorable　night　at　Southampton。

'I　will　get　a　light；'　she　said；　with　a　little　embarrassment。

'Nodon't；　please；　Cytherea；'　said　Edward　softly；　'Come　and　sit
down　with　me。'

'O　yes。　　I　ought　to　have　asked　YOU　to；'　she　returned　timidly。
'Everybody　sits　in　the　chimney…corner　in　this　parish。　　You　sit　on
that　side。　　I'll　sit　here。'

Two　recessesone　on　the　right；　one　on　the　left　handwere　cut　in
the　inside　of　the　fireplace；　and　here　they　sat　down　facing　each
other；　on　benches　fitted　to　the　recesses；　the　fire　glowing　on　the
hearth　between　their　feet。　　Its　ruddy　light　shone　on　the　underslopes
of　their　faces；　and　spread　out　over　the　floor　of　the　room　with　the
low　horizontality　of　the　setting　sun；　giving　to　every　grain　of　sand
and　tumour　in　the　paving　a　long　shadow　towards　the　door。

Edward　looked　at　his　pale　love　through　the　thin　azure　twines　of
smoke　that　went　up　like　ringlets　between　them；　and　invested　her；　as
seen　through　its　medium；　with　the　shadowy　appearance　of　a　phantom。
Nothing　is　so　potent　for　coaxing　back　the　lost　eyes　of　a　woman　as　a
discreet　silence　in　the　man　who　has　so　lost　themand　thus　the
patient　Edward　coaxed　hers。　　After　lingering　on　the　hearth　for　half
a　minute；　waiting　in　vain　for　another　word　from　him；　they　were
lifted　into　his　face。

He　was　ready　primed　to　receive　them。　　'Cytherea；　will　you　marry　me？'
he　said。

He　could　not　wait　in　his　original　position　till　the　answer　came。
Stepping　across　the　front　of　the　fire　to　her　own　side　of　the　chimney
corner；　he　reclined　at　her　feet；　and　searched　for　her　hand。　　She
continued　in　silence　awhile。

'Edward；　I　can　never　be　anybody's　wife；'　she　then　said　sadly；　and
with　firmness。

'Think　of　it　in　every　light；'　he　pleaded；　'the　light　of　love；　first。
Then；　when　you　have　done　that；　see　how　wise　a　step　it　would　be。　　I
can　only　offer　you　poverty　as　yet；　but　I　wantI　do　so　long　to
secure　you　from　the　intrusion　of　that　unpleasant　past；　which　will
often　and　always　be　thrust　before　you　as　long　as　you　live　the
shrinking　solitary　life　you　do　nowa　life　which　purity　chooses；　it
may　be；　but　to　the　outside　world　it　appears　like　the　enforced
loneliness　of　neglect　and　scornand　tongues　are　busy　inventing　a
reason　for　it　which　does　not　exist。'

'I　know　all　about　it；'　she　said　hastily；　'and　those　are　the　grounds
of　my　refusal。　　You　and　Owen　know　the　whole　truththe　two　I　love
best　on　earthand　I　am　content。　　But　the　scandal　will　be
continually　repeated；　and　I　can　never　give　any　one　the　opportunity
of　saying　to　youthatyour　wife　。　。　。　。'　　She　utterly　broke　down
and　wept。

'Don't；　my　own　darling！'　he　entreated。　　'Don't；　Cytherea！'

'Please　to　leave　mewe　will　be　friends；　Edwardbut　don't　press　me…
…my　mind　is　made　upI　cannotI　will　not　marry　you　or　any　man　under
the　present　ambiguous　circumstancesnever　will　II　have　said　it：
never！'

They　were　both　silent。　　He　listlessly　regarded　the　illuminated
blackness　overhead；　where　long　flakes　of　soot　floated　from　the　sides
and　bars　of　the　chimney…throat　like　tattered　banners　in　ancient
aisles；　whilst　through　the　square　opening　in　the　midst　one　or　two
bright　stars　looked　down　upon　them　from　the　grey　March　sky。　　The
sight　seemed　to　cheer　him。

'At　any　rate　you　will　love　me？'　he　murmured　to　her。

'Yesalwaysfor　ever　and　for　ever！'

He　kissed　her　once；　twice；　three　times；　and　arose　to　his　feet；
slowly　withdrawing　himself　from　her　side　towards　the　door。　　Cytherea
remained　with　her　gaze　fixed　on　the　fire。　　Edward　went　out　grieving；
but　hope　was　not　extinguished　even　now。

He　smelt　the　fragrance　of　a　cigar；　and　immediately　afterwards　saw　a
small　red　star　of　fire　against　the　darkness　of　the　hedge。　　Graye　was
pacing　up　and　down　the　lane；　smoking　as　he　walked。　　Springrove　told
him　the　result　of　the　interview。

'You　are　a　good　fellow；　Edward；'　he　said；　'but　I　think　my　sister　is
right。'

'I　wish　you　would　believe　Manston　a　villain；　as　I　do；'　said
Springrove。

'It　would　be　absurd　of　me　to　say　that　I　like　him　nowfamily　feeling
prevents　it；　but　I　cannot　in　honesty　say　deliberately　that　he　is　a
bad　man。'

Edward　could　keep　the　secret　of　Manston's　coercion　of　Miss　Aldclyffe
in　the　matter　of　the　houses　a　secret　no　longer。　　He　told　Owen　the
whole　story。

'That's　one　thing；'　he　continued；　'but　not　all。　　What　do　you　think
of　thisI　have　discovered　that　he　went　to　Budmouth　post…office　for
a　letter　the　day　before　the　first　advertisement　for　his　wife
appeared　in　the　papers。　　One　was　there　for　him；　and　it　was　directed
in　his　wife's　handwriting；　as　I　can　prove。　　This　was　not　till　after
the　marriage　with　Cytherea；　it　is　true；　but　if　（as　it　seems　to　show）
the　advertising　was　a　farce；　there　is　a　strong　presumption　that　the
rest　of　the　piece　was。'

Owen　was　too　astounded　to　speak。　　He　dropped　his　cigar；　and　fixed
his　eyes　upon　his　companion。

'Collusion！'

'Yes。'

'With　his　first　wife？'

'Yeswith　his　wife。　　I　am　firmly　persuaded　of　it。'

'What　did　you　discover？'

'That　he　fetched　from　the　post…office　at　Budmouth　a　letter　from　her
the　day　BEFORE　the　first　advertisement　appeared。'

Graye　was　lost　in　a　long　consideration。　　'Ah！'　he　said；　'it　would　be
difficult　to　prove　anything　of　that　sort　now。　　The　writing　could　not
be　sworn　to；　and　if　he　is　guilty　the　letter　is　destroyed。'

'I　have　other　suspicions'

'Yesas　you　said'　interrupted　Owen；　who　had　not　till　now　been　able
to　form　the　complicated　set　of　ideas　necessary　for　picturing　the
position。　　'Yes；　there　is　this　to　be　rememberedCytherea　had　been
taken　from　him　before　that　letter　cameand　his　knowledge　of　his
wife's　existence　could　not　have　originated　till　after　the　wedding。
I　could　have　sworn　he　believed　her　dead　then。　　His　manner　was
unmistakable。'

'Well；　I　have　other　suspicions；'　repeated　Edward；　'and　if　I　only　had
the　rightif　I　were　her　husband　or　brother；　he　should　be　convicted
of　bigamy　yet。'

'The　reproof　was　not　needed；'　said　Owen；　with　a　little　bitterness。
'What　can　I　doa　man　with　neither　money　nor　friendswhilst　Manston
has　Miss　Aldclyffe　and　all　her　fortune　to　back　him　up？　　God　only
knows　what　lies　between　the　mistress　and　her　steward；　but　since　this
has　transpiredif　it　is　trueI　can　believe　the　connection　to　be
even　an　unworthy　onea　thing　I　certainly　never　so　much　as　owned　to
myself　before。'

3。　　THE　FIFTH　OF　MARCH

Edward's　disclosure　had　the　effect　of　directing　Owen　Graye's
thoughts　into　an　entirely　new　and　uncommon　channel。

On　the　Monday　after　Springrove's　visit；　Owen　had　walked　to　the　top
of　a　hill　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Tolchurcha　wild　hill　that　had　no
name；　beside　a　barren　down　where　it　never　looked　like　summer。　　In
the　intensity　of　his　meditations　on　the　ever…present　subject；　he　sat
down　on　a　weather…beaten　boundary…stone　gazing　towards　the　distant
valleysseeing　only　Manston's　imagined　form。

Had　his　defenceless　sister　been　trifled　with？　that　was　the　question
which　affected　him。　　Her　refusal　of　Edward　as　a　husband　was；　he
knew；　dictated　solely　by　a　humiliated　sense　of　inadequacy　to　him　in
repute；　and　had　not　been　formed　till　since　the　slanderous　tale
accounting　for　her　seclusion　had　been　circulated。　　Was　it　not　true；
as　Edward　had　hinted；　that　he；　her