desperate remedies-第76章

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in　the　life　of　the　steward。　　Manston　said　no　more；　but；　taking　his
newspaper；　followed　Owen　from　the　office；　and　disappeared　in　the
gloom　of　the　street。

Edward　Springrove　was　now　in　London　again；　and　on　this　same　evening；
before　leaving　Casterbridge；　Owen　wrote　a　careful　letter　to　him；
stating　therein　all　the　facts　that　had　come　to　his　knowledge；　and
begging　him；　as　he　valued　Cytherea；　to　make　cautious　inquiries。　　A
tall　man　was　standing　under　the　lamp…post；　about　half…a…dozen　yards
above　the　post…office；　when　he　dropped　the　letter　into　the　box。

That　same　night；　too；　for　a　reason　connected　with　the　rencounter
with　Owen　Graye；　the　steward　entertained　the　idea　of　rushing　off
suddenly　to　London　by　the　mail…train；　which　left　Casterbridge　at　ten
o'clock。　　But　remembering　that　letters　posted　after　the　hour　at
which　Owen　had　obtained　his　informationwhatever　that　wascould
not　be　delivered　in　London　till　Monday　morning；　he　changed　his　mind
and　went　home　to　Knapwater。　　Making　a　confidential　explanation　to
his　wife；　arrangements　were　set　on　foot　for　his　departure　by　the
mail　on　Sunday　night。

3。　　MARCH　THE　ELEVENTH

Starting　for　church　the　next　morning　several　minutes　earlier　than
was　usual　with　him；　the　steward　intentionally　loitered　along　the
road　from　the　village　till　old　Mr。　Springrove　overtook　him。　　Manston
spoke　very　civilly　of　the　morning；　and　of　the　weather；　asking　how
the　farmer's　barometer　stood；　and　when　it　was　probable　that　the　wind
might　change。　　It　was　not　in　Mr。　Springrove's　naturegoing　to
church　as　he　was；　tooto　return　anything　but　a　civil　answer　to　such
civil　questions；　however　his　feelings　might　have　been　biassed　by
late　events。　　The　conversation　was　continued　on　terms　of　greater
friendliness。

'You　must　be　feeling　settled　again　by　this　time；　Mr。　Springrove；
after　the　rough　turn…out　you　had　on　that　terrible　night　in
November。'

'Ay；　but　I　don't　know　about　feeling　settled；　either；　Mr。　Manston。
The　old　window　in　the　chimney…corner　of　the　old　house　I　shall　never
forget。　　No　window　in　the　chimney…corner　where　I　am　now；　and　I　had
been　used　to　it　for　more　than　fifty　years。　　Ted　says　'tis　a　great
loss　to　me；　and　he　knows　exactly　what　I　feel。'

'Your　son　is　again　in　a　good　situation；　I　believe？'　said　Manston；
imitating　that　inquisitiveness　into　the　private　affairs　of　the
natives　which　passes　for　high　breeding　in　country　villages。

'Yes；　sir。　　I　hope　he'll　keep　it；　or　do　something　else　and　stick　to
it。'

''Tis　to　be　hoped　he'll　be　steady　now。'

'He's　always　been　that；　I　assure　'ee；'　said　the　old　man　tartly。

'YesyesI　mean　intellectually　steady。　　Intellectual　wild　oats
will　thrive　in　a　soil　of　the　strictest　morality。'

'Intellectual　gingerbread！　　Ted's　steady　enoughthat's　all　I　know
about　it。'

'Of　courseof　course。　　Has　he　respectable　lodgings？　　My　own
experience　has　shown　me　that　that's　a　great　thing　to　a　young　man
living　alone　in　London。'

'Warwick　Street；　Charing　Crossthat's　where　he　is。'

'Well；　to　be　surestrange！　　A　very　dear　friend　of　mine　used　to　live
at　number　fifty…two　in　that　very　same　street。'

'Edward　lives　at　number　forty…ninehow　very　near　being　the　same
house！'　said　the　old　farmer；　pleased　in　spite　of　himself。

'Very；'　said　Manston。　　'Well；　I　suppose　we　had　better　step　along　a
little　quicker；　Mr。　Springrove；　the　parson's　bell　has　just　begun。'

'Number　forty…nine；'　he　murmured。

4。　　MARCH　THE　TWELFTH

Edward　received　Owen's　letter　in　due　time；　but　on　account　of　his
daily　engagements　he　could　not　attend　to　any　request　till　the　clock
had　struck　five　in　the　afternoon。　　Rushing　then　from　his　office　in
Westminster；　he　called　a　hansom　and　proceeded　to　Hoxton。　　A　few
minutes　later　he　knocked　at　the　door　of　number　forty…one；　Charles
Square；　the　old　lodging　of　Mrs。　Manston。

A　tall　man　who　would　have　looked　extremely　handsome　had　he　not　been
clumsily　and　closely　wrapped　up　in　garments　that　were　much　too
elderly　in　style　for　his　years；　stood　at　the　corner　of　the　quiet
square　at　the　same　instant；　having；　too；　alighted　from　a　cab；　that
had　been　driven　along　Old　Street　in　Edward's　rear。　　He　smiled
confidently　when　Springrove　knocked。

Nobody　came　to　the　door。　　Springrove　knocked　again。

This　brought　out　two　peopleone　at　the　door　he　had　been　knocking
upon；　the　other　from　the　next　on　the　right。

'Is　Mr。　Brown　at　home？'　said　Springrove。

'No；　sir。'

'When　will　he　be　in？'

'Quite　uncertain。'

'Can　you　tell　me　where　I　may　find　him？'

'No。　O；　here　he　is　coming；　sir。　　That's　Mr。　Brown。'

Edward　looked　down　the　pavement　in　the　direction　pointed　out　by　the
woman；　and　saw　a　man　approaching。　　He　proceeded　a　few　steps　to　meet
him。

Edward　was　impatient；　and　to　a　certain　extent　still　a　countryman；
who　had　not；　after　the　manner　of　city　men；　subdued　the　natural
impulse　to　speak　out　the　ruling　thought　without　preface。　　He　said　in
a　quiet　tone　to　the　stranger；　'One　word　with　youdo　you　remember　a
lady　lodger　of　yours　of　the　name　of　Mrs。　Manston？'

Mr。　Brown　half　closed　his　eyes　at　Springrove；　somewhat　as　if　he　were
looking　into　a　telescope　at　the　wrong　end。

'I　have　never　let　lodgings　in　my　life；'　he　said；　after　his　survey。

'Didn't　you　attend　an　inquest　a　year　and　a　half　ago；　at　Carriford？'

'Never　knew　there　was　such　a　place　in　the　world；　sir；　and　as　to
lodgings；　I　have　taken　acres　first　and　last　during　the　last　thirty
years；　but　I　have　never　let　an　inch。'

'I　suppose　there　is　some　mistake；'　Edward　murmured；　and　turned　away。
He　and　Mr。　Brown　were　now　opposite　the　door　next　to　the　one　he　had
knocked　at。　　The　woman　who　was　still　standing　there　had　heard　the
inquiry　and　the　result　of　it。

'I　expect　it　is　the　other　Mr。　Brown；　who　used　to　live　there；　that
you　want；　sir；'　she　said。　　'The　Mr。　Brown　that　was　inquired　for　the
other　day？'

'Very　likely　that　is　the　man；'　said　Edward；　his　interest
reawakening。

'He　couldn't　make　a　do　of　lodging…letting　here；　and　at　last　he　went
to　Cornwall；　where　he　came　from；　and　where　his　brother　still　lived；
who　had　often　asked　him　to　come　home　again。　　But　there　was　little
luck　in　the　change；　for　after　London　they　say　he　couldn't　stand　the
rainy　west　winds　they　get　there；　and　he　died　in　the　December
following。　　Will　you　step　into　the　passage？'

'That's　unfortunate；'　said　Edward；　going　in。　　'But　perhaps　you
remember　a　Mrs。　Manston　living　next　door　to　you？'

'O　yes；'　said　the　landlady；　closing　the　door。　　'The　lady　who　was
supposed　to　have　met　with　such　a　horrible　fate；　and　was　alive　all
the　time。　　I　saw　her　the　other　day。'

'Since　the　fire　at　Carriford？'

'Yes。　　Her　husband　came　to　ask　if　Mr。　Brown　was　still　living　here
just　as　you　might。　　He　seemed　anxious　about　it；　and　then　one
evening；　a　week　or　fortnight　afterwards；　when　he　came　again　to　make
further　inquiries；　she　was　with　him。　　But　I　did　not　speak　to　her
she　stood　back；　as　if　she　were　shy。　　I　was　interested；　however；　for
old　Mr。　Brown　had　told　me　all　about　her　when　he　came　back　from　the
inquest。'

'Did　you　know　Mrs。　Manston　before　she　called　the　other　day？'

'No。　　You　see　she　was　only　Mr。　Brown's　lodger　for　two　or　three
weeks；　and　I　didn't　know　she　was　living　there　till　she　was　near　upon
leaving　againwe　don't　notice　next…door　people　much　here　in　London。
I　much　regretted　I　had　not　known　her　when　I　heard　what　had　happened。
It　led　me　and　Mr。　Brown　to　talk　about　her　a　great　deal　afterwards。
I　little　thought　I　should　see　her　alive　after　all。'

'And　when　do　you　say　they　came　here　together？'

'I　don't　exactly　remember　the　daythough　I　remember　a　very
beautiful　dream　I　had　that　same　nightah；　I　shall　never　forget　it！
Shoals　of　lodgers　coming　along　the　square　with　angels'　wings　and
bright　golden　sovereigns　in　their　hands　wanting　apartments　at　West
End　prices。　　They　would　not　give　any　less；　no；　not　if　you'

'Yes。　　Did　Mrs。　Manston　leave　anything；　such　as　papers；　when　she
left　these　lodgings　originally？'　said　Edward；　though　his　heart　sank
as　he　asked。　　He　felt　that　he　was　outwitted。　　Manston　and　his　wife
had　been　there　before　him；　clearing　the　ground　of　all　traces。

'I　have　always　said　〃No〃　hitherto；'　replied　the　woman；　'considering
I　could　say　no　more　if　put　upon　my　oath；　as　I　expected　to　be。　　But