desperate remedies-第79章

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Manston　grew　very　friendly。

'Postman；　I　don't　know　what　your　custom　is；'　he　said；　after　a　while；
'but　between　you　and　me；　I　always　carry　a　drop　of　something　warm　in
my　pocket　when　I　am　out　on　such　a　morning　as　this。　　Try　it。'　　He
handed　the　bottle　of　brandy。

'If　you'll　excuse　me；　please。　　I　haven't　took　no　stimmilents　these
five　years。'

''Tis　never　too　late　to　mend。'

'Against　the　regulations；　I　be　afraid。'

'Who'll　know　it？'

'That's　truenobody　will　know　it。　　Still；　honesty's　the　best
policy。'

'Ahit　is　certainly。　　But；　thank　God；　I've　been　able　to　get　on
without　it　yet。　　You'll　surely　drink　with　me？'

'Really；　'tis　a'most　too　early　for　that　sort　o'　thinghowever；　to
oblige　a　friend；　I　don't　object　to　the　faintest　shadder　of　a　drop。'
The　postman　drank；　and　Manston　did　the　same　to　a　very　slight　degree。
Five　minutes　later；　when　they　came　to　a　gate；　the　flask　was　pulled
out　again。

'Well　done！'　said　the　postman；　beginning　to　feel　its　effect；　'but
guide　my　soul；　I　be　afraid　'twill　hardly　do！'

'Not　unless　'tis　well　followed；　like　any　other　line　you　take　up；'
said　Manston。　　'Besides；　there's　a　way　of　liking　a　drop　of　liquor；
and　of　being　goodeven　religiousat　the　same　time。'

'Ay；　for　some　thimble…and…button　in…an…out　fellers；　but　I　could
never　get　into　the　knack　o'　it；　not　I。'

'Well；　you　needn't　be　troubled；　it　isn't　necessary　for　the　higher
class　of　mind　to　be　religiousthey　have　so　much　common…sense　that
they　can　risk　playing　with　fire。'

'That　hits　me　exactly。'

'In　fact；　a　man　I　know；　who　always　had　no　other　god　but　〃Me；〃　and
devoutly　loved　his　neighbour's　wife；　says　now　that　believing　is　a
mistake。'

'Well；　to　be　sure！　　However；　believing　in　God　is　a　mistake　made　by
very　few　people；　after　all。'

'A　true　remark。'

'Not　one　Christian　in　our　parish　would　walk　half　a　mile　in　a　rain
like　this　to　know　whether　the　Scripture　had　concluded　him　under　sin
or　grace。'

'Nor　in　mine。'

'Ah；　you　may　depend　upon　it　they'll　do　away　wi'　Goddymity　altogether
afore　long；　although　we've　had　him　over　us　so　many　years。'

'There's　no　knowing。'

'And　I　suppose　the　Queen　'ill　be　done　away　wi'　then。　　A　pretty
concern　that'll　be！　　Nobody's　head　to　put　on　your　letters；　and　then
your　honest　man　who　do　pay　his　penny　will　never　be　known　from　your
scamp　who　don't。　　O；　'tis　a　nation！'

'Warm　the　cockles　of　your　heart；　however。　　Here's　the　bottle
waiting。'

'I'll　oblige　you；　my　friend。'

The　drinking　was　repeated。　　The　postman　grew　livelier　as　he　went　on；
and　at　length　favoured　the　steward　with　a　song；　Manston　himself
joining　in　the　chorus。

　　　　　'He　flung　his　mallet　against　the　wall；
　　　　　　Said；　〃The　Lord　make　churches　and　chapels　to　fall；
　　　　　　And　there'll　be　work　for　tradesmen　all！〃
　　　　　　　　　　When　Joan's　ale　was　new；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　My　boys；
　　　　　　　　　　When　Joan's　ale　was　new。'

'You　understand；　friend；'　the　postman　added；　'I　was　originally　a
mason　by　trade：　　no　offence　to　you　if　you　be　a　parson？'

'None　at　all；'　said　Manston。

The　rain　now　came　down　heavily；　but　they　pursued　their　path　with
alacrity；　the　produce　of　the　several　fields　between　which　the　lane
wound　its　way　being　indicated　by　the　peculiar　character　of　the　sound
emitted　by　the　falling　drops。　　Sometimes　a　soaking　hiss　proclaimed
that　they　were　passing　by　a　pasture；　then　a　patter　would　show　that
the　rain　fell　upon　some　large…leafed　root　crop；　then　a　paddling
plash　announced　the　naked　arable；　the　low　sound　of　the　wind　in　their
ears　rising　and　falling　with　each　pace　they　took。

Besides　the　small　private　bags　of　the　county　families；　which　were
all　locked；　the　postman　bore　the　large　general　budget　for　the
remaining　inhabitants　along　his　beat。　　At　each　village　or　hamlet
they　came　to；　the　postman　searched　for　the　packet　of　letters
destined　for　that　place；　and　thrust　it　into　an　ordinary　letter…hole
cut　in　the　door　of　the　receiver's　cottagethe　village　post…offices
being　mostly　kept　by　old　women　who　had　not　yet　risen；　though　lights
moving　in　other　cottage　windows　showed　that　such　people　as　carters；
woodmen；　and　stablemen　had　long　been　stirring。

The　postman　had　by　this　time　become　markedly　unsteady；　but　he　still
continued　to　be　too　conscious　of　his　duties　to　suffer　the　steward　to
search　the　bag。　　Manston　was　perplexed；　and　at　lonely　points　in　the
road　cast　his　eyes　keenly　upon　the　short　bowed　figure　of　the　man
trotting　through　the　mud　by　his　side；　as　if　he　were　half　inclined　to
run　a　very　great　risk　indeed。

It　frequently　happened　that　the　houses　of　farmers；　clergymen；　etc。；
lay　a　short　distance　up　or　down　a　lane　or　path　branching　from　the
direct　track　of　the　postman's　journey。　　To　save　time　and　distance；
at　the　point　of　junction　of　some　of　these　paths　with　the　main　road；
the　gate…post　was　hollowed　out　to　form　a　letter…box；　in　which　the
postman　deposited　his　missives　in　the　morning；　looking　in　the　box
again　in　the　evening　to　collect　those　placed　there　for　the　return
post。　　Tolchurch　Vicarage　and　Farmstead；　lying　back　from　the　village
street；　were　served　on　this　principle。　　This　fact　the　steward　now
learnt　by　conversing　with　the　postman；　and　the　discovery　relieved
Manston　greatly；　making　his　intentions　much　clearer　to　himself　than
they　had　been　in　the　earlier　stages　of　his　journey。

They　had　reached　the　outskirts　of　the　village。　　Manston　insisted
upon　the　flask　being　emptied　before　they　proceeded　further。　　This
was　done；　and　they　approached　the　church；　the　vicarage；　and　the
farmhouse　in　which　Owen　and　Cytherea　were　living。

The　postman　paused；　fumbled　in　his　bag；　took　out　by　the　light　of　his
lantern　some　half…dozen　letters；　and　tried　to　sort　them。　　He　could
not　perform　the　task。

'We　be　crippled　disciples　a　b'lieve；'　he　said；　with　a　sigh　and　a
stagger。

'Not　drunk；　but　market…merry；'　said　Manston　cheerfully。

'Well　done！　　If　I　baint　so　weak　that　I　can't　see　the　cloudsmuch
less　letters。　　Guide　my　soul；　if　so　be　anybody　should　tell　the
Queen's　postmaster…general　of　me！　　The　whole　story　will　have　to　go
through　Parliament　House；　and　I　shall　be　high…treasonedas　safe　as
housesand　be　fined；　and　who'll　pay　for　a　poor　martel！　　O；　'tis　a
world！'

'Trust　in　the　Lordhe'll　pay。'

'He　pay　a　b'lieve！　why　should　he　when　he　didn't　drink　the　drink？　　He
pay　a　b'lieve！　　D'ye　think　the　man's　a　fool？'

'Well；　well；　I　had　no　intention　of　hurting　your　feelingsbut　how
was　I　to　know　you　were　so　sensitive？'

'Trueyou　were　not　to　know　I　was　so　sensitive。　　Here's　a　caddle　wi'
these　letters！　　Guide　my　soul；　what　will　Billy　do！'

Manston　offered　his　services。

'They　are　to　be　divided；'　the　man　said。

'How？'　said　Manston。

'These；　for　the　village；　to　be　carried　on　into　it：　　any　for　the
vicarage　or　vicarage　farm　must　be　left　in　the　box　of　the　gate…post
just　here。　　There's　none　for　the　vicarage…house　this　mornen；　but　I
saw　when　I　started　there　was　one　for　the　clerk　o'　works　at　the　new
church。　　This　is　it；　isn't　it？'

He　held　up　a　large　envelope；　directed　in　Edward　Springrove's
handwriting：

　　　　　'MR。　O。　GRAYE；
　　　　　　　　　　CLERK　OF　WORKS；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TOLCHURCH；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　NEAR　ANGLEBURY。'

The　letter…box　was　scooped　in　an　oak　gate…post　about　a　foot　square。
There　was　no　slit　for　inserting　the　letters；　by　reason　of　the
opportunity　such　a　lonely　spot　would　have　afforded　mischievous
peasant…boys　of　doing　damage　had　such　been　the　case；　but　at　the　side
was　a　small　iron　door；　kept　close　by　an　iron　reversible　strap　locked
across　it。　　One　side　of　this　strap　was　painted　black；　the　other
white；　and　white　or　black　outwards　implied　respectively　that　there
were　letters　inside；　or　none。

The　postman　had　taken　the　key　from　his　pocket　and　was　attempting　to
insert　it　in　the　keyhole　of　the　box。　　He　touched　one　side；　the
other；　above；　below；　but　never　made　a　straight　hit。

'Let　me　unlock　it；'　said　Manston；　taking　the　key　from　the　postman。
He　opened　the　box　and　reached　out　with　his　other　hand　for　Owen's
letter。

'No；　no。　　O　nono；'　the　postman　said。　　'As　one　ofMajesty's
servantscareMajesty's　mailsdutyput　lettersown　hands。'　　He
slowly　and　solemnly　placed　the　letter　in　the　small　cavity。

'Now　lock　it；'　he　said；　closing　the　door。

The　steward　placed　t