desperate remedies-第80章

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slowly　and　solemnly　placed　the　letter　in　the　small　cavity。

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

The　steward　placed　the　bar　across；　with　the　black　side　outwards；
signifying　'empty；'　and　turned　the　key。

'You've　put　the　wrong　side　outwards！'　said　the　postman。　　''Tisn't
empty。'

'And　dropped　the　key　in　the　mud；　so　that　I　can't　alter　it；'　said　the
steward；　letting　something　fall。

'What　an　awkward　thing！'

'It　is　an　awkward　thing。'

They　both　went　searching　in　the　mud；　which　their　own　trampling　had
reduced　to　the　consistency　of　pap；　the　postman　unstrapping　his
little　lantern　from　his　breast；　and　thrusting　it　about；　close　to　the
ground；　the　rain　still　drizzling　down；　and　the　dawn　so　tardy　on
account　of　the　heavy　clouds　that　daylight　seemed　delayed
indefinitely。　　The　rays　of　the　lantern　were　rendered　individually
visible　upon　the　thick　mist；　and　seemed　almost　tangible　as　they
passed　off　into　it；　after　illuminating　the　faces　and　knees　of　the
two　stooping　figures　dripping　with　wet；　the　postman's　cape　and
private　bags；　and　the　steward's　valise；　glistening　as　if　they　had
been　varnished。

'It　fell　on　the　grass；'　said　the　postman。

'No；　it　fell　in　the　mud；'　said　Manston。　　They　searched　again。

'I'm　afraid　we　shan't　find　it　by　this　light；'　said　the　steward　at
length；　washing　his　muddy　fingers　in　the　wet　grass　of　the　bank。

'I'm　afraid　we　shan't；'　said　the　other；　standing　up。

'I'll　tell　you　what　we　had　better　do；'　said　Manston。　　'I　shall　be
back　this　way　in　an　hour　or　so；　and　since　it　was　all　my　fault；　I'll
look　again；　and　shall　be　sure　to　find　it　in　the　daylight。　　And　I'll
hide　the　key　here　for　you。'　　He　pointed　to　a　spot　behind　the　post。
'It　will　be　too　late　to　turn　the　index　then；　as　the　people　will　have
been　here；　so　that　the　box　had　better　stay　as　it　is。　　The　letter
will　only　be　delayed　a　day；　and　that　will　not　be　noticed；　if　it　is；
you　can　say　you　placed　the　iron　the　wrong　way　without　knowing　it；
and　all　will　be　well。'

This　was　agreed　to　by　the　postman　as　the　best　thing　to　be　done　under
the　circumstances；　and　the　pair　went　on。　　They　had　passed　the
village　and　come　to　a　crossroad；　when　the　steward；　telling　his
companion　that　their　paths　now　diverged；　turned　off　to　the　left
towards　Carriford。

No　sooner　was　the　postman　out　of　sight　and　hearing　than　Manston
stalked　back　to　the　vicarage　letter…box　by　keeping　inside　a　fence；
and　thus　avoiding　the　village；　arrived　here；　he　took　the　key　from
his　pocket；　where　it　had　been　concealed　all　the　time；　and　abstracted
Owen's　letter。　　This　done；　he　turned　towards　home；　by　the　help　of
what　he　carried　in　his　valise　adjusting　himself　to　his　ordinary
appearance　as　he　neared　the　quarter　in　which　he　was　known。

An　hour　and　half's　sharp　walking　brought　him　to　his　own　door　in
Knapwater　Park。

2。　　EIGHT　O'CLOCK　A。M。

Seated　in　his　private　office　he　wetted　the　flap　of　the　stolen
letter；　and　waited　patiently　till　the　adhesive　gum　could　be
loosened。　　He　took　out　Edward's　note；　the　accounts；　the　rosebud；　and
the　photographs；　regarding　them　with　the　keenest　interest　and
anxiety。

The　note；　the　accounts；　the　rosebud；　and　his　own　photograph；　he
restored　to　their　places　again。　　The　other　photograph　he　took
between　his　finger　and　thumb；　and　held　it　towards　the　bars　of　the
grate。　　There　he　held　it　for　half…a…minute　or　more；　meditating。

'It　is　a　great　risk　to　run；　even　for　such　an　end；'　he　muttered。

Suddenly；　impregnated　with　a　bright　idea；　he　jumped　up　and　left　the
office　for　the　front　parlour。　　Taking　up　an　album　of　portraits；
which　lay　on　the　table；　he　searched　for　three　or　four　likenesses　of
the　lady　who　had　so　lately　displaced　Cytherea；　which　were
interspersed　among　the　rest　of　the　collection；　and　carefully
regarded　them。　　They　were　taken　in　different　attitudes　and　styles；
and　he　compared　each　singly　with　that　he　held　in　his　hand。　　One　of
them；　the　one　most　resembling　that　abstracted　from　the　letter　in
general　tone；　size；　and　attitude；　he　selected　from　the　rest；　and
returned　with　it　to　his　office。

Pouring　some　water　into　a　plate；　he　set　the　two　portraits　afloat
upon　it；　and　sitting　down　tried　to　read。

At　the　end　of　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　after　several　ineffectual
attempts；　he　found　that　each　photograph　would　peel　from　the　card　on
which　it　was　mounted。　　This　done；　he　threw　into　the　fire　the
original　likeness　and　the　recent　card；　stuck　upon　the　original　card
the　recent　likeness　from　the　album；　dried　it　before　the　fire；　and
placed　it　in　the　envelope　with　the　other　scraps。

The　result　he　had　obtained；　then；　was　this：　　in　the　envelope　were
now　two　photographs；　both　having　the　same　photographer's　name　on　the
back　and　consecutive　numbers　attached。　　At　the　bottom　of　the　one
which　showed　his　own　likeness；　his　own　name　was　written　down；　on　the
other　his　wife's　name　was　written；　whilst　the　central　feature；　and
whole　matter　to　which　this　latter　card　and　writing　referred；　the
likeness　of　a　lady　mounted　upon　it；　had　been　changed。

Mrs。　Manston　entered　the　room；　and　begged　him　to　come　to　breakfast。
He　followed　her　and　they　sat　down。　　During　the　meal　he　told　her　what
he　had　done；　with　scrupulous　regard　to　every　detail；　and　showed　her
the　result。

'It　is　indeed　a　great　risk　to　run；'　she　said；　sipping　her　tea。

'But　it　would　be　a　greater　not　to　do　it。'

'Yes。'

The　envelope　was　again　fastened　up　as　before；　and　Manston　put　it　in
his　pocket　and　went　out。　　Shortly　afterwards　he　was　seen；　on
horseback；　riding　in　a　direction　towards　Tolchurch。　　Keeping　to　the
fields；　as　well　as　he　could；　for　the　greater　part　of　the　way；　he
dropped　into　the　road　by　the　vicarage　letter…box；　and　looking
carefully　about；　to　ascertain　that　no　person　was　near；　he　restored
the　letter　to　its　nook；　placed　the　key　in　its　hiding…place；　as　he
had　promised　the　postman；　and　again　rode　homewards　by　a　roundabout
way；

3。　　AFTERNOON

The　letter　was　brought　to　Owen　Graye；　the　same　afternoon；　by　one　of
the　vicar's　servants　who　had　been　to　the　box　with　a　duplicate　key；
as　usual；　to　leave　letters　for　the　evening　post。　　The　man　found　that
the　index　had　told　falsely　that　morning　for　the　first　time　within
his　recollection；　but　no　particular　attention　was　paid　to　the
mistake；　as　it　was　considered。　　The　contents　of　the　envelope　were
scrutinized　by　Owen　and　flung　aside　as　useless。

The　next　morning　brought　Springrove's　second　letter；　the　existence
of　which　was　unknown　to　Manston。　　The　sight　of　Edward's　handwriting
again　raised　the　expectations　of　brother　and　sister；　till　Owen　had
opened　the　envelope　and　pulled　out　the　twig　and　verse。

'Nothing　that's　of　the　slightest　use；　after　all；'　he　said　to　her；
'we　are　as　far　as　ever　from　the　merest　shadow　of　legal　proof　that
would　convict　him　of　what　I　am　morally　certain　he　did；　marry　you；
suspecting；　if　not　knowing；　her　to　be　alive　all　the　time。'

'What　has　Edward　sent？'　said　Cytherea。

'An　old　amatory　verse　in　Manston's　writing。　　Fancy；'　he　said
bitterly；　'this　is　the　strain　he　addressed　her　in　when　they　were
courtingas　he　did　you；　I　suppose。'

He　handed　her　the　verse　and　she　read

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'EUNICE。

　　　　　'Whoso　for　hours　or　lengthy　days
　　　　　　Shall　catch　her　aspect's　changeful　rays；
　　　　　　Then　turn　away；　can　none　recall
　　　　　　Beyond　a　galaxy　of　all
　　　　　　　　　　In　hazy　portraiture；
　　　　　　Lit　by　the　light　of　azure　eyes
　　　　　　Like　summer　days　by　summer　skies：
　　　　　　Her　sweet　transitions　seem　to　be
　　　　　　A　kind　of　pictured　melody；
　　　　　　　　　　And　not　a　set　contour。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'AE。　M。'

A　strange　expression　had　overspread　Cytherea's　countenance。　　It
rapidly　increased　to　the　most　death…like　anguish。　　She　flung　down
the　paper；　seized　Owen's　hand　tremblingly；　and　covered　her　face。

'Cytherea！　　What　is　it；　for　Heaven's　sake？'

'OwensupposeO；　you　don't　know　what　I　think。'

'What？'

'〃THE　LIGHT　OF　AZURE　EYES；〃'　she　repeated　with　ashy　lips。

'Well；　〃the　light　of　azure　eyes〃？'　he　said；　astounded　at　her　manner。

'Mrs。　Morris　said　in　her　letter　to　me　that　her　eyes　are　BLACK！'

'H'm。　　Mrs。　Morris　must　have　made　a　mistakenothing　likelier。'

'She　didn't。'

'They　might　be　either　in　this　photograph；'　said　Owen；　looking　at　the
card　bearin