desperate remedies-第81章

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'She　didn't。'

'They　might　be　either　in　this　photograph；'　said　Owen；　looking　at　the
card　bearing　Mrs。　Manston's　name。

'Blue　eyes　would　scarcely　photograph　so　deep　in　tone　as　that；'　said
Cytherea。　　'No；　they　seem　black　here；　certainly。'

'Well；　then；　Manston　must　have　blundered　in　writing　his　verses。'

'But　could　he？　　Say　a　man　in　love　may　forget　his　own　name；　but　not
that　he　forgets　the　colour　of　his　mistress's　eyes。　　Besides　she
would　have　seen　the　mistake　when　she　read　them；　and　have　had　it
corrected。'

'That's　true；　she　would；'　mused　Owen。　　'Then；　Cytherea；　it　comes　to
thisyou　must　have　been　misinformed　by　Mrs。　Morris；　since　there　is
no　other　alternative。'

'I　suppose　I　must。'

Her　looks　belied　her　words。

'What　makes　you　so　strangeill？'　said　Owen　again。

'I　can't　believe　Mrs。　Morris　wrong。'

'But　look　at　this；　Cytherea。　　If　it　is　clear　to　us　that　the　woman
had　blue　eyes　two　years　ago；　she　MUST　have　blue　eyes　now；　whatever
Mrs。　Morris　or　anybody　else　may　fancy。　　Any　one　would　think　that
Manston　could　change　the　colour　of　a　woman's　eyes　to　hear　you。'

'Yes；'　she　said；　and　paused。

'You　say　yes；　as　if　he　could；'　said　Owen　impatiently。

'By　changing　the　woman　herself；'　she　exclaimed。　　'Owen；　don't　you
see　the　horridwhat　I　dread？that　the　woman　he　lives　with　is　not
Mrs。　Manstonthat　she　was　burnt　after　alland　that　I　am　HIS　WIFE！'

She　tried　to　support　a　stoicism　under　the　weight　of　this　new
trouble；　but　no！　　The　unexpected　revulsion　of　ideas　was　so
overwhelming　that　she　crept　to　him　and　leant　against　his　breast。

Before　reflecting　any　further　upon　the　subject　Graye　led　her
upstairs　and　got　her　to　lie　down。　　Then　he　went　to　the　window　and
stared　out　of　it　up　the　lane；　vainly　endeavouring　to　come　to　some
conclusion　upon　the　fantastic　enigma　that　confronted　him。
Cytherea's　new　view　seemed　incredible；　yet　it　had　such　a　hold　upon
her　that　it　would　be　necessary　to　clear　it　away　by　positive　proof
before　contemplation　of　her　fear　should　have　preyed　too　deeply　upon
her。

'Cytherea；'　he　said；　'this　will　not　do。　　You　must　stay　here　alone
all　the　afternoon　whilst　I　go　to　Carriford。　　I　shall　know　all　when　I
return。'

'No；　no；　don't　go！'　she　implored。

'Soon；　then；　not　directly。'　　He　saw　her　subtle　reasoningthat　it
was　folly　to　be　wise。

Reflection　still　convinced　him　that　good　would　come　of　persevering
in　his　intention　and　dispelling　his　sister's　idle　fears。　　Anything
was　better　than　this　absurd　doubt　in　her　mind。　　But　he　resolved　to
wait　till　Sunday；　the　first　day　on　which　he　might　reckon　upon　seeing
Mrs。　Manston　without　suspicion。　　In　the　meantime　he　wrote　to　Edward
Springrove；　requesting　him　to　go　again　to　Mrs。　Manston's　former
lodgings。



XVIII。　　THE　EVENTS　OF　THREE　DAYS

1。　　MARCH　THE　EIGHTEENTH

Sunday　morning　had　come；　and　Owen　was　trudging　over　the　six　miles　of
hill　and　dale　that　lay　between　Tolchurch　and　Carriford。

Edward　Springrove's　answer　to　the　last　letter；　after　expressing　his
amazement　at　the　strange　contradiction　between　the　verses　and　Mrs。
Morris's　letter；　had　been　to　the　effect　that　he　had　again　visited
the　neighbour　of　the　dead　Mr。　Brown；　and　had　received　as　near　a
description　of　Mrs。　Manston　as　it　was　possible　to　get　at　second…
hand；　and　by　hearsay。　　She　was　a　tall　woman；　wide　at　the　shoulders；
and　full…chested；　and　she　had　a　straight　and　rather　large　nose。　　The
colour　of　her　eyes　the　informant　did　not　know；　for　she　had　only　seen
the　lady　in　the　street　as　she　went　in　or　out。　　This　confusing　remark
was　added。　　The　woman　had　almost　recognized　Mrs。　Manston　when　she
had　called　with　her　husband　lately；　but　she　had　kept　her　veil　down。
Her　residence；　before　she　came　to　Hoxton；　was　quite　unknown　to　this
next…door　neighbour；　and　Edward　could　get　no　manner　of　clue　to　it
from　any　other　source。

Owen　reached　the　church…door　a　few　minutes　before　the　bells　began
chiming。　　Nobody　was　yet　in　the　church；　and　he　walked　round　the
aisles。　　From　Cytherea's　frequent　description　of　how　and　where
herself　and　others　used　to　sit；　he　knew　where　to　look　for　Manston's
seat；　and　after　two　or　three　errors　of　examination　he　took　up　a
prayer…book　in　which　was　written　'Eunice　Manston。'　　The　book　was
nearly　new；　and　the　date　of　the　writing　about　a　month　earlier。　　One
point　was　at　any　rate　established：　　that　the　woman　living　with
Manston　was　presented　to　the　world　as　no　other　than　his　lawful　wife。

The　quiet　villagers　of　Carriford　required　no　pew…opener　in　their
place　of　worship：　　natives　and　in…dwellers　had　their　own　seats；　and
strangers　sat　where　they　could。　　Graye　took　a　seat　in　the　nave；　on
the　north　side；　close　behind　a　pillar　dividing　it　from　the　north
aisle；　which　was　completely　allotted　to　Miss　Aldclyffe；　her　farmers；
and　her　retainers；　Manston's　pew　being　in　the　midst　of　them。　　Owen's
position　on　the　other　side　of　the　passage　was　a　little　in　advance　of
Manston's　seat；　and　so　situated　that　by　leaning　forward　he　could
look　directly　into　the　face　of　any　person　sitting　there；　though；　if
he　sat　upright；　he　was　wholly　hidden　from　such　a　one　by　the
intervening　pillar。

Aiming　to　keep　his　presence　unknown　to　Manston　if　possible；　Owen
sat；　without　once　turning　his　head；　during　the　entrance　of　the
congregation。　　A　rustling　of　silk　round　by　the　north　passage　and
into　Manston's　seat；　told　him　that　some　woman　had　entered　there；　and
as　it　seemed　from　the　accompaniment　of　heavier　footsteps；　Manston
was　with　her。

Immediately　upon　rising　up；　he　looked　intently　in　that　direction；
and　saw　a　lady　standing　at　the　end　of　the　seat　nearest　himself。
Portions　of　Manston's　figure　appeared　on　the　other　side　of　her。　　In
two　glances　Graye　read　thus　many　of　her　characteristics；　and　in　the
following　order：

She　was　a　tall　woman。

She　was　broad　at　the　shoulders。

She　was　full…bosomed。

She　was　easily　recognizable　from　the　photograph　but　nothing　could　be
discerned　of　the　colour　of　her　eyes。

With　a　preoccupied　mind　he　withdrew　into　his　nook；　and　heard　the
service　continuedonly　conscious　of　the　fact　that　in　opposition　to
the　suspicion　which　one　odd　circumstance　had　bred　in　his　sister
concerning　this　woman；　all　ostensible　and　ordinary　proofs　and
probabilities　tended　to　the　opposite　conclusion。　　There　sat　the
genuine　original　of　the　portraitcould　he　wish　for　more？　　Cytherea
wished　for　more。　　Eunice　Manston's　eyes　were　blue；　and　it　was
necessary　that　this　woman's　eyes　should　be　blue　also。

Unskilled　labour　wastes　in　beating　against　the　bars　ten　times　the
energy　exerted　by　the　practised　hand　in　the　effective　direction。
Owen　felt　this　to　be　the　case　in　his　own　and　Edward's　attempts　to
follow　up　the　clue　afforded　them。　　Think　as　he　might；　he　could　not
think　of　a　crucial　test　in　the　matter　absorbing　him；　which　should
possess　the　indispensable　attributea　capability　of　being　applied
privately；　that　in　the　event　of　its　proving　the　lady　to　be　the
rightful　owner　of　the　name　she　used；　he　might　recede　without　obloquy
from　an　untenable　position。

But　to　see　Mrs。　Manston's　eyes　from　where　he　sat　was　impossible；　and
he　could　do　nothing　in　the　shape　of　a　direct　examination　at　present。
Miss　Aldclyffe　had　possibly　recognized　him；　but　Manston　had　not；　and
feeling　that　it　was　indispensable　to　keep　the　purport　of　his　visit　a
secret　from　the　steward；　he　thought　it　would　be　as　well；　too；　to
keep　his　presence　in　the　village　a　secret　from　him；　at　any　rate；
till　the　day　was　over。

At　the　first　opening　of　the　doors；　Graye　left　the　church　and
wandered　away　into　the　fields　to　ponder　on　another　scheme。　　He　could
not　call　on　Farmer　Springrove；　as　he　had　intended；　until　this　matter
was　set　at　rest。　　Two　hours　intervened　between　the　morning　and
afternoon　services。

This　time　had　nearly　expired　before　Owen　had　struck　out　any　method
of　proceeding；　or　could　decide　to　run　the　risk　of　calling　at　the　Old
House　and　asking　to　see　Mrs。　Manston　point…blank。　　But　he　had　drawn
near　the　place；　and　was　standing　still　in　the　public　path；　from
which　a　partial　view　of　the　front　of　the　building　could　be　obtained；
when　the　bells　began　chiming　for　afternoon　service。　　Whilst　Graye
paused；　two　persons　came　from　the　front　door　of　the　half…hidden
dwelling　whom　he　prese