desperate remedies-第82章

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paused；　two　persons　came　from　the　front　door　of　the　half…hidden
dwelling　whom　he　presently　saw　to　be　Manston　and　his　wife。　　Manston
was　wearing　his　old　garden…hat；　and　carried　one　of　the　monthly
magazines　under　his　arm。　　Immediately　they　had　passed　the　gateway　he
branched　off　and　went　over　the　hill　in　a　direction　away　from　the
church；　evidently　intending　to　ramble　along；　and　read　as　the　humour
moved　him。　　The　lady　meanwhile　turned　in　the　other　direction；　and
went　into　the　church　path。

Owen　resolved　to　make　something　of　this　opportunity。　　He　hurried
along　towards　the　church；　doubled　round　a　sharp　angle；　and　came　back
upon　the　other　path；　by　which　Mrs。　Manston　must　arrive。

In　about　three　minutes　she　appeared　in　sight　without　a　veil。　　He
discovered；　as　she　drew　nearer；　a　difficulty　which　had　not　struck
him　at　firstthat　it　is　not　an　easy　matter　to　particularize　the
colour　of　a　stranger's　eyes　in　a　merely　casual　encounter　on　a　path
out　of　doors。　　That　Mrs。　Manston　must　be　brought　close　to　him；　and
not　only　so；　but　to　look　closely　at　him；　if　his　purpose　were　to　be
accomplished。

He　shaped　a　plan。　　It　might　by　chance　be　effectual；　if　otherwise；　it
would　not　reveal　his　intention　to　her。　　When　Mrs。　Manston　was　within
speaking　distance；　he　went　up　to　her　and　said

'Will　you　kindly　tell　me　which　turning　will　take　me　to
Casterbridge？'

'The　second　on　the　right；'　said　Mrs。　Manston。

Owen　put　on　a　blank　look：　　he　held　his　hand　to　his　earconveying　to
the　lady　the　idea　that　he　was　deaf。

She　came　closer　and　said　more　distinctly

'The　second　turning　on　the　right。'

Owen　flushed　a　little。　　He　fancied　he　had　beheld　the　revelation　he
was　in　search　of。　　But　had　his　eyes　deceived　him？

Once　more　he　used　the　ruse；　still　drawing　nearer　and　intimating　by　a
glance　that　the　trouble　he　gave　her　was　very　distressing　to　him。

'How　very　deaf！'　she　murmured。　　She　exclaimed　loudly

'THE　SECOND　TURNING　TO　THE　RIGHT。'

She　had　advanced　her　face　to　within　a　foot　of　his　own；　and　in
speaking　mouthed　very　emphatically；　fixing　her　eyes　intently　upon
his。　　And　now　his　first　suspicion　was　indubitably　confirmed。　　Her
eyes　were　as　black　as　midnight。

All　this　feigning　was　most　distasteful　to　Graye。　　The　riddle　having
been　solved；　he　unconsciously　assumed　his　natural　look　before　she
had　withdrawn　her　face。　　She　found　him　to　be　peering　at　her　as　if　he
would　read　her　very　soulexpressing　with　his　eyes　the　notification
of　which；　apart　from　emotion；　the　eyes　are　more　capable　than　any
other…inquiry。

Her　face　changed　its　expressionthen　its　colour。　　The　natural　tint
of　the　lighter　portions　sank　to　an　ashy　gray；　the　pink　of　her　cheeks
grew　purpler。　　It　was　the　precise　result　which　would　remain　after
blood　had　left　the　face　of　one　whose　skin　was　dark；　and　artificially
coated　with　pearl…powder　and　carmine。

She　turned　her　head　and　moved　away；　murmuring　a　hasty　reply　to
Owen's　farewell　remark　of　'Good…day；'　and　with　a　kind　of　nervous
twitch　lifting　her　hand　and　smoothing　her　hair；　which　was　of　a
light…brown　colour。

'She　wears　false　hair；'　he　thought；　'or　has　changed　its　colour
artificially。　　Her　true　hair　matched　her　eyes。'

And　now；　in　spite　of　what　Mr。　Brown's　neighbours　had　said　about
nearly　recognizing　Mrs。　Manston　on　her　recent　visitwhich　might
have　meant　anything　or　nothing；　in　spite　of　the　photograph；　and　in
spite　of　his　previous　incredulity；　in　consequence　of　the　verse；　of
her　silence　and　backwardness　at　the　visit　to　Hoxton　with　Manston；
and　of　her　appearance　and　distress　at　the　present　moment；　Graye　had
a　conviction　that　the　woman　was　an　impostor。

What　could　be　Manston's　reason　for　such　an　astounding　trick　he　could
by　no　stretch　of　imagination　divine。

He　changed　his　direction　as　soon　as　the　woman　was　out　of　sight；　and
plodded　along　the　lanes　homeward　to　Tolchurch。

One　new　idea　was　suggested　to　him　by　his　desire　to　allay　Cytherea's
dread　of　being　claimed；　and　by　the　difficulty　of　believing　that　the
first　Mrs。　Manston　lost　her　life　as　supposed；　notwithstanding　the
inquest　and　verdict。　　Was　it　possible　that　the　real　Mrs。　Manston；
who　was　known　to　be　a　Philadelphian　by　birth；　had　returned　by　the
train　to　London；　as　the　porter　had　said；　and　then　left　the　country
under　an　assumed　name；　to　escape　that　worst　kind　of　widowhoodthe
misery　of　being　wedded　to　a　fickle；　faithless；　and　truant　husband？



In　her　complicated　distress　at　the　news　brought　by　her　brother；
Cytherea's　thoughts　at　length　reverted　to　her　friend；　the　Rector　of
Carriford。　　She　told　Owen　of　Mr。　Raunham's　warm…hearted　behaviour
towards　herself；　and　of　his　strongly　expressed　wish　to　aid　her。

'He　is　not　only　a　good；　but　a　sensible　man。　　We　seem　to　want　an　old
head　on　our　side。'

'And　he　is　a　magistrate；'　said　Owen　in　a　tone　of　concurrence。　　He
thought；　too；　that　no　harm　could　come　of　confiding　in　the　rector；
but　there　was　a　difficulty　in　bringing　about　the　confidence。　　He
wished　that　his　sister　and　himself　might　both　be　present　at　an
interview　with　Mr。　Raunham；　yet　it　would　be　unwise　for　them　to　call
on　him　together；　in　the　sight　of　all　the　servants　and　parish　of
Carriford。

There　could　be　no　objection　to　their　writing　him　a　letter。

No　sooner　was　the　thought　born　than　it　was　carried　out。　　They　wrote
to　him　at　once；　asking　him　to　have　the　goodness　to　give　them　some
advice　they　sadly　needed；　and　begging　that　he　would　accept　their
assurance　that　there　was　a　real　justification　for　the　additional
request　they　madethat　instead　of　their　calling　upon　him；　he　would
any　evening　of　the　week　come　to　their　cottage　at　Tolchurch。

2。　　MARCH　THE　TWENTIETH。　　SIX　TO　NINE　O'CLOCK　P。M。

Two　evenings　later；　to　the　total　disarrangement　of　his　dinner…hour；
Mr。　Raunham　appeared　at　Owen's　door。　　His　arrival　was　hailed　with
genuine　gratitude。　　The　horse　was　tied　to　the　palings；　and　the
rector　ushered　indoors　and　put　into　the　easy…chair。

Then　Graye　told　him　the　whole　story；　reminding　him　that　their　first
suspicions　had　been　of　a　totally　different　nature；　and　that　in
endeavouring　to　obtain　proof　of　their　truth　they　had　stumbled　upon
marks　which　had　surprised　them　into　these　new　uncertainties；　thrice
as　marvellous　as　the　first；　yet　more　prominent。

Cytherea's　heart　was　so　full　of　anxiety　that　it　superinduced　a
manner　of　confidence　which　was　a　death…blow　to　all　formality。　　Mr。
Raunham　took　her　hand　pityingly。

'It　is　a　serious　charge；'　he　said；　as　a　sort　of　original　twig　on
which　his　thoughts　might　precipitate　themselves。

'Assuming　for　a　moment　that　such　a　substitution　was　rendered　an　easy
matter　by　fortuitous　events；'　he　continued；　'there　is　this
consideration　to　be　placed　beside　itwhat　earthly　motive　can　Mr。
Manston　have　had　which　would　be　sufficiently　powerful　to　lead　him　to
run　such　a　very　great　risk？　　The　most　abandoned　roue　could　not；　at
that　particular　crisis；　have　taken　such　a　reckless　step　for　the　mere
pleasure　of　a　new　companion。'

Owen　had　seen　that　difficulty　about　the　motive；　Cytherea　had　not。

'Unfortunately　for　us；'　the　rector　resumed；　'no　more　evidence　is　to
be　obtained　from　the　porter；　Chinney。　　I　suppose　you　know　what
became　of　him？　　He　got　to　Liverpool　and　embarked；　intending　to　work
his　way　to　America；　but　on　the　passage　he　fell　overboard　and　was
drowned。　　But　there　is　no　doubt　of　the　truth　of　his　confessionin
fact；　his　conduct　tends　to　prove　it　trueand　no　moral　doubt　of　the
fact　that　the　real　Mrs。　Manston　left　here　to　go　back　by　that
morning's　train。　　This　being　the　case；　then；　why；　if　this　woman　is
not　she；　did　she　take　no　notice　of　the　advertisementI　mean　not
necessarily　a　friendly　notice；　but　from　the　information　it　afforded
her　have　rendered　it　impossible　that　she　should　be　personified
without　her　own　connivance？'

'I　think　that　argument　is　overthrown；'　Graye　said；　'by　my　earliest
assumption　of　her　hatred　of　him；　weariness　of　the　chain　which　bound
her　to　him；　and　a　resolve　to　begin　the　world　anew。　　Let's　suppose
she　has　married　another　mansomewhere　abroad；　say；　she　would　be
silent　for　her　own　sake。'

'You've　hit　the　only　genuine　possibility；'　said　Mr。　Raunham；　tapping
his　finger　upon　his　knee。　　'That　would　decidedly　dispose　of　the
second　difficulty。