desperate remedies-第83章

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his　finger　upon　his　knee。　　'That　would　decidedly　dispose　of　the
second　difficulty。　　But　his　motive　would　be　as　mysterious　as　ever。'

Cytherea's　pictured　dreads　would　not　allow　her　mind　to　follow　their
conversation。　　'She's　burnt；'　she　said。　　'O　yes；　I　fearI　fear　she
is！'

'I　don't　think　we　can　seriously　believe　that　now；　after　what　has
happened；'　said　the　rector。

Still　straining　her　thought　towards　the　worst；　'Then；　perhaps；　the
first　Mrs。　Manston　was　not　his　wife；'　she　returned；　'and　then　I
should　be　his　wife　just　the　same；　shouldn't　I？'

'They　were　married　safely　enough；'　said　Owen。　　'There　is　abundance
of　circumstantial　evidence　to　prove　that。'

'Upon　the　whole；'　said　Mr。　Raunham；　'I　should　advise　your　asking　in
a　straightforward　way　for　legal　proof　from　the　steward　that　the
present　woman　is　really　his　original　wifea　thing　which；　to　my
mind；　you　should　have　done　at　the　outset。'　　He　turned　to　Cytherea
kindly；　and　asked　her　what　made　her　give　up　her　husband　so
unceremoniously。

She　could　not　tell　the　rector　of　her　aversion　to　Manston；　and　of　her
unquenched　love　for　Edward。

'Your　terrified　state　no　doubt；'　he　said；　answering　for　her；　in　the
manner　of　those　accustomed　to　the　pulpit。　　'But　into　such　a　solemn
compact　as　marriage；　all…important　considerations；　both　legally　and
morally；　enter；　it　was　your　duty　to　have　seen　everything　clearly
proved。　　Doubtless　Mr。　Manston　is　prepared　with　proofs；　but　as　it
concerns　nobody　but　yourself　that　her　identity　should　be　publicly
established　（and　by　your　absenteeism　you　act　as　if　you　were
satisfied）　he　has　not　troubled　to　exhibit　them。　　Nobody　else　has
taken　the　trouble　to　prove　what　does　not　affect　them　in　the　least
that's　the　way　of　the　world　always。　　You；　who　should　have　required
all　things　to　be　made　clear；　ran　away。'

'That　was　partly　my　doing；'　said　Owen。

The　same　explanationher　want　of　love　for　Manstonapplied　here
too；　but　she　shunned　the　revelation。

'But　never　mind；'　added　the　rector；　'it　was　all　the　greater　credit
to　your　womanhood；　perhaps。　　I　say；　then；　get　your　brother　to　write
a　line　to　Mr。　Manston；　saying　you　wish　to　be　satisfied　that　all　is
legally　clear　（in　case　you　should　want　to　marry　again；　for
instance）；　and　I　have　no　doubt　that　you　will　be。　　Or；　if　you　would
rather；　I'll　write　myself？'

'O　no；　sir；　no；'　pleaded　Cytherea；　beginning　to　blanch；　and
breathing　quickly。　　'Please　don't　say　anything。　　Let　me　live　here
with　Owen。　　I　am　so　afraid　it　will　turn　out　that　I　shall　have　to　go
to　Knapwater　and　be　his　wife；　and　I　don't　want　to　go。　　Do　conceal
what　we　have　told　you。　　Let　him　continue　his　deceptionit　is　much
the　best　for　me。'

Mr。　Raunham　at　length　divined　that　her　love　for　Manston；　if　it　had
ever　existed；　had　transmuted　itself　into　a　very　different　feeling
now。

'At　any　rate；'　he　said；　as　he　took　his　leave　and　mounted　his　mare；
'I　will　see　about　it。　　Rest　content；　Miss　Graye；　and　depend　upon　it
that　I　will　not　lead　you　into　difficulty。'

'Conceal　it；'　she　still　pleaded。

'We'll　seebut　of　course　I　must　do　my　duty。'

'Nodon't　do　your　duty！'　　She　looked　up　at　him　through　the　gloom；
illuminating　her　own　face　and　eyes　with　the　candle　she　held。

'I　will　consider；　then；'　said　Mr。　Raunham；　sensibly　moved。　　He
turned　his　horse's　head；　bade　them　a　warm　adieu；　and　left　the　door。

The　rector　of　Carriford　trotted　homewards　under　the　cold　and　clear
March　sky；　its　countless　stars　fluttering　like　bright　birds。　　He　was
unconscious　of　the　scene。　　Recovering　from　the　effect　of　Cytherea's
voice　and　glance　of　entreaty；　he　laid　the　subject　of　the　interview
clearly　before　himself。

The　suspicions　of　Cytherea　and　Owen　were　honest；　and　had　foundation…
…that　he　must　own。　　Was　hea　clergyman；　magistrate；　and
conscientious　manjustified　in　yielding　to　Cytherea's　importunities
to　keep　silence；　because　she　dreaded　the　possibility　of　a　return　to
Manston？　　Was　she　wise　in　her　request？　　Holding　her　present　belief；
and　with　no　definite　evidence　either　way；　she　could；　for　one　thing；
never　conscientiously　marry　any　one　else。　　Suppose　that　Cytherea
were　Manston's　wifei。e。；　that　the　first　wife　was　really　burnt？
The　adultery　of　Manston　would　be　proved；　and；　Mr。　Raunham　thought；
cruelty　sufficient　to　bring　the　case　within　the　meaning　of　the
statute。　　Suppose　the　new　woman　was；　as　stated；　Mr。　Manston's
restored　wife？　　Cytherea　was　perfectly　safe　as　a　single　woman　whose
marriage　had　been　void。　　And　if　it　turned　out　that；　though　this
woman　was　not　Manston's　wife；　his　wife　was　still　living；　as　Owen　had
suggested；　in　America　or　elsewhere；　Cytherea　was　safe。

The　first　supposition　opened　up　the　worst　contingency。　　Was　she
really　safe　as　Manston's　wife？　　Doubtful。　　But；　however　that　might
be；　the　gentle；　defenceless　girl；　whom　it　seemed　nobody's　business
to　help　or　defend；　should　be　put　in　a　track　to　proceed　against　this
man。　　She　had　but　one　life；　and　the　superciliousness　with　which　all
the　world　now　regarded　her　should　be　compensated　in　some　measure　by
the　man　whose　carelessnessto　set　him　in　the　best　lighthad　caused
it。

Mr。　Raunham　felt　more　and　more　positively　that　his　duty　must　be
done。　　An　inquiry　must　be　made　into　the　matter。　　Immediately　on
reaching　home；　he　sat　down　and　wrote　a　plain　and　friendly　letter　to
Mr。　Manston；　and　despatched　it　at　once　to　him　by　hand。　　Then　he
flung　himself　back　in　his　chair；　and　went　on　with　his　meditation。
Was　there　anything　in　the　suspicion？　　There　could　be　nothing；
surely。　　Nothing　is　done　by　a　clever　man　without　a　motive；　and　what
conceivable　motive　could　Manston　have　for　such　abnormal　conduct？
Corinthian　that　he　might　be；　who　had　preyed　on　virginity　like　St。
George's　dragon；　he　would　never　have　been　absurd　enough　to　venture
on　such　a　course　for　the　possession　alone　of　the　womanthere　was　no
reason　for　itshe　was　inferior　to　Cytherea　in　every　respect；
physical　and　mental。

On　the　other　hand；　it　seemed　rather　odd；　when　he　analyzed　the
action；　that　a　woman　who　deliberately　hid　herself　from　her　husband
for　more　than　a　twelvemonth　should　be　brought　back　by　a　mere
advertisement。　　In　fact；　the　whole　business　had　worked　almost　too
smoothly　and　effectually　for　unpremeditated　sequence。　　It　was　too
much　like　the　indiscriminate　righting　of　everything　at　the　end　of　an
old　play。　　And　there　was　that　curious　business　of　the　keys　and
watch。　　Her　way　of　accounting　for　their　being　left　behind　by
forgetfulness　had　always　seemed　to　him　rather　forced。　　The　only
unforced　explanation　was　that　suggested　by　the　newspaper　writers
that　she　left　them　behind　on　purpose　to　blind　people　as　to　her
escape；　a　motive　which　would　have　clashed　with　the　possibility　of
her　being　fished　back　by　an　advertisement；　as　the　present　woman　had
been。　　Again；　there　were　the　two　charred　bones。　　He　shuffled　the
books　and　papers　in　his　study；　and　walked　about　the　room；　restlessly
musing　on　the　same　subject。　　The　parlour…maid　entered。

'Can　young　Mr。　Springrove　from　London　see　you　to…night；　sir？'

'Young　Mr。　Springrove？'　said　the　rector；　surprised。

'Yes；　sir。'

'Yes；　of　course　he　can　see　me。　　Tell　him　to　come　in。'

Edward　came　so　impatiently　into　the　room；　as　to　show　that　the　few
short　moments　his　announcement　had　occupied　had　been　irksome　to　him。
He　stood　in　the　doorway　with　the　same　black　bag　in　his　hand；　and　the
same　old　gray　cloak　on　his　shoulders；　that　he　had　worn　fifteen
months　earlier　when　returning　on　the　night　of　the　fire。　　This
appearance　of　his　conveyed　a　true　impression；　he　had　become　a
stagnant　man。　　But　he　was　excited　now。

'I　have　this　moment　come　from　London；'　he　said；　as　the　door　was
closed　behind　him。

The　prophetic　insight；　which　so　strangely　accompanies　critical
experiences；　prompted　Mr。　Raunham's　reply。

'About　the　Grayes　and　Manston？'

'Yes。　　That　woman　is　not　Mrs。　Manston。'

'Prove　it。'

'I　can　prove　that　she　is　somebody　elsethat　her　name　is　Anne
Seaway。'

'And　are　their　suspicions　true　indeed！'

'And　I　can　do　what's　more　to　the　purpose　at　present。'

'Suggest　Manston's　motive？'

'Only　suggest　it；　remember。　　But　my　assumption　fits　so　perfectly
with　the　facts　that　have　been　secretly　unearthed　and　conveyed　to　me；
that　I　can　hardly　conceive　of　a