desperate remedies-第90章

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There　was　no　possible　way　of　evading　the　act。　　She　resolutely　turned
to　perform　the　operation：　　anything　was　better　than　that　he　should
suspect　her。　　It　was　an　old…fashioned　eight…day　clock；　of
workmanship　suited　to　the　rest　of　the　antique　furniture　that　Manston
had　collected　there；　and　ground　heavily　during　winding。

Anne　had　given　up　all　idea　of　being　able　to　watch　him　during　the
interval；　and　the　noise　of　the　wheels　prevented　her　learning
anything　by　her　ears。　　But；　as　she　wound；　she　caught　sight　of　his
shadow　on　the　wall　at　her　right　hand。

What　was　he　doing？　　He　was　in　the　very　act　of　pouring　something　into
her　glass　of　wine。

He　had　completed　the　manoeuvre　before　she　had　done　winding。　　She
methodically　closed　the　clock…case　and　turned　round　again。　　When　she
faced　him　he　was　sitting　in　his　chair　as　before　she　had　risen。

In　a　familiar　scene　which　has　hitherto　been　pleasant　it　is　difficult
to　realize　that　an　added　condition；　which　does　not　alter　its　aspect；
can　have　made　it　terrible。　　The　woman　thought　that　his　action　must
have　been　prompted　by　no　other　intent　than　that　of　poisoning　her；
and　yet　she　could　not　instantly　put　on　a　fear　of　her　position。

And　before　she　had　grasped　these　consequences；　another　supposition
served　to　make　her　regard　the　first　as　unlikely；　if　not　absurd。　　It
was　the　act　of　a　madman　to　take　her　life　in　a　manner　so　easy　of
discovery；　unless　there　were　far　more　reason　for　the　crime　than　any
that　Manston　could　possibly　have。

Was　it　not　merely　his　intention；　in　tampering　with　her　wine；　to　make
her　sleep　soundly　that　night？　　This　was　in　harmony　with　her　original
suspicion；　that　he　intended　secretly　to　abscond。　　At　any　rate；　he
was　going　to　set　about　some　stealthy　proceeding；　as　to　which　she　was
to　be　kept　in　utter　darkness。　　The　difficulty　now　was　to　avoid
drinking　the　wine。

By　means　of　one　pretext　and　another　she　put　off　taking　her　glass　for
nearly　five　minutes；　but　he　eyed　her　too　frequently　to　allow　her　to
throw　the　potion　under　the　grate。　　It　became　necessary　to　take　one
sip。　　This　she　did；　and　found　an　opportunity　of　absorbing　it　in　her
handkerchief。

Plainly　he　had　no　idea　of　her　countermoves。　　The　scheme　seemed　to
him　in　proper　train；　and　he　turned　to　poke　out　the　fire。　　She
instantly　seized　the　glass；　and　poured　its　contents　down　her　bosom。
When　he　faced　round　again　she　was　holding　the　glass　to　her　lips；
empty。

In　due　course　he　locked　the　doors　and　saw　that　the　shutters　were
fastened。　　She　attended　to　a　few　closing　details　of　housewifery；　and
a　few　minutes　later　they　retired　for　the　night。

5。　　FROM　ELEVEN　O'CLOCK　TO　MIDNIGHT

When　Manston　was　persuaded；　by　the　feigned　heaviness　of　her
breathing；　that　Anne　Seaway　was　asleep；　he　softly　arose；　and　dressed
himself　in　the　gloom。　　With　ears　strained　to　their　utmost　she　heard
him　complete　this　operation；　then　he　took　something　from　his　pocket；
put　it　in　the　drawer　of　the　dressing…table；　went　to　the　door；　and
down　the　stairs。　　She　glided　out　of　bed　and　looked　in　the　drawer。
He　had　only　restored　to　its　place　a　small　phial　she　had　seen　there
before。　　It　was　labelled　'Battley's　Solution　of　Opium。'　　She　felt
relieved　that　her　life　had　not　been　attempted。　　That　was　to　have
been　her　sleeping…draught。　　No　time　was　to　be　lost　if　she　meant　to
be　a　match　for　him。　　She　followed　him　in　her　nightdress。　　When　she
reached　the　foot　of　the　staircase　he　was　in　the　office　and　had
closed　the　door；　under　which　a　faint　gleam　showed　that　he　had
obtained　a　light。　　She　crept　to　the　door；　but　could　not　venture　to
open　it；　however　slightly。　　Placing　her　ear　to　the　panel；　she　could
hear　him　tearing　up　papers　of　some　sort；　and　a　brighter　and
quivering　ray　of　light　coming　from　the　threshold　an　instant　later；
implied　that　he　was　burning　them。　　By　the　slight　noise　of　his
footsteps　on　the　uncarpeted　floor；　she　at　length　imagined　that　he
was　approaching　the　door。　　She　flitted　upstairs　again　and　crept　into
bed。

Manston　returned　to　the　bedroom　close　upon　her　heels；　and　entered
itagain　without　a　light。　　Standing　motionless　for　an　instant　to
assure　himself　that　she　still　slept；　he　went　to　the　drawer　in　which
their　ready…money　was　kept；　and　removed　the　casket　that　contained
it。　　Anne's　ear　distinctly　caught　the　rustle　of　notes；　and　the　chink
of　the　gold　as　he　handled　it。　　Some　he　placed　in　his　pocket；　some　he
returned　to　its　place。　　He　stood　thinking；　as　it　were　weighing　a
possibility。　　While　lingering　thus；　he　noticed　the　reflected　image
of　his　own　face　in　the　glasspale　and　spectre…like　in　its
indistinctness。　　The　sight　seemed　to　be　the　feather　which　turned　the
balance　of　indecision：　　he　drew　a　heavy　breath；　retired　from　the
room；　and　passed　downstairs。　　She　heard　him　unbar　the　back…door；　and
go　out　into　the　yard。

Feeling　safe　in　a　conclusion　that　he　did　not　intend　to　return　to　the
bedroom　again；　she　arose；　and　hastily　dressed　herself。　　On　going　to
the　door　of　the　apartment　she　found　that　he　had　locked　it　behind
him。　　'A　precautionit　can　be　no　more；'　she　muttered。　　Yet　she　was
all　the　more　perplexed　and　excited　on　this　account。　　Had　he　been
going　to　leave　home　immediately；　he　would　scarcely　have　taken　the
trouble　to　lock　her　in；　holding　the　belief　that　she　was　in　a　drugged
sleep。　　The　lock　shot　into　a　mortice；　so　that　there　was　no
possibility　of　her　pushing　back　the　bolt。　　How　should　she　follow
him？　　Easily。　　An　inner　closet　opened　from　the　bedroom：　　it　was
large；　and　had　some　time　heretofore　been　used　as　a　dressing　or　bath
room；　but　had　been　found　inconvenient　from　having　no　other　outlet　to
the　landing。　　The　window　of　this　little　room　looked　out　upon　the
roof　of　the　porch；　which　was　flat　and　covered　with　lead。　　Anne　took
a　pillow　from　the　bed；　gently　opened　the　casement　of　the　inner　room
and　stepped　forth　on　the　flat。　　There；　leaning　over　the　edge　of　the
small　parapet　that　ornamented　the　porch；　she　dropped　the　pillow　upon
the　gravel　path；　and　let　herself　down　over　the　parapet　by　her　hands
till　her　toes　swung　about　two　feet　from　the　ground。　　From　this
position　she　adroitly　alighted　upon　the　pillow；　and　stood　in　the
path。

Since　she　had　come　indoors　from　her　walk　in　the　early　part　of　the
evening　the　moon　had　risen。　　But　the　thick　clouds　overspreading　the
whole　landscape　rendered　the　dim　light　pervasive　and　grey：　　it
appeared　as　an　attribute　of　the　air。　　Anne　crept　round　to　the　back
of　the　house；　listening　intently。　　The　steward　had　had　at　least　ten
minutes'　start　of　her。　　She　had　waited　here　whilst　one　might　count
fifty；　when　she　heard　a　movement　in　the　outhousea　fragment　once
attached　to　the　main　building。　　This　outhouse　was　partitioned　into
an　outer　and　an　inner　room；　which　had　been　a　kitchen　and　a　scullery
before　the　connecting　erections　were　pulled　down；　but　they　were　now
used　respectively　as　a　brewhouse　and　workshop；　the　only　means　of
access　to　the　latter　being　through　the　brewhouse。　　The　outer　door　of
this　first　apartment　was　usually　fastened　by　a　padlock　on　the
exterior。　　It　was　now　closed；　but　not　fastened。　　Manston　was
evidently　in　the　outhouse。

She　slightly　moved　the　door。　　The　interior　of　the　brewhouse　was
wrapped　in　gloom；　but　a　streak　of　light　fell　towards　her　in　a　line
across　the　floor　from　the　inner　or　workshop　door；　which　was　not
quite　closed。　　This　light　was　unexpected；　none　having　been　visible
through　hole　or　crevice。　　Glancing　in；　the　woman　found　that　he　had
placed　cloths　and　mats　at　the　various　apertures；　and　hung　a　sack　at
the　window　to　prevent　the　egress　of　a　single　ray。　　She　could　also
perceive　from　where　she　stood　that　the　bar　of　light　fell　across　the
brewing…copper　just　outside　the　inner　door；　and　that　upon　it　lay　the
key　of　her　bedroom。　　The　illuminated　interior　of　the　workshop　was
also　partly　visible　from　her　position　through　the　two　half…open
doors。　　Manston　was　engaged　in　emptying　a　large　cupboard　of　the
tools；　gallipots；　and　old　iron　it　contained。　　When　it　was　quite
cleared　he　took　a　chisel；　and　with　it　began　to　withdraw　the　hooks
and　shoulder…nails　holding　the　cupboard　to　the　wall。　　All　these
being　loosened；　he　extended　his　arms；　lifted　the　cupboard　bodily
from　the　brackets　under　it；　and　deposited　it　on　the　floor　besid