desperate remedies-第96章
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you drive me about！ I have been to the station； intending to leave
you for ever； and yet I come to try you once more。〃
'An indescribable exasperation had sprung up in me as she talked
rage and regret were all in all。 Scarcely knowing what I did； I
furiously raised my hand and swung it round with my whole force to
strike her。 She turned quicklyand it was the poor creature's end。
By her movement my hand came edgewise exactly in the nape of the
neckas men strike a hare to kill it。 The effect staggered me with
amazement。 The blow must have disturbed the vertebrae； she fell at
my feet； made a few movements； and uttered one low sound。
'I ran indoors for water and some wine； I came out and lanced her
arm with my penknife。 But she lay still； and I found that she was
dead。
'It was a long time before I could realize my horrible position。
For several minutes I had no idea of attempting to escape the
consequences of my deed。 Then a light broke upon me。 Had anybody
seen her since she left the Three Tranters？ Had they not； she was
already believed by the parishioners to be dust and ashes。 I should
never be found out。
'Upon this I acted。
'The first question was how to dispose of the body。 The impulse of
the moment was to bury her at once in the pit between the engine…
house and waterfall； but it struck me that I should not have time。
It was now four o'clock； and the working…men would soon be stirring
about the place。 I would put off burying her till the next night。
I carried her indoors。
'In turning the outhouse into a workshop； earlier in the season； I
found； when driving a nail into the wall for fixing a cupboard； that
the wall sounded hollow。 I examined it； and discovered behind the
plaster an old oven which had long been disused； and was bricked up
when the house was prepared for me。
'To unfix this cupboard and pull out the bricks was the work of a
few minutes。 Then； bearing in mind that I should have to remove the
body again the next night； I placed it in a sack； pushed it into the
oven； packed in the bricks； and replaced the cupboard。
'I then went to bed。 In bed； I thought whether there were any very
remote possibilities that might lead to the supposition that my wife
was not consumed by the flames of the burning house。 The thing
which struck me most forcibly was this； that the searchers might
think it odd that no remains whatever should be found。
'The clinching and triumphant deed would be to take the body and
place it among the ruins of the destroyed house。 But I could not do
this； on account of the men who were watching against an outbreak of
the fire。 One remedy remained。
'I arose again； dressed myself； and went down to the outhouse。 I
must take down the cupboard again。 I did take it down。 I pulled
out the bricks； pulled out the sack； pulled out the corpse； and took
her keys from her pocket and the watch from her side。
'I then replaced everything as before。
'With these articles in my pocket I went out of the yard； and took
my way through the withy copse to the churchyard； entering it from
the back。 Here I felt my way carefully along till I came to the
nook where pieces of bones from newly…dug graves are sometimes piled
behind the laurel…bushes。 I had been earnestly hoping to find a
skull among these old bones； but though I had frequently seen one or
two in the rubbish here； there was not one now。 I then groped in
the other corner with the same resultnowhere could I find a skull。
Three or four fragments of leg and back…bones were all I could
collect； and with these I was forced to be content。
'Taking them in my hand； I crossed the road； and got round behind
the inn； where the couch heap was still smouldering。 Keeping behind
the hedge； I could see the heads of the three or four men who
watched the spot。
'Standing in this place I took the bones； and threw them one by one
over the hedge and over the men's heads into the smoking embers。
When the bones had all been thrown； I threw the keys； last of all I
threw the watch。
'I then returned home as I had gone； and went to bed once more； just
as the dawn began to break。 I exulted〃Cytherea is mine again！〃
'At breakfast…time I thought； 〃Suppose the cupboard should by some
unlikely chance get moved to…day！〃
'I went to the mason's yard hard by； while the men were at
breakfast； and brought away a shovelful of mortar。 I took it into
the outhouse； again shifted the cupboard； and plastered over the
mouth of the oven behind。 Simply pushing the cupboard back into its
place； I waited for the next night that I might bury the body；
though upon the whole it was in a tolerably safe hiding…place。
'When the night came； my nerves were in some way weaker than they
had been on the previous night。 I felt reluctant to touch the body。
I went to the outhouse； but instead of opening the oven； I firmly
drove in the shoulder…nails that held the cupboard to the wall。 〃I
will bury her to…morrow night； however；〃 I thought。
'But the next night I was still more reluctant to touch her。 And my
reluctance increased； and there the body remained。 The oven was；
after all； never likely to be opened in my time。
'I married Cytherea Graye； and never did a bridegroom leave the
church with a heart more full of love and happiness； and a brain
more fixed on good intentions； than I did on that morning。
'When Cytherea's brother made his appearance at the hotel in
Southampton； bearing his strange evidence of the porter's
disclosure； I was staggered beyond expression。 I thought they had
found the body。 〃Am I to be apprehended and to lose her even now？〃
I mourned。 I saw my error； and instantly saw； too； that I must act
externally like an honourable man。 So at his request I yielded her
up to him； and meditated on several schemes for enabling me to claim
the woman I had a legal right to claim as my wife； without
disclosing the reason why I knew myself to have it。
'I went home to Knapwater the next day； and for nearly a week lived
in a state of indecision。 I could not hit upon a scheme for proving
my wife dead without compromising myself。
'Mr。 Raunham hinted that I should take steps to discover her
whereabouts by advertising。 I had no energy for the farce。 But one
evening I chanced to enter the Rising Sun Inn。 Two notorious
poachers were sitting in the settle； which screened my entrance。
They were half drunktheir conversation was carried on in the
solemn and emphatic tone common to that stage of intoxication； and I
myself was the subject of it。
'The following was the substance of their disjointed remarks： On
the night of the great fire at Carriford； one of them was sent to
meet me； and break the news of the death of my wife to me。 This he
did； but because I would not pay him for his news； he left me in a
mood of vindictiveness。 When the fire was over； he joined his
comrade。 The favourable hour of the night suggested to them the
possibility of some unlawful gain before daylight came。 My
fowlhouse stood in a tempting position； and still resenting his
repulse during the evening； one of them proposed to operate upon my
birds。 I was believed to have gone to the rectory with Mr。 Raunham。
The other was disinclined to go； and the first went off alone。
'It was now about three o'clock。 He had advanced as far as the
shrubbery； which grows near the north wall of the house； when he
fancied he heard； above the rush of the waterfall； noises on the
other side of the building。 He described them in these words；
〃Ghostly mouths talkingthen a fallthen a groanthen the rush of
the water and creak of the engine as before。〃 Only one explanation
occurred to him； the house was haunted。 And； whether those of the
living or the dead； voices of any kind were inimical to one who had
come on such an errand。 He stealthily crept home。
'His unlawful purpose in being behind the house led him to conceal
his adventure。 No suspicion of the truth entered his mind till the
railway…porter had startled everybody by his strange announcement。
Then he asked himself； had the horrifying sounds of that night been
really an enactment in the flesh between me and my wife？
