desperate remedies-第13节

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the　usual　duties　of　the　office。'　　She　was　going　to　add；　'Though　I
like　your　appearance；'　but　the　words　seemed　offensive　to　apply　to
the　ladylike　girl　before　her；　and　she　modified　them　to；　'though　I
like　you　much。'

'I　am　sorry　I　misled　you；　madam；'　said　Cytherea。

Miss　Aldclyffe　stood　in　a　reverie；　without　replying。

'Good　afternoon；'　continued　Cytherea。

'Good…bye；　Miss　GrayeI　hope　you　will　succeed。'

Cytherea　turned　away　towards　the　door。　　The　movement　chanced　to　be
one　of　her　masterpieces。　　It　was　precise：　　it　had　as　much　beauty　as
was　compatible　with　precision；　and　as　little　coquettishness　as　was
compatible　with　beauty。

And　she　had　in　turning　looked　over　her　shoulder　at　the　other　lady
with　a　faint　accent　of　reproach　in　her　face。　　Those　who　remember
Greuze's　'Head　of　a　Girl；'　have　an　idea　of　Cytherea's　look　askance
at　the　turning。　　It　is　not　for　a　man　to　tell　fishers　of　men　how　to
set　out　their　fascinations　so　as　to　bring　about　the　highest　possible
average　of　takes　within　the　year：　　but　the　action　that　tugs　the
hardest　of　all　at　an　emotional　beholder　is　this　sweet　method　of
turning　which　steals　the　bosom　away　and　leaves　the　eyes　behind。

Now　Miss　Aldclyffe　herself　was　no　tyro　at　wheeling。　　When　Cytherea
had　closed　the　door　upon　her；　she　remained　for　some　time　in　her
motionless　attitude；　listening　to　the　gradually　dying　sound　of　the
maiden's　retreating　footsteps。　　She　murmured　to　herself；　'It　is
almost　worth　while　to　be　bored　with　instructing　her　in　order　to　have
a　creature　who　could　glide　round　my　luxurious　indolent　body　in　that
manner；　and　look　at　me　in　that　wayI　warrant　how　light　her　fingers
are　upon　one's　head　and　neck。　。　。　。　　What　a　silly　modest　young　thing
she　is；　to　go　away　so　suddenly　as　that！'　　She　rang　the　bell。

'Ask　the　young　lady　who　has　just　left　me　to　step　back　again；'　she
said　to　the　attendant。　　'Quick！　or　she　will　be　gone。'

Cytherea　was　now　in　the　vestibule；　thinking　that　if　she　had　told　her
history；　Miss　Aldclyffe　might　perhaps　have　taken　her　into　the
household；　yet　her　history　she　particularly　wished　to　conceal　from　a
stranger。　　When　she　was　recalled　she　turned　back　without　feeling
much　surprise。　　Something；　she　knew　not　what；　told　her　she　had　not
seen　the　last　of　Miss　Aldclyffe。

'You　have　somebody　to　refer　me　to；　of　course；'　the　lady　said；　when
Cytherea　had　re…entered　the　room。

'Yes：　　Mr。　Thorn；　a　solicitor　at　Aldbrickham。'

'And　are　you　a　clever　needlewoman？'

'I　am　considered　to　be。'

'Then　I　think　that　at　any　rate　I　will　write　to　Mr。　Thorn；'　said　Miss
Aldclyffe；　with　a　little　smile。　　'It　is　true；　the　whole　proceeding
is　very　irregular；　but　my　present　maid　leaves　next　Monday；　and
neither　of　the　five　I　have　already　seen　seem　to　do　for　me。　。　。　。
Well；　I　will　write　to　Mr。　Thorn；　and　if　his　reply　is　satisfactory；
you　shall　hear　from　me。　　It　will　be　as　well　to　set　yourself　in
readiness　to　come　on　Monday。'

When　Cytherea　had　again　been　watched　out　of　the　room；　Miss　Aldclyffe
asked　for　writing　materials；　that　she　might　at　once　communicate　with
Mr。　Thorn。　　She　indecisively　played　with　the　pen。　　'Suppose　Mr。
Thorn's　reply　to　be　in　any　way　dishearteningand　even　if　so　from
his　own　imperfect　acquaintance　with　the　young　creature　more　than
from　circumstantial　knowledgeI　shall　feel　obliged　to　give　her　up。
Then　I　shall　regret　that　I　did　not　give　her　one　trial　in　spite　of
other　people's　prejudices。　　All　her　account　of　herself　is　reliable
enoughyes；　I　can　see　that　by　her　face。　　I　like　that　face　of　hers。'

Miss　Aldclyffe　put　down　the　pen　and　left　the　hotel　without　writing
to　Mr。　Thorn。



V。　　THE　EVENTS　OF　ONE　DAY

1。　　AUGUST　THE　EIGHTH。　　MORNING　AND　AFTERNOON

At　post…time　on　that　following　Monday　morning；　Cytherea　watched　so
anxiously　for　the　postman；　that　as　the　time　which　must　bring　him
narrowed　less　and　less　her　vivid　expectation　had　only　a　degree　less
tangibility　than　his　presence　itself。　　In　another　second　his　form
came　into　view。　　He　brought　two　letters　for　Cytherea。

One　from　Miss　Aldclyffe；　simply　stating　that　she　wished　Cytherea　to
come　on　trial：　　that　she　would　require　her　to　be　at　Knapwater　House
by　Monday　evening。

The　other　was　from　Edward　Springrove。　　He　told　her　that　she　was　the
bright　spot　of　his　life：　　that　her　existence　was　far　dearer　to　him
than　his　own：　　that　he　had　never　known　what　it　was　to　love　till　he
had　met　her。　　True；　he　had　felt　passing　attachments　to　other　faces
from　time　to　time；　but　they　all　had　been　weak　inclinations　towards
those　faces　as　they　then　appeared。　　He　loved　her　past　and　future；　as
well　as　her　present。　　He　pictured　her　as　a　child：　　he　loved　her。　　He
pictured　her　of　sage　years：　　he　loved　her。　　He　pictured　her　in
trouble；　he　loved　her。　　Homely　friendship　entered　into　his　love　for
her；　without　which　all　love　was　evanescent。

He　would　make　one　depressing　statement。　　Uncontrollable
circumstances　（a　long　history；　with　which　it　was　impossible　to
acquaint　her　at　present）　operated　to　a　certain　extent　as　a　drag　upon
his　wishes。　　He　had　felt　this　more　strongly　at　the　time　of　their
parting　than　he　did　nowand　it　was　the　cause　of　his　abrupt
behaviour；　for　which　he　begged　her　to　forgive　him。　　He　saw　now　an
honourable　way　of　freeing　himself；　and　the　perception　had　prompted
him　to　write。　　In　the　meantime　might　he　indulge　in　the　hope　of
possessing　her　on　some　bright　future　day；　when　by　hard　labour
generated　from　her　own　encouraging　words；　he　had　placed　himself　in　a
position　she　would　think　worthy　to　be　shared　with　him？

Dear　little　letter；　she　huddled　it　up。　　So　much　more　important　a
love…letter　seems　to　a　girl　than　to　a　man。　　Springrove　was
unconsciously　clever　in　his　letters；　and　a　man　with　a　talent　of　that
kind　may　write　himself　up　to　a　hero　in　the　mind　of　a　young　woman　who
loves　him　without　knowing　much　about　him。　　Springrove　already　stood
a　cubit　higher　in　her　imagination　than　he　did　in　his　shoes。

During　the　day　she　flitted　about　the　room　in　an　ecstasy　of　pleasure；
packing　the　things　and　thinking　of　an　answer　which　should　be　worthy
of　the　tender　tone　of　the　question；　her　love　bubbling　from　her
involuntarily；　like　prophesyings　from　a　prophet。

In　the　afternoon　Owen　went　with　her　to　the　railway…station；　and　put
her　in　the　train　for　Carriford　Road；　the　station　nearest　to
Knapwater　House。

Half…an…hour　later　she　stepped　out　upon　the　platform；　and　found
nobody　there　to　receive　herthough　a　pony…carriage　was　waiting
outside。　　In　two　minutes　she　saw　a　melancholy　man　in　cheerful　livery
running　towards　her　from　a　public…house　close　adjoining；　who　proved
to　be　the　servant　sent　to　fetch　her。　　There　are　two　ways　of　getting
rid　of　sorrows：　　one　by　living　them　down；　the　other　by　drowning
them。　　The　coachman　drowned　his。

He　informed　her　that　her　luggage　would　be　fetched　by　a　spring…waggon
in　about　half…an…hour；　then　helped　her　into　the　chaise　and　drove
off。

Her　lover's　letter；　lying　close　against　her　neck；　fortified　her
against　the　restless　timidity　she　had　previously　felt　concerning
this　new　undertaking；　and　completely　furnished　her　with　the
confident　ease　of　mind　which　is　required　for　the　critical
observation　of　surrounding　objects。　　It　was　just　that　stage　in　the
slow　decline　of　the　summer　days；　when　the　deep；　dark；　and　vacuous
hot…weather　shadows　are　beginning　to　be　replaced　by　blue　ones　that
have　a　surface　and　substance　to　the　eye。　　They　trotted　along　the
turnpike　road　for　a　distance　of　about　a　mile；　which　brought　them
just　outside　the　village　of　Carriford；　and　then　turned　through　large
lodge…gates；　on　the　heavy　stone　piers　of　which　stood　a　pair　of
bitterns　cast　in　bronze。　　They　then　entered　the　park　and　wound　along
a　drive　shaded　by　old　and　drooping　lime…trees；　not　arranged　in　the
form　of　an　avenue；　but　standing　irregularly；　sometimes　leaving　the
track　completely　exposed　to　the　sky；　at　other　times　casting　a　shade
over　it；　which　almost　approached　gloomthe　under　surface　of　the
lowest　boughs　hanging　at　a　uniform　level　of　six　feet　above　the
grassthe　extreme　height　to　which　the　nibbling　mouths　of　the　cattle
could　reach。

'Is　that　the　house？'　said　Cytherea　expectantly；　catching　sight　of　a
grey　gable　between　the　trees；　and　losing　it　again。

'No；　that's　the　old　manor…houseor　rather　all　that's　left　of　it。
The　Aldycliffes　used　to　let　it　sometimes；　but　it　was　oftener　empty。
'Tis　now　divided　into　three　cottages。　　Respectable　people　didn't
care　to　live　there。'

'Why　didn't　they？'

'Well；　'tis　so　awkward　and　unhandy。　　You　see　so　much　of　it　has　been
pulled　down；　and　the　rooms　that　are　left　won't　do　very　well　for　a
small　residence。　　'Tis　so　dismal；　too；　and　like　most　old　houses
stands　too　low　down　in　the　hollow　to　be　healthy。'

'Do　they　tell　any　horrid　stories　about　it？'

'No；　not　a　single　one。'

'Ah；　that's　a　pity。'

'Yes；　that's　what　I　say。　　'Tis　jest　the　house　for　a　nice　ghastly
hair…on…end　story；　that　would　make　the　parish　religious。　　Perhaps　it
will　have　one　some　day　to　make　it　complete；　but　there's　not　a　word
of　the　kind　now。　　There；　I　wouldn't　live　there　for　all　that。　　In
fact；　I　couldn't。　　O　no；　I　couldn't。'

'Why　couldn't　you？'

'The　sounds。'

'What　are　they？'

'One　is　the　waterfall；　which　stands　so　close　by　that　you　ca