desperate remedies-第26节

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dreaming　over　out…door　scenes；　learning　a　verse　from　some　poem
whilst　dressing。

Yet　try　to　force　her　sympathies　as　much　as　she　would；　Cytherea　could
feel　no　more　than　thankful　for　this；　even　if　she　always　felt　as　much
as　thankful。　　The　mysterious　cloud　hanging　over　the　past　life　of　her
companion；　of　which　the　uncertain　light　already　thrown　upon　it　only
seemed　to　render　still　darker　the　unpenetrated　remainder；　nourished
in　her　a　feeling　which　was　scarcely　too　slight　to　be　called　dread。
She　would　have　infinitely　preferred　to　be　treated　distantly；　as　the
mere　dependent；　by　such　a　changeable　naturelike　a　fountain；　always
herself；　yet　always　another。　　That　a　crime　of　any　deep　dye　had　ever
been　perpetrated　or　participated　in　by　her　namesake；　she　would　not
believe；　but　the　reckless　adventuring　of　the　lady's　youth　seemed
connected　with　deeds　of　darkness　rather　than　of　light。

Sometimes　Miss　Aldclyffe　appeared　to　be　on　the　point　of　making　some
absorbing　confidence；　but　reflection　invariably　restrained　her。
Cytherea　hoped　that　such　a　confidence　would　come　with　time；　and　that
she　might　thus　be　a　means　of　soothing　a　mind　which　had　obviously
known　extreme　suffering。

But　Miss　Aldclyffe's　reticence　concerning　her　past　was　not　imitated
by　Cytherea。　　Though　she　never　disclosed　the　one　fact　of　her
knowledge　that　the　love…suit　between　Miss　Aldclyffe　and　her　father
terminated　abnormally；　the　maiden's　natural　ingenuousness　on
subjects　not　set　down　for　special　guard　had　enabled　Miss　Aldclyffe
to　worm　from　her；　fragment　by　fragment；　every　detail　of　her　father's
history。　　Cytherea　saw　how　deeply　Miss　Aldclyffe　sympathizedand　it
compensated　her；　to　some　extent；　for　the　hasty　resentments　of　other
times。

Thus　uncertainly　she　lived　on。　　It　was　perceived　by　the　servants　of
the　House　that　some　secret　bond　of　connection　existed　between　Miss
Aldclyffe　and　her　companion。　　But　they　were　woman　and　woman；　not
woman　and　man；　the　facts　were　ethereal　and　refined；　and　so　they
could　not　be　worked　up　into　a　taking　story。　　Whether；　as　old　critics
disputed；　a　supernatural　machinery　be　necessary　to　an　epic　or　no；　an
ungodly　machinery　is　decidedly　necessary　to　a　scandal。

Another　letter　had　come　to　her　from　Edwardvery　short；　but　full　of
entreaty；　asking　why　she　would　not　write　just　one　linejust　one
line　of　cold　friendship　at　least？　　She　then　allowed　herself　to
think；　little　by　little；　whether　she　had　not　perhaps　been　too　harsh
with　him；　and　at　last　wondered　if　he　were　really　much　to　blame　for
being　engaged　to　another　woman。　　'Ah；　Brain；　there　is　one　in　me
stronger　than　you！'　she　said。　　The　young　maid　now　continually　pulled
out　his　letter；　read　it　and　re…read　it；　almost　crying　with　pity　the
while；　to　think　what　wretched　suspense　he　must　be　enduring　at　her
silence；　till　her　heart　chid　her　for　her　cruelty。　　She　felt　that　she
must　send　him　a　lineone　little　linejust　a　wee　line　to　keep　him
alive；　poor　thing；　sighing　like　Donna　Clara

　　　　　'Ah；　were　he　now　before　me；
　　　　　　　　In　spite　of　injured　pride；
　　　　　　I　fear　my　eyes　would　pardon
　　　　　　　　Before　my　tongue　could　chide。'

2。　　SEPTEMBER　THE　TWENTIETH。　　THREE　TO　FOUR　P。M。

It　was　the　third　week　in　September；　about　five　weeks　after
Cytherea's　arrival；　when　Miss　Aldclyffe　requested　her　one　day　to　go
through　the　village　of　Carriford　and　assist　herself　in　collecting
the　subscriptions　made　by　some　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　parish　to　a
religious　society　she　patronized。　　Miss　Aldclyffe　formed　one　of　what
was　called　a　Ladies'　Association；　each　member　of　which　collected
tributary　streams　of　shillings　from　her　inferiors；　to　add　to　her　own
pound　at　the　end。

Miss　Aldclyffe　took　particular　interest　in　Cytherea's　appearance
that　afternoon；　and　the　object　of　her　attention　was；　indeed；
gratifying　to　look　at。　　The　sight　of　the　lithe　girl；　set　off　by　an
airy　dress；　coquettish　jacket；　flexible　hat；　a　ray　of　starlight　in
each　eye　and　a　war　of　lilies　and　roses　in　each　cheek；　was　a　palpable
pleasure　to　the　mistress　of　the　mansion；　yet　a　pleasure　which
appeared　to　partake　less　of　the　nature　of　affectionate　satisfaction
than　of　mental　gratification。

Eight　names　were　printed　in　the　report　as　belonging　to　Miss
Aldclyffe's　list；　with　the　amount　of　subscription…money　attached　to
each。

'I　will　collect　the　first　four；　whilst　you　do　the　same　with　the　last
four；'　said　Miss　Aldclyffe。

The　names　of　two　tradespeople　stood　first　in　Cytherea's　share：　　then
came　a　Miss　Hinton：　　last　of　all　in　the　printed　list　was　Mr。
Springrove　the　elder。　　Underneath　his　name　was　pencilled；　in　Miss
Aldclyffe's　handwriting；　'Mr。　Manston。'

Manston　had　arrived　on　the　estate；　in　the　capacity　of　steward；　three
or　four　days　previously；　and　occupied　the　old　manor…house；　which　had
been　altered　and　repaired　for　his　reception。

'Call　on　Mr。　Manston；'　said　the　lady　impressively；　looking　at　the
name　written　under　Cytherea's　portion　of　the　list。

'But　he　does　not　subscribe　yet？'

'I　know　it；　but　call　and　leave　him　a　report。　　Don't　forget　it。'

'Say　you　would　be　pleased　if　he　would　subscribe？'

'Yessay　I　should　be　pleased　if　he　would；'　repeated　Miss　Aldclyffe；
smiling。　　'Good…bye。　　Don't　hurry　in　your　walk。　　If　you　can't　get
easily　through　your　task　to…day　put　off　some　of　it　till　to…morrow。'

Each　then　started　on　her　rounds：　　Cytherea　going　in　the　first　place
to　the　old　manor…house。　　Mr。　Manston　was　not　indoors；　which　was　a
relief　to　her。　　She　called　then　on　the　two　gentleman…farmers'　wives；
who　soon　transacted　their　business　with　her；　frigidly　indifferent　to
her　personality。　　A　person　who　socially　is　nothing　is　thought　less
of　by　people　who　are　not　much　than　by　those　who　are　a　great　deal。

She　then　turned　towards　Peakhill　Cottage；　the　residence　of　Miss
Hinton；　who　lived　there　happily　enough；　with　an　elderly　servant　and
a　house…dog　as　companions。　　Her　father；　and　last　remaining　parent；
had　retired　thither　four　years　before　this　time；　after　having　filled
the　post　of　editor　to　the　Casterbridge　Chronicle　for　eighteen　or
twenty　years。　　There　he　died　soon　after；　and　though　comparatively　a
poor　man；　he　left　his　daughter　sufficiently　well　provided　for　as　a
modest　fundholder　and　claimant　of　sundry　small　sums　in　dividends　to
maintain　herself　as　mistress　at　Peakhill。

At　Cytherea's　knock　an　inner　door　was　heard　to　open　and　close；　and
footsteps　crossed　the　passage　hesitatingly。　　The　next　minute
Cytherea　stood　face　to　face　with　the　lady　herself。

Adelaide　Hinton　was　about　nine…and…twenty　years　of　age。　　Her　hair
was　plentiful；　like　Cytherea's　own；　her　teeth　equalled　Cytherea's　in
regularity　and　whiteness。　　But　she　was　much　paler；　and　had　features
too　transparent　to　be　in　place　among　household　surroundings。　　Her
mouth　expressed　love　less　forcibly　than　Cytherea's；　and；　as　a
natural　result　of　her　greater　maturity；　her　tread　was　less　elastic；
and　she　was　more　self…possessed。

She　had　been　a　girl　of　that　kind　which　mothers　praise　as　not
forward；　by　way　of　contrast；　when　disparaging　those　warmer　ones　with
whom　loving　is　an　end　and　not　a　means。　　Men　of　forty；　too；　said　of
her；　'a　good　sensible　wife　for　any　man；　if　she　cares　to　marry；'　the
caring　to　marry　being　thrown　in　as　the　vaguest　hypothesis；　because
she　was　so　practical。　　Yet　it　would　be　singular　if；　in　such　cases；
the　important　subject　of　marriage　should　be　excluded　from
manipulation　by　hands　that　are　ready　for　practical　performance　in
every　domestic　concern　besides。

Cytherea　was　an　acquisition；　and　the　greeting　was　hearty。

'Good　afternoon！　　O　yesMiss　Graye；　from　Miss　Aldclyffe's。　　I　have
seen　you　at　church；　and　I　am　so　glad　you　have　called！　　Come　in。　　I
wonder　if　I　have　change　enough　to　pay　my　subscription。'　　She　spoke
girlishly。

Adelaide；　when　in　the　company　of　a　younger　woman；　always　levelled
herself　down　to　that　younger　woman's　age　from　a　sense　of　justice　to
herselfas　if；　though　not　her　own　age　at　common　law；　it　was　in
equity。

'It　doesn't　matter。　　I'll　come　again。'

'Yes；　do　at　any　time；　not　only　on　this　errand。　　But　you　must　step　in
for　a　minute。　　Do。'

'I　have　been　wanting　to　come　for　several　weeks。'

'That's　right。　　Now　you　must　see　my　houselonely；　isn't　it；　for　a
single　person？　　People　said　it　was　odd　for　a　young　woman　like　me　to
keep　on　a　house；　but　what　did　I　care？　　If　you　knew　the　pleasure　of
locking　up　your　own　door；　with　the　sensation　that　you　reigned
supreme　inside　it；　you　would　say　it　was　worth　the　risk　of　being
called　odd。　　Mr。　Springrove　attends　to　my　gardening；　the　dog　attends
to　robbers；　and　whenever　there　is　a　snake　or　toad　to　kill；　Jane　does
it。'

'How　nice！　　It　is　better　than　living　in　a　town。'

'Far　better。　　A　town　makes　a　cynic　of　me。'

The　remark　recalled；　somewhat　startlingly；　to　Cytherea's　mind；　that
Edward　had　used　those　very　words　to　herself　one　evening　at　Budmouth。

Miss　Hinton　opened　an　interior　door　and　led　her　visitor　into　a　small
drawing…room　commanding　a　view　of　the　country　for　miles。

The　missionary　business　was　soon　settled；　but　the　chat　continued。

'How　lonely　it　must　be　here　at　night！'　said　Cytherea。　　'Aren't　you
afraid？'

'At　first　I　was；　slightly。　　But　I　got　used　to　the　solitude。　　And　you
know　a　sort　of　commonsense　will　creep　even　in