desperate remedies-第27节

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'At　first　I　was；　slightly。　　But　I　got　used　to　the　solitude。　　And　you
know　a　sort　of　commonsense　will　creep　even　into　timidity。　　I　say　to
myself　sometimes　at　night；　〃If　I　were　anybody　but　a　harmless　woman；
not　worth　the　trouble　of　a　worm's　ghost　to　appear　to　me；　I　should
think　that　every　sound　I　hear　was　a　spirit。〃　　But　you　must　see　all
over　my　house。'

Cytherea　was　highly　interested　in　seeing。

'I　say　you　MUST　do　this；　and　you　MUST　do　that；　as　if　you　were　a
child；'　remarked　Adelaide。　　'A　privileged　friend　of　mine　tells　me
this　use　of　the　imperative　comes　of　being　so　constantly　in　nobody's
society　but　my　own。'

'Ah；　yes。　　I　suppose　she　is　right。'

Cytherea　called　the　friend　'she'　by　a　rule　of　ladylike　practice；　for
a　woman's　'friend'　is　delicately　assumed　by　another　friend　to　be　of
their　own　sex　in　the　absence　of　knowledge　to　the　contrary；　just　as
cats　are　called　she's　until　they　prove　themselves　he's。

Miss　Hinton　laughed　mysteriously。

'I　get　a　humorous　reproof　for　it　now　and　then；　I　assure　you；'　she
continued。

'〃Humorous　reproof：〃　that's　not　from　a　woman：　　who　can　reprove
humorously　but　a　man？'　was　the　groove　of　Cytherea's　thought　at　the
remark。　　'Your　brother　reproves　you；　I　expect；'　said　that　innocent
young　lady。

'No；'　said　Miss　Hinton；　with　a　candid　air。　　''Tis　only　a
professional　man　I　am　acquainted　with。'　　She　looked　out　of　the
window。

Women　are　persistently　imitative。　　No　sooner　did　a　thought　flash
through　Cytherea's　mind　that　the　man　was　a　lover　than　she　became　a
Miss　Aldclyffe　in　a　mild　form。

'I　imagine　he's　a　lover；'　she　said。

Miss　Hinton　smiled　a　smile　of　experience　in　that　line。

Few　women；　if　taxed　with　having　an　admirer；　are　so　free　from　vanity
as　to　deny　the　impeachment；　even　if　it　is　utterly　untrue。　　When　it
does　happen　to　be　true；　they　look　pityingly　away　from　the　person　who
is　so　benighted　as　to　have　got　no　further　than　suspecting　it。

'There　nowMiss　Hinton；　you　are　engaged　to　be　married！'　said
Cytherea　accusingly。

Adelaide　nodded　her　head　practically。　　'Well；　yes；　I　am；'　she　said。

The　word　'engaged'　had　no　sooner　passed　Cytherea's　lips　than　the
sound　of　itthe　mere　sound　of　her　own　lipscarried　her　mind　to　the
time　and　circumstances　under　which　Miss　Aldclyffe　had　used　it
towards　herself。　　A　sickening　thought　followedbased　but　on　a　mere
surmise；　yet　its　presence　took　every　other　idea　away　from　Cytherea's
mind。　　Miss　Hinton　had　used　Edward's　words　about　towns；　she
mentioned　Mr。　Springrove　as　attending　to　her　garden。　　It　could　not
be　that　Edward　was　the　man！　that　Miss　Aldclyffe　had　planned　to
reveal　her　rival　thus！

'Are　you　going　to　be　married　soon？'　she　inquired；　with　a　steadiness
the　result　of　a　sort　of　fascination；　but　apparently　of　indifference。

'Not　very　soonstill；　soon。'

'Ah…ha！　　In　less　than　three　months？'　said　Cytherea。

'Two。'

Now　that　the　subject　was　well　in　hand；　Adelaide　wanted　no　more
prompting。　　'You　won't　tell　anybody　if　I　show　you　something？'　she
said；　with　eager　mystery。

'O　no；　nobody。　　But　does　he　live　in　this　parish？'

'No。'

Nothing　proved　yet。

'What's　his　name？'　said　Cytherea　flatly。　　Her　breath　and　heart　had
begun　their　old　tricks；　and　came　and　went　hotly。　　Miss　Hinton　could
not　see　her　face。

'What　do　you　think？'　said　Miss　Hinton。

'George？'　said　Cytherea；　with　deceitful　agony。

'No；'　said　Adelaide。　　'But　now；　you　shall　see　him　first；　come　here；'
and　she　led　the　way　upstairs　into　her　bedroom。　　There；　standing　on
the　dressing　table　in　a　little　frame；　was　the　unconscious　portrait
of　Edward　Springrove。

'There　he　is；'　Miss　Hinton　said；　and　a　silence　ensued。

'Are　you　very　fond　of　him？'　continued　the　miserable　Cytherea　at
length。

'Yes；　of　course　I　am；'　her　companion　replied；　but　in　the　tone　of　one
who　'lived　in　Abraham's　bosom　all　the　year；'　and　was　therefore
untouched　by　solemn　thought　at　the　fact。　　'He's　my　cousina　native
of　this　village。　　We　were　engaged　before　my　father's　death　left　me
so　lonely。　　I　was　only　twenty；　and　a　much　greater　belle　than　I　am
now。　　We　know　each　other　thoroughly；　as　you　may　imagine。　　I　give　him
a　little　sermonizing　now　and　then。'

'Why？'

'O；　it's　only　in　fun。　He's　very　naughty　sometimesnot　really；　you
knowbut　he　will　look　at　any　pretty　face　when　he　sees　it。'

Storing　up　this　statement　of　his　susceptibility　as　another　item　to
be　miserable　upon　when　she　had　time；　'How　do　you　know　that？'
Cytherea　asked；　with　a　swelling　heart。

'Well；　you　know　how　things　do　come　to　women's　ears。　　He　used　to　live
at　Budmouth　as　an　assistant…architect；　and　I　found　out　that　a　young
giddy　thing　of　a　girl　who　lives　there　somewhere　took　his　fancy　for　a
day　or　two。　　But　I　don't　feel　jealous　at　allour　engagement　is　so
matter…of…fact　that　neither　of　us　can　be　jealous。　　And　it　was　a　mere
flirtationshe　was　too　silly　for　him。　　He's　fond　of　rowing；　and
kindly　gave　her　an　airing　for　an　evening　or　two。　I'll　warrant　they
talked　the　most　unmitigated　rubbish　under　the　sunall　shallowness
and　pastime；　just　as　everything　is　at　watering　placesneither　of
them　caring　a　bit　for　the　othershe　giggling　like　a　goose　all　the
time'

Concentrated　essence　of　woman　pervaded　the　room　rather　than　air。
'She　DIDN'T！　and　it　WASN'T　shallowness！'　Cytherea　burst　out；　with
brimming　eyes。　　''Twas　deep　deceit　on　one　side；　and　entire
confidence　on　the　otheryes；　it　was！'　　The　pent…up　emotion　had
swollen　and　swollen　inside　the　young　thing　till　the　dam　could　no
longer　embay　it。　　The　instant　the　words　were　out　she　would　have
given　worlds　to　have　been　able　to　recall　them。

'Do　you　know　heror　him？'　said　Miss　Hinton；　starting　with　suspicion
at　the　warmth　shown。

The　two　rivals　had　now　lost　their　personality　quite。　　There　was　the
same　keen　brightness　of　eye；　the　same　movement　of　the　mouth；　the
same　mind　in　both；　as　they　looked　doubtingly　and　excitedly　at　each
other。　　As　is　invariably　the　case　with　women　when　a　man　they　care
for　is　the　subject　of　an　excitement　among　them；　the　situation
abstracted　the　differences　which　distinguished　them　as　individuals；
and　left　only　the　properties　common　to　them　as　atoms　of　a　sex。

Cytherea　caught　at　the　chance　afforded　her　of　not　betraying　herself。
'Yes；　I　know　her；'　she　said。

'Well；'　said　Miss　Hinton；　'I　am　really　vexed　if　my　speaking　so
lightly　of　any　friend　of　yours　has　hurt　your　feelings；　but'

'O；　never　mind；'　Cytherea　returned；　'it　doesn't　matter；　Miss　Hinton。
I　think　I　must　leave　you　now。　　I　have　to　call　at　other　places。　　Yes…
…I　must　go。'

Miss　Hinton；　in　a　perplexed　state　of　mind；　showed　her　visitor
politely　downstairs　to　the　door。　　Here　Cytherea　bade　her　a　hurried
adieu；　and　flitted　down　the　garden　into　the　lane。

She　persevered　in　her　duties　with　a　wayward　pleasure　in　giving
herself　misery；　as　was　her　wont。　　Mr。　Springrove's　name　was　next　on
the　list；　and　she　turned　towards　his　dwelling；　the　Three　Tranters
Inn。

3。　　FOUR　TO　FIVE　P。M。

The　cottages　along　Carriford　village　street　were　not　so　close　but
that　on　one　side　or　other　of　the　road　was　always　a　hedge　of　hawthorn
or　privet；　over　or　through　which　could　be　seen　gardens　or　orchards
rich　with　produce。　　It　was　about　the　middle　of　the　early　apple…
harvest；　and　the　laden　trees　were　shaken　at　intervals　by　the
gatherers；　the　soft　pattering　of　the　falling　crop　upon　the　grassy
ground　being　diversified　by　the　loud　rattle　of　vagrant　ones　upon　a
rail；　hencoop；　basket；　or　lean…to　roof；　or　upon　the　rounded　and
stooping　backs　of　the　collectorsmostly　children；　who　would　have
cried　bitterly　at　receiving　such　a　smart　blow　from　any　other
quarter；　but　smilingly　assumed　it　to　be　but　fun　in　apples。

The　Three　Tranters　Inn；　a　many…gabled；　mediaeval　building；
constructed　almost　entirely　of　timber；　plaster；　and　thatch；　stood
close　to　the　line　of　the　roadside；　almost　opposite　the　churchyard；
and　was　connected　with　a　row　of　cottages　on　the　left　by　thatched
outbuildings。　　It　was　an　uncommonly　characteristic　and　handsome
specimen　of　the　genuine　roadside　inn　of　bygone　times；　and　standing
on　one　of　the　great　highways　in　this　part　of　England；　had　in　its
time　been　the　scene　of　as　much　of　what　is　now　looked　upon　as　the
romantic　and　genial　experience　of　stage…coach　travelling　as　any
halting…place　in　the　country。　　The　railway　had　absorbed　the　whole
stream　of　traffic　which　formerly　flowed　through　the　village　and
along　by　the　ancient　door　of　the　inn；　reducing　the　empty…handed
landlord；　who　used　only　to　farm　a　few　fields　at　the　back　of　the
house；　to　the　necessity　of　eking　out　his　attenuated　income　by
increasing　the　extent　of　his　agricultural　business　if　he　would　still
maintain　his　social　standing。　　Next　to　the　general　stillness
pervading　the　spot；　the　long　line　of　outbuildings　adjoining　the
house　was　the　most　striking　and　saddening　witness　to　the　passed…away
fortunes　of　the　Three　Tranters　Inn。　　It　was　the　bulk　of　the　original
stabling；　and　where　once　the　hoofs　of　two…score　horses　had　daily
rattled　over　the　stony　yard；　to　and　from　the　stalls　within；　thick
grass　now　grew；　whilst　the　line　of　roofsonce　so　straightover　the
decayed　stalls；　had　sunk　into　vast　hollows　till　they　seemed　like　the
cheeks　of　toothless　age。

On　a　green　plot　at　the　other　end　of　the　building　grew　two　or　thre