desperate remedies-第37节

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hardly　worth　while　for　you　to　attempt　to　bring　with　you　any　luggage
you　may　have　gathered　about　you　（beyond　mere　clothing）。　　Dispose　of
superfluous　things　at　a　broker's；　your　bringing　them　would　only　make
a　talk　in　this　parish；　and　lead　people　to　believe　we　had　long　been
keeping　house　separately。

'Will　next　Monday　suit　you　for　coming？　　You　have　nothing　to　do　that
can　occupy　you　for　more　than　a　day　or　two；　as　far　as　I　can　see；　and
the　remainder　of　this　week　will　afford　ample　time。　　I　can　be　in
London　the　night　before；　and　we　will　come　down　together　by　the　mid…
day　trainYour　very　affectionate　husband；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'AENEAS　MANSTON。

'Now；　of　course；　I　shall　no　longer　write　to　you　as　Mrs。　Rondley。'

The　address　on　the　envelope　was

MRS。　MANSTON；
　　　　　41　CHARLES　SQUARE；
　　　　　　　　　　HOXTON；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　LONDON；　N。

He　took　the　letter　to　the　house；　and　it　being　too　late　for　the
country　post；　sent　one　of　the　stablemen　with　it　to　Casterbridge；
instead　of　troubling　to　go　to　Budmouth　with　it　himself　as
heretofore。　　He　had　no　longer　any　necessity　to　keep　his　condition　a
secret。

7。　　FROM　THE　TWENTY…SECOND　TO　THE　TWENTY…SEVENTH　OF　NOVEMBER

But　the　next　morning　Manston　found　that　he　had　been　forgetful　of
another　matter；　in　naming　the　following　Monday　to　his　wife　for　the
journey。

The　fact　was　this。　　A　letter　had　just　come；　reminding　him　that　he
had　left　the　whole　of　the　succeeding　week　open　for　an　important
business　engagement　with　a　neighbouring　land…agent；　at　that
gentleman's　residence　thirteen　miles　off。　　The　particular　day　he　had
suggested　to　his　wife；　had；　in　the　interim；　been　appropriated　by　his
correspondent。　　The　meeting　could　not　now　be　put　off。

So　he　wrote　again　to　his　wife；　stating　that　business；　which　could
not　be　postponed；　called　him　away　from　home　on　Monday；　and　would
entirely　prevent　him　coming　all　the　way　to　fetch　her　on　Sunday　night
as　he　had　intended；　but　that　he　would　meet　her　at　the　Carriford　Road
Station　with　a　conveyance　when　she　arrived　there　in　the　evening。

The　next　day　came　his　wife's　answer　to　his　first　letter；　in　which
she　said　that　she　would　be　ready　to　be　fetched　at　the　time　named。
Having　already　written　his　second　letter；　which　was　by　that　time　in
her　hands；　he　made　no　further　reply。

The　week　passed　away。　　The　steward　had；　in　the　meantime；　let　it
become　generally　known　in　the　village　that　he　was　a　married　man；　and
by　a　little　judicious　management；　sound　family　reasons　for　his　past
secrecy　upon　the　subject；　which　were　floated　as　adjuncts　to　the
story；　were　placidly　received；　they　seemed　so　natural　and
justifiable　to　the　unsophisticated　minds　of　nine…tenths　of　his
neighbours；　that　curiosity　in　the　matter；　beyond　a　strong　curiosity
to　see　the　lady's　face；　was　well…nigh　extinguished。



X。　　THE　EVENTS　OF　A　DAY　AND　NIGHT

1。　　NOVEMBER　THE　TWENTY…EIGHTH。　　UNTIL　TEN　P。M。

Monday　came；　the　day　named　for　Mrs。　Manston's　journey　from　London　to
her　husband's　house；　a　day　of　singular　and　great　events；　influencing
the　present　and　future　of　nearly　all　the　personages　whose　actions　in
a　complex　drama　form　the　subject　of　this　record。

The　proceedings　of　the　steward　demand　the　first　notice。　　Whilst
taking　his　breakfast　on　this　particular　morning；　the　clock　pointing
to　eight；　the　horse…and…gig　that　was　to　take　him　to　Chettlewood
waiting　ready　at　the　door；　Manston　hurriedly　cast　his　eyes　down　the
column　of　Bradshaw　which　showed　the　details　and　duration　of　the
selected　train's　journey。

The　inspection　was　carelessly　made；　the　leaf　being　kept　open　by　the
aid　of　one　hand；　whilst　the　other　still　held　his　cup　of　coffee；　much
more　carelessly　than　would　have　been　the　case　had　the　expected　new…
comer　been　Cytherea　Graye；　instead　of　his　lawful　wife。

He　did　not　perceive；　branching　from　the　column　down　which　his　finger
ran；　a　small　twist；　called　a　shunting…line；　inserted　at　a　particular
place；　to　imply　that　at　that　point　the　train　was　divided　into　two。
By　this　oversight　he　understood　that　the　arrival　of　his　wife　at
Carriford　Road　Station　would　not　be　till　late　in　the　evening：　　by
the　second　half　of　the　train；　containing　the　third…class　passengers；
and　passing　two　hours　and　three…quarters　later　than　the　previous
one；　by　which　the　lady；　as　a　second…class　passenger；　would　really　be
brought。

He　then　considered　that　there　would　be　plenty　of　time　for　him　to
return　from　his　day's　engagement　to　meet　this　train。　　He　finished
his　breakfast；　gave　proper　and　precise　directions　to　his　servant　on
the　preparations　that　were　to　be　made　for　the　lady's　reception；
jumped　into　his　gig；　and　drove　off　to　Lord　Claydonfield's；　at
Chettlewood。

He　went　along　by　the　front　of　Knapwater　House。　　He　could　not　help
turning　to　look　at　what　he　knew　to　be　the　window　of　Cytherea's　room。
Whilst　he　looked；　a　hopeless　expression　of　passionate　love　and
sensuous　anguish　came　upon　his　face　and　lingered　there　for　a　few
seconds；　then；　as　on　previous　occasions；　it　was　resolutely
repressed；　and　he　trotted　along　the　smooth　white　road；　again
endeavouring　to　banish　all　thought　of　the　young　girl　whose　beauty
and　grace　had　so　enslaved　him。

Thus　it　was　that　when；　in　the　evening　of　the　same　day；　Mrs。　Manston
reached　Carriford　Road　Station；　her　husband　was　still　at
Chettlewood；　ignorant　of　her　arrival；　and　on　looking　up　and　down　the
platform；　dreary　with　autumn　gloom　and　wind；　she　could　see　no　sign
that　any　preparation　whatever　had　been　made　for　her　reception　and
conduct　home。

The　train　went　on。　She　waited；　fidgeted　with　the　handle　of　her
umbrella；　walked　about；　strained　her　eyes　into　the　gloom　of　the
chilly　night；　listened　for　wheels；　tapped　with　her　foot；　and　showed
all　the　usual　signs　of　annoyance　and　irritation：　　she　was　the　more
irritated　in　that　this　seemed　a　second　and　culminating　instance　of
her　husband's　neglectthe　first　having　been　shown　in　his　not
fetching　her。

Reflecting　awhile　upon　the　course　it　would　be　best　to　take；　in　order
to　secure　a　passage　to　Knapwater；　she　decided　to　leave　all　her
luggage；　except　a　dressing…bag；　in　the　cloak…room；　and　walk　to　her
husband's　house；　as　she　had　done　on　her　first　visit。　　She　asked　one
of　the　porters　if　he　could　find　a　lad　to　go　with　her　and　carry　her
bag：　　he　offered　to　do　it　himself。

The　porter　was　a　good…tempered；　shallow…minded；　ignorant　man。　　Mrs。
Manston；　being　apparently　in　very　gloomy　spirits；　would　probably
have　preferred　walking　beside　him　without　saying　a　word：　　but　her
companion　would　not　allow　silence　to　continue　between　them　for　a
longer　period　than　two　or　three　minutes　together。

He　had　volunteered　several　remarks　upon　her　arrival；　chiefly　to　the
effect　that　it　was　very　unfortunate　Mr。　Manston　had　not　come　to　the
station　for　her；　when　she　suddenly　asked　him　concerning　the
inhabitants　of　the　parish。

He　told　her　categorically　the　names　of　the　chieffirst　the　chief
possessors　of　property；　then　of　brains；　then　of　good　looks。　　As
first　among　the　latter　he　mentioned　Miss　Cytherea　Graye。

After　getting　him　to　describe　her　appearance　as　completely　as　lay　in
his　power；　she　wormed　out　of　him　the　statement　that　everybody　had
been　sayingbefore　Mrs。　Manston's　existence　was　heard　ofhow　well
the　handsome　Mr。　Manston　and　the　beautiful　Miss　Graye　were　suited
for　each　other　as　man　and　wife；　and　that　Miss　Aldclyffe　was　the　only
one　in　the　parish　who　took　no　interest　in　bringing　about　the　match。

'He　rather　liked　her　you　think？'

The　porter　began　to　think　he　had　been　too　explicit；　and　hastened　to
correct　the　error。

'O　no；　he　don't　care　a　bit　about　her；　ma'am；'　he　said　solemnly。

'Not　more　than　he　does　about　me？'

'Not　a　bit。'

'Then　that　must　be　little　indeed；'　Mrs。　Manston　murmured。　　She　stood
still；　as　if　reflecting　upon　the　painful　neglect　her　words　had
recalled　to　her　mind；　then；　with　a　sudden　impulse；　turned　round；　and
walked　petulantly　a　few　steps　back　again　in　the　direction　of　the
station。

The　porter　stood　still　and　looked　surprised。

'I'll　go　back　again；　yes；　indeed；　I'll　go　back　again！'　she　said
plaintively。　　Then　she　paused　and　looked　anxiously　up　and　down　the
deserted　road。

'No；　I　mustn't　go　back　now；'　she　continued；　in　a　tone　of
resignation。　　Seeing　that　the　porter　was　watching　her；　she　turned
about　and　came　on　as　before；　giving　vent　to　a　slight　laugh。

It　was　a　laugh　full　of　character；　the　low　forced　laugh　which　seeks
to　hide　the　painful　perception　of　a　humiliating　position　under　the
mask　of　indifference。

Altogether　her　conduct　had　shown　her　to　be　what　in　fact　she　was；　a
weak；　though　a　calculating　woman；　one　clever　to　conceive；　weak　to
execute：　　one　whose　best…laid　schemes　were　for　ever　liable　to　be
frustrated　by　the　ineradicable　blight　of　vacillation　at　the　critical
hour　of　action。

'O；　if　I　had　only　known　that　all　this　was　going　to　happen！'　she
murmured　again；　as　they　paced　along　upon　the　rustling　leaves。

'What　did　you　say；　ma'am？'　said　the　porter。

'O；　nothing　particular；　we　are　getting　near　the　old　manor…house　by
this　time；　I　imagine？'

'Very　near　now；　ma'am。'

They　soon　reached　Manston's　residence；　round　which　the　wind　blew
mournfully　and　chill。

Passing　under　the　detached　gateway；　they　enter