desperate remedies-第41节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



'Let　me　go　on；'　said　Manston。

'Thy　wife　is　DEAD；　that's　'the　rest　o'　the　news；'　said　the　labourer
slowly。　　He　waited　for　a　reply；　none　came。

'She　went　to　the　Three　Tranters；　because　she　couldn't　get　into　thy
house；　the　burnen　roof　fell　in　upon　her　before　she　could　be　called
up；　and　she's　a　cinder；　as　thou'lt　be　some　day。'

'That　will　do；　let　me　drive　on；'　said　the　steward　calmly。

Expectation　of　a　concussion　may　be　so　intense　that　its　failure
strikes　the　brain　with　more　force　than　its　fulfilment。　　The　labourer
sank　back　into　the　ditch。　　Such　a　Cushi　could　not　realize　the
possibility　of　such　an　unmoved　David　as　this。

Manston　drove　hastily　to　the　turning　of　the　road；　tied　his　horse；
and　ran　on　foot　to　the　site　of　the　fire。

The　stagnation　caused　by　the　awful　accident　had　been　passed　through；
and　all　hands　were　helping　to　remove　from　the　remaining　cottage　what
furniture　they　could　lay　hold　of；　the　thatch　of　the　roofs　being
already　on　fire。　　The　Knapwater　fire…engine　had　arrived　on　the　spot；
but　it　was　small；　and　ineffectual。　　A　group　was　collected　round　the
rector；　who　in　a　coat　which　had　become　bespattered；　scorched；　and
torn　in　his　exertions；　was　directing　on　one　hand　the　proceedings
relative　to　the　removal　of　goods　into　the　church；　and　with　the　other
was　pointing　out　the　spot　on　which　it　was　most　desirable　that　the
puny　engines　at　their　disposal　should　be　made　to　play。　　Every　tongue
was　instantly　silent　at　the　sight　of　Manston's　pale　and　clear
countenance；　which　contrasted　strangely　with　the　grimy　and　streaming
faces　of　the　toiling　villagers。

'Was　she　burnt？'　he　said　in　a　firm　though　husky　voice；　and　stepping
into　the　illuminated　area。　　The　rector　came　to　him；　and　took　him
aside。　　'Is　she　burnt？'　repeated　Manston。

'She　is　dead：　　but　thank　God；　she　was　spared　the　horrid　agony　of
burning；'　the　rector　said　solemnly；　'the　roof　and　gable　fell　in　upon
her；　and　crushed　her。　　Instant　death　must　have　followed。'

'Why　was　she　here？'　said　Manston。

'From　what　we　can　hurriedly　collect；　it　seems　that　she　found　the
door　of　your　house　locked；　and　concluded　that　you　had　retired；　the
fact　being　that　your　servant；　Mrs。　Crickett；　had　gone　out　to　supper。
She　then　came　back　to　the　inn　and　went　to　bed。'

'Where's　the　landlord？'　said　Manston。

Mr。　Springrove　came　up；　walking　feebly；　and　wrapped　in　a　cloak；　and
corroborated　the　evidence　given　by　the　rector。

'Did　she　look　ill；　or　annoyed；　when　she　came？'　said　the　steward。

'I　can't　say。　　I　didn't　see；　but　I　think'

'What　do　you　think？'

'She　was　much　put　out　about　something。'

'My　not　meeting　her；　naturally；'　murmured　the　other；　lost　in
reverie。　　He　turned　his　back　on　Springrove　and　the　rector；　and
retired　from　the　shining　light。

Everything　had　been　done　that　could　be　done　with　the　limited　means
at　their　disposal。　　The　whole　row　of　houses　was　destroyed；　and　each
presented　itself　as　one　stage　of　a　series；　progressing　from　smoking
ruins　at　the　end　where　the　inn　had　stood；　to　a　partly　flaming　mass
glowing　as　none　but　wood　embers　will　glowat　the　other。

A　feature　in　the　decline　of　town　fires　was　noticeably　absent　here
steam。　　There　was　present　what　is　not　observable　in　towns
incandescence。

The　heat；　and　the　smarting　effect　upon　their　eyes　of　the　strong
smoke　from　the　burning　oak　and　deal；　had　at　last　driven　the
villagers　back　from　the　road　in　front　of　the　houses；　and　they　now
stood　in　groups　in　the　churchyard；　the　surface　of　which；　raised　by
the　interments　of　generations；　stood　four　or　five　feet　above　the
level　of　the　road；　and　almost　even　with　the　top　of　the　low　wall
dividing　one　from　the　other。　　The　headstones　stood　forth　whitely
against　the　dark　grass　and　yews；　their　brightness　being　repeated　on
the　white　smock…frocks　of　some　of　the　labourers；　and　in　a　mellower；
ruddier　form　on　their　faces　and　hands；　on　those　of　the　grinning
gargoyles；　and　on　other　salient　stonework　of　the　weather…beaten
church　in　the　background。

The　rector　had　decided　that；　under　the　distressing　circumstances　of
the　case；　there　would　be　no　sacrilege　in　placing　in　the　church；　for
the　night；　the　pieces　of　furniture　and　utensils　which　had　been　saved
from　the　several　houses。　　There　was　no　other　place　of　safety　for
them；　and　they　accordingly　were　gathered　there。

6。　　HALF…PAST　TWELVE　TO　ONE　A。M。

Manston；　when　he　retired　to　meditate；　had　walked　round　the
churchyard；　and　now　entered　the　opened　door　of　the　building。

He　mechanically　pursued　his　way　round　the　piers　into　his　own　seat　in
the　north　aisle。　　The　lower　atmosphere　of　this　spot　was　shaded　by
its　own　wall　from　the　shine　which　streamed　in　over　the　window…sills
on　the　same　side。　　The　only　light　burning　inside　the　church　was　a
small　tallow　candle；　standing　in　the　font；　in　the　opposite　aisle　of
the　building　to　that　in　which　Manston　had　sat　down；　and　near　where
the　furniture　was　piled。　　The　candle's　mild　rays　were　overpowered　by
the　ruddier　light　from　the　ruins；　making　the　weak　flame　to　appear
like　the　moon　by　day。

Sitting　there　he　saw　Farmer　Springrove　enter　the　door；　followed　by
his　son　Edward；　still　carrying　his　travelling…bag　in　his　hand。　　They
were　speaking　of　the　sad　death　of　Mrs。　Manston；　but　the　subject　was
relinquished　for　that　of　the　houses　burnt。

This　row　of　houses；　running　from　the　inn　eastward；　had　been　built
under　the　following　circumstances：

Fifty　years　before　this　date；　the　spot　upon　which　the　cottages
afterwards　stood　was　a　blank　strip；　along　the　side　of　the　village
street；　difficult　to　cultivate；　on　account　of　the　outcrop　thereon　of
a　large　bed　of　flints　called　locally　a　'lanch'　or　'lanchet。'

The　Aldclyffe　then　in　possession　of　the　estate　conceived　the　idea
that　a　row　of　cottages　would　be　an　improvement　to　the　spot；　and
accordingly　granted　leases　of　portions　to　several　respectable
inhabitants。　　Each　lessee　was　to　be　subject　to　the　payment　of　a
merely　nominal　rent　for　the　whole　term　of　lives；　on　condition　that
he　built　his　own　cottage；　and　delivered　it　up　intact　at　the　end　of
the　term。

Those　who　had　built　had；　one　by　one；　relinquished　their　indentures；
either　by　sale　or　barter；　to　Farmer　Springrove's　father。　　New　lives
were　added　in　some　cases；　by　payment　of　a　sum　to　the　lord　of　the
manor；　etc。；　and　all　the　leases　were　now　held　by　the　farmer　himself；
as　one　of　the　chief　provisions　for　his　old　age。

The　steward　had　become　interested　in　the　following　conversation：

'Try　not　to　be　so　depressed；　father；　they　are　all　insured。'

The　words　came　from　Edward　in　an　anxious　tone。

'You　mistake；　Edward；　they　are　not　insured；'　returned　the　old　man
gloomily。

'Not？'　the　son　asked。

'Not　one！'　said　the　farmer。

'In　the　Helmet　Fire　Office；　surely？'

'They　were　insured　there　every　one。　　Six　months　ago　the　office；
which　had　been　raising　the　premiums　on　thatched　premises　higher　for
some　years；　gave　up　insuring　them　altogether；　as　two　or　three　other
fire…offices　had　done　previously；　on　account；　they　said；　of　the
uncertainty　and　greatness　of　the　risk　of　thatch　undetached。　　Ever
since　then　I　have　been　continually　intending　to　go　to　another
office；　but　have　never　gone。　　Who　expects　a　fire？'

'Do　you　remember　the　terms　of　the　leases？'　said　Edward；　still　more
uneasily。

'No；　not　particularly；'　said　his　father　absently。

'Where　are　they？'

'In　the　bureau　there；　that's　why　I　tried　to　save　it　first；　among
other　things。'

'Well；　we　must　see　to　that　at　once。'

'What　do　you　want？'

'The　key。'

They　went　into　the　south　aisle；　took　the　candle　from　the　font；　and
then　proceeded　to　open　the　bureau；　which　had　been　placed　in　a　corner
under　the　gallery。　　Both　leant　over　upon　the　flap；　Edward　holding
the　candle；　whilst　his　father　took　the　pieces　of　parchment　from　one
of　the　drawers；　and　spread　the　first　out　before　him。

'You　read　it；　Ted。　　I　can't　see　without　my　glasses。　　This　one　will
be　sufficient。　　The　terms　of　all　are　the　same。'

Edward　took　the　parchment；　and　read　quickly　and　indistinctly　for
some　time；　then　aloud　and　slowly　as　follows：

'And　the　said　John　Springrove　for　himself　his　heirs　executors　and
administrators　doth　covenant　and　agree　with　the　said　Gerald
Fellcourt　Aldclyffe　his　heirs　and　assigns　that　he　the　said　John
Springrove　his　heirs　and　assigns　during　the　said　term　shall　pay　unto
the　said　Gerald　Fellcourt　Aldclyffe　his　heirs　and　assigns　the　clear
yearly　rent　of　ten　shillings　and　sixpence。　。　。　。　　at　the　several
times　hereinbefore　appointed　for　the　payment　thereof　respectively。
And　also　shall　and　at　all　times　during　the　said　term　well　and
sufficiently　repair　and　keep　the　said　Cottage　or　Dwelling…house　and
all　other　the　premises　and　all　houses　or　buildings　erected　or　to　be
erected　thereupon　in　good　and　proper　repair　in　every　respect　without
exception　and　the　said　premises　in　such　good　repair　upon　the
determination　of　this　demise　shall　yield　up　unto　the　said　Gerald
Fellcourt　Aldclyffe　his　heirs　and　assigns。'

They　closed　the　bureau　and　turned　towards　the　door　of　the　church
without　speaking。

Manston　also　had　come　forward　out　of　the　gloom。　　Notwithstanding　the
farmer's　own　troubles；　an　instinctive　respect　and　generous　sense　of
sympathy　with　the　steward　for　his　awful　loss　caused　the　old　man　to