desperate remedies-第54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！


process　from　a　distance。　　'Not　a　soul　knew　anything　about　it；　and　my
wife　is　the　only　one　in　our　parish　who　knows　it　yet。　　Miss　Hinton
came　back　from　the　wedden；　went　to　Mr。　Manston；　puffed　herself　out
large；　and　said　she　was　Mrs。　Bollens；　but　that　if　he　wished；　she　had
no　objection　to　keep　on　the　house　till　the　regular　time　of　giving
notice　had　expired；　or　till　he　could　get　another　tenant。'

'Just　like　her　independence；'　said　the　cook。

'Well；　independent　or　no；　she's　Mrs。　Bollens　now。　　Ah；　I　shall　never
forget　once　when　I　went　by　Farmer　Bollens's　gardenyears　ago　now
years；　when　he　was　taking　up　ashleaf　taties。　　A　merry　feller　I　was
at　that　time；　a　very　merry　fellerfor　'twas　before　I　took　holy
orders；　and　it　didn't　prick　my　conscience　as　'twould　now。　　〃Farmer；〃
says　I；　〃little　taties　seem　to　turn　out　small　this　year；　don't　em？〃
〃O　no；　Crickett；〃　says　he；　〃some　be　fair…sized。〃　　He's　a　dull　man
Farmer　Bollens　ishe　always　was。　　However；　that's　neither　here　nor
there；　he's　a…married　to　a　sharp　woman；　and　if　I　don't　make　a
mistake　she'll　bring　him　a　pretty　good　family；　gie　her　time。'

'Well；　it　don't　matter；　there's　a　Providence　in　it；'　said　the
scullery…maid。　　'God　A'mighty　always　sends　bread　as　well　as
children。'

'But　'tis　the　bread　to　one　house　and　the　children　to　another　very
often。　　However；　I　think　I　can　see　my　lady　Hinton's　reason　for
chosen　yesterday　to　sickness…or…health…it。　　Your　young　miss；　and
that　one；　had　crossed　one　another's　path　in　regard　to　young　Master
Springrove；　and　I　expect　that　when　Addy　Hinton　found　Miss　Graye
wasn't　caren　to　have　en；　she　thought　she'd　be　beforehand　with　her
old　enemy　in　marrying　somebody　else　too。　　That's　maids'　logic　all
over；　and　maids'　malice　likewise。'

Women　who　are　bad　enough　to　divide　against　themselves　under　a　man's
partiality　are　good　enough　to　instantly　unite　in　a　common　cause
against　his　attack。　　'I'll　just　tell　you　one　thing　then；'　said　the
cook；　shaking　out　her　words　to　the　time　of　a　whisk　she　was　beating
eggs　with。　　'Whatever　maids'　logic　is　and　maids'　malice　too；　if
Cytherea　Graye　even　now　knows　that　young　Springrove　is　free　again；
she'll　fling　over　the　steward　as　soon　as　look　at　him。'

'No；　no：　　not　now；'　the　coachman　broke　in　like　a　moderator。
'There's　honour　in　that　maid；　if　ever　there　was　in　one。　　No　Miss
Hinton's　tricks　in　her。　　She'll　stick　to　Manston。'

'Pifh！'

'Don't　let　a　word　be　said　till　the　wedden　is　over；　for　Heaven's
sake；'　the　clerk　continued。　　'Miss　Aldclyffe　would　fairly　hang　and
quarter　me；　if　my　news　broke　off　that　there　wedden　at　a　last　minute
like　this。'

'Then　you　had　better　get　your　wife　to　bolt　you　in　the　closet　for　an
hour　or　two；　for　you'll　chatter　it　yourself　to　the　whole　boiling
parish　if　she　don't！　　'Tis　a　poor　womanly　feller！'

'You　shouldn't　ha'　begun　it；　clerk。　　I　knew　how　'twould　be；'　said
the　gardener　soothingly；　in　a　whisper　to　the　clerk's　mangled
remains。

The　clerk　turned　and　smiled　at　the　fire；　and　warmed　his　other　hand。

3。　　NOON

The　weather　gave　way。　　In　half…an…hour　there　began　a　rapid　thaw。　　By
ten　o'clock　the　roads；　though　still　dangerous；　were　practicable　to
the　extent　of　the　half…mile　required　by　the　people　of　Knapwater
Park。　　One　mass　of　heavy　leaden　cloud　spread　over　the　whole　sky；　the
air　began　to　feel　damp　and　mild　out　of　doors；　though　still　cold　and
frosty　within。

They　reached　the　church　and　passed　up　the　nave；　the　deep…coloured
glass　of　the　narrow　windows　rendering　the　gloom　of　the　morning
almost　night　itself　inside　the　building。　　Then　the　ceremony　began。
The　only　warmth　or　spirit　imported　into　it　came　from　the　bridegroom；
who　retained　a　vigorouseven　Spenserianbridal…mood　throughout　the
morning。

Cytherea　was　as　firm　as　he　at　this　critical　moment；　but　as　cold　as
the　air　surrounding　her。　　The　few　persons　forming　the　wedding…party
were　constrained　in　movement　and　tone；　and　from　the　nave　of　the
church　came　occasional　coughs；　emitted　by　those　who；　in　spite　of　the
weather；　had　assembled　to　see　the　termination　of　Cytherea's
existence　as　a　single　woman。　　Many　poor　people　loved　her。　　They
pitied　her　success；　why；　they　could　not　tell；　except　that　it　was
because　she　seemed　to　stand　more　like　a　statue　than　Cytherea　Graye。

Yet　she　was　prettily　and　carefully　dressed；　a　strange　contradiction
in　a　man's　idea　of　thingsa　saddening；　perplexing　contradiction。
Are　there　any　points　in　which　a　difference　of　sex　amounts　to　a
difference　of　nature？　　Then　this　is　surely　one。　　Not　so　much；　as　it
is　commonly　put；　in　regard　to　the　amount　of　consideration　given；　but
in　the　conception　of　the　thing　considered。　　A　man　emasculated　by
coxcombry　may　spend　more　time　upon　the　arrangement　of　his　clothes
than　any　woman；　but　even　then　there　is　no　fetichism　in　his　idea　of
themthey　are　still　only　a　covering　he　uses　for　a　time。　　But　here
was　Cytherea；　in　the　bottom　of　her　heart　almost　indifferent　to　life；
yet　possessing　an　instinct　with　which　her　heart　had　nothing　to　do；
the　instinct　to　be　particularly　regardful　of　those　sorry　trifles；
her　robe；　her　flowers；　her　veil；　and　her　gloves。

The　irrevocable　words　were　soon　spokenthe　indelible　writing　soon
writtenand　they　came　out　of　the　vestry。　　Candles　had　been
necessary　here　to　enable　them　to　sign　their　names；　and　on　their
return　to　the　church　the　light　from　the　candles　streamed　from　the
small　open　door；　and　across　the　chancel　to　a　black　chestnut　screen
on　the　south　side；　dividing　it　from　a　small　chapel　or　chantry；
erected　for　the　soul's　peace　of　some　Aldclyffe　of　the　past。　　Through
the　open…work　of　this　screen　could　now　be　seen　illuminated；　inside
the　chantry；　the　reclining　figures　of　cross…legged　knights；　damp　and
green　with　age；　and　above　them　a　huge　classic　monument；　also
inscribed　to　the　Aldclyffe　family；　heavily　sculptured　in　cadaverous
marble。

Leaning　herealmost　hanging　to　the　monumentwas　Edward　Springrove；
or　his　spirit。

The　weak　daylight　would　never　have　revealed　him；　shaded　as　he　was　by
the　screen；　but　the　unexpected　rays　of　candle…light　in　the　front
showed　him　forth　in　startling　relief　to　any　and　all　of　those　whose
eyes　wandered　in　that　direction。　　The　sight　was　a　sad　onesad
beyond　all　description。　　His　eyes　were　wild；　their　orbits　leaden。
His　face　was　of　a　sickly　paleness；　his　hair　dry　and　disordered；　his
lips　parted　as　if　he　could　get　no　breath。　　His　figure　was　spectre…
thin。　　His　actions　seemed　beyond　his　own　control。

Manston　did　not　see　him；　Cytherea　did。　　The　healing　effect　upon　her
heart　of　a　year's　silencea　year　and　a　half's　separationwas
undone　in　an　instant。　　One　of　those　strange　revivals　of　passion　by
mere　sightcommoner　in　women　than　in　men；　and　in　oppressed　women
commonest　of　allhad　taken　place　in　herso　transcendently；　that
even　to　herself　it　seemed　more　like　a　new　creation　than　a　revival。

Marrying　for　a　homewhat　a　mockery　it　was！

It　may　be　said　that　the　means　most　potent　for　rekindling　old　love　in
a　maiden's　heart　are；　to　see　her　lover　in　laughter　and　good　spirits
in　her　despite　when　the　breach　has　been　owing　to　a　slight　from
herself；　when　owing　to　a　slight　from　him；　to　see　him　suffering　for
his　own　fault。　　If　he　is　happy　in　a　clear　conscience；　she　blames
him；　if　he　is　miserable　because　deeply　to　blame；　she　blames　herself。
The　latter　was　Cytherea's　case　now。

First；　an　agony　of　face　told　of　the　suppressed　misery　within　her；
which　presently　could　be　suppressed　no　longer。　When　they　were　coming
out　of　the　porch；　there　broke　from　her　in　a　low　plaintive　scream　the
words；　'He's　dyingdying！　　O　God；　save　us！'　　She　began　to　sink
down；　and　would　have　fallen　had　not　Manston　caught　her。　　The　chief
bridesmaid　applied　her　vinaigrette。

'What　did　she　say？'　inquired　Manston。

Owen　was　the　only　one　to　whom　the　words　were　intelligible；　and　he
was　far　too　deeply　impressed；　or　rather　alarmed；　to　reply。　　She　did
not　faint；　and　soon　began　to　recover　her　self…command。　　Owen　took
advantage　of　the　hindrance　to　step　back　to　where　the　apparition　had
been　seen。　　He　was　enraged　with　Springrove　for　what　he　considered　an
unwarrantable　intrusion。

But　Edward　was　not　in　the　chantry。　　As　he　had　come；　so　he　had　gone；
nobody　could　tell　how　or　whither。

4。　　AFTERNOON

It　might　almost　have　been　believed　that　a　transmutation　had　taken
place　in　Cytherea's　idiosyncrasy；　that　her　moral　nature　had　fled。

The　wedding…party　returned　to　the　house。　　As　soon　as　he　could　find
an　opportunity；　Owen　took　his　sister　aside　to　speak　privately　with
her　on　what　had　happened。　　The　expression　of　her　face　was　hard；
wild；　and　unrealan　expression　he　had　never　seen　there　before；　and
it　disturbed　him。　　He　spoke　to　her　severely　and　sadly。

'Cytherea；'　he　said；　'I　know　the　cause　of　this　emotion　of　yours。
But　remember　this；　there　was　no　excuse　for　it。　　You　should　have　been
woman　enough　to　control　yourself。　　Remember　whose　wife　you　are；　and
don't　think　anything　more　of　a　mean…spirited　fellow　like　Springrove；
he　had　no　business　to　come　there　as　he　did。　　You　are　altogether
wrong；　Cytherea；　and　I　am　vexed　with　you　more　than　I　can　sayvery
vexed。'

'Say　ashamed　of　me　at　once；'　she　bitterly　answered。

'I　am　ashamed　of　you；'　he　retorted　angrily；　'the　mood　has　not　left
you　yet；　then？'

'Owen；'